The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-11
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about Kolchak And again the
lines moved on over the dark coun-
try, under the deep blue sky and
the few stars, and with each verst,
ever louder and louder was heard
from the town a distant, clear
fusilade. They marched on, until
from man to man, from squad to
squad, from platoon to platoon,
from company to company, ran the
command:
Halt! Dress the line by the
right"
Already the rare lights of the
town were twinkling before them,
and on one side the river showed,
dim and white. And Karaulov's
mare, which carried him sleeping
on her back, also stopped, half a
verst behind the line. The Mill
tary Commissar Of the battalion,
riding beside him, caught her by
the bride and checked her care
fully: "Let the old man have his
Sleep" he thought.
But Karaulov instantly started
sharply, woke up, and standing
up in his stirrups, looked keenly
ahead and listened carefully.
He knew at once the place, the
light of the town, the river, the
ravine.
The Battalion Commander rode
up and reported in whisper, his
hand respectfully at the salute:
The recommending party have re-
turned. They have been to the
outskirts of the town, and have
seen big band coming in our di-
rection. :. Better for us to await
them here. We have a good posi-
ton here"
Eyes, yes" said KarauIov.
THE shooting over by the rail-
way station" continued the Bat.
talon Commander, "means that
some Of our side are there. have
sent to get in touch with them.
But so far no one has returned"
Right, Comrade Battalion Com
mander," said Karaulov. "You,
Danilov, stop here, while we have
a Look at the position" :.
But they had not ridden off more
than few yards, when they saw
before them the quickly growing
silhouette Of a horseman, and
heard the loud beating of a horses
hoofs.
another scout" said the Bat
talon Commander.
The three horsemen rode to meet
each other. The Red Army men,
looking behind them, saw a fan
tastic, many-headed, living mass.
i. Suddenly three of the heads
disappeared and nothing was left
but the silhouettes of the horses,
as the horsemen hurried on their
way.
Lie down." ran along the lines.
-. Prepare for actionl"
And the order had not reached
the left flank before, on the right
/. tok, tok, tok tapped out
a machine gun, and one after am
other, interrupting, pursuing each
other, light shots few by.
Karaulov hardly had to inter-
fere with the progress of the
operation. He nodded his head
approvingly at all the orders Of the
Battalion Commander, saw in the
scanty light of dawn his face, un-
shaved, with a growth of red hair,
his tight-closed lips, and listened
to him with more and more at
tention, while his voice at the same
time grew more and more friendly.
Karaulov arrested only one of
Seletsky's orders. He forbade the
use of machine gun fire on the
little houses of the outskirts.
"But what if they are firing
from there " asked Seletsky in
surprise.
eve mustn't, all the same. +.
Might hurt peaceful inhabitants"
replied Karaulov.
"The first company, slowly,
running forward few yards at a
time, advanced towards the town.
The place was open and low, and
lot of snow had stayed there,
half-melted, and falling in under
the heavy feet of the soldiers. The
grey figures made good marks on
the blue snowdrifts.
Ito Be Continued Wednesday,