The Cordova daily times., 1918-04-23


 bayonets are useless here. We will have to go over and meet them. and it's q case of thirty to one, so send every thrust home, and die like the men of D company should. When I give the word, follow me, and up and ct them. Give them h--l Lord. if we only had machine gun, we could wipe them out! Here they come. get ready, men,"
 Just as he finished speaking, the vel come "pup-pup" Of 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 ID" company. They were forming again for another attempt, when in the rear of D company came mighty cheer. The ammunition had arrived and with it a 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 it was an easy task to take the third German line.
 After the attack was over, the cap tain and three of his noncommissSoned 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 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 it. A strange company was nimbly crawling up tke trench ladders. They were re endorsements going over. They were Scotties, aud they made a magnificent | sight in their brightly c0lored kalts and bare knees.
 Jumping over the trench, Llgytl raced across "No Mans Land" unheeding the rain of bullets, leapiHg over dark forms on the ground, some of which lay still, while others called out to him as he ;Rpeeded past.
 He came 10 the German front line, Out 1t was deserted, except for heaps sof dead and wOunded-a grim tribute to the work of his company, good old ID company. Legping trenches, and gasptng for breath, Lloyd could see right ahead of him his company In q i 'dead+ended sap of communication trench, and across the open, away in front of them, a mass Of Germans pre- pairing 5or charge. Why didn't D company lire on them? Why were they ] so strangely siIeRt? What were they waiting for? Then he knew-their am munition was exhausted.
 But E3EEat was 6hat on his right? A machine gun. Why didn't it open fire and save them? He would make that isgun's cEew do Fheir duty. Rushing over to inc gun lee saw why it had not 1 opened fire. Scattered around its base Hay six still forms. They had brought their gun to consolidate the captured position, but German machine gun had decneed they would never fire again.
 Lloyd uGshed to the gun and, grasp ing the FtJ.aversing handles, trained it JOE the Germans. Hepressed the thumb pi9ce, but only sharp click was the result. Tbe gun WAS 'unloaded Then he reazeS his hekplessnese. He did !nG know aaOw to load the gun. Oh, wing 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. lhis company would be destroyed, the men of B com Eany would have to die, because he, Albert Lloyd, had been afraid of a Gsalne. In his shame he cried like a ihaby. Anyway he could de with them sitlc, rising to kas feet, he stumbled oNSE ltIC bOuy Oi UHe O1 t43c GuDueTS, whG emitted faint moan. A gleam of hope flashed through him. Perhaps this man could tell him how to load the gun. Stepping over the body he gently shook it and the soldier opened his eyes. Seeing Lloyd, he closed them again and, in faint voice, said:
 AGet away. you blighter. leave me alone. l 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:
 "Yes 1t is Lloyd, the coward of Company D, but so help me God, if you don't tell me how to load that gun I'll put a bullet through your brain :"
 A sunny smile came over the coun- tenance of the dying man and he said in a faint whisper:
 Good old boy! knew you wouldn't disgrace our company"
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