Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-08-21
CHAPT Err XXI.
An Interrupted Game Of Cards.


While the Oncoming horde OF Ger
mgus had been pushing their way
through Belgium, smashing forts.
burning villages. tefrorizing the peace.
loving Inhabitants If that little coun-
try, the French aud"English had done
what they could to prepare for the
impending shock of the Teuton attack.
The worst of it was. the Germans
We're ready. and the allies We're not.
The British eXpeditonary force mum.
bered but handful of men. compared
to the hosts from across the Rhine
But that thin red line of 'eroes -
only they were uniformed in khaki
now-set about It's superhuman task
with bulldog determination, They had
swept out as far as they dared to
meet the invader, And then they in
trenched themselves and there they
waited
That was the worst part of ii all
ne waiting. lleart-rending reports OF
happenings IN many Belgian villages
came TO the British. for CourvOisier
was only one Of many hamlets that
had tragedies to RELATE. And the Brit
ish We're powerless to aid those Strick-
en- people.
Trench 27-the English trench which
Streetman had indicated upon his map
us being the keystone 10 the enemy's
defense--lay in the first line of the
British All unconscious of any spe
cial designs that the Germans might
have against their particular position,
the T0mmics stationed there proceed
ed to put things in hle for the gen
cral action that was puuud to come.
After completing their grim arrange
mcntS, there was little for them to do
for the time being, except rest And
that they were glad enough to do,
after their herculean eXcrtious of
those first days of the war That there
was worse ahead Of them they did not
doubt. But in the meantime there
VaS 10 reason why they should not
make themselves at home
1t was night--the second night fol-
lowing that fatal day when the Ger
mans descended upon the Lion d'Or
and robbed Jeanne Chrstophe of her
father. In Trench 81 four soldiers
We're playing poker under the shelter
Of bombproof hut that they had con
strncted by digging into Il side of the
ditch Dirty, unshaven, begrimed
they We're nevertheless enjoying to
the full their well-earned respite. And
the pickering light of the candle which
stood upon their rude table revealed
no fear upon the face of any Of them
At either end Of the trench two men
stood guard, while close at hand a
perlscope lay upon makeshift bench
ready for instant use in case the
watchers should detect any unusual
and suspicious movements in front OF
them. out there beneath the stars the
first outpost of the enemy had already
dug itself in And in testimony OF
, their aertness the Germans continu
ally played a searchlight upon the
. British position. That prying shaft OF
light was never still. Now it swept
the top of Trench 81, now tlickered
upon n tree close by, and ther
searched the intervening ground be
tween the two lines in an effort to de
tect some vontureSOme observer
To the four priyates In the bomb
proof shelter there came momentary
interruption, in the shape Of a lieu
tenant. who Sauntered into their
trench from the left. This youthful
officer, whom they had already voted
IN bit of alright" observed then
pleasantly.
Hello. boys" he said
They sprang up and salnted, muir
, murihg Good evening. sir"
Flows the gamef' the lieutenant
inquired.
Henry, there. Is winning all oul
cigarettes, one Of the men said,