Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1918-08-16
CHAPTER xxlV-continued.

bn MS lpllt III llIt uHlhHfNAi nv ''hlH
make out the shalowy forms Of trees
crawling Oh his hands and knees stop
ping and crouchlng with fenr AZ each
shel.burst, he finally reached mn old
orchard and covered ut the base Of Il
shot.scarrod apple tree.
He remained there nil night, listen
Ing to the sound Of the guns and eyer
praying praying TINT his useless life
would be spared
As dawn began to break, he could
discern little dark objects protruding
from the ground all about him Curt
osity mastered his fear md he crawled
to one OF the oh Jects, and there, in the
uncertain Hight, he reud On little
wooden cross;
"pte. II. 5. Wheaton, No 1870. Isl
London Regt. r. {. Killed In action
Anvil %. 1915 r. |. r." (Rest 10
Peace)
when II dawncd on him that he had
been hiding all night In cemetery
his renson seemed 10 leave him. and a
mad desire to be free from Il all made
him rush madly away, falling over lit.
tie wooden crosses, smashing some and
trampling others under his feet.
In his flight he came 10 an old
French dugout. half cayed in and pur-
TALLY filed with Shiny and filthy VA.
ter.
Like fox being chased by the
hounds, he ducked into this hole, md
threw himself on a pile Of old empty
sandbags. wei and widowed. Then
Inconsistencies,
On the next day, he came to fur
distant voices sounded In his ears
Opening his eyes. In the entrance of
the dugout he saw corporal and tive
men with fixed bayonets.
The corporal was addressing him
Get up, you whIte-llyered Brighter
Curse you and the day you ever Joined
d company, spelling their fine rec.
ord It'll be YOU up against the wall.
and good job too Get hold Of him
men, and II he makes n break, give him
the bayonet. and send II home, the COW
arlly sneak. Come on, you, novo
we've been looking for you long
enough
Lloyd, trembling and weakened by
his long fast, tottered out assisted by
a soldier on each side Of him
They took him before the captain
but could get nothing out of him bet
For Gods sake, sir. don't have me
shot, don't have me shot"
The captain utterly disguised with
him, sent him under escort 10 division
for trial by court-mar-
tial, charged with desertlon under fire
They shoot de>erters in France.
During his trial, Lloyd sat as one
iazed, and could put nothing forward
IN his defense, only an occasional
Don't have me Shot"
His sentence was passed ITO be
shot at 3 ;3S O'Clock in the morning Of
May IS, 1916 This meant that he
had only one more day to live.
He did not realize the awfulness Of
bis sentence; his brain seemed para
yzed, He knew nothing of his trip,
inder guard, in motor lorry to the
guardroom In the yillago
where he was dumped on the floor and
eft, while a sentry with a fixed bayo-
let paced up and down In front Of the
Bully beef, water and biscuits were
eft beside him for his supper.
The sentry, seeing that he ate moth
ng cnme inside and shook him by the
houder, saying In kind voice.
"Cheero, laddie, better eat some
hing. You'll feel better. Don't give
p hope. You'll be pardoned before
nOrnlng. know the way they run
hese things. They're only trying to
care you, that's all. Come now, that's
good lad. eat something It'll make
he world look different to you"
The good-hearted sentry knew he
as lying about the pardon. He knew
othing short Of miracle could save
he poor lad.
Lloyd listened eagerly to his sentry's
ords, and believed them. A look of
ope came into his eyes, and he raven.
lsly ate the meal beside him.
In about an hours time, the chap.
In came to see him, but Lloyd would {
ave none Of him. He wanted no par
IN; he was to be pardoned.
The artillery behind the lines sud |
,nly opened up with everything they I