rtedupin
hisbedhelistenedforaninstant,andheardthecrackofarifle
”up,ralph;upallofyou”heshouted”tacked”
theothershad
thoughtofundressingand,astheyseizedtheirarandequipnts,theaupassoundedloudand
shrillastheyissuedouttherele
andnfusioninthevillagethefranctireurs
thedoorsthevillagersenscreangand
nswearing
”youhadbetterdriveoffyouranilsupintotheforest,andcarryoffenand
aupasshouted,totheheadnofthe
village”eas,iftheyare
infullstrength,itbelong
”nothrotakeadvantageof
everypossiblever,andfallbackassloeadilyasyoucanthendantpany,inhalf
anhourihadassagefroilatelastnight”
thenadvancedatonce,atthedouble,andinaninstanthadavieenout,assentries,were
fallingbackrapidlytohevillage;andtwodarkbodiesofinfantryofeachother,butatadistance
oftefivehundred
yardsbeyondtheretreatingsentries;selves,afewhundredyardsbeloyhad,atpresent,deno
replyevertothefireofthesentries
”advanaupassaid”oneflank
ofthepanyopposeeachluopenfireatonce,sightforsevenhundredyards,takeadvantageofver,andfiresteadily”asteadyfireonceopenedand,althoughitseffectsuldnotbeperceived,theyns
iediatelythreishers,and
openedfireinahundredpacesdeupashaltedhisn,andtoldtheoliedoer
theenehefranctireurs
hadbeenjoinedbythesentriesthenuersooneand,althoughthepositionaller
forceashefactthatthey,inshelter,
heiradversarieshadtofireastheyadvancedtheoddswerefartoogreattohopeforsuccesseverynt,howasgettinglighter;andthefranctireursuldseethattheirfireenhad
receivedslighty,hoeadily;and
orethanthreehundredyardsdistant
”fallbaen,alteately,ofeach
halfpanybackfiftypaces,atthedouble”
attheenretreated,atfullspeed,forfiftyyards;theothersredoublingthefirefroheirbreechloaders,tovertheretreattheinstantthatthefirstnhadgonefiftyyards,theytued,threselvesupontheground,andopenedfire;,and
halted,intu,fiftypacesinthereartheneuveredthreetis,andtheythengainedtheendhouseofthevillageundershelterofaloade;butthe
superiorforyenabledtheothreatentooutflankthenyofthegeshadfallen;buttherestadvanced,hascholnessandprecisionasifonparade
”hoed,in
adration
”noustretreat,”thelieutenantsaid”wehavedoneveryakefortheforestas
hardasyoucanitsnotoverfivehundredyardswhenyouareoncethere,keastandagain”
thentuedand,inanothet,the
orderahouseinaline,butaboutfiftyyards
offaheavyfireofsketrysuddenlybrokeout
”hurrah,lads,theresthendantstandtoyourwall;wellthrashtheyet”
staggeredbythissuddenandheavyfire,thegespaused;andthenfellback,toaspot
frohefirefroboveforashortti,thereion
ofthefightatthisnt,thendantjoinedthefirstpany
”ed”gallantlydone,ladsweheard
thefiring,andfearedyouup
itisfortunateistartedhalfanhourbeforedaybreakwehavedohelasttilesatarun
”haveyousufferedch”
thereenhadfallen,inthe
retreatanotherlaydead,shotthroughtheheadashefiredoverthehershreeseriously,whileralph
bar
”fortunately,”jorteesaid,”halfadozennfroheothervillagevolunteeredtoeovertohelpthewoundediwillsendtheverhere,atoncetheycantakesodoorsofftheirhinges,andcarrythesethreenrightbackintotheforest,atoncewehavenotdoneyet
”getyouintoskirshingline,deupasio
joinyouoccupythelineofgardens,andwalls”senteffected,ansagainappeared
onthehillsidetheyhadstillaverygreatsuperiorityinnuers;forthetpaniesoffranbered,now,
fortyfiven,ansupy
nillnearlyeightystrong
ralphbarclaystillkepthisplaceintherankstioylehadbandageduphisarforpercy,ptedit,had
nearlyfaintedatthesightofthebloodtheirishnhehighestglee;andoccasionallyindulgedine,andintauntingrerksy,
uldtheyhaveheardandunderstoodthe
theges,astheyergedfroheirshelter,four
hundredyardsdistant;andthefireatoncerencedthefranctireursagreatadvantage
overthegesand,thedisparityofnuersbeingless,thefightragedhgreaterobstinacythanbeforeverygradually,theeneheirakingadvantageofeveryrockandinequalityofgrounduntiltheyhinthevillage
nearerthanthistheyuldnote,forthegroundwasopenand,inthefaedhbreechloaders,it
adnesstohaveattetedarush
forsoti,thebatantsreinedinthesaposition;relyexchanginganoccasionalshot,
last,jorteebecauneasyattheprolongedinactionuponthepartoftheene
”de
