Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-08-14
CHAPTER xxlv-continued.

CHAPTE xNtN-Continued.
d
Just as he finished speaking, the well
come ''pup-pup" of a machine gun in
their rear rang out. and the front line
of the onrushing Germans seemed TO
melt away. They wavered. but once
again came rushing onward. Down
went their second line. The machine
gun was taking an awful toll of lives,
Then again they tried to advance, but
the machine gun moved them down
Dropping their rifles and bombs, they
broke and fled in wild rush back to
their trench, amid the cheers of 'D''
company. They were forming again
for another attempt, when in the rear
of d company came a mighty cheer.
The ammunition had arrived and with
it battalion of Scotch to re-enforce
them. They were saved. The unknown
machine gunner had come to the rescue
In the nick of time.
With the re-enforcements 1t was an
easy task TO take the third German
line.
After the attack was over, the cap
tain and three of his noncommissioned
officers, wendell their way back to the
position where the machine gun had
done its deadly work. He wanted to
thank the gunner in the name of d
company for his magnificent deed.
They arrived at the gun. and an awful
sight met their eyes.
Lloyd had reached the front line
trench, after his company had left 1t. A
strange company was nimbly crawling
up the trench ladders. They were re-
endorsements going over. They were
Scotties, and they made a magnificent
sight in their brightly colored kits and
bare knees.
Jumping over the trench, Lloyd raced
across mo Mans Land" unheeding the
rain of bullets, leaping over dark forms
on the ground, some of which lay still,
while others called out to him as he
speeded past.
He came to the German front line,
but it was deserted, except for heaps
of dead and wOunded-a grim tribute
to the work of his company, good old
ID company. Leaping trenches. and
gasping for breath, Lloyd could see
right ahead of him his company In a
dead-ended sap of communication
trench, and across the open, away in
front of them, mass of Germans pre-
pairing for charge. Why didn't d
company fire on them7 Why were they
so strangely silent? What were they
waiting for? Then he knew-their am
munitiOn was exhausted.
But what was that on his right? A
machine gun. Why didn't it open fire
and save them? He would make that
guns crew do their duty. Rushing
over to the gun he saw why it had not
opened fire. Scattered around its base
lay six still forms. They had brought
their gun to consolidate the captured
position, nut a German machine gun
had decreed they would never fire
again.
Lloyd rushed to the gun and, grasp
ing the traversing handles, trained it
on the Germans. He pressed the thumb
piece. but only a sharp click was the
result. The gun was unloaded. Then
he realized his helplessness. He did
not know how to load the gun. Oh,
why hadn't he attended the machine
gun course in England? He'd been
offered the chance, but with blush of
shame he remembered that he had been
afraid, The nickname of the machine
gunners had frightened him. They
were called the Suicide club" Now,
because of this fear, his company
would be destroyed, the men of d COM
pany would have to die, because he,
Albert Lloyd, had been afraid of a
name. In his shame he cried like a
baby. Anyway he could die with them
and, rising to his feet, he stumbled
over the body of one of the gunners,
who emitted a faint moan. A CLEAN
of hope flashed through him. Perhaps
this man could tell him how to load
the gun. STOPPING over the body he
gently shook 1t and the soldier opened
his eyes. Seeing Lloyd. he closed
them again and, in faint voice. said !:
Get away. you blighter, leave me
alone. don't want any coward around
me-"
The words cut Lloyd like a knife,
but he was desperate. Taking the re-
volver out of the holster of the dying
man he pressed the cold muzzle to the
soldiers head and replied:
Eyes, it is Lloyd, the coward of
Company D, but so help me God, If
III put a bullet through your brain y"
A sunny smile came over the cOun-
tenance of the dying man and he said
in faint whisper: