The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-02-18

recollecting Lanstron's remark Ht
pictured Stranssy in last stand In a
redoubt, and every soldier was %
precious to him as q piece Of gold to
q miser
"One ought to be enough to kill me
IL you're going to do 1t to slow music, "
said Stransky. you might az well
kill me as the poor fools that your
poor fools are trying to"
Another breath finished the speech;
breath released from a ball that
seemed to have come straight from
hell. The fire control officer of a regi-
ment of Gray artillery on the plain,
scanning the landscape for the origin
of the rifie-fire which was leaving
many fallen III the wake of the charge
of the Gray infantry, had seen figure
on the knoll How kind! Thank
you!" his thought spoke faster than
words. No need of range-fnding!
The range to every possible battery
or infantry position asound La Tir
was already marked ON his map. He
passed the word to his mlns.
The burst of their first shrapnel-
shell blinded all three actors in the
scene on the crest of the knoll with
its ear-splitting crack and the force of
it's concussion threw Stransky down
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
shrapnefs 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 rifle
shot up as his spine was broken by q
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 1T takes lot OF shrap.
mel to kill anybody. Our batteries will
soon answer"
His voice was unheard, yet its spir.
IL was felt. The men knew through
their training that there was no use
of lodging and that their best protec'
ton was an accurate fire OF their own,
Strensky had half risen, a 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 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
eningly. the shrapnel jackets con.
tinued to crack with "ukung-s-sh-'
ukung-s-sh" as the swift breath Of the
shrapnel missiles spread. The gums
of one battery Of that Gray regiment
of artillery, each firing six 14-pcund
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 we'll ask. He
knew that he would not be expected
to withdraw yet. With 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 rif1e-f1re now reinforced the enc
mys shell fire. His duty was to re
main while he could hold his men,
and feeling toward them such az he
had never felt before, which was love
sprang full-fedged into his heart as he
saw how steadily they kept up their
fusillade.
Stransky, eager in response to a
new passion, sprang forward into
place and picked up his rifle.
IF you will not have it my way
take It yours!" said the best shot Ia
the company, as he began firing with
resolute GOODNESS.
"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."
CTO BE CONTINUED)
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