Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-30
OVER THE TOP
BY
ARTHUR GUY EsIPEY,
An American Boy Who Went.
Copyright. 1877. by Arthur Guy Empsy.,

| lTCHCn. MS company nau lett IL.
| a strange company was nimbly crawl
ing up the trench ladders. They were
rc-cnforcements going over. They were
! Scot,ies, and they made 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
speedcd past.
| He came to the German front line.
but 1t was deserted, except for heaps
| of dead and wounded--a grim tribute
20 tho WORK of his company. good old
70" Company. LeapinE trenches and
| gasping for breath. Lloyd could see
| right ahead of him his company in a
dead-cnded sap of a commun!ca ton
| trench. and across the open. away In
| front of them, a mass of Germans pre-
pairing for charge. Why didn't ID"
| Company fire on them? Why were they
90 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. but :. German ma
chine gun had decreed they would
never FIRE again
Lloyd rushed TO the gun. and grasp
Ing the traversinE handles. trained It
on the Germans. lie pressed the thumb
piece. but only sharp Click was the
| result. The gun was unloadcd. Then
he realized his help!essness. 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 or 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 ID"
Company would have TO die. because
he. Albert Lloyd. had been afraid Of a
| name. In his shame he cried like
| baby. Anyway, he could die with them,
and. rising TO his feet, he stumbled
over the body of one OF the sunners,
who emitted faint moan. CLEAN of
hope flashed through him. Perhaps
this man could tel! him how 10 load
the gun. STOPPING over the body. he
gently shook il. and the soldier opened
his eyes. Seeing Lloyd, he closed them
again. and in a faint voice said:
Get away. you Brighter. leave me
alone don't want any coward
around me"
The words cut Lloyd like a knife, but
be was desperate. Taking the revolver
out Of the holster of the dying man.
ne pressed the cold muzzle to the SOL
dierJ head, and replied
Yes. il is Lloyd. the coward OF Com
pany ID. but. so help me God. II you
don't tell ME how TO load that gun, I'll
put bullet through your brain
y sunny smile came over the coun-
tenance OF the dying man. and he said
In a faint whisper:
Good old 10y. knew you wouldn't
disgrace cur company--''
Lloyd interpoSed. For Gods sake
If you want 20 save that company you
are so proud of, tell me now 10 load
that damned gum"
As II recitinS Il lesson in school. the
soldier replied In weak. sin.sonc
voice: Insert tag end OF belt in feed
block. with left hand pull belt lief;
front, Pull crank handle back on
roller. let go. and repeat motion. Gun
is now loaded To fire, raise auto
matte safety latch. and press thumb
piece. Gun is now firing. II gun stops.
ascertain position OF crank handle"
But Lloyd waited for no more With
wild Joy al his heart, he took a belt
from one OF the ammunition boxes lying
beside the gun, and followed the dying
mans instructions. Then he pressed
the thumb piece. and a burst OF fire re-
warded his efforts. The gun was
working.
Training it on the Germans. he
shouted for Joy their front rank
went down.
Traversing the gu nback and forth
along the mass OF Germans. he saw
them break and run back to the cover
o. their trench. leaving their dead and
do hAh I'D
company. he. Lloyd. the coward had
done his Bit" Releasing the thumb
piece. he looked at the watch on his
wrist. lie was still alive. and the hands
pointed to "3:3S." the time set for his
death by the court
"Ping"-a bullet sang through the
air. and Lloyd fell forward across the
gun. 4 thin trickle of blood ran dow n
his face from little. black round hole
: in his forehead.
, The sentence OF the court had been
duly carried out"
The CAPTAIN slowly raised the linn
form dropping over the gun, and, WHIP
. ing the blood from the white face.
recognized 1t as Lloyd. the coward of
ID" Company. Revercntly covering the
face with his handkerchief, he turned
TO his "noncoms," and in voice husky
with emotion, addressed them:
Boys it's Lloyd. the deserter. lie
has redeemed himself. died the death
of hero. Died that his mates might
live"
That afternoon n solemn procession
wended its way toward the cemetery.
In the front n stretcher was carried by
TWO scrGeants. Across the stretcher
} the Union Jack was carefully spread.
l'ehind the stretcher came a captain
and forty-three men. all that were left
ct 3D. Company.
Arriving at the cemetery, they halted
In front OF an open grave. All about
them, wooden crosses were broken and
trampled into the ground.
grizzly old sergeant, noting thia
destruction. muttercd under his breath:
Curse the cowardly blighter who
wrecked those crossesr IF 7 ,o,,, -,