The Washington herald., 1918-03-09
"OWR THE TOP"
By ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
Copyrighted by Arthur Guy Empey.
Copyrighted by Arthur Guy Empey.

they so Strangely silent What were
they waiting for? Then he knew
their ammunition was exhausted.
But what was that on his right? A
machine gun. Why didn't it open fire
and save them? He would make that
guns crew do their duty. Rushing
over to the gun, he saw why it had
not opened fire. Scattered around its
base lay six still forms. They had
brought their gun to consolidate the
captured position, but a German ma
chine gun had decreed they would
never fire again.
Lloyd rushed to the gun, and grasp
ing the traversing handles, trained it
on the Germans. he pressed the
thumb piece. but only a sharp click
was the result. The gun was unload
ed. Then he realized his phelplessness.
He did not know how to LOAD the gun.
Oh, why hadn't he attended the ma
Chine-gun course in England? He'd
been offered the chance, but with a
blush of shame he remembered that
he had been afraid. The nickname
of the machine gunners had frightep-
ed him. They were called the Sui
eide Club" Now, because of this
fear. his company would have to die,
because he, Albert Lloyd, had been
afraid of a name. In his shame he
cried like baby. Anyway he could
die with them; and, rising to his feet,
he stumbled over the body of one of
the gunners. who emitted a faint
moan. gleam of hope flashed
through him. Perhaps this man could
tell him how to load the gun. Stoop-
ing over the body. he gently shook it,
and tho GnlHfnr l. l.
ing Lloyd, he closed them again, and
in faint voice said
Get away. you blighter, leave me
alone. I don't want any coward
around me-
The words cut Lloyd like a knife,
but he was desperate. Taking a re-
voiver out of the holster of the dying
man, he pressed the cold muzzle to
the soldiers head. and replied:
Yes. it is Lloyd. the coward Of Com
pany D, but so help me God. if you
don't tell me how to load that gun,
I'll put a bullet through your BRAIN"
A sunny smile came over the count
enance of the dying man, and he said
in a faint whisper:
Good old boy! knew you wouldn't
disgrace our COMPANY"
Lloyd interposed. For Gods sake,
If you want to save that company you
are so proud of, tell me how to load
that damned gum"
As II reciting a lesson in school
the soldier replied in a weak. singing
voice: Insert tag end of belt in feed
block, with left hand pull belt left
front. Pull crank handle back on roll
er, let go, and repeat motion. Gun
Is now loaded. To fire, raise auto
matte safety latch, and press thumb
piece. Gun is now firing. II gun stops,
ascertain position Of crank handle"
But Lloyd waited for no more. With
wild Joy at his heart, he took a belt
from one of the ammunition boxes w.
ing beside the gun, and followed the
dying mans instructions. Then he
pressed the thumb piece, and a burst
of fire rewarded his efforts. The gun
was working.
Training it on the Germans, he
shouted for joy as their front rank
went down.
Traversing the gun back and forth
along the mass of Germans. he saw
them break and run back to the cover
of their trench, leaving their dead
and wounded behind. He had saved
his company, he, Lloyd. the coward,
naO uOne MS Dlt. Releasing the
thumb piece, he looked at the watch
on his wrist. He was still alive, and
the hands pointed to "S:3S." the time
set for his death by the court.
"Ping"-a bullet sang through the
air, and Lloyd fell forward across the
gun. A thin trickle of blood ran down
his face from a little, black round
hole in his forehead.
The captain slowly raised the limp
form dropping over the gun, and wip-
ing the blood from the white face:
recognized 1t as Lloyd. the coward Of
Company d. RevereHtiy covering the
face with his handkerchief, he turned
to his "concoms,'' and in a voice
husky with emotion. addressed them:
. Boys, it's Lloyd, the deserter. He
has redeemed himself. died the death
Of a hero. Died that his mates might
live"
That afternoon, a solemn procession
wended its way toward the cemetery.
In the front stretcher was carried
BY two sergeants. Across the stretch