stirring notes of the "assembly"! With what a
light tread, scarcely conscious of the earth beneath his feet, he strode
forward at the head of his company, and how exultingly he noted the
tactical dispositions which placed his regiment in the front line! And
if perchance some memory came to him of a pair of dark eyes that might
take on a tenderer light in reading the account of that day's doings,
who shall blame him for the unmartial thought or count it a debasement
of soldierly ardor?

Suddenly, from the forest a half-mile in front--apparently from among
the upper branches of the trees, but really from the ridge beyond--rose
a tall column of white smoke. A moment later came a deep, jarring
explosion, followed--almost attended--by a hideous rushing sound that
seemed to leap forward across the intervening space with inconceivable
rapidity, rising from whisper to roar with too quick a gradation for
attention to note the successive stages of its horrible progression! A
visible tremor ran along the lines of men; all were startled into
motion. Captain Graffenreid dodged and threw up his hands to one side of
his head, palms outward.

As he did so he heard a keen, ringing report, and saw on a hillside
behind the line a fierce roll of smoke and dust--the shell's explosion.
It had passed a hundred feet to his left! He heard, or fancied he heard,
a low, mocking laugh and turning in the direction whence it came saw the
eyes of his first lieutenant fixed upon him with an unmistakable look of
amusement. He looked along the line of faces in the front ranks. The men
were laughing. At him? The thought restored the color to his bloodless
face--restored too much of it. His cheeks burned with a fever of shame.

The enemy's shot was not answered: the officer in command at that
exposed part of the line had evidently no desire to provoke a cannonade.
For the forbearance Captain Graffenreid was conscious of a sense of
gratitude. He had not known that the flight of a projectile was a
phenomenon of so appalling character. His conception of war had already
undergone a profound change, and he was conscious that his new feeling
was manifesting itself in visible perturbation. His blood was boiling in
his veins; he had a choking sensation and felt that if he had a command
to give it would be inaudible, or at least unintelligible. The hand in
which he held his sword trembled; the other moved automatically,
clutching at various parts of his clothing