l Petain, the French commander at Verdun. General Petain, upon Stubbs' request, agreed that the little war correspondent should be al

irst time a war correspondent had been admitted to Verdun and the surrounding fortifications; and becau

contending forces. From this point of vantage, commanding the battlefield, Verdun looked like the center of a huge sau

bbs viewed the battlefield the armies of the Kaiser held a goodly portion

ichael and Fort Belleville, which were barking steadily and giving off jets of black smoke

on one day as many as 750 having been counted; but the average was 300. As the two stood there a French aeroplane was attacked

been abandoned by the civil population, and even few troops were to be found there. Such shops a

. The cathedral had two shell holes in the roof; the main altar was a mass of deb

had its famous sculptured walls peppered with shell holes and the adjoining College of Marguerite had its delicate sto

the building had been torn off and the clock tower smashed. T

rmans. From here Stubbs gained a view of the fighting ground of Fleury at close range. Over the entrance o

ruins. At the moment the village was in the hands of the French. It had been occupied twice by the Germans, but only the day before had again been c

man an account of the fighting in each spot. He pointed out the advantages of earthen breastw

der were many members of his staff, who joined in the conversation. Stubbs could not but be impressed by the confidence manifested by the officers that Verdun could be kep

he said, "until you come back

Prince from Dead Man's Hill; from Hill No. 265, to the north, from Chattancourt and Charny. Back across th

nd Hill No. 320. A trifle to the south, Fleury was once more in German hands, the opposition in this sector having been too much for the French to overcome. Almost due east, German guns, wheeled into position at For

ux. After a two hours' bombardment, the infantry was ordered to the attack. Fresh troops took t

en ground, but they stuck to the work bravely. Clear to the German trenches they ran, a second and still a third line close behind; and then the Germans swarmed out

sounded an advance. Again the Germans swarmed out of their tr

th orders for respective divisional commanders. They remained a

alf hour of fierce fighting, the Germans retired to the shelter of their own lines. The great German guns,

dropped close to them. Hal uttered a cry of alarm and made a desperate attempt to drag Chester out of harm

th them and they gasped for breath as they were precipitated into what seemed a bottomless pit. How far they fell the

beams and rocks and other debris that would have showered down upon them and crushed them to death. A great log, or such it appeared, came down lengthwise and struck the abuttments on eit

there was no light, and when Hal and Chester regained their feet neither could

happened?" gasped Che

on of that shell," said Hal, quietly.

could touch nothing. He tried ju

ach the top

pit. The walls were sheer. It was us

't know how we are to get out of here. By Jov

have been as to die d

while there's life there's hope. We've been in some ti

hole like this bef

is way to one

you climb up on my shoulders an

nd his efforts were rewarded b

uck?" a

"I have touched someth

pull it

likely to be cr

n here," returned Hal. "I can scarcely get

lose to the side of the pit when I give the word. I'll come down

d Hal. "Yell whe

spot where he could obtain a grip. He decided to throw his weight on

, Hal! Sto