Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-05-31

Eleanor, clutcnlnB MARKS ) arm, Stoou
tense beside him; Mark saw that she
understood. and the two held their
breath as the dust clouds eddied along
the ridge.
Suddenly they dissolved. and The at
tacking swarm poured like a great
flood into the village. II looked as If
all were lost
But an instant later Mark saw lit
tie company of Americans thrust out
Maxim gun from behind a wall, where
they had hidden it. The gunner took
his seat. and. just as the ranks were
closing In on him, swept the street
from side to side. The ranks recoiled
and fell, body piling on body. Then, as
Il torrent forces its way through the
whelmed the Maxim section and swept
into the streets.
And, AS torrent meets torrent, with
a surge and rush Il body of American
troops swept forward to meet them.
The battle was all about them. Ev-
'cry house was Il fortress. every mound
of brick Il rallyin:s point. Mark raised
the half-conscious colone! in his arms
and drew him into the shelter of lit
tie hollow in the brick wall. He beck
oned to Eleanor - crouch down beside
him. There they were safe from lying
bullets, and might hope to pass unno-
ticed. He still hesitated. when body
of Germans rushed, shouting, past him
upon u troop of Americans who came
round shattered corner, led by 4
young officer carrying L bloody
sword.
1t was quick and short bayonet
work. Mark saw the blades flash,
heard the painting gasps of the thrust
crs and the means of the wounded. He
saw the young officer staggcr and fall,
a bayonct through his shoulder. The
sword fell from his hand. Before the
German could withdraw his weapon
Mark had snatched up the sword and,
with Il mighty blow, cloven the G""
mans arm from !.is body.
And with the blow all his
returned, all his energy and
battle. He forgot everything.
the sword, he hurled himself II
attacking ranks. They gave. an
a cheer the defenders swept
,1ha main street, Mark leading
How he fought that day he never
knew; long afterward he would see
visions of it in sleep, and battle pic
lures that forever cludcd his waking
consciousness. Round the little vii
lage, the key TO the days fortunes, the
tide ebbed and flowed. Company after
company came up on either side. Now
advancing, now driven back, the
Americans fought from street to street
and back again. Machine guns opened
fire from unexpected places, -hideous
death traps caught the unwary ana
venturesomc, sometimes II street was
filed with n jostling mob. too packed
to use their steel, tearing C.. one an
other with fists and teeth. There was
no order, and the command fell to
him who seized it. Through all that
nightmare Mark fought ut the Lead oi
his company, looking like n mailman
as they said of him afterward. When
he came to himself at last he found
himself, unwounded, save for MS
bleeding arm, from which the bandage
had long since fallen. and in command
of 4 battalion.
They had driven the Germans from
the last house Of the village. The de-
lay had saved the day. ThI reserves
had come pouring in. On the ridge be-
yond the enemy was marshaling for
last counter attack.
Mark looked about him. Licutcn-
,nts. captains who should have COM
manded companies, mingled with pri-
yates and non-ccms, were following
as if hypnotlzed, this middie-aseu
private with the Red Gross on his arh'
As Mark looked his heart swelled with
the consciousness and pride OF leader
ship. And, ut his glance, roar went
up that was caught up from man 10
man and sent echoing into the dis
tance.
And Mark was swept away with un-
conuuerable enthusiasm. 1t was MS
day, the day of which every soldier
dreams.
Come along, boys! Break them
up," he shouted. and ran forward
With one resounding cheer the lines
swept after him. a ripple OF macnihe-
gun fire caught them. but could not
hold them. over the fallen they
pressed on, cries of triumph upon their
lips. the faces, set above the cleaning
bayonets, animated by a single pur-
pose. And now they we're upon theH.
Mark fought in the bloody swirl.
Blades thrust at him. bullets tore HIS
tottered uniform. Once he was down
and he saw n giant rush at him with
c,ubbed rifle. He raised his arm' ne
tried TO drive with his sword, lungeo
and missed. Then the uplifted rihe
fell harmlessly beside him, and the
giant fell forward. dead. over him. pm
ming him to the ground, and covering
him with his blood. A bayonet thrust
had passed clean through his oody'
And, looking up bewildered, Marx
thought he saw Hartley's face LOOK
into his own.
Next moment Mark was on his feet
acain. and Hartley had vanished. But
already the last tussle was over. The
Germans broke and fed, streaming
hack across the plain. leaving the re-
taken ridge to guard the unoroken
lines of the defenders.
Mark. stood still. gasping. The men
were crowding all about him. waving
their helmets on bayonet points, cheer-
ing him. shaking his hand. Across the
field two mounted men were r1oine'
They came up to the ridge, and one, q
white haired old officer. leaped TO the
ground and wrung Marks hand