Thecolonelcamerunningalongthebackoftheline. Therewereotherofficersfollowinghim.“Wemustcharge’m!”theyshouted.“Wemustcharge’m!” theycriedwithresentfulvoices,asifanticipatingarebellionagainstthisplanbythemen. Theyouth,uponhearingtheshouts,begantostudythedistancebetweenhimandtheenemy.Hemadevaguecalculations. Hesawthattobefirmsoldierstheymustgoforward. Itwouldbedeathtostayinthepresentplace,andwithallthecircumstancestogobackwardwouldexalttoomanyothers. Theirhopewastopushthegallingfoesawayfromthefence. Heexpectedthathiscompanions,wearyandstiffened,wouldhavetobedriventothisassault,butasheturnedtowardthemheperceivedwithacertainsurprisethattheyweregivingquickandunqualifiedexpressionsofassent. Therewasanominous,clangingoverturetothechargewhentheshaftsofthebayonetsrattledupontheriflebarrels. Attheyelledwordsofcommandthesoldierssprangforwardineagerleaps. Therewasnewandunexpectedforceinthemovementoftheregiment. Aknowledgeofitsfadedandjadedconditionmadethechargeappearlikeaparoxysm,adisplayofthestrengththatcomesbeforeafinalfeebleness. Themenscamperedininsanefeverofhaste,racingasiftoachieveasuddensuccessbeforeanexhilaratingfluidshouldleavethem. Itwasablindanddespairingrushbythecollectionofmenindustyandtatteredblue,overagreenswardandunderasapphiresky,towardafence,dimlyoutlinedinsmoke,frombehindwhichsputteredthefierceriflesofenemies. Theyouthkeptthebrightcolorstothefront. Hewaswavinghisfreearminfuriouscircles,thewhileshriekingmadcallsandappeals,urgingonthosethatdidnotneedtobeurged,foritseemedthatthemobofbluemenhurlingthemselvesonthedangerousgroupofrifleswereagaingrownsuddenlywildwithanenthusiasmofunselfishness. Fromthemanyfiringsstartingtowardthem,itlookedasiftheywouldmerelysucceedinmakingagreatsprinklingofcorpsesonthegrassbetweentheirformerpositionandthefence. Buttheywereinastateoffrenzy,perhapsbecauseofforgottenvanities,anditmadeanexhibitionofsublimerecklessness. Therewasnoobviousquestioning,norfigurings,nordiagrams. Therewas,apparently,noconsideredloopholes. Itappearedthattheswiftwingsoftheirdesireswouldhaveshatteredagainsttheirongatesoftheimpossible. Hehimselffeltthedaringspiritofasavage,religion-mad. Hewascapableofprofoundsacrifices,atremendousdeath. Hehadnotimefordissections,butheknewthathethoughtofthebulletsonlyasthingsthatcouldpreventhimfromreachingtheplaceofhisendeavor. Thereweresubtleflashingsofjoywithinhimthatthusshouldbehismind. Hestrainedallhisstrength.Hiseyesightwasshakenanddazzledbythetensionofthoughtandmuscle. Hedidnotseeanythingexceptingthemistofsmokegashedbythelittleknivesoffire,butheknewthatinitlaytheagedfenceofavanishedfarmerprotectingthesnuggledbodiesofthegraymen. Asheranathoughtoftheshockofcontactgleamedinhismind. Heexpectedagreatconcussionwhenthetwobodiesoftroopscrashedtogether. Thisbecameapartofhiswildbattlemadness. Hecouldfeeltheonwardswingoftheregimentabouthimandheconceivedofathunderous,crushingblowthatwouldprostratetheresistanceandspreadconsternationandamazementformiles. Theflyingregimentwasgoingtohaveacatapultianeffect. Thisdreammadehimrunfasteramonghiscomrades,whoweregivingventtohoarseandfranticcheers. Butpresentlyhecouldseethatmanyofthemeningraydidnotintendtoabidetheblow. Thesmoke,rolling,disclosedmenwhoran,theirfacesstillturned. Thesegrewtoacrowd,whoretiredstubbornly. Individualswheeledfrequentlytosendabulletatthebluewave. Butatonepartofthelinetherewasagrimandobdurategroupthatmadenomovement. Theyweresettledfirmlydownbehindpostsandrails. Aflag,ruffledandfierce,wavedoverthemandtheirriflesdinnedfiercely. Thebluewhirlofmengotverynear,untilitseemedthatintruththerewouldbeacloseandfrightfulscuffle. Therewasanexpresseddisdainintheoppositionofthelittlegroup,thatchangedthemeaningofthecheersofthemeninblue. Theybecameyellsofwrath,directed,personal. Thecriesofthetwopartieswerenowinsoundaninterchangeofscathinginsults. Theyinblueshowedtheirteeth;theireyesshoneallwhite.Theylaunchedthemselvesasatthethroatsofthosewhostoodresisting.Thespacebetweendwindledtoaninsignificantdistance. Theyouthhadcenteredthegazeofhissouluponthatotherflag.Itspossessionwouldbehighpride. Itwouldexpressbloodyminglings,nearblows. Hehadagigantichatredforthosewhomadegreatdifficultiesandcomplications. Theycausedittobeasacravedtreasureofmythology,hungamidtasksandcontrivancesofdanger. Heplungedlikeamadhorseatit.Hewasresolveditshouldnotescapeifwildblowsanddaringsofblowscouldseizeit. Hisownemblem,quiveringandaflare,waswingingtowardtheother. Itseemedtherewouldshortlybeanencounterofstrangebeaksandclaws,asofeagles. Theswirlingbodyofbluemencametoasuddenhaltatcloseanddisastrousrangeandroaredaswiftvolley. Thegroupingraywassplitandbrokenbythisfire,butitsriddledbodystillfought. Themeninblueyelledagainandrushedinuponit. Theyouth,inhisleapings,saw,asthroughamist,apictureoffourorfivemenstretcheduponthegroundorwrithingupontheirkneeswithbowedheadsasiftheyhadbeenstrickenbyboltsfromthesky. Totteringamongthemwastherivalcolorbearer,whomtheyouthsawhadbeenbittenvitallybythebulletsofthelastformidablevolley. Heperceivedthismanfightingalaststruggle,thestruggleofonewhoselegsaregraspedbydemons.Itwasaghastlybattle. Overhisfacewasthebleachofdeath,butsetuponitwasthedarkandhardlinesofdesperatepurpose. Withthisterriblegrinofresolutionhehuggedhispreciousflagtohimandwasstumblingandstaggeringinhisdesigntogothewaythatledtosafetyforit. Buthiswoundsalwaysmadeitseemthathisfeetwereretarded,held,andhefoughtagrimfight,aswithinvisibleghoulsfastenedgreedilyuponhislimbs. Thoseinadvanceofthescamperingbluemen,howlingcheers,leapedatthefence. Thedespairofthelostwasinhiseyesasheglancedbackatthem. Theyouth’sfriendwentovertheobstructioninatumblingheapandsprangattheflagasapantheratprey. Hepulledatitand,wrenchingitfree,swungupitsredbrilliancywithamadcryofexultationevenasthecolorbearer,gasping,lurchedoverinafinalthroeand,stiffeningconvulsively,turnedhisdeadfacetotheground. Therewasmuchblooduponthegrassblades. Attheplaceofsuccesstherebeganmorewildclamoringsofcheers. Themengesticulatedandbellowedinanecstasy. Whentheyspokeitwasasiftheyconsideredtheirlistenertobeamileaway. Whathatsandcapswerelefttothemtheyoftenslunghighintheair. Atonepartofthelinefourmenhadbeenswoopedupon,andtheynowsatasprisoners. Somebluemenwereabouttheminaneagerandcuriouscircle. Thesoldiershadtrappedstrangebirds,andtherewasanexamination. Aflurryoffastquestionswasintheair. Oneoftheprisonerswasnursingasuperficialwoundinthefoot. Hecuddledit,baby-wise,buthelookedupfromitoftentocursewithanastonishingutterabandonstraightatthenosesofhiscaptors. Heconsignedthemtoredregions;hecalleduponthepestilentialwrathofstrangegods. Andwithitallhewassingularlyfreefromrecognitionofthefinerpointsoftheconductofprisonersofwar. Itwasasifaclumsyclodhadtroduponhistoeandheconceivedittobehisprivilege,hisduty,tousedeep,resentfuloaths. Another,whowasaboyinyears,tookhisplightwithgreatcalmnessandapparentgoodnature. Heconversedwiththemeninblue,studyingtheirfaceswithhisbrightandkeeneyes.Theyspokeofbattlesandconditions. Therewasanacuteinterestinalltheirfacesduringthisexchangeofviewpoints. Itseemedagreatsatisfactiontohearvoicesfromwhereallhadbeendarknessandspeculation. Thethirdcaptivesatwithamorosecountenance.Hepreservedastoicalandcoldattitude.Toalladvanceshemadeonereplywithoutvariation,“Ah,got’hell!” Thelastofthefourwasalwayssilentand,forthemostpart,kepthisfaceturnedinunmolesteddirections. Fromtheviewstheyouthreceivedheseemedtobeinastateofabsolutedejection. Shamewasuponhim,andwithitprofoundregretthathewas,perhaps,nomoretobecountedintheranksofhisfellows. Theyouthcoulddetectnoexpressionthatwouldallowhimtobelievethattheotherwasgivingathoughttohisnarrowedfuture,thepictureddungeons,perhaps,andstarvationsandbrutalities,liabletotheimagination. Alltobeseenwasshameforcaptivityandregretfortherighttoantagonize. Afterthemenhadcelebratedsufficientlytheysettleddownbehindtheoldrailfence,ontheoppositesidetotheonefromwhichtheirfoeshadbeendriven.Afewshotperfunctorilyatdistantmarks. Therewassomelonggrass.Theyouthnestledinitandrested,makingaconvenientrailsupporttheflag. Hisfriend,jubilantandglorified,holdinghistreasurewithvanity,cametohimthere. Theysatsidebysideandcongratulatedeachother. 
