Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1915-01-07
CHAPTER Ix-contlnued.

but wouia ohC. iO
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 were
favorable. Then "thur-eesh-thur-
eesh" above every other sound in a
long wall, No man ever forgets the
first crack of a shrapnel at close quar-
tiers, the first bullet breath on his
cheek, or the first supporting shell
from his side in flight 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
IN explosive ball Of smoke hung in
the still air: then another beside It.
'ssThur-eesh = thur-eesh thur-eesh,"
the screaming overhead became a gale
that built a cloud Of blue smoke over
the offending Gray batteries-beauti-
ful, 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 q hill.
using Indirect aim as nicely and ac-
curately as II firing pointblank- The
xunners of the Gray batteries could
not 20 on with their work under such
a hail-storm; they were checkmated.
They stopped firing and began moving
to a new position. where their COM
mander hoped to remain undiscovered
long enough to support the 12sth by
loosing his I~ightnings 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 q breaking abscess in the
ear. But they became more conscious
OF the splits of dust in front Of their
faces and the passing whistles OF bull
lets. In return. they made the sec
lions 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 a heav-
Ter and still heavier FIRE.
Down there's where we need the
shells now!" spoke the thought Of Del
larme's e which he had anticipated
by a word to the signal corporal. who
waved his flag one-two-three-four
five times. Come on, now, with
more of your special brand Of death.
fre-control Officer! Your own head is
above the skyline, though your guns
are hidden. Five hundred yards be-
'yond the knoll is the range! Come
on!
He came with a burst OF screams SO
low in flight that they seemed to
brush the lack of the mems necks
with a hair broom at the rate Of q
thousand feet a second. Having
watched tine result, Dellarme turned
with q eonirmatory gesture, which the
corporal translated into the wigwag
OF Correct" The shrapnel smoke
hanging over F~racasse's mel appeared
q heavenly blue to Dellsrne's men.
They are going t. start for us
soon! Oh, but well get a lot Of
then!" whispered Stransky gleefully
to his rife.
Dellarme glanced again toward the
colonel's station. No sign of the re-
firing flag. He was glad Of that. He
did not want 10 fall back in face Of
q charge; to have his men ~silhouetted
in the valley as they retreated. And
the Grays would not endure this show
er-bath long without going one way or
the other. He gave the order to fix
bayonets, and hardly was 1t obeyed
when he saw flashes of steel through
the shrapnei smoke as the Grays fixed
theirs. The Grays had 500 yayds to
20: the Browns had the time that 1t
takes running men to the dis
lance in which to stop the Grays.
Wen spear any OF them who has
the luck to get this far" whispered
Stransky to his rifle. The sentence
was spoken'fn the midst Of a sa,vo OF
shrapnel cracks. which he did not
hear. He heard nothing. thought 10th
ing, except u kill.
The Gray batteries On the plain.
having taken up q new position and
being reinforced. played on the crest
at top speed instantly the Gray line
rose and started up the slope at the
run. With the purpose Of confusing
no less than killing, they used percus'
sion, which burst on striking the
ground. as well as shrapnel, which
burst By q time1fuse In the afr. Foun.
tains Of sod and dirt shot upward to
meat Asscaudiuc sprays of b.Ilets. The