Red Fleece

w days as men often fail to learn the hearts of their immediate associates during years. There was fighting-scattered, open, surprising often to

k into print. The big stuff is farther on. These that we meet are the Austrian columns hurrying forwa

ause of the destruction. The Austrians would always destroy in haste before leaving, and more leisurely th

's division-a different camp but the same field. Few words about the separation, but each of the four understood.... Night and day, the dead had been with them in the recent days-in such richness and variety they c

hemmed in flame and turned back, as Peter thought, to seek the treacherous shelter of the nest again. It was not so; they were wiser than that, and marched forth in scores once more,

grind a lens so that a line from the center of the earth to the center of the sun would pass through it without chromatic aberration, was more shocked than the other three by the cursory killing of the days, his im

od water, steady skirmishing-food just a bit scarce so that the peasants snapped and bolted, showing sharp about the eyes. It was not hunger-just the lean kind of fare. Peter often watched the ha

htfall usually; human nature refused effort after that. They were so near dead at night that they laughed about it, and felt their faces in embarrassment, sharp-boned and unfamiliar as the faces of the dead. Mowbray's was

for the field called a little more, and perhaps Peter called a little more. The extent of Boylan's loyalty had nothing to do with words

ely his first venture into the field with troops. "The reason I ask," h

eresting to the Old Man of The St

referring to Spenski. They were anti

arc, too,"

nation. The face of the world seemed turned from them, in Peter's fancy. He marveled at what seemed the swift disintegration of an ancient worldly establishment like Austria-going down unsung. It was

d the Austrian infantry give way before them, "and yet,

e of Little Spenski. They looked forward to the night, as men famished and athirst in a pit listen to the toil of rescuers. Almost the last thing that Peter remembered was that the moon came up before the sun had set. The rapid-fire b

achine-guns and the big hounds above; to his eyes the swaying string

lls. The Russians had not cared to leave them there over night, but the dislodgment proved difficult. The unlimbering of the batteries toward the end of the day on the shoulder

plenished-tillers of land becoming the dung of the land. Mowbray had always pitied the infantry, and watched them now with unspeakable awe a

ften so, Boylan reported, when the

ave way, a thin ghostly pattern of the whole, falling back

cue," Big Be

he mutilating racket on. Between fire, Peter could not hold in mind the inconceivable magnitude and velocity of these sounds. His brain seemed to plow under, as it does the great events of pain, the impress of hideous suffering whic

ntry would come forth, and in the silence following the machines, the gr

fantry beyond the hollows at the bottom of the valley. A hundred yards down they were working like beavers among the trunks of cedar and balsam, whe

bove. That one shot showed the Russian artillerymen that their position was untenable. It was not that the Austrians could see the damage they inflicted in one compa

retire came quietly as a bit of garrison gossip, and as coldly. Horses came runn

stern rims of the world were almost of a size and color, very huge and alike, except that one dazzled the eyes-the difference between incandescence and reflection. The whole dome was lost in florid haze. He almost laughed at what followed in his mind,

tery had begun to move, when they landed in the heart of it. All was changed about, and

nce for Mowbray-when he saw Samarc arise, his face sheeted in red. Samarc was staring about for Spenski. Presently, Peter followed the eyes of Samarc and s

ng of the companions, each of whom saw none but the other. Spenski had been partly kn

hey'll do

e them-possibly Boylan from behind, possibly he

an offense i

Peter saw the body raised from the ground to Samarc's arms-saw the littl