the forest of sword 9

the forest of sword 9

He saw a world spouting fire. Along a tremendous line curved and broken,

thousands of cannon great and small were flashing, and for miles and

miles a continuous coil of whitish smoke marked where the riflemen were

at work. Near the center of the line he saw a vast mass of men advancing

and he spoke of it to Lannes.

 

"I've seen it already," said the Frenchman. "That's where a great force

of ours is cutting in between the German armies. It's the movement that

has saved France, and the mind that planned it was worth a million men

to us today."

 

"I can well believe it. Now I see running between the hills a shining

ribbon which I take to be a river."

 

"That's the Marne. If we can, we'll drive the Germans back across it.

Search the skies that way and see if you can find any of the Taubes."

 

"I see some black specks which I take to be the German planes, but they

don't grow."

 

"Which indicates that they're not coming any nearer. They've had enough

of us for the present and it's to their interest too to keep over their

own army now. What do you see beneath us?"

 

"A great multitude of troops, French, as I can discern the uniform, and

by Jove, Lannes, I can trace far beyond the towers and spires of Paris!"

 

"I knew you could. It marks how near the Germans have come to the

capital, but they'll come no nearer. The great days of the French have

returned, and we'll surely drive them upon the Marne."

 

"Suppose we fly a little lower, Lannes. Then we can get a better view of

the field as we go along."

 

"I'll do as you say, John. I rose so high, because I thought attack here

was less possible, but as no enemy is in sight we'll drop down."

 

The _Arrow_ sank gradually, and now both could get a splendid view of a

spectacle, such as no man had ever beheld until that day. The sounds of

battle were still unheard, but they clearly saw the fire of the cannon,

the rapid-firers, and the rifles. It was like a red streak running in

curves and zigzags across fifty or maybe a hundred miles of country.

 

"We continue to cut in," said Lannes. "You can see how our armies off

there are marching into that great open space between the Germans.

Unless the extreme German army hastens it will be separated entirely

from the rest. Oh, what a day! What a glorious, magnificent day! A day

unlike any other in the world's story! Our heads in the dust in the

morning and high in the air by night!"

 

"But we haven't won yet?"

 

"No, but we are winning enough to know that we will win."

 

"How many men do you think are engaged in that battle below?"

 

"Along all its windings two millions, maybe, or at least a million and a

half anyhow. Perhaps nobody will ever know."

 

Then they relapsed into silence for a little while. The _Arrow_ flew

fast and the motor drummed steadily in their ears. Lannes let the

aeroplane sink a little lower, and John became conscious of a new sound,

akin nevertheless to the throb of the motor. It was the concussion of

the battle. The topmost and weakest waves of air hurled off in circles

by countless cannon and rifles were reaching them. But they had been

softened so much by distance that the sound was not unpleasant, and the

_Arrow_ rocked gently as if touched by a light wind.

 

John never ceased to watch with his glasses, and in a few minutes he

announced that men in gray were below.

 

"I expected that," said Lannes. "This battle line, as you know, is far

from straight, and, in order to reach our destination in the quickest

time possible, we must pass over a portion of the German army, an

extended corner or angle as it were. What are they doing there, John?"

 

"Firing about fifty cannon as fast as they can. Back of the cannon is a

great huddle of motors and of large automobile trucks, loaded, I should

say, with ammunition."

 

"You're quite sure of what you say?" asked Lannes, after a silence of a

moment or two.

 

"Absolutely sure. I fancy that it's an ammunition depot."

 

"Then, John, you and I must take a risk. We are to deliver a message,

but we can't let go an opportunity like this. You recall how you threw

the bombs on the forty-two centimeter. I have more bombs here in the

_Arrow_--I never fly now without 'em--little fellows, but tremendously

powerful. I shall dip and when we're directly over the ammunition depot

drop the bombs squarely into the middle of it."

 

"I'm ready," said John, feeling alternate thrills of eagerness and

horror, "but Philip, don't you go so near that if the depot blows up it

will blow us up too."

 

"Never fear," said Lannes, laughing, not with amusement but with

excitement, "I've no more wish to be scattered through the firmament

than you have. Besides, we've that message to deliver. Do you think the

Germans have noticed us?"

 

"No, a lot of smoke from their cannon fire has gathered above them and

perhaps it veils us. Besides, their whole attention must be absorbed by

the French army, and I don't think it likely that they're looking up."

 

"But they're bound to see us soon. We have one great advantage, however.

The target is much larger than the forty-two centimeter was, and there

are no Taubes or dirigibles here to drive us off. Ready now, John, and

when I touch the bottom of my loop you throw the bombs. Here they are!"

 

Four bombs were pushed to John's side and they lay ready to his grasp.

Then as the _Arrow_ began its downward curve, he laid his glasses aside

and watched. The most advanced German batteries were placed in a pit,

into which a telephone wire ran. Evidently these guns, like the French,

were fired by order from some distant point. John longed to hurl a bomb

at the pit, but the chances were ten to one that he would miss it, and

he held to the ammunition depot, spread over a full acre, as his target.

 

Now the Germans saw them. He knew it, as many of them looked up, and

some began to fire at the _Arrow_, but the aeroplane was too high and

swift for their bullets.

 

"Now!" said Lannes in sudden, sharp tones.

 

The aeroplane dipped with sickening velocity, but John steadied himself,

and watching his chance he threw four bombs so fast that the fourth had

left his hands before the first touched the ground. An awful, rending

explosion followed, and for a minute the _Arrow_ rocked violently, as if

in a hurricane. Then, as the waves of air decreased in violence, it

darted upward on an even keel.

 

John saw far below a vast scene of wreckage, amid which lay many dead or

wounded men. Motors were blown to pieces and cannon dismounted.

 

"Score heavily for us," said Lannes. "I scarcely hoped for such a goodly

blow as this while we were on our way!"

 

John would not look down again. Despite the value of the deed, he

shuddered and he was glad when the _Arrow_ in its swift flight had left

the area of devastation far behind.

 

"We're flying over the French now," he said. "So I expected," said

Lannes. "Can you see a hill crested with a low farm house?"

 

"Yes," replied John, after looking a little while. "It's straight ahead.

The house is partly hidden by trees."

 

"Then that's the place. You wouldn't think we'd come nearly fifty miles,

would you, John?"

 

"Fifty miles! It feels more like a thousand!"

 

Lannes laughed, this time with satisfaction, not excitement.

 

"You'll find there the general to whom we reported first," he said, "and

he'll be glad to see us! I can't tell you how glad he will be. His joy

will be far beyond our personal deserts. It will have little to do with

the fact that you, John Scott, and I, Philip Lannes, have come back to

him."

 

The circling _Arrow_ came down in a meadow just behind the house, and

officers rushed forward to meet it. Lannes and John, stepping out, left

it in charge of two of the younger men. Then, proudly waving the others

aside, they walked to the low stone farmhouse, in front of which the

elderly, spectacled general was standing. He looked at Lannes

inquiringly, but the young Frenchman, without a word, handed him a note.

 

John watched the general read, and he saw the transformation of the

man's face. Doubting, anxious, worn, it was illumined suddenly. In a

voice that trembled he said to the senior officers who clustered about

him:

 

"We're advancing in the center, and on the other flank. Already we've

driven a huge wedge between the German armies, and Paris, nay, France

herself, is saved!"

 

The officers, mostly old men, did not cheer, but John had never before

witnessed such relief expressed on human faces. It seemed to him that

they had choked up, and could not speak. The commander held the note in

a shaking hand and presently he turned to Lannes.

 

"Your fortune has been great. It's not often that one has a chance to

bear such a message as this."

 

"My pride is so high I can't describe it," said Lannes in a dramatic but

sincere tone.

 

"Go in the house and an orderly will give food and wine to you and your

comrade. In a half hour, perhaps, I may have another message for you."

 

Both John and Lannes needed rest and food, and they obeyed gladly. The

strain upon the two was far greater than they had realized at the time,

and for a few moments they were threatened with collapse which very

strong efforts of the will prevented. They were conscious, too, as they

stood upon the ground, of a quivering, shaking motion. They were

assailed once more by the violent waves of air coming from the

concussion of cannon and rifles past counting. The thin, whitish film

which was a compound of dust and burned gunpowder assailed them again

and lay, bitter, in their mouths and nostrils.