Gilpin observer., 1917-11-22

" lue SuuuerS OF tnaC hidden battery
Dressing in the maddest haste, Pa.
tria ran from her room, and without
pausing to find and question anyone
who might be about the house, left the
patio by the passageway.
In front of the house her motor.
car was waiting-by prearranged or.
der-in charge OF an orderly. From
him, as she drove toward the aviation
field, she learned little or nothing. He
had arrived at the house with the car
at about the time when the firing be-
gan. He could tell her no more than
that the end of sleepless night had
found every man upon the ranch at his
post and prepared to sell his life to
the highest bidder.
On the way they passed squad of
men operating an anti-airplane gun
which they had just brought into ac-
ton. They worked steadily, method
ically, intelligently, as If they were
well-accustomed to their business in
stead Of the novices they were in all
save drilling.
And the accuracy of their firing was
astonishing. By the time Patria ar
rived at the aviation field, a lucky
shot had brought down one Of the hos
tile aircraft, another was winging
southwark as fast as its engine would
move 1t, and the third was engaged in
a duel with two planes sent up by
Patria's corps.
Fascinated, she stood watching this
spectacle long after her own biplane
had been wheeled out Of its hangar
and made ready for her ascent.
The three in the air were so high
that they seemed little larger than
swallows, and like swallows they
wheeled and swOoped, splitting fire ut
one another, their planes flashing in
the young sunlight like swords.
In the end the invader took refuge
in flight, the two defenders swapping
at his heels; and so they drifted from
sight, far south Of the border.
The distant firing had now become
more fast and furious.
Clambering into the seat Of her BIZ
plane, Patria grasped the controls and
gave the word to start the engine.
Five minutes later she was at an
elevation whence she commanded
view Of the country north and south
of the boundary line.
That report had not erred in saying
that the Japanese and Mexicans meant
to invade in force was dismayingly dis
closed. The roads to the south Of the
arroyo which marked the international
line were choked with regiments of
horse and foot. Patria's widest fears
had not prepared her for the sight of
so vast an army. Her heart sank the
handful Of men with which she had
thought to oppose this army seemed
more than ever pitifully inadequate.
She had expected them to be outnum-
bered ten to one; the truth was that
they were outnumbered hundred to
one.
Yet they were fighting calamity
as gallantly as II they imagined that
the odds against them were less brutal
ly d!spropOrtionate. Which none did.
Under cover of the sand-bag parapet
of the first renches-immediatel to
the north Of the bridge spanning the
arrOyo-several companies were doing
good service under CALLING conditions,
sweeping the approaches to the bridge
with machine-gun fire while suffering
rain Of shrapnel.
This last came from that battery
which had awakened Patria with its
first shots. 1t was sheltered behind q
hill ot co,po distance couth ~ Tho
bridge, and its gunners, having got the
range Of the trenches, were subjecting
them to bitter fire, constant and
deadly. Already (Patria SAW there
was constant procession Of wounded
moving by communicating trenches to
the rear. either In stretchers or max
ing laborious journey afoot-assisted,
perchance, by some comrades shOul-
der. And already the ground beyond
the parapet was Uttered with bodies
Of their dead.
And this was only the beginning. {.
To the man in the observers seat by
her side Patria communicated certain
instructions which he swiftly trans
lated into wireless to be picked up by
the operator at the headquarters Pa
tria's people had established well back
Of the main line trenches. Within FIVE
minutes the effect of her orders was
apparent. The first line trenches were
being rapidly vacated, their occupants
hastening back to the greater security
Of the main line. While one Of PARIS
masked batteries, going on informa-
ton communicated by Patria. got the
range Of the Japanese guns beyond the
hill and began to pound them merci-
lessly.
The evacuation of the first-line
trenches was accomplished barely In
time, even as Patria had foreseen