Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-11-12

Ter and the automatic and its gunners
IN the havoc Of explosion Feller must
have been killed. The dust settled;
she saw Dellarme making frantic ges-
lures as he looked at his men. They
were keeping up their fusillade with
unfinching rapidity Through the
breach left in the breastwork she had
giimpses, as the dust was finally dis
sipated, Of gray figures. bayonets fixed,
pressing together as they came on
f1ercely toward the opening. The
Browns let go the full blast of their
magazines. Hal that chance shell
turned the scales? Would the Grays
get into the breastwork?
All Marta's faculties and emotions
were frozen in her stare of suspense
at the breach. Then her heart Ieaped,
cry in a gust Of short breaths broke
from her lips as the Browns let go
a rasping, explosive, demoniacal cheer.
The first attack had been checked
After triumph, terror, faintness, and
a closing Of her eyes, she opened
them to see Teller, with his old straw
hat-brim torn and crownless now
still on his head, rise from the debris
and shake himself like a dog coming
ashore from a swim. While the engi-
neers fastened to repair the breach
he assisted Stransky, who had also
been knocked down by the concus-
sion, to lift the overturned automatic
off the gunner. The doctor, putting a
hand on the gunner's heart, shook his
head, and two hospital-corps men re-
moved the body to make room for the
engineers.
For once DelIarme's CHEEKY smile
deserted him. There was no one left
to man the automatic, so vital in the
defense, and even if somebody could
be found the gun was probably out of
commission. AS he started toward it
his smile, already summoned back,
was shot with surprise at sight of the
gun IN place and a stranger in blue
blouse, white hair showing through
crownless straw hat, trying out the
mechanism with knowing fingers. Del
larme stared. Teller, unconscious of
everything but the gun, righted the
cartridge band, swung the barrel back
and forth, and then fired a shot
'You--you seem to know rapid
frers!" Dellarme exclaimed in blank
incomprehension.
Yes, sir!" Feller raised his finger,
whether in salute as a soldier or as
gardener touching his hat it was
hard to say.
But nowhere? gasped Del
Iarme.
This time the movement of the fin
ger was undoubtedly in salute, in per-
feet, swift, military salute, with head
thrown back and shoulders stiff Eel
Ter the gardener was dead and buried
without ceremony.
''LanstrOn's class, school for Off
GERS, sir Stood one in ballistics prize
medallist control of gun-fire. Yes, sir.
I know something about rapid-frers."
Feller replied, and fired a few more
shots. "A little high, a little low
right, my lady, right"
Stransky was back in his place next
to the automatic and firing whenever
a head appeared. He rolled his eyes
in a characteristic squirt of scrutiny
toward the new recruit.
Beats spraying rose-busnes for
bugs, Ell, old man." he asked.
Yes, a lead solution is best for
gray bugs!" Teller remarked pun-
gently, and their glances meeting
they saw in each others eyes the Joy
of hell.
"A pair of anarchists" exclaimed
Stransky, grinning, and tried a shot
for another head
AS if in answer to prayer, a gun
ner had come out of the earth. SUI
ficient to the need was the fast. 1t