Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-09-16
TContinuedl


beside the sergeant. Dellarme. as his
vision cleared, had Just time to see
Stransky jerk his hand up to his tenn
pie, where there was a red spot, be-
fore another shell burst, a little to
the rear. This was harmless, as a
shrapnePs shower of fragments and
bullets carry forward from the point
of explosion. But the next burst in
front of the line. The DOCTORS period
of idleness was over. One mans rife
shot up as his spine was broken by
Jagged piece Of shrapnel jacket. Now
there were too many shells to watch
them individually.
TITS all right-all right, men!" Del
larme called again, assuming his
CHEEKY smile. "It takes lot of shrap.
mel to kill anybody. Our batteries will
soon answer!"
His voice was unheard, yet its spir-
1t was felt. The men knew through
of lodging and that their best protec.
ton was an accurate fire Of their own.
Stransky had half risen, new kind
of savagery dawning on his features
as he regained his wits. With in
verted eyes he regarded the red ends
of his fingers, held in line with the
bridge of his nose. He felt of the
wound again, now that he was less
dizzy. 1t was only a scratch and he
had been knocked down like a beef in
an abattoir by an unseen enemy, on
whom he could not lay hands! Deaf
entngly, the shrapnel Jackets con-
tinued to crack with "ukung-s-sh-
ukung-s-sh" as the swift breath of the
shrapnel missiles spread The guns
or one battery of that Gray regiment
of artillery, each firing six 14-pound
shells a minute methodically, every
shell loaded with nearly two hundred
projectiles, were giving their undivid-
ed attention to the knoll.
How long could his company endure
this? Dellarme might well ask. He
knew that he would not be expected
to withdraw yet. With a sense of re-
lief he saw Fracasse's men drop for
cover at the base of the knoll and
then, expectation fulfilled, he realized
that rifle-fire now reinforced the enc.
my's she'll fire. His duty was to re-
main while he could hold his men.
and feeling toward them such as he
had never felt before, which was love,
sprang full-fiedged into his heart as he
saw how steadily they kept up their
fusillade.
Stransky, eager in response to q
new passion. sprang forward into
place and picked up his rifle.
"If you will not have 1t my way
take 1t yours" said the best shot in
the company, as he began firing with
resolute coolness.
They have lot of men down." said
Dellarme, his glasses showing the
many PROSTATE figures on the wheat
stubble. STEADY! steady! We have
plenty of batteries back in the hills
One will be in action soon."
But would one? He understood
that with their smokeless powder the
Gray guns could be located only by
their flashes, which would not be Wis.
ible unless the refraction Of light we're
favorable. Then "thur-eesh-thur.
eesh" above every other sound in a
long WALL No man ever forgets the
first crack of shrapnel at close quar-
ters, the first bullet breath on his
cheek, or the first supporting shell
from his side in fight that passes
above him.
THAT is ours!" called Dellarme.
"Ours!" shouted the sergeant.
-Ours!" sang the thought of every
one Of them.
Over the Gray batteries on the plain
an explosive ball of smoke hung in
the still air; then another beside 1t.
"Thur-eesh - thur-eesh - thur-eesh," )"
the screaming overhead became a gale
that built cloud of blue smoke over
the offending Gray batteries-beauti.
full soft blue smoke from which a
spray Of steel descended. There was
no spotting the flashes of the Browns
guns in order to reply to them. for
they were under the cover of hill,
! using indirect aim as nicely and &C.
curately as IL firing pointblank. The
gunners of the Gray batteries could
not go on with their work under such
a hail-storm; they were checkmated.
They stopped firing and began moving
to new position. where their com.
mander hoped to remain undiscovered
long enough to support the 128th by
loosing his lightnings against the de-
tenders at the critical moment of the
next charge which would be made as
soon as Fracasse's men had been rein.
forced.
There was an end to the concus.
sions and the thrashing Of the air
around Dellarme's men, and they had
the relief of breaking abscess in the
ear. But they became more conscious
of the spits of dust in front of their
faces and the passing whistles of bull.
lets. In return, they made the sec.
tions of Gray infantry in reserve rush.
ing across the levels, leave many gray
Jumps behind. But Fracasse's men at
the foot of the slope poured In heav.
Ter and still heavier Ere.
Down there's where we need the
shells now!' spoke the thought of Del
larme's men, which he had anticipated