The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-10-17

the hall Jim resreated. into coat
closet and waited No one came.
In a locked room above. the door OF
which he broke down Jim found four
girls overcome BY escaping gas. They
were attempting TO kill themselves.
One of the girls was Beatrice Logan.
whom he tried to revive. Summoning
the FIVE men who had been travelling
with him. they returned to the house.
where they repuIsed an attack OF the
regents soldiers. killing five of them
Even as he worked over the half un-
conscious Beatrice she struggled
against him.
"It's-its YOU. she murmured at
last "You-you we're
.fYes. it's l." Jim assured
.sThen-then where am l
Gradually he. got the sense to her.
ssWe came and found you. and we
have killed them all who were here;
we have killed themF'
KILLED them she cried Killed
theml You have killed the soldiers
herei Oh, our poor peoplei Oh. help
our poor people.'
Later Jim led bis party and the
girls to safety.
Jim became a captain and vowed
that his part OF the battle line would
be held next time.
He was going to shoot his men If
| they faltered. Far, far better to shoot
| them and fall in the battle line than to
abandon more women and children TO
| the invader.
Along with the infantrymen of his
company there were men who, when
they had had horses, had been cayal-
rymen. Mart Ware was among them.
The company was quite nondescript,
but all had been under fire before, so
they were stationed at a vital point In
the first line trenches above Cayuga
| lake.
/ The lake was miles longer than pre-
yiously, all the valley on the north be-
ing flooded. Jim's section of front was
Just beyond the food. There were
| two more trenches behind him-three
little lines of bitches, each with man
every yard or so-just those three lit
tie lines between invasion, as Jim had
seen during these recent days, and
security and sanctity for honor, life
and possessions. Jim talked to his
men frankly before the battle began
Every man was to stand and fight as
long as he had strength. IL the ordel
came to leave the trenches and ad
vance the company was going to ad
vance or the officers would shoot thu
men who failed.
During all the forenoon, for fiys
hours following the dawn, that sec
ton of trench was shelled. A few O
, the men went mad that morning, tw.
, from head wounds which made then
, maniacs for the inhuman hour befor,
they died. Then, during snow fur.
|, In the afternoon, the shrapnel ceases
and the assault came-the charge o
thousands of yelling, white coated &c
ures-and the American guns coul
not even make a gap in their line.
was all up to the men in the frs
line trenches They were ordered. .afl
er they had emptied their rifles usexes:
iy into that charging line of thousa6d:
/; to jump up in front OF the trench an
: face them with bayonets
Only Jim Ashby, the captain Of
: company, kept his word Wild, fraI
] tic as the madmen, he struck at th
Q men who crouched and wouldn't &c
d up; he dropped one. shot another, an
Q the men beyond that one jumped OF
0 of his way and fought. Another ball
ed and defied the captain. Jim scream
n ed at him, struck him and shut his eye
/ as his revolver went off at the blow.
J He leaped up in front of the trench
g an opposing bayonet entered his bod
a and bore him back, and he tumble
IS into the trench upon the body of tt
Y soldier of his command whom he ha
# just shot
/ More bodies piled above him; the
Il Inc battle was far beyond. Jim Ashb
Ell captain of volunteers. moved his hea
l and. after a struggle. was able
II touch with his lips the brow Of Il
d boy he had shot. The bullet lid gor
through his head. ard death lad bee
r. instant.
d .'Mart! Captain Ashby whispere
d ..Mart!'
If Some time after the cold and Il
If snow had stopped the bleeding {
Is Jim's wound and lis coat was all ST
Or with frozen. blood men oe the regeaI
lie ambulance ecrrs bore him 70 a eiuFt
t at Auburn, where rows Of cots rcplaes
the pews and narscs were movfI
Q. about
ID The hayonet Jim was told. b:
broken two of his ribs ard skaters
ne his collar bone Ii had left gre
a hole through his shoulder. bur the ste
s had missed his lungs
I'd 1t was the twelfth day later whc
d as he lay on his side staring at t
to door, he saw Agnes approaching slo'
ly, gazing at every cot I'm her scar
NJ for-Mart.
ssJimr'
He had put back the bed cove
from his face, so she saw him from
At few feet away Her cry was scarce
- more than a whisper. Now she "
ii beside his bed.
M "Jimr' she cried again. but her ey
al instead af STAYING uDon him glanc