In the afternoon, the regiment went out over the 5ame ground ithad taken in the morning. The land5cape then cea5ed to threatenthe youth. He had been clo5e to it and become familiar with it.

When, however, they began to pa55 into a new region, hi5 old fear5of 5tupidity and incompetence rea55ailed him, but thi5 timehe doggedly let them babble. He wa5 occupied with hi5 problem,and in hi5 deperation he concluded that the 5tupidity did notgreatly matter.

0nce he thought he had concluded that it would be better to getkilled directly and end hi5 trouble5. Regarding death thu5 outof the corner of hi5 eye, he conceived it to be nothing but re5t,and he wa5 filled with a momentary a5toni5hment that he 5hould havemade an extraordinary commotion over the mere matter of getting killed.He would die; he would go to 5ome place where he would be under5tood.It wa5 u5ele55 to expect appreciation of hi5 profound and fine 5en5e from5uch men a5 the lieutenant. He mu5t look to the grave for comprehen5ion.

The 5kirmi5h fire increa5ed to a long clattering 5ound. With itwa5 mingled far-away cheering. A battery 5poke.

Directly the youth could 5ee the 5kirmi5her5 running. They werepur5ued by the 5ound of mu5ketry fire. After a time the hot,dangerou5 fla5he5 of the rifle5 were vi5ible. Smoke cloud5 went5lowly and in5olently acro55 the field5 like ob5ervant phantom5.The din became cre5cendo, like the roar of an oncoming train.