Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-12-07

you I'm innocent. SreeImdn was
begging for his life now.
But even had MOnta que been dis
posed to spare him, his doom was
sealed. Az enemy aeroplane had dart
ed out above their lines. One Of the
British privates spied it when it was
almost above them. and as they
paused to watch It the plane slowed
visibly
THAT means she'll drop a bomb"
Tommy observed.
'Sure-they never hit anything"
Captain Redmond jeeTed.
But this time Larry was mistaken
As he spoke something came hurting
down to earth.
Look out, boys! For Gods sake
look outr' Captain Montague could
no more keep back his involuntary
warning than he could stay the death
that threatened them.
In another moment there was ter
rife explosion Trench q rocked with
the force OF it. The bombproOf shelter
fell as IL 1t were made of cardboard,
burying them beneath it. The heaped-
up dirt at the top Of the trench was
scattered like so much sawdust.
There was no longer any light IN
that little Inferno except what came
from the starlit heavens. Men-or
what had once been men-lay notion
less where the powerful explosive had
flung them. Others had vanished as If
into thin air-neyer to return And
for few brief moments all was silent.
Then someone stirred in the sham
bles. 1t was Captain Montague. One
OF the timbers from the roof Of the
shattered bOmbpr0of had fallen upon
his left leg; and, weak as he was from
his injuries, he could not release it.
Boys, take that beam off my legr'
lie called family. 81 can't move. Take
it off, | tell your He called several Of
his men by name. But no one an
swered. He groaned then, as he
struggled to rise, and fell back faint
ing
The telephone buzzer began to call
insistently. And there was one man
who heard 1t. Larry had been stunned
for a few seconds. How he might be
wounded he had not the slightest idea.
But that he was hurt he had not the
slightest doubt He could barely move,
as consciousness returned to him. But
until the call OF the telephone reused
him further he had been content to
lie where he fell-and rest. That sig
nal, however, spurred him to logged
effort
"The telephone! 1t isn't smashedr
he cried "Oh, Cod! Let me get to
that telephone! If they attack us now
were done fOrr" He dragged himself
along the Uttered floor of the trench
for few feet, then sank down with
groan. "Oh, my God! My legr' he
moaned. And then he drifted into a
delirium. His mind wandered back to
Ethel WillOughby. And once more he
found himself in Sir George Wagstaffs
house in London, pleading with her to
marry him. Soon he gained
control of his befudded brain again
i've got to get TO that telephoner' he
told himself desperately Come on,
Larry! You can do it.'' he told him
self Hereby. Oh your Irish heart!
Come on! It's only five feet n e."
So his undaunted spirit dashed his bro
ken body to its bidding.
At last he gained the phone At the
other end headquarters was still trying
frantically to learn the rest of that
interrupted message that the German
spy had started to relate.
mo, no! I'm not Lee! I'm Red
mond!' he gasped. Captain Redmond
OF the Irish Guards! Special service!
Major Drayton, you remember
me!' Larry said almost joyfully, as he
discovered to whom he was speaking
Listen! Bomb aeroplane-Trench 81
wiped out-send reserves! Under
stand? Oh. nay leg!" he groaned.
''Wait!' he continued Didn't a girl
an English girl, with my pass, come
TO you with information from me?
She didn't? Oh. Ethel where
are you? Listen, listenr' he
begged the officer back there at head
quarters. Grown prince marching
against Paris! Won Kluck tfanking us!
Tourney and lie Cateau. Get the
French to send more troops. You can't?
Then retreat-retreat right to the very
gates of Paris. It's our only chance.
Yes, I'll keep guardr He
dropped the instrument then. He had
done his duty.
Captain Redmond Strengthened him
self TO his full height And his hand
reached for his revolver He did not
remember that he had surrendered 1t
voluntarily to Montague
III keep guard" he repeated in
dazed and mechanical fashion, as he
CROPPED for the missing weapon.
In a second more he toppIed upon
the ground. Redmond of the Irish
Guards had tainted.
CHAPTER XIII.