Gunnison news-champion., 1918-05-10
ARITlUR GUY FflpEY
GIs7 er
[Of-cT GrFl

, wny nAdnr ne attended the machine
| gun course In EnglandI He'd been
! offered the chance. but with a blush OF
shame h- 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 Il
baby. Anyway he could die with them
and. rising 10 his feet. he stumbled
over the body Of one OF the gunners.
who emitted a faint moan. A gleam
of hope flashed through him. Perhaps
this man could tell 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 faint voice. said !:
Get away. you bllghter. leave me
alone. l don't want any coward around
me"
The words cut Lloyd ike 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:
Yes. II Is Lloyd. the coward OF
Company y. but so help me God. II
you don't tell me how to load that gun
III put a bullet through your brain -
A sunny smile came over the cOun-
tenhnce OF the dying man and he said
In a faint whisper:
Good old boy knew you wouldn't
disgrace our cUmpany-
Lloyd IntcrpOsed For Gods sake.
II you want TO save that company you
are so proud Of. tell me how TO load
that ID gun"
As II reCItIug a lesson in school. the
soldier replied In weak. slngsOng
voice: Insert tag end OF belt in feed
block. with left hand pull belt left
front. Pull crank handle back on roll
er. let go, and repeat motion. Gun Is
now loaded. To fire, raise automatic
safety latch. and press thumbpiece.
Gun Is now firing. II gun stops. ascer-
tain position Of crank handle"
But Lloyd waited for no more With
wild JOY ut his heart, he took a belt
from one OF the ammunition boxes ly-
Ing beside the gun, and followed the
dying mans instructions. Then he
pressed the thumbpiece and n burst of
fire rewarded his efforts. The gun
wns working.
Trimming II on the Germans he shout
ed for JOY as their front rauk went
down.
Traversing the gun back and forth
along the mass Of Germans. he saw
them brenk and run back to the cover
Of their trench. leaving their dead and
wounded behind. He had saved his
compsny. he. Lloyd. the coward. had
-d>ne his bit" Releasing the thumb
r:acr, ne looked at the watch on his
wrist. He was still alive at ''3 :3s."
Ping "A bullet sang through the
air. and Lloyd fell forward across tho
gun. A thin trickle OF blood ran down
his face from little, black round hole
In his forehead.
"
'duly carried out
The captain slowly raised the limp
form dropping over the gun and wip-
ing the blood from the white face. rec
ognized 1t as Lloyd. the coward OF D
company. Reverently covering the face
with his handkerchief he turned to his
"noncoms" and. in a voice husky with
emotions addressed them:
Boys, It's Lloyd. the deserter. He
has redeemed himself, died the death
of hero-died that his mates might
live"
That afternoon a solemn procession
swended its way toward the cemetery.
In the front stretcher was carried by
two sergeants. Across the stretcher
the Union Jack was carefully spread.
Behind the stretcher came captain
and forty.three men, all that were left
of ID company.
Arriving at the cemetery. they halt-
ed In front of an open grave. All about
them wooden crosses were broken and
trampled into the ground.
A grizzled old sergeant. noting this
destruction. muttered under his
breath: Curse the cowardly blighter
who wrecked those crosses. II could
only get these two hands around his
neck his trip West would be short"
The corpse on the stretcher seemed
to move. or 1t might have been the
wind blowing the folds of the Union
Jack.
nhAprEn YNN