Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-27
NXV

lI-a ANh
yIyHEN Billy Repp hurried over to the
w end of the trench at the call Of one
or his comrades he saw the men in the
act Of dragging two bodies over the par
spet. Two stiff and rigid bodies they
were, and Billy. who could not see their
faces. wondered where they had come
from and how they had reached the
trenches in their condition. The next
backs on the foor of the trench, and
BILLY. with an exclamation, was kneeling
IN the dirt. Scott's face. sharply out
lined In the Pickering light and CHASTITY
white. looked up at him, and Barney,
y Refribly bloody and limp-lookirg in an
hwful way, lay at his side. Neither
rave any sign Of life.
Billy looked up at the others. How
did 1t happen?"
W heard a noise" said one "a
crawling sound that was suspicious. and
the next minute Scott was looking over
the trench. He had hold of Barney's
arm. and when he saw us he just toppled
over head first. Jim caught him"
After that there was much busting
around, n Scott was carried back OF
the trenches and from there was hur-
ried to a base hospital. He was in a
horribly weak condition from loss of
blood, and the wound in his back was
dark and dangerous from lack OF at
tention. Poor little Irish Barney would
never eat jam again. He was dead and
had been dead for some hours. His
body was riddled with half a dozen bull
let holes.
TO return to Scott on the battlefield:
He had come to himself again just at
evening of the second day. Once more
Ne had made a futile attempt to get
his water bottle, and this time 1t was
utterly impossible. Gritting his teeth
81 togsther. he made a supreme effort to
move his agonized body. Inch by inch
and suffering horrible pain at each
aliehtest move. he succeeded in gaining
Z few yards. After the first move 1t was
not quite so difficult. but It was only
b. sheer force of will that he could
farce himself to move at all. He knew
quite we'll that to lie where he was would
mean death, and a lingering. painful
death, Of neglect I'M starvation. He
"a did not know but what he would have
10 die anyway. but at least he would
de with his wounds cared for, and In a
n tuspital bed.
Fever had set in and his thoughts be-
ran to tumble. He could hardly see for
4ke pain his wound caused. and after
Z ne had gone a short distance he struck
3 body and fell PROSTATE over it. 1t
eoemed hours later that he dragged him.
the upturned face but something. some
how. impelled him to look, drew his wild
exes down. and the next minute he ex-
claimed weakly. The still, dead face
Vas Irish Barney's. An ugly gap stared
from his chest, where the bayonet had
protruded. but the dead face looked
peaceful and was unmarried.
weak tears streamed down SCOTS
fSce. and with another supreme effort
- lifted himself free from Barney.
tody and lay still for a minute, trying
~ think. Any one who has never tried
a think while suffering from exposure
"A two severe bullet wounds cannot i'm
S-tna what Scott suffered. He did real
~ however. that II would be a miracle
81 II ever reached safety by dragging
1Sssslf. and he could not leave Barney's
here. 1t would be like deserving q
Minutes passed. and he still lay there
<3hefing strength.
finally with every bit of endurance
- had. he lifted Barney's arm and drew
nhout his neck. Then with the drag
" }5fha heavy body causing fresh de-
ma on the little strength he still
rressed, Scott proceeded on his way,
by inch. stopping every few min
and almost f~ainting away more
1}3@ once. 1t was a wonderful piece OF
q splendid Illustration of what
nsan will do for another.
m 1.-THE Allied trenches just ahead
~ nut forth all of his remaining
,araxe and tainted over the parapet
All Of the strength of his hand still
ached on Barney's arm.
< &<koy had not thought that Scott
live until they could get him 10
;{Ek hospital. When he awoke again IN
clcan bed and with his. wound
~ nred. he did not know II. All night
81 raved in delirium. he babbled OF
and Ruth and of all the secrets
~ locked up in his brave mans
~ ts here at home who read the
~ ond occasionally stumble over
n known to us. the name
>,knneo Or = friend. or . dear
~ nens<s with sur