The Washington herald., 1918-03-09
CHAPTER xXIv-CONTINUED.

Meanwhile his company had gbne
over" They, with the other COM
panies, had taken the first and second
German trenches. and had pushed
steadily on to the third line. Com
pany D, led by their captain, the
one who had sent Lloyd to division
headquarters for trial, charged with
desertion, had pushed steadily for
ward until they found themselves far
in advance OF the rest Of the attack
ing force. Bombing out" trench after
trench, and using their bayonets, they
came to a German communication
trench, which ended in a blindsap, and
then the captain, and what was left
Of his men. knew they were in a
trap. They would not retire. Com
pany D never retired, and they were
Company D. Right in front of them
they could see hundreds Of Germans
preparing to rush them with bomb
and bayonet. They would have some
chance If ammunition and bombs could
reach them from the rear. Their sup
ply was exhausted, and the men real
lied it would be a case of dying as
bravely as possible, or making a run
for it. But Company D would not
run. 1t was against their traditions
and principles.
The Germans would have to advance
across an open space of three of four
hundred yards before they could get
within bombing distance of the trench,
and then it would be all their own
way.
Turning to his company. the cap
tain said
Men. it's a case Of going West for
US. We are out of ammunition and
bombs, and the 'Boches' have US in
trap. They will bomb US out. Our
bayonets are useless here. We will
have to go over and meet them, and
it's a case of thirty to one, so send
every thrust home, and die like the
men of Company D should. When 1
give the word, follow me, and up and
at them. Give them hell! God, II we
only had a machine gun. we could
wipe them out. Here they come, get
ready, men,"
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 fed in a wild
rush back to their trench, amid the
cheers Of Company D. They were
forming again for another attempt,
when in the rear of Company D came
a mighty cheer. The ammunition had
arrived and with 1t a battalion of
Scotch to reinforce them. They were
saved. The unknown machine gun
ner had come to the rescue IN the
nick OF time.
With the reinforcements, it was an
easy task to take the third German
line.
After the attack was over, the cap
tain and three of his noncommis
stoned officers, wended 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 Company D for his magnih-
cent 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 It.
A strange company was nimbly crawl
ing up the trench ladders They were
reinforeements 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" un-
needing the rain Of bullets, Ieaping
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 1t was deserted, except for heaps
Of dead and wounded-a grim tribute
to the work of his company, good
old Company d. Leaping trenches,
and grasping for breath, Lloyd could
see right ahead Of him his company
in a dead-ended sap of a communica-
tion trench, and across the open, away
I'm front Of them, mass of Germans
preparing for a charge. Why didn't
Company d fire on them? Why were