Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-08-01
CHAPTER xxIv-continued.

CHAPTER xxIv-continued.
p
On his left. in the darkness, he could
make cut the shadowy forms Of trees ;
crawling on his hands and knees. stop
cling and crouchlng with fear at each
ahe4i-bcEst, he finally reached an old
orchard and covered at the base Of q
Hhat-ACarred apple tree.
Tie remained there all night, listen
ing to the sound Of the guns and ever
fprsyazx. praying that his useless life
~woks3 he spared.
As dawn began to break, he could
.afseera little dark objects protruding
'frosu the ground all about him. Curl.
suszty mastered his fear and he crawled
81 osle Of the objects. and there, in the
uncertain Hight, he read on a little
wooden cross:
"pee- H. 8. Wheaton. No. 1910, LIST
1.andsn Regt. r. F. Killed in action.
April IS. 1915. r. I. p" Crest In
Yeaees.
when 1t dawned on him that he had
stseeti aiding oil night in a cemetery
his reason seemed to leave him, and a
mad desire to be free from 1t all made
hfEs rush madly away, FILLING owe lit
tie wooden crosses. smashing some and
trsmv9ing others under his feet.
In shs flight he came to an old
French dugout, half caved in and par
.ttnuy filled with shiny and filthy wa
ter.
Line a fox being chased by the
-saaIyssts, he ducked into this hole. and
'threw himself OH a pile Of old empty
tSansihaGs. wet and widowed. Then-
Observation-Disclosures.
On the next day, he came to; fal
distant voices sounded In his ears
~S]panIux. his eyes, In the entrance OF
the dsgout he saw a corporal and two
1ne with ixed bayonets.
The corporal was addressing him:
Get up, you wh%ite-livered blighter
Curse you and the day you ever joined
I'D eonapany, spelling their fine rec
~ord. It'll be you up against the wall
and \ good Job too. Get hold of him
aaen. and II he makes a break, give hin
the bayunet, and send It home, the COW
an!ty sneak. Come on. you. move
we've been looking for you lou
enough
Lloyd, trembling and weakened b.
his lang fast, tottered out. assisted b.
- susdRer On each side of him.
Thy took him before the captain
NUT <suid get aothing out Of him but:
"Ear Gods sake, sir. don't have M
shot. &oo't have me shot"
Tie captain, utterly disguised viii
ASsn. seat him under escort to division
AMaEsazters Tor trial BY court.mar
tiaI charged with desertlon under fire
They shoot deserters 10 France.
Dnza9 bis trial, Lloyd sat az on,
dssed. and could put nothing forwar'
In his defense. only an occaslona
"l)unx have me shoty"
His sentence was passed: ITO b.
s'hoe 1t S:3s o'clock In the morning o
May Is, 1916" This meant that b
had only a more day to live.
He did not realize the ~awfulness o
MS Rate0ce; his brain seemed para
ay1ed- He knew nothing Of his trlE
under guard, In a motor lorry to tn
@ndhaSzed guardroom In the village
wbeso he was dumped on the floor an,
Ten, while q sentry with a iixed bayo
net paced up and down In front Of tn
&nfraneA
Rss'y beet, water and biscuits wsr
kefx bs1lde him for his supper.
Ths sentry. seeing that no ate moth
ess. came inside and shook him BY tn
shoulder. saying In a kind voice:
T1Aeero. laddis. better eat some
sh'n&- YouTl feel better. Don't Civ
~ AsOa You'l be pardoned befor
0sspanE. I know the way they rul
0ese thinyN They're only trying I
wczse ysu, AAat's all. Come now, that
2 eesGtiaa. eat something. It'll max
ose wsssd look different to you"
1hs soodAearted sentry knew h
~as 0ens shout the pardon. He knew
As6sang mort Of q miracle could sav
~ Dssr lad.
tsevA listened eagerly to his sentry
~sseA and believed them. A look o
Asos came Into his eyes. and hs raven
a11sy ats the meal beside him.
- sAest IN hours time, the char
aaas esns 70 ses him. but Lloyd woui,
nave esns Of him. He wanted no par
Saa:b y Wss to DO pardoned.
Ia artillery behind the lines sud
SsNS soened mn with o~vosythir~ theI