American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-09-21

and from them, now and again, smoke
bombs were dropped, signaling In code
to the gunners Of that hidden battery.
Dressing in the maddest haste, Pa
tria IAN from her room, and without
pausing to find and question anyone
who might be about the house, left the
patio by the p%assageway.
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 a 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 a 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 it's 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 at
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.
C%lambering 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 a
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 q hundred to
one.
Yet they were fighting CALAMITY
as CALAMITY as if they imagined that
the odds against them were less brutal
ly disproportionate. Which none did
Under cover of the sand-bag parapet
Of the first trenches-immediately tC
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
a rain of shrapnel.
This last came from that battery
which had awakened Patria with it:
first shots. 1t was sheltered behind {
hill at some distance south of the
bridge, and it's gunners, having got th'
range of the trenches, were subjectinl
them to a bitter fire, constant anC
deadly. Already s(Patria saw there
was a constant procession of wounded
moving by communicating trenches tt
the rear, either In stretchers or max
ing a laborious journey afoot-assisted
perchance, by some comrades shoul
der. And already the ground beyonC
the parapet was Uttered with bodie
of their dead.
And this was only the beginning. .
IL tic nan III lAC OD0CA . oCdN ~.
her side Patria communicated certain
instructions which he swiftly trans
lated into wireless to be picked up b,
the operator at the headquarters Pa
tria's people had established well bacl
Of the main line trenches. Within fv
minutes the effect Of her orders wa
apparent. The first line trenches wer
being rapidly vacated, their occupant
/ Fastening back to the greater securtt
of the main line. While one Of Parr'
masked batteries, going on informs
ton communicated by Patria, got tn
, range Of the japanese guns beyond tn
hill and began to pound them mercI
lessly.
The evacuation Of the first-lin
trenches was accomplished barely
time, even as Patria had foresee
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