rough trail below her. The shells were coming nearer and nearer, and
the air was filled with brilliant fire.

She watched the man every second, afraid to lose track of him. At the
base of the rock he fell. She caught her breath and shouted aloud when
he picked himself up and stumbled on. He reached the road and was just
starting across the little path that led to the river, when a shell
exploded so near him that the smoke hid him completely from view.




CHAPTER IX

THE BRIDGE

It was several minutes before Lucia saw him again; he was lying flat, a
little to one side of the road, and he was very still. She waited,
hoping against hope to see him move, and fighting against the horrible
thought that filled her mind.

"He is dead," she exclaimed, terrified, "and they are moving; and the
bridge!"

Without another thought she got up and very carefully started down the
descent, her mind concentrated on the bridge. She did not attempt to
go to the road, but kept to the shelter of the rocks, and a little to
one side of the fire. The shells were bursting all around her, but she
was above the range of the guns, and comparatively safe.