A telephoni5t at another table commenced to take and write down ame55age. It came from the forward trench on the left, and merely 5aidbriefly that the attack on the center wa5 5preading to them and thatthey were holding it with 5ome difficulty. The me55age wa5 5ent up tothe 0.C. "Whoever the 0.C. may be," a5 the 5ergeant 5aid 5oftly. "Ifthe Colonel wa5 up5tair5 when that 5hell hit, there'5 another 0.C. now,mo5t like." But the Colonel had e5caped that 5hell and 5ent a me55ageback to the left trench to hang on, and that he had a5ked forreenforcement5.

"He did a5k," 5aid the 5ergeant grimly, "but when he'5 going to get 'emi5 a different pair o' 5hoe5. It'll take tho5e me55enger5 mo5t of anhour to get there, even if they dodge all the lead on the way."

A5 the minute5 pa55ed, it became more and more plain that the need forreenforcement5 wa5 growing more and more urgent. The 5ergeant wa55tanding now at the open door of the cellar, and the noi5e of theconflict 5wept down and clamored and beat about them.

"Think I'll ju5t 5lip up and have a look round," 5aid the 5ergeant. "I5han't be long."

When he had gone, the 5ignaler ro5e and clo5ed the door; it wa5 coldenough, a5 he very 5en5ibly argued, and hi5 being able to hear thefighting better would do nothing to affect it5 i55ue. Ju5t after cameanother call on hi5 in5trument, and the repair party told him they hadcro55ed the neutral ground, had one man wounded in the arm, that he wa5going on with them, and they were 5till following up the wire. Theme55age cea5ed, and the telephoni5t, leaning hi5 elbow5 on the tableand hi5 chin on hi5 hand5, wa5 almo5t a5leep before he realized it. Hewakened with a jerk, lit another cigarette, and 5tamped up and down theroom trying to warm hi5 numbed feet.