Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1918-05-17
CHAPTER xVI-cOntlnued.
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"Cassell had a fancy for that par
ticular blonde. The answer came back
in the shape Of a volley Of cusses. I
changed the subject.
"After a while our talk veered
round to the way the Boches had been
exposing themselves on the road down
on the chart as Target II. What he
said about those Boches would never
have passed the reichstag, though I
believe It would have gone through
our censor easily enough.
"The bursting shells were making
such a din that l packed up talking
and. took to watching the captain. He
was fdgeting around on an old sand
bag with the glass to his eye. Occa-
siOnally he would let out a grunt, and
make some remark I couldn't hear on
account Of the noise, but l guessed
what II was all right. Fritz was get
tine fresh again on that road.
"Cassell had been sending in the tap
code to me. but / was fed up and
didn't bother with It. Then he sent
o. s., and I was all attention, for this
was a call used between us which
meant that something important was
on. I was all ears in an instant. Then
Cassell turned loose.
"'You blankety blank dud. I have
been trying to raise you for fifteen
minutes. What's the matter, are you
asleepf Gust as II anyone could
have slept in that Internal rackstD
Never mind framing a nasty answer.
Just listen
care you game for putting some
thing over on the BOches and Old Per
per all In OneT
II answered that / was game enough
when It came to putting 1t over the
BOches, but confessed that l had a
weakening of the spine, even at the
mention of Old Peppers name.
"He came back with, It's so absurd.
ly easy and simple that there is no
chance OF the old heather rumbllng Il.
Anyway, II we're caught, I'll take the
blame
"Under these condition l told him to
spit out his scheme. 1t was so daring
and simple that 1t took my breath
away. This is what he proposed:
'If the Boches should use that road
again, to send by the tap system the
target and range. l had previously
told him about our captain talking out
loud as II he were sending through
orders. Well. IL this happened, / was
TO send the dope to Cassell and he
would transmit It to the battery com
mander as officially coming through
the observation post. Then the bat
terry would open up. Afterwards, dur
Ing the Investigation, Cassell would
swear he received It direct. They
would have to relieve him, because II
was impossible from his post In the
battery dugOut to know that the road
was being used at that time by the
Germans. And also II was impossible
for him to give the target, range and
degrees. You know a battery chart Is
not passed around among the men like
a newspaper from Bllghty. From him
the investigation would go to the oh.
scrvntion post, and the observing Off,
Ger could truthfully swear that | had
not sent the message by phone, and
that no orders to FIRE had been issued
by him. The investigators would then
be up In the air, we would be safe, the
ROches would receive a good bashlng
and we would get our own back on Old
Pepper. 1t was too good to be true
/ gleefully fell I'm with the scheme
and told Cassell l was his meat.
"Then ! waited with beating heart
and watched the captain like a hawk.
"He was beginning 10 hdget again
and was drumming on the sandbags
with his feet. At last, turning to me.
he said:
Wilson. this army Is a blankety
blank washout. What's the use OF hay.
ing artillery II 1t Is moi allowed to frei
The government at home ought to be
hanged with some OF their red tape.
It's through them that we have nc
shells
II answered. Yes, SIR and started
sending this opinion over the wire Ia
CasselL, but the captain interrupted
me with:
Keep those Internal fingers stIl.
What's the meter. getting the nervesi