WHEN the woods again began to pour forththe dark-hued masses of the enemy the youth feltserene self-confidence. He smiled briefly whenhe saw men dodge and duck at the long screech-ings of shells that were thrown in giant handfulsover them. He stood, erect and tranquil, watch-ing the attack begin against a part of the linethat made a blue curve along the side of an adja-cent hill. His vision being unmolested by smokefrom the rifles of his companions, he had oppor-tunities to see parts of the hard fight. It was arelief to perceive at last from whence came someof these noises which had been roared into hisears.

Off a short way he saw two regiments fight-ing a little separate battle with two other regi-ments. It was in a cleared space, wearing a set-apart look. They were blazing as if upon awager, giving and taking tremendous blows.The firings were incredibly fierce and rapid.

209These intent regiments apparently were obliviousof all larger purposes of war, and were sluggingeach other as if at a matched game.

In another direction he saw a magnificentbrigade going with the evident intention of driv-ing the enemy from a wood. They passed in outof sight and presently there was a most awe-in-spiring racket in the wood. The noise was un-speakable. Having stirred this prodigious up-roar, and, apparently, finding it too prodigious,the brigade, after a little time, came marchingairily out again with its fine formation in nowisedisturbed. There were no traces of speed in itsmovements. The brigade was jaunty and seemedto point a proud thumb at the yelling wood.

On a slope to the left there was a long row ofguns, gruff and maddened, denouncing theenemy, who, down through the woods, wereforming for another attack in the pitiless mo-notony of conflicts. The round red dischargesfrom the guns made a crimson flare and a high,thick smoke. Occasional glimpses could becaught of groups of the toiling artillerymen. Inthe rear of this row of guns stood a house, calmand white, amid bursting shells. A congregationof horses, tied to a long railing, were tuggingfrenziedly at their bridles. Men were runninghither and thither.

The detached battle between the four regi-ments lasted for some time. There chanced tobe no interference, and they settled their disputeby themselves. They struck savagely and pow-erfully at each other for a period of minutes, andthen the lighter-hued regiments faltered anddrew back, leaving the dark-blue lines shouting.The youth could see the two flags shaking withlaughter amid the smoke remnants.

Presently there was a stillness, pregnant withmeaning. The blue lines shifted and changed atrifle and stared expectantly at the silent woodsand fields before them. The hush was solemnand churchlike, save for a distant battery that,evidently unable to remain quiet, sent a faintrolling thunder over the ground. It irritated,like the noises of unimpressed boys. The menimagined that it would prevent their perchedears from hearing the first words of the newbattle.

Of a sudden the guns on the slope roared outa message of warning. A spluttering sound hadbegun in the woods. It swelled with amazingspeed to a profound clamor that involved theearth in noises. The splitting crashes sweptalong the lines until an interminable roar wasdeveloped. To those in the midst of it it becamea din fitted to the universe. It was the whirringand thumping of gigantic machinery, complica-tions among the smaller stars. The youth's earswere filled up. They were incapable of hearingmore.

On an incline over which a road wound hesaw wild and desperate rushes of men perpet-ually backward and forward in riotous surges.These parts of the opposing armies were twolong waves that pitched upon each other madlyat dictated points. To and fro they swelled.Sometimes, one side by its yells and cheers wouldproclaim decisive blows, but a moment laterthe other side would be all yells and cheers.Once the youth saw a spray of light forms go inhoundlike leaps toward the waving blue lines.There was much howling, and presently it wentaway with a vast mouthful of prisoners. Again,he saw a blue wave dash with such thunderousforce against a gray obstruction that it seemed toclear the earth of it and leave nothing buttrampled sod. And always in their swift anddeadly rushes to and fro the men screamedand yelled like maniacs.

Particular pieces of fence or secure positionsbehind collections of trees were wrangled over,as gold thrones or pearl bedsteads. There weredesperate lunges at these chosen spots seeminglyevery instant, and most of them were bandied likelight toys between the contending forces. Theyouth could not tell from the battle flags flyinglike crimson foam in many directions which colorof cloth was winning.

His emaciated regiment bustled forth withundiminished fierceness when its time came.When assaulted again by bullets, the men burstout in a barbaric cry of rage and pain. Theybent their heads in aims of intent hatredbehind the projected hammers of their guns.Their ramrods clanged loud with fury as theireager arms pounded the cartridges into the riflebarrels. The front of the regiment was a smoke-wall penetrated by the flashing points of yellowand red.

Wallowing in the fight, they were in anastonishingly short time resmudged. Theysurpassed in stain and dirt all their previous ap-pearances. Moving to and fro with strainedexertion, jabbering the while, they were, withtheir swaying bodies, black faces, and glowingeyes, like strange and ugly friends jigging heavilyin the smoke.

The lieutenant, returning from a tour after abandage, produced from a hidden receptacle ofhis mind new and portentous oaths suited to theemergency. Strings of expletives he swunglashlike over the backs of his men, and it wasevident that his previous efforts had in nowiseimpaired his resources.

The youth, still the bearer of the colors, didnot feel his idleness. He was deeply absorbed asa spectator. The crash and swing of the greatdrama made him lean forward, intent-eyed, hisface working in small contortions. Sometimes heprattled, words coming unconsciously from himin grotesque exclamations. He did not knowthat he breathed; that the flag hung silently overhim, so absorbed was he.

A formidable line of the enemy came withindangerous range. They could be seen plainly--tall, gaunt men with excited faces running withlong strides toward a wandering fence.

At sight of this danger the men suddenlyceased their cursing monotone. There was aninstant of strained silence before they threw uptheir rifles and fired a plumping volley at thefoes. There had been no order given; the men,upon recognizing the menace, had immedi-ately let drive their flock of bullets without wait-ing for word of command.

But the enemy were quick to gain the protec-tion of the wandering line of fence. They slid downbehind it with remarkable celerity, and from thisposition they began briskly to slice up the blue men.

These latter braced their energies for a greatstruggle. Often, white clinched teeth shonefrom the dusky faces. Many heads surged toand fro, floating upon a pale sea of smoke.Those behind the fence frequently shouted andyelped in taunts and gibelike cries, but the regi-ment maintained a stressed silence. Perhaps, atthis new assault the men recalled the fact thatthey had been named mud diggers, and it madetheir situation thrice bitter. They were breath-lessly intent upon keeping the ground and thrust-ing away the rejoicing body of the enemy. Theyfought swiftly and with a despairing savagenessdenoted in their expressions.

The youth had resolved not to budge what-ever should happen. Some arrows of scorn thathad buried themselves in his heart had generatedstrange and unspeakable hatred. It was clearto him that his final and absolute revenge was tobe achieved by his dead body lying, torn andgluttering, upon the field. This was to be apoignant retaliation upon the officer who hadsaid "mule drivers," and later "mud diggers,"for in all the wild graspings of his mind for aunit responsible for his sufferings and commo-tions he always seized upon the man who haddubbed him wrongly. And it was his idea,vaguely formulated, that his corpse would be forthose eyes a great and salt reproach.

The regiment bled extravagantly. Gruntingbundles of blue began to drop. The orderlysergeant of the youth's company was shot throughthe cheeks. Its supports being injured, his jawhung afar down, disclosing in the wide cavern ofhis mouth a pulsing mass of blood and teeth.And with it all he made attempts to cry out.In his endeavor there was a dreadful earnestness,as if he conceived that one great shriek wouldmake him well.

The youth saw him presently go rearward.His strength seemed in nowise impaired. Heran swiftly, casting wild glances for succor.

Others fell down about the feet of their com-panions. Some of the wounded crawled out andaway, but many lay still, their bodies twisted intoimpossible shapes.

The youth looked once for his friend. Hesaw a vehement young man, powder-smeared andfrowzled, whom he knew to be him. The lieu-tenant, also, was unscathed in his position at therear. He had continued to curse, but it was nowwith the air of a man who was using his last boxof oaths.

For the fire of the regiment had begun towane and drip. The robust voice, that had comestrangely from the thin ranks, was growingrapidly weak.