Regiments and brigades were hurriedly drawn from the two flanks to reinforce the center.  The left wing was weakened badly.

A quarter of a mile from the first Montenegrin trench the Austrians charged fiercely.  All eyes were turned to that section of the field.  The shock was but a few moments away.

At that moment—­almost the moment of impact—­a second line of men issued from the Austrian, trenches, this time on the Montenegrin left wing.  These, too, supported by artillery and strong bodies of cavalry, came forward in a charge.

It seemed the Austrian commander had outgeneraled the Montenegrins, for it did not seem possible that the Montenegrin left flank could be reinforced in time to successfully withstand the shock of the Austrian attack, and there could be no doubt now that the left flank was where the main attack would be delivered.

The assault upon the center had been a feint—­nothing more.  The main bodies of Austrians were to be hurled against the Montenegrin left, in an effort to turn it before reinforcements could be hurried from the right flank to support the threatened center and left.

But King Nicholas, taking matters in his own hands, acted quickly.  In spite of the protests of his officers, he ordered the reinforcements so recently massed in his center back to strengthen his left; then ordered that the center hold firm at all hazards and against all numbers.

He hurried reinforcements from his right to support his center, and having taken these precautions, he was ready to give battle.

The Austrian attacking force and the Montenegrin center had come in contact long before the king had made his other moves, but there was no doubt in Nicholas’ mind that his sturdy mountaineers could hold their trenches against larger numbers of the enemy.

One, two, three times the Austrians charged the trenches in the Montenegrin center.  Three times they were driven back with terrible losses.  The Montenegrins, in the shelter of their trenches, fought stubbornly and tenaciously.  Once the first line of Austrians succeeded in obtaining a foothold in the first trench and hand-to-hand fighting ensued.

At this style of fighting the Austrians were no match for the sturdy Balkan warriors, and they were soon forced out again.

Meanwhile the Austrian main attack had come in contact with the Montenegrin left wing.  Outnumbered two to one, sometimes more, the defenders fought gallantly.  But the Austrians, by the very weight of numbers, swooped down upon the defenders of the first line trenches in spite of the heavy Montenegrin artillery fire.

The Montenegrins were forced to fall back to their second line; but they contested every inch of ground and by the time they had been forced out, reinforcements began to arrive.  The second line of trenches held in spite of all attempts of the enemy to force them.

Reinforcements continued to arrive.