The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1919-01-24
} BY VICTOR ROUSSEAU

It was q death-trap: its ranges were
all mapped and plotted, and the Ger
mans were bent ON Its systematic de-
structiOn.
Mark stood by Eleanor IN i~rresolu-
ton, cursing his fate. He did not know
what to do. He could not leave her;
and yet he felt a burning impulse to
play some part In affairs. His eye,
trained by long years OF practice. took
In the tactical situation ut a glance.
The Germans must have made a prodi-
gious thrust In the night, bursting
through the center: the reserves, still
rushing over the fields, were trying to
fill and hold the gap. And the little
Headquarters village was the key to
the whole battlefield.
Wounded men came streaming down
the street. followed by the merciless
shells. The aeroplane above was still
circling like . hawk: It seemed in
credible that no aeroplane attacked 1t.
And 1t was quite clear to Mark that
only treachery, calculated and long
planned, could have brought about the
| situation.
For the Germans must have ad-
vanced four miles since nightfall.
"Help will come" Mark repeated ;
and suddenly, even above the drumfre,
he could hear the sounds Of cheering.
And, topping the ridge that ran before
the village, there came a swarm OF
gray-green figures, thrusting back the
thin. scattered line that held it. The
bullets were whirring overhead, audi
BILE. and like q swarm Of bees. Clouds
OF dust rose up and hid the battle.
Eleanor. clutching Marks arm, stood
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.
lacking swarm poured like a great food
into the village. It looked as if all
were lost.
But an instant later Mark saw a lit.
tie company Of Americans thrust out q
Maxim gun from behind q wall, where
they had hidden 1t. The gunner took
his seat, and, just a. the ranks were
closing In on him, swept the stree,
from side to side. The ranks recoiled
and fell. body piling or body. Then. as
a torrent forces its way through the
ice-crust Of a river, the attackers over.
whelmed the Maxim section and swept
into the streets.
And. AZ torrent meets torrent, with
q surge and a rush q body Of American
troops swept forward to meet them.
The battle was all about them. Every
house was . fortress, every mound Of
bricks q rallying point. Mark raised
the half-conscious Colonel In his arms
and drew him into the shelter Of a lit.
tie hollow In the brick wall. He beck.
oned to Eleanor to crouch down beside
him There they we're safe from flyina
bullets. and might hope to pass unno
tlced. He still hesitated. when, a body
Of Germans rushed, shouting, past him
upon q troop Of Americans who came
round Q shattered corner, led by Z
young oncer carrying a bloody sword.
It was quick and short bayonet work
Mark saw the blades flash, heard thu
painting gasps of the thrusters and thu
means Of the wounded. He saw thu
young of1cer stagger and fall. q bayo'
net through his shoulder. The sword
fell from his hand. Before the German
could withdraw his weapon Mark had
snatched up the sword and, with q
mighty blow, cloven the Germans arm
from his body.
(To BE CoNTINUED.)