The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1915-04-17

mo. and don't waste any time, Ell
Their. old mani said another. Back
to your bulbs!"
Teller did not even hear them. For
the moment he was actually deaf
"Fire!" said Dellarme's whistle.
''Thurr-r!" went the automatic in
soulless. mechanical repetition, its
tape spinning through the cylinder,
while the rifles spoke with the human
irregularity OF steel-tipped fingers
pounding at random on a drumhead.
All along the line facing La Tir the
volume OF fire spread until it was like
the concert of mighty loom.
The Gray batteries having tried out
their range by the flashes of the au-
tomato the previous evening, were
making the most of the occasion.
"Uk-ung-n-ng." the breaking jackets
whipped out their grists. The re-
serves. the hospital-corps men and the
engineers Rugged the breastwork for
cover. The leaves clipped from the
trees by bullets were blown aside with
the hurricane breaths OF shrapnel
bursts; bullets wh.stled SO near Marta
that she heard their shrillness above
every other sound. She was amazed
that the houses still remained stand
ing-that anyone was alive. But she
had q glimpse OF Dellarme maintain
ing his set smile and another Of Eel
Ter. who had crept up behind the au-
tomato, making impatient "come-on!
come-on! what-is-the-matterwi p
gestures in the direction Of the bat
teries IN front OF the castle.
r-eesh-tbur eesh!" AS the
welcome note swept overhead he
waved his hands up and down in mad
rapture and then peeped over the
breastwork to ascertain If the prac-
tice were good The Brown batteries
had been little slow in coming into
action. but they soon broke the pre-
cision of the opposing fire.
Now shells coming frequently fell
short or went wide. The air cleared
Then a chance shell, striking at the
one point which the man who fired
it six thousand yards away would have
chosen as his bull's-eye, obscured Eel
Ter and the automatic and its gunners
in the havoc of explosion. Teller 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
unf1inching rapidity. Through the
breach left in the breastwork she had
glimpses, as the dust was finally dis
sipated, of gray figures, bayonets fixed
pressing together as they came or
fiercely toward the opening. The
Browns let go the full blast of theil
magazines Had that chance shell
turned the scales? Would the Graye
get into the breastwork?
All Martas faculties and emotions
were frozen in her stare of suspense
at the breach. Then her heart leaped
cry in a gust of short breaths broke
from her lips as the Browns let &C
a rasping. explosive, demoniacal cheer
The first attack had been checked!
After triumph. terror, faintness, ant
closing of her eyes, she opened
them to see Feller with his old straw
hat-brim torn and crownless now
still on his head, rise from the debri:
and shake himself like dog coming
ashore from a swim. While the engi
neers fastened to repair the breach
he assisted Stransky who had alst
been knocked down by the concus
sion. to lift the overturned automatic
of the gunner. The doctor. putting {
hand on the gunner's heart, shook hi
| nj Of 70
moved the body to make room for thu
engineers.
For once Dellarmes CHEEKY smile
deserted him. There was no one lief
to man the automatic, so vital In thu
defense, and even II somebody coult
be found the gun was probably out o
commission. AS he started toward +
his smile. already summoned back
. was shot with surprise at sight of thu
gun In place and stranger in blue
blouse, white hair showing through i;
crownless straw hat, trying out tn,
mechanism with knowing fingers. Del
larme stared. Teller, unconscious o
everything but the gun. righted thu
cartridge band, swung the barrel bacl
and forth, and then fired shot.
"You-you seem to know rapid
firers!" Dellarme exclaimed in blanl
incomprehension
Yes, sir!" Teller reised his finger
whether in salute as a soldier or a!
gardener touching his hat 1t wa.
hard to say
But how-where?" gasped Del
larme.
This time the movement of the fin
ger was undoubtedly In salute. In per
feet, swift, military salute, with heat
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