The Pulaskian., 1915-03-12

half-bl1nded by dust and smoke and blood and the glare of the pitiless Au- gust sun, they turned this way and that, and thrust at friends as often as at enemies.
 Through them went the twenty-one no, only eighteen by now-until they reached the flag, formed a new wall of steel around it, and began, step by step, to climb the hill, recovering the lost ground over the bodies of the slain Up, up they went; back, back, back toward the shattered line of blue their bayonets working savagely, the newcomers infiamed with the lust of battle, and those they had rescued thrilled with new hope and courage.
 Up, then, to the very crest of the hill.
 And suddenly wave of cheering swept along the ragged line of blue The -th had seen it's flag go back and down; had thought it lost; had, never theless, fought on desperately, hope lessly-borne back by superior num- bers. But now-the fagl
 The cheer rippled and then roared along the line
 An officer, seeing the flag, hearing the cheer, had one of those inspirations that sometimes come to men in such crises that sometimes win battles when battles are already lost He leaped in front of his wavering line, grabbed a rifle from the hands of dead soldier helped wounded bugler to his feet, and gave sharp command
 Over that bloody field, above the sounds of rife and cannon and shout ing, rang out the call to the charge. The line leaped to it's feet
 In the front, to the right Duprez, forgetting everything but the lust for battle. fired with new kind of fury. snatched the flag from the hands of the tottering boy, raised it high above his head and, followed by the eleven that Were left of his twenty men-and many others and then the whole line--- went shrieking into the astonished ranks of the enemy.
 The clash was ferocious, unex- pected, irresistible.
 The German line shrank before the steel, faltered and gave way. Bay oneted in the back, clubbed, shot and slashed at by the inspired demons in blue and red, the German soldiers gave way and fled, stopping only in the shel- ter of their guns and supporting cavalry
 And when it was over, and the blue line halted breathless, exhausted, | l. I.vs,, dead or wounded on the field, there came a curious kind of silence in lit- tie group of men gathered around the flag. In the center of the group stood Duprez. with the flagstaff clutched to his breast, the tattered rag floating softly above his head
 He was hatless.
 A bayonet had torn hole in his coat. Blood flowed from a scalp wound and reddened his pale face. He looked around him, and his eyes glowed with a fire that was different from that his comrades had seen be- fore. He smiled as he studied the faces of his small command.
 "Tillier" he called out.
 "He has fallen!" answered one of the twenty.
 "Duval!"
 "Here" came the reply from a few feet away where soldier lifted his head from the midst of group of wounded and dead, the last to have fallen
 "Martineau!"
 "Here!" answered a sturdy voice as the man stepped forward.
 The eyes of the two men met, and there was moments pause.
 You were the last to be convinced, Martineau," said Duprez But am ready now--for the sacri- fice-for the great protest" the soldier quietly replied. We have shown that we are no towards. Lead on! Let us throw down our guns again, and the flag, and march into the German lines singing our song of freedom the International!'
 For an instant Duprez regarded him strangely Then his face lighted up; he strengthened himself, clutched the tricolor tighter to his breast, and took two steps backward
 Some day, Martineau-yes! he cried But now"
 He reached his free hand into his pocket, drew forth the ragged volume of his gospel of antimilitarism, of the brotherhood of man, and held 1t up at full arms length.
 A long time he regarded 1t, with a spiritual struggle plainly reflected on | his face.
 The book had been his guide, his comfort in times of trouble, a very Bible to his free-thinking mind, hold ing promises of true freedom, of the peace that has never yet come to the world, but is to come, "when the war drums throb no longer and the battle flags are furled"
 There was regret and pain in his tortured, blood-stained visage-only