their
rifles and fired a plumping volley at the foes. There had been no
order given; the men, upon recognizing the menace, had immediately let
drive their flock of bullets without waiting for word of command.

But the enemy were quick to gain the protection of the wandering line
of fence. They slid down behind it with remarkable celerity, and from
this position they began briskly to slice up the blue men.

These latter braced their energies for a great struggle. Often, white
clinched teeth shone from the dusky faces. Many heads surged to and
fro, floating upon a pale sea of smoke. Those behind the fence
frequently shouted and yelped in taunts and gibelike cries, but the
regiment maintained a stressed silence. Perhaps, at this new assault
the men recalled the fact that they had been named mud diggers, and it
made their situation thrice bitter. They were breathlessly intent upon
keeping the ground and thrusting away the rejoicing body of the enemy.
They fought swiftly and with a despairing savageness denoted in their
expressions.

The youth had resolved not to budge whatever should happen. Some
arrows of scorn that had buried themselves in his heart had generated
strange and unspeakable hatred. It was clear to him that his final and
absolute revenge was to be achieved by his dead body lying, torn and
gluttering, upon the field. This was to be a poignant retaliation upon
the officer who had said "mule drivers," and later "mud diggers," for
in all the wild graspings of his mind for a unit responsible for his
sufferings and commotions he always seized upon the man who had dubbed
him wrongly. And it was his idea, vaguely formulated, that his corpse
would be for those eyes a great and salt reproach.

The regiment bled extravagantly. Grunting bundles of blue began to
drop. The orderly sergeant of the youth's company was shot through the
cheeks. Its supports being injured, his jaw hung afar down, disclosing
in the wide cavern of his 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 would
make him well.

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

Others fell down about the feet of their companions. Some of the
wounded crawled out and away, but many lay still, their bodies twisted
into impossible s