The Adair County news., 1918-11-27

force somewhere across the feHis. tfses
reserves were rushing up TO repeE cgsen-I
Mark staggered to his feet and kcand,
that he could stand. His arm HRoeEf
under the bandage, but it Was nsSj
broken. Probably a splinter had struck
him. He made his way tOwarS th6ss
Colonel, who eyed him vacantly as hef
approached.
Take Eleanor to safety and feaye
me, Mark" he said, in a choking vJzcs.
I'll take you both, sir This can't,
last long. Our men will be in theryif--
lage in few minutes. Or an araf,u
lance will pass"
Mark put his hands beneath the Colo
nels arms and tried to lift him.
As the Colonel tried to stand he CAL
lapsed forward in Marks arms He
looked at Mark piteOusly.
'Take her and leave me-" he wis
pered. "And listen to me, Marx She
cares for you. All will come rigaG, IL
1 can keep my worthless carcass alive p
until I've seen the General. B1t 7
never counted on being done W. Hkss,
this"
There were tears in the Old L Hria
eyes. Forgive me. my boy" he szuf-
tered, and fell into inconsistencies
Mark set him down against the rsT
again. 1t was impossible 10 move i5ims
oven with Eleanor's help.
Mark looked at Eleanor. IT'S snfess
here" he said. ''The village viii fsz
occupied soon. Help will come
He broke off abruptly as another of
the heavy shells dropped nearer, send
ing the brick fragments flying in all d.
rectiOns. OF sudden it had occurred
to him that the reason why the AIg,ert
cans did not enter the village Was ShaS
it was death-trap; it's ranges wers
all mapped and plotted, and the Ger
mans were bent on its systematic liz
struction.
Mark stood by Eleanor In rresoFts.-
ton. cursing his fate. He did not E10F-
what to do. He could not leave Egg;
and yet he felt burning impulse Dc
play some part in affairs. His eye
trained by long years of practice, tsG&
in the tactical situation at q gIaEssg. -
The Germans must have made a prs-
giOus thrust in the night, bursdhg
through the center; the reserves, SIN
rushing over the fields, were trying %
fill and hold the gap. AID the M-le
Headquarters village was the key &C
the whole battlefield
Wounded men came streaming dorznh
the street, followed by the uercIsx
shells. The acceptance above WIS FxfHA
circling like a hawk; IL seemed In
credible that no aeroplane ATTACKED II
And it was quite clear to Marx tfnl
only treachery, calculated and 2aof
Planned, could have brought aboax the
situation.
For the Germans must have an
VGhced four miles since nightfaIl-
Help will come" Mark repeate,f::
and suddenly, even above the druLaEEe %
he could hear the sounds of ensezilz
And, topping the ridge that ran befors
the village, there came swurIn q
gray-green figures, thrusting hack tAs
thin, scattered line that held it.. Thr
bullets were whirring overhead, zE,Th
ole, and like swarm of bees. Cloud
of dust rose up and hid the battle.
Eleanor. clutching Marks arm, sroo6
tense beside him; Mark saw thas ssae
understood, and the two held tnaril
breath as the dust clouds eddied asoAe
the ridge.
Suddenly they dissolved, and the NJ
lacking swarm poured like great zsoSc
into the village. 1t looked as if al
were lost.
But an instant later Mark saw a TIt-
tie company of Americans thrust 8Qs p
Maxim gun from behind a wall, wzszsG
they had hidden it. The gunner 1ocG
his seat, and, just as the ranks VzsrS
closing in on him, swept the stree4
from. side to side. The ranks recuaed
and fell, body piling ON body. TIER rs
a torrent forces its way through th<s,
ice-crust of river, the attackers over
whelmed the Maxim section and SWEPT
into the streets.
And, as torrent meets torrent, Wit
surge and rush body of American
troops swept forward to meet them.
The battle was all about them Every
house was fortress, every. maunaA ~
bricks a rallying point. Mark ra1S.s&F
the half-cOnsciOus Colonel in his arr3s
and drew him into the shelter OF a TT
tie hollow in the brick wan. He. heck
oned to Eleanor to crouch down DessEft
him. There they were safe from fiySsz.e
bullets, and might hope to pass uzn
ticed. He still hesitated, when. a bnsfsc
of Germans rushed, shouting. past taE
upon troop of Americans who cunx~
round a shattered corner, lsSa hy n
young officer carrying bloody SESzzf
1t was quick and short bayonet work
Mark saw the blades flash, hearta 3bs
painting gasps of the thrusters an1s xhe
means of the wounded He saw. fhs
young officer stagger and fali- Dayo--
net through his shoulder. The sword
fell from his hand. Before the GerzaH
could withdraw his weapon Marx Ea6g
snatched up the sword and, viva a.
mighty blow, cloven the Germans arxss
from his body.
And with the blow an his streuyfb
returned, all his energy and zest fm