Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-30
THE UNUSUAL CASE OF PRIVATE "GLNGER

animosity: detailed him as mail order
ly. the first act of a campaign OF petty
cruelty BY being mail orderly Ginger
would have to handle Betty's letters 70
Huston and Illusions letters to hef:
Ginger saw through it inlm ediately and
his hate burned stronger. From tnat
night on it was one indignity AFTER
another. Just rnerciless persecution,
but Ginger never compiained-just
stored up each new act ana sWote
vengeance.
1T came 20 such a pass that Ginger
could bear 1t no longer. he decided
10 kill Huston and only waited for q
favorable opportunity TO present itseil.
L think II was only his love for Betty
hich had held him back SO long: ne
couldn't bear the thought OF her sfieV-
ing for her dead over.
zone night in the front-line trench
orders were received that. after an
hours intense bombardnent Of the
enemy's lines, the company would GO
over the top at four-thirty the heh'
morning Huston was 10 go over with
the first wave. while Ginger was in the
second Here was his chance.
"An that night he crouched on the
fire step. musinE and breeding, nursing
his revenge. He prayed to Betty g
forgive him for what ne was Golhs
10 do.
After the bombardment the next
morning over went The first wave. q
line OF hayonets and radiy cheerins
men. Ginger only one Ia tflat
crowd; his eyes never left Huston His
finger twitched and caressed the tsig-
ger of his rife: his long looked-for or
portunity had come.
THE first wave had gone about sixty
yards. when Ginger let out curse
Huston had been hit and was down and
he saw his revenge slipping through his
fingers. But no. Huston was not dead
nc was trying to rise to his feet, h
was up. hopping on one leg, with the
blood pouring from the other. Then he
fell again. but was soon sitting M,
bandaging his wounded leg. using .
tourniquet from his first-aid packet.
"A surge of unhoIy joy ran through
Ginger. Lifting the safety latch on his
rife. unheeding the rain Of bullets
which were ripping and tearing the
sandbagged parapet about him. he took
deliberate aim at Huston. Then he saw
4 vision of Betty, dressed in black. with
tear-stained eyes. With a muttered
curse Ginger threw the rife from him
climbed over the parapet and raced
across no mans land. No act Of his
should bring tears 10 Bet,ys brown
eyes He would save her worthless
lover and then get killed himself-it
didn't matter
Reaching Huston, he Kissed at him;
Damn YOU l was going to kill you. but
/ won't. Ill carry you back to Betty.
But always remember it was the man
you robbed who saved your worthless
life, you despicable skunk
Huston murmured: Forgive me. Bur
ton. but. for Gods sake. get me out OF
this: I'll be killed, For Gods sake
man. hurry. hurry.
THAT'S it. is il? Whine. damn you
whine, It's music to my ears. Lieut.
Huston begging a 'bally bounder" for
his life and the bounder giving 1t TO
him. ! would to God that Betty could
see and hear you now.
with that. Ginger stopped and. by main
strength, lifted Huston onto his back and
staggered toward our lines The bullets
and pieces of shrapnei We're cracking and
smashing all around. He had gone about
fifty yards when a piece of shell hit his
left arm just below the shoulder. DowT