Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-31
CHAPTER III.-Continued.
Riding Battle Smoke.
SYNOPSIS.

-, Riding Battle Smoke.
o. SYNOPSIS.
Kent Burgess. an Englishman. hap
pens along in time to save two Ameri-
can girls who have been caught in an
ambuScadc of German uhlans in the
fighting in Belgium. in the present
war. The girls go to scissors to meet
the father of one, Winfield Stanley.
who IL i'll. Later Burgess. who has
fallen in love with Wintfred, is sent tn
France with the British army near the
place where Winifred is stopping.
From the right and left came the
steady throb OF English field batteries.
concealed in the timber. but no smoke
from the guns arose above the trees.
That the Germans knew where the
pieces We're hidden. however, was made
plain, by the bursting at regular inter
walls of huge shells.
= (
Jack Johnsons,' the British called
these projectiles, because of the dense
column of black smoke which ballooned
up as they exploded. Beautiful Ber-
thas" was the term applied by the Ger
mans to the product of the great Krupp
works But whatever their name, their
effect was tremendous Deep craters
yawned where they struck, and once
obtained the range of a position it in
stantly became untenable.'
Gentlemen, we've got to locate those
guns" Col Atherholt's eyes swept the
group of aEiators. They're making too
much trouble. The matter is of SUI
preme Importance"
I Kent Burgess. standing a pace be-
hind GrisHold. suddenly forgot he was
mere private, and started forward
with an exclamation. Your pardon,
SIR" he stammered> his hand going up
in formal salute as he recognized his
breach of military decorum, but
wouldn't it be possible to locate them
at night?
Col. Anterior regarded him keenly for
a moment, then nodded. Proceed" he
said, and Kent outlined his plan.
Il was thinking those big guns would
make considera bic of flash if fired at
night" he said: IF machine was
over their position it might be able to
locate them in that way.
But the enemy is not in the habit of
mbarding our lines at night" the
corps commander observed. dryly. but
Kent had forgotten differences in rank
He was ready to argue the point.
Il rather think they'd shoot back if
we cut loose on them after dark he
flashed. Then he swept hand to the
east and west. Start US out after
dark, with flares on those two hills to
give us our bearings. Turn all our
guns loose, and make a feint were
about to attack in force. They'll get
busy with their howitZers and we
should be able to locate them.
with a compass one could take the
bearings of the two flares from point
directly over the guns, and the rest
should be easy. I've forgotten most of
my trig,' but, given the angle and one
side of a Triangle
The staff officer was nodding eagerly,
and Col. Anterior checked the quota
ton. There was a QuizZical look in his
eyes as he regarded Kent.
"And you're the chap who started out
to carry a rifle" was his comment.
when he had outlined details for an
attempt to carry out the plan that
night, Col. Atherton departed, and
Thane turned to Kent in an outburst of
enthusiasm.
Private Burgess he said. Il regard
you as a designing person. Getting
mentioned in dispatches has gone to
your head. Il believe you are getting
vain and want it to happen again.
Anyhow, though it's strictly not the
custom, I'm going to take certain
private down to my tent for nip OF
Scotch. Come on. we'll draw the flaps
so not to scandalfZe the st1n -necks
Of the mess"
sky overcast with clouds promised
eoncealment from the enemy when
Kent took his place at the controls of
the big monoplane that night: He
knew the difficulties of a flight in the
dark, was we'll aware of the danger
attending a landing should anything
go wrong, yet was there no hint OF nerv-
BUSINESS in his manner as he adjusted
the heavy straps which bound him to
his seat and pulled the padded helmet
over his head.
All was quiet along the battle front.
The artillery duel had ceased with the
coming of night But as Kent settled
himself in his seat. from far to the
right came the dull boom Of gun,
and along the entire English line bat
teries went into action one after an
other. From the direction of the
trenches sounded a crackle of rife fire
as the infantry feigned an attack: be-
yond the river the German cannon
awoke; and above the thud and clatter.
the throb and mutter. the tremendous
concussions which reverberated across
the valley like the hammering of IT,
tanic blacksmiths, came the blasting
shock of a shell from one Of the big
German howitzers.
That was the signal the English
awaited, and no time was lost in pre-
Iiminaries. Thane shook hands with
few brother officers. climbed to his
seat. and a mechanician tugged at the
propeller. The motor coughed. hest
tated, broke into a full-lunged roar.
a wave of Kent's hand and they were
Off. Almost instantly it seemed dark
ness swallowed the machine and the
drone OF Its engine quickly blended
and was lost in the thunder of the
guns.
Kent set his course by compass as
he mounted in wide circles. Above
the dial of the instrument glowed a
tiny light, but it was shielded from
observation from below.
In the black void underneath guns
flashed like firefies. To the west and
east were the brilliant flares which
gave him his bearings. To the north
crimson jets marked German artillery
replying to the allied cannon.
A few minutes of flying carried them
beyond the enemy's trenches, and Kent
changed his course, turning to the
east; then Thane, staring down into
the darkness. uttered q jubilant shout,
lost in the rush of the wind.
Directly in front a geyser OF fame
spurted into the sky. 1t came from
the muZZle of one of the great how
tiers.
Back and forth Kent guided the
aeroplane as Thane checked his OBJ
servations. taking the bearings of the
flares to the south. marking the ap-
proximate positions of the big can
non on a map. With the data OBJ
tanned it would be simple matter
to pick out the emplacements in day
light