Evening star., 1918-02-03

soldier crossed his hand as q signal and
the others stopped in their tracks.
Who goes there?" demanded tho
voice.
"Your commane.>s oncer." answered
the major.
Advance and be recognised" was the
next order. The major went forward,
the others waiting.
Halt" came the order again. few
feet away a soldier was peering through
the gloom. what Is the PASSWORD? he
demanded after a few seconds. A hand
was raised and the password OF that night
was whispered. =.
Repeated at Each Corner.
At each corner the same formula was
gone through with more or less promptly.
Some of the men were alone and carried
rifles Others wero in pairs and had ma
chine guns. Still others were In squads
of half dozen. All had their eyes fixed
on the silent enemy lines
One machine gun emplacement had a
bright pile Of empty shells under the gun
between the two men.
do you know the orders against hr-
ing?" asked the major.
Eyes, sir" replied one of the men.
1.-THE next time shoot enough to do
some good" said the major.
,'Yes. SIR replied the soldier with a
grin.
IF it is necessary to fire. be sure to
get somebody" added the major, as he
Here is where we go over the top"
said the tireless major. as the trench
suddenly became impossible Don't
| talk. The Huns are only eighty yards
away They may hear you and put
down a barrage. The trenches were
wiped out here last night. Follow Ave
yards apart. so II they turn loose the
guns they will get only one of u.s."
Undiscovered bv Germans,
Evidently the Germans did not hear,
for no shots accelerated our passing.
"Going over the top" meant taking
risk, but it was not flying In the face
of death as the same phrase signifes
when signals are given to dash against
the enemy's trenches under the mur-
derous fire Of machine guns. We waded
| through a quagmire, tripping over bro
| ken boards and pieces Of wire and
other debris resulting from the she'll
darkness. following the faint outline
of the man ahead. No one dared to
| fash a light to guide his footsteps or
shout to find out where he was. The
major was a good guide and brought
US squarely to the undamaged portion
| of the trench. :;
When the major reached the next
corner he confronted two soldiers
ped in warm blankets. This was too
much for the officers good nature.
"ought to Have Rocking Chairs"
"You ought to have rocking chairs."
he exclaimed. 'The Huns could come
over and get you before you knew
what. happened. Take off those blan-
| kets and stand up" He spoke in
tones which will make the boys nerv-
Gus at the sight of blanket for weeks.
Sc;c ho
score Of lack of alertness. Usually the
major had only words of encourage
| ment for the sentiRels-.Lo after MD
| night on previous night he had en-
| tered a dukout beneath the trenches.
Two captains were doing In their
hunks. One of them had only short
time before risked his life by chasing.
armed only with revolver rev German MAJ
son Of a general at home. -
Il think" said the major to the lat
| ter. that you had better make the
| round of the trenches through the
night, and see that the men are keep
| ing watch. 1t is your first night here
and some of the men are apt to get
drowsy and careless" -
| In the darkness men were at work
| clearing the trenches or deepening
them. Others were stretching wire ito
hold the walls. Army life in France
knows neither night nor day.
Over the Top Again.
| I'VE go over the top again here to
make short cut back through the
woods" said the major. I'VE were out
Of sight, but not protected from the
| Germans, who sweep a machine gun
every few minutes through the night, in
| the hope of getting somebody. -;
step lively" said the major. Luck
| lily, the Germans were not sweeping at
| the moment we stepped nimbly past.
This time we went over like veter-
| ans, though the place was more dam
gerous than the previous one. The last
| man had not passed more than 100
yards and plunged down into. the
| trenches again before a machine gun
| in the distance started. and in an IN
| stant there was a shower of bullets.
| 'It was out at this end of the line
where the listening post was" said the
major: there is not much left Of it
now"
We stopped and looked at the dim. wind
| ing and half-filled communicating trench.
| The little hole that sheltered three men
! and an automatic rifle before the German
artillery turned loose was just beyond
our barbed wire entanglements. Down
that wrecked communicating trench two
had retired. according to orders, and had
reached safety. The third stubbornly re-
mained. alone to face the Germans
Made Good His Promise. :.