rdun, this line was, indeed, the principal link of
communication to that all-important fortress that protruded its
bristling salient into the heart of the German position. A French
aviator, who had climbed into his machine when it was yet dark, in order
to do a little daybreak scouting before the light should be sufficiently
bright to make him an easy target, saw this movement and reported it
immediately to General Foch. That commander, who knew how to use
cavalry, ordered a regiment at the gallop to occupy the village of
Auberive, on the Suippe, and there harry the advancing column
sufficiently to give him time to bring up the light artillery and to
bring into action a large body of infantry encamped at Jouchery, five
miles away.

Before six o'clock, the cavalry were in Auberive. The men worked like
fiends. The streets were rapidly barricaded, machine guns hoisted to
roofs and other points where they might command a wide sweep of fire.
Then the cavalry rode forward to meet the advancing column. Not knowing
what might be in front of him, the German commander halted, awaiting
reports from his air scouts. The halt was but three-quarters of an hour,
but that was of vast importance. The scouts reported only a regiment of
cavalry ahead, but a powerful detachment of French artillery on the road
from Jouchery. The German leader detached 2,000 of the Death's Head
Hussars, his crack cavalry, to cut off, or at all events to delay, the
French guns. He was aware that the artillery would have no anticipation
of this and, in the surprise, the guns might be captured. Meantime, he
hurried his advance to Auberive, captured the village, though after
another hour's delay, caused by the resistance of the cavalry, who
retreated to St. Hilaire.

Meantime, at St. Hilaire, the surprise charge of the Death's Head
Hussars was launched. It was scarcely a question of minutes, it was
rather a matter of seconds. But the French artillery knew their light
fieldpieces as thoroughly as the Germans were masters of the heavy guns.
In less than two minutes the artillery teams were unharnessed, the guns
were in position and the gunners took their places when the Hussars were
so near the voices of their leaders could be heard. Thirty seconds
earlier, and the Hussars would have been in among the guns and made a
notable capture. There was just time enough for a man to breathe twice,
when the order came to fire. The Hussars were at less than a hundred
yards'