Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-11-15

when the car steamed into the depot
at the end of the narrow-gauge line
He descended into a city, mushroom
city of the supply and transportation
department.
A sergeant and corporal, with nine
or ten men of the stretcher bearers
company, were waiting for the two
The little troop was returning to the
trenches after five days Of relief at q
rest camp.
you're the two men from the base
hospital?" asked the sergeant. "All
right! Fall in. Right turn! Quick
march,"
They moved away down a slope and
began to pick their way along the be.
ginning of maze of trenches.
The roar Of guns, which had never
ceased by night or day, and had long
ceased to be noticeable, was louder
now.
Suddenly the sergeant stopped.
s'There was ten Of you," he said to
the corporal.
"All here" responded the corporal
The sergeant turned to Mark
'Where's your mater" he asked.
Mark, who had been plodding along
under the impression that Hartley was
following, turned round, to find that
he was the last Of the party. Hartley
was nowhere to be seen.
The sergeant ran back a few PAGES
to return breathless and red in the
face. "He's gone, the silly fool!' he
spluttered. "Must have taken the
wrong turn at the bend. Go back and
get him! -
But Hartley was not at the bend
The sergeant joined Mark, incredulous.
They scrambled up the bank and
scanned the level road. There was no
pedestrian in sight.
"He's taken the wrong turn some
where" insisted the sergeant. "Come
along with me! We've got to find
him!"
They began doubling back, shout
ing, until they reached the end Of the
trench system. Still Hartley could not
be found.
eff he amt on hand Til be broke, "
the sergeant grumbled. "And I'll break
his head for him. You medical corps
chaps are like a bunch of babies. Ought
to have nurse and baby carriage for
each of you"
Reluctantly he abandoned the search
and they rejoined the others. The ser
geant, in an ugly mood, ordered them
sharply onward, but could not resist
casting occasional looks back to see if
the missing man was coming. How
ever, at last he resigned himself to
what seemed inevitable. The trench
widened into deep, wide, parallel one
extending in zigzags to right and left
of Them
A large dugout, made shell-proof,
or as nearly as possible SO, by
roof of heavy beams, sandbags
and corrugated steel, bore the Red
Cross upon the door. Inside a num-
Der of stretcher bearers were lounging.
The sergeant halted his men and
stepped into a smaller dugout beside
it. In minute he came out and beck
oned to Mark to follow him. Mark
entered, to find himself in the pres
ence of the captain commanding the
stretcher bearers company, and-Kel-
herman. He saluted and stood to at
tention, watching Kellerman's eyes
wander over him appraisingly.
Orderly, where's the man who came
with you?" inquired the Captain
briSkly.
"He disappeared on the way up, sir, !"
answered Mark.
"What do you mean by disappeared?
Did you see him go back? Or was he
with you one minute and gone the
nextY'
II thought he was behind me, sir. /
didn't see him go, or know anything
about it."
The Captain, who had been holding
the receiver Of his telephone, and evil
IDENTIFY waiting for his connection, got
1t. Mark heard him sending out gen.
eral notice of the absent man. He
gave his number, and the name "Har-
ley"
No doubt he had mistaken it as he
received it by telephone from the hos
pital that morning.
you'll parade before me tomorrow
morning." said Captain Keyes to the
sergeant. 'Till then you are under
open arrest"
The sergeant saluted. "Right turn r
he said to Mark.
"Wait a minute" interposed Keller
man. I'D like to have few words
with this man, Captain Reyes"
"By all means, sir" replied the Cap
tain, rising.
He strolled, humming, to the door
of the dugout, leaving Kellerman and
Mark together.
$50 you've enlisted under the name
WestOn?'' inquired Kellerman.
"That is my name, SIR