There issued from the French left at this juncture, heavy bodies of French cavalry.  Into the thick of the struggling mass the horsemen charged.  This attack had been a surprise.  The Germans were cut down in large numbers.  As they scrambled back to the protection of their trenches, French troops scrambled over with them.  Again the infantry alone was engaged, but this time in the enemy trenches.

Whole squadrons of cavalry were ordered from their horses and also sprang into the German trenches.  Reinforcements were hurried up.  The Germans also rushed up supports; but they had delayed too long.

The Germans broke and fled for safety to the second line trenches.

Immediately the French turned the field pieces captured with the German trenches upon the fleeing enemy and mowed them down in great numbers.  Others of the French troops fell to work consolidating the newly won trenches.  The big German guns opened again; but by this time the French were pretty well secured against this arm of fire.

More French reinforcements were rushed up to hold the captured trenches.  Batteries of field guns braved the German shell fire and dashed across the open to the captured trenches.  Immediately these guns were brought into position, they opened upon the German second line of defense.

From their posts of vantage, mounted upon slight elevations, and from behind trees and other secure places, the great French guns protected the advance of the cavalry and infantry.

Hal and Chester, who had stood close to General Petain during most of this battling, had watched the conflict with the greatest interest.

“Look at them fall!” exclaimed Chester, as through his glasses, he witnessed the last desperate attack of the French.

“It’s a terrible sight,” agreed Hal, “and yet there will be many more just as terrible before this war is won.”

“Indeed there will,” agreed Chester.

“Lieutenant Crawford!  Lieutenant Paine!”

It was General Petain who spoke.

“My compliments to General Bordeaux, Lieutenant Paine, and tell him that the left of the newly won trenches must be held at all hazzards!”

Hal sprang upon a nearby motorcycle and soon was speeding toward the front.

“Lieutenant Crawford!  The same instructions to General Ducal on the right!”

A moment later Chester was speeding forward.

His message delivered, Hal stopped for a moment to gaze about the trenches won at such terrible cost.

There had been no time to bury the dead, or even to have the bodies removed; and the trenches were piled high with French and German dead.  In between the rows of corpses, which had hurriedly been pushed to one side, the other troops worked, apparently without thought of their fallen comrades.  Red Cross physicians and nurses were working among the wounded, lightening the suffering.

Hal looked at his watch.