Thecolumnthathadbuttedstoutlyattheobstaclesintheroadwaywasbarelyoutoftheyouth’ssightbeforehesawdarkwavesofmencomesweepingoutofthewoodsanddownthroughthefields. Heknewatoncethatthesteelfibershadbeenwashedfromtheirhearts. Theywereburstingfromtheircoatsandtheirequipmentsasfromentanglements. Theychargeddownuponhimliketerrifiedbuffaloes. Behindthembluesmokecurledandcloudedabovethetreetops,andthroughthethicketshecouldsometimesseeadistantpinkglare.Thevoicesofthecannonwereclamoringininterminablechorus. Theyouthwashorrorstricken.Hestaredinagonyandamazement. Heforgotthathewasengagedincombatingtheuniverse. Hethrewasidehismentalpamphletsonthephilosophyoftheretreatedandrulesfortheguidanceofthedamned. Thefightwaslost.Thedragonswerecomingwithinvinciblestrides. Thearmy,helplessinthemattedthicketsandblindedbytheoverhangingnight,wasgoingtobeswallowed. War,theredanimal,war,theblood-swollengod,wouldhavebloatedfill. Withinhimsomethingbadetocryout.Hehadtheimpulsetomakearallyingspeech,tosingabattlehymn,buthecouldonlygethistonguetocallintotheair:“Why-why-what—what’sth’matter?” Soonhewasinthemidstofthem.Theywereleapingandscamperingallabouthim.Theirblanchedfacesshoneinthedusk. Theyseemed,forthemostpart,tobeveryburlymen. Theyouthturnedfromonetoanotherofthemastheygallopedalong.Hisincoherentquestionswerelost.Theywereheedlessofhisappeals.Theydidnotseemtoseehim. Theysometimesgabbledinsanely.Onehugemanwasaskingofthesky:“Say,wheredeplankroad?Wheredeplankroad!”Itwasasifhehadlostachild.Heweptinhispainanddismay. Presently,menwererunninghitherandthitherinallways. Theartillerybooming,forward,rearward,andontheflanksmadejumbleofideasofdirection. Landmarkshadvanishedintothegatheredgloom. Theyouthbegantoimaginethathehadgotintothecenterofthetremendousquarrel,andhecouldperceivenowayoutofit. Fromthemouthsofthefleeingmencameathousandwildquestions,butnoonemadeanswers. Theyouth,afterrushingaboutandthrowinginterrogationsattheheedlessbandsofretreatinginfantry,finallyclutchedamanbythearm.Theyswungaroundfacetoface. “Why-why-”stammeredtheyouthstrugglingwithhisbalkingtongue. Themanscreamed“Letgome!Letgome!” Hisfacewaslividandhiseyeswererollinguncontrolled.Hewasheavingandpanting. Hestillgraspedhisrifle,perhapshavingforgottentoreleasehisholduponit. Hetuggedfrantically,andtheyouthbeingcompelledtoleanforwardwasdraggedseveralpaces.“Letgome!Letgome!” “Why-why-”stutteredtheyouth. “Well,then!”bawledthemaninaluridrage.Headroitlyandfiercelyswunghisrifle.Itcrushedupontheyouth’shead.Themanranon. Theyouth’sfingershadturnedtopasteupontheother’sarm. Theenergywassmittenfromhismuscles. Hesawtheflamingwingsoflightningflashbeforehisvision. Therewasadeafeningrumbleofthunderwithinhishead. Suddenlyhislegsseemedtodie.Hesankwrithingtotheground.Hetriedtoarise.Inhiseffortsagainstthenumbingpainhewaslikeamanwrestlingwithacreatureoftheair. Therewasasinisterstruggle. Sometimeshewouldachieveapositionhalferect,battlewiththeairforamoment,andthenfallagain,grabbingatthegrass.Hisfacewasofaclammypallor.Deepgroanswerewrenchedfromhim. Atlast,withatwistingmovement,hegotuponhishandsandknees,andfromthence,likeababetryingtowalk,tohisfeet.Pressinghishandstohistempleshewentlurchingoverthegrass. Hefoughtanintensebattlewithhisbody. Hisdulledsenseswishedhimtoswoonandheopposedthemstubbornly,hismindportrayingunknowndangersandmutilationsifheshouldfalluponthefield.Hewenttallsoldierfashion. Heimaginedsecludedspotswherehecouldfallandbeunmolested. Tosearchforonehestroveagainstthetideofpain. Onceheputhishandtothetopofhisheadandtimidlytouchedthewound. Thescratchingpainofthecontactmadehimdrawalongbreaththroughhisclinchedteeth.Hisfingersweredabbledwithblood.Heregardedthemwithafixedstare. Aroundhimhecouldhearthegrumbleofjoltedcannonasthescurryinghorseswerelashedtowardthefront. Once,ayoungofficeronabesplashedchargernearlyranhimdown. Heturnedandwatchedthemassofguns,men,andhorsessweepinginawidecurvetowardagapinafence. Theofficerwasmakingexcitedmotionswithagauntletedhand. Thegunsfollowedtheteamswithanairofunwillingness,ofbeingdraggedbytheheels. Someofficersofthescatteredinfantrywerecursingandrailinglikefishwives. Theirscoldingvoicescouldbeheardabovethedin. Intotheunspeakablejumbleintheroadwayrodeasquadronofcavalry. Thefadedyellowoftheirfacingsshonebravely.Therewasamightyaltercation. Theartillerywereassemblingasifforaconference. Thebluehazeofeveningwasuponthefield.Thelinesofforestwerelongpurpleshadows.Onecloudlayalongthewesternskypartlysmotheringthered. Astheyouthleftthescenebehindhim,heheardthegunssuddenlyroarout.Heimaginedthemshakinginblackrage. Theybelchedandhowledlikebrassdevilsguardingagate. Thesoftairwasfilledwiththetremendousremonstrance. Withitcametheshatteringpealofopposinginfantry. Turningtolookbehindhim,hecouldseesheetsoforangelightilluminetheshadowydistance. Thereweresubtleandsuddenlightningsinthefarair. Attimeshethoughthecouldseeheavingmassesofmen. Hehurriedoninthedusk.Thedayhadfadeduntilhecouldbarelydistinguishplaceforhisfeet. Thepurpledarknesswasfilledwithmenwholecturedandjabbered. Sometimeshecouldseethemgesticulatingagainsttheblueandsombersky. Thereseemedtobeagreatruckofmenandmunitionsspreadaboutintheforestandinthefields. Thelittlenarrowroadwaynowlaylifeless. Therewereoverturnedwagonslikesun-driedbowlders. Thebedoftheformertorrentwaschokedwiththebodiesofhorsesandsplinteredpartsofwarmachines. Ithadcometopassthathiswoundpainedhimbutlittle. Hewasafraidtomoverapidly,however,foradreadofdisturbingit. Heheldhisheadverystillandtookmanyprecautionsagainststumbling. Hewasfilledwithanxiety,andhisfacewaspinchedanddrawninanticipationofthepainofanysuddenmistakeofhisfeetinthegloom. Histhoughts,ashewalked,fixedintentlyuponhishurt. Therewasacool,liquidfeelingaboutitandheimaginedbloodmovingslowlydownunderhishair. Hisheadseemedswollentoasizethatmadehimthinkhisnecktobeinadequate. Thenewsilenceofhiswoundmademuchworriment. Thelittleblisteringvoicesofpainthathadcalledoutfromhisscalpwere,hethought,definiteintheirexpressionofdanger. Bythemhebelievedhecouldmeasurehisplight. Butwhentheyremainedominouslysilenthebecamefrightenedandimaginedterriblefingersthatclutchedintohisbrain. Amidithebegantoreflectuponvariousincidentsandconditionsofthepast. Hebethoughthimofcertainmealshismotherhadcookedathome,inwhichthosedishesofwhichhewasparticularlyfondhadoccupiedprominentpositions.Hesawthespreadtable. Thepinewallsofthekitchenwereglowinginthewarmlightfromthestove. Too,herememberedhowheandhiscompanionsusedtogofromtheschool-housetothebankofashadedpool. Hesawhisclothesindisorderlyarrayuponthegrassofthebank. Hefelttheswashofthefragrantwateruponhisbody. Theleavesoftheoverhangingmaplerustledwithmelodyinthewindofyouthfulsummer. Hewasovercomepresentlybyadraggingweariness.Hisheadhungforwardandhisshoulderswerestoopedasifhewerebearingagreatbundle.Hisfeetshuffledalongtheground. Heheldcontinuousargumentsastowhetherheshouldliedownandsleepatsomenearspot,orforcehimselfonuntilhereachedacertainhaven. Heoftentriedtodismissthequestion,buthisbodypersistedinrebellionandhissensesnaggedathimlikepamperedbabies. Atlastheheardacheeryvoicenearhisshoulder:“Yehseemt’beinaprettybadway,boy?” Theyouthdidnotlookup,butheassentedwiththicktongue.“Uh!” Theownerofthecheeryvoicetookhimfirmlybythearm. “Well,”hesaid,witharoundlaugh,“I’mgoin’yourway.“Th’hullgangisgoin’yourway.An’IguessIkingiveyehalift.” Theybegantowalklikeadrunkenmanandhisfriend. Astheywentalong,themanquestionedtheyouthandassistedhimwiththereplieslikeonemanipulatingthemindofachild.Sometimesheinterjectedanecdotes.“Whatreg’mentdoyehb’longteh?Eh?What’sthat?Th’304thN’York?Why,whatcorpsisthatin?Oh,itis? Why,Ithoughttheywasn’tengagedt’-day–they‘re‘wayoverinth’center.Oh,theywas,eh? Wellprettynearlyeverybodygottheirshare‘afightin’t’-day. Bydad,Igivemyselfupferdeadanynumber‘atimes. Therewasshootin’herean’shootin’there,an’hollerin’herean’hollerin’there,inth’damn’darkness,untilIcouldn’ttellt’savem’soulwhichsideIwason. SometimesIthoughtIwassure‘noughfromOhier,an’othertimesIcould‘asworeIwasfromth’bitterendofFlorida. Itwasth’mostmixedupdernthingIeversee. An’theseherehullwoodsisareg’larmess. It‘llbeamiracleifwefindourreg’mentst’-night. Prettysoon,though,we‘llmeeta-plentyofguardsan’provost-guards,an’onethingan’another.Ho!theretheygowithanoff’cer,Iguess.Lookathishanda-draggin’.He’sgotallth’warhewants,Ibet. Hewon’tbetalkin’sobigabouthisreputationan’allwhentheygot’sawin’offhisleg.Poorfeller! Mybrother’sgotwhiskersjestlikethat.Howdidyehgit‘wayoverhere,anyhow? Yourreg’mentisalongwayfromhere,ain’tit?Well,Iguesswecanfindit. Yehknowtherewasaboykilledinmycomp’nyt’-daythatIthoughtth’worldan’allof.Jackwasanicefeller. Byginger,ithurtlikethundert’seeol’Jackjestgitknockedflat. Wewasa-standin’purtypeaceableferaspell,‘thoughtherewasmenrunnin’ev’rywayall‘roundus,an’whilewewasa-standin’likethat,‘longcomeabigfatfeller. Hebegant’peckatJack’selbow,an’heses:‘Say,where’sth’roadt’th’river?’ An’Jack,heneverpaidnoattention,an’th’fellerkeptona-peckin’athiselbowan’sayin’:‘Say,where’sth’roadt’th’river?’ Jackwasa-lookin’aheadallth’timetryin’t’seeth’Johnniescomin’throughth’woods,an’heneverpaidnoattentiont’thisbigfatfellerferalongtime,butatlastheturned‘roundan’heses:‘Ah,got’hellan’findth’roadt’th’river!’ An’jestthenashotslappedhimbangonth’sideth’head.Hewasasergeant,too.Themwashislastwords. Thunder,Iwishwewassure‘afindin’ourreg’mentst’-night.It’sgoin’t’belonghuntin’.ButIguesswekindoit.” Inthesearchwhichfollowed,themanofthecheeryvoiceseemedtotheyouthtopossessawandofamagickind. Hethreadedthemazesofthetangledforestwithastrangefortune. Inencounterswithguardsandpatrolshedisplayedthekeennessofadetectiveandthevalorofagamin. Obstaclesfellbeforehimandbecameofassistance. Theyouth,withhischinstillonhisbreast,stoodwoodenlybywhilehiscompanionbeatwaysandmeansoutofsullenthings. Theforestseemedavasthiveofmenbuzzingaboutinfranticcircles,butthecheerymanconductedtheyouthwithoutmistakes,untilatlasthebegantochucklewithgleeandself-satisfaction.“Ah,thereyehare!Seethatfire?” “Well,there’swhereyourreg’mentis.An’now,good-by,ol’boy,goodluckt’yeh.” Awarmandstronghandclaspedtheyouth’slanguidfingersforaninstant,andthenheheardacheerfulandaudaciouswhistlingasthemanstrodeaway. Ashewhohadsobefriendedhimwasthuspassingoutofhislife,itsuddenlyoccurredtotheyouththathehadnotonceseenhisface. 
