Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-05-24
CHAPTER XIII.


probably proved false; yet the teeiihs
In the air Of something Impending
s..ned to have communicated hseh
10 the enemy's lines, distant so"'e
three hundred wards across desoia'e
region churncd up W shells: for there
came spasmOdic alarms all 'hrous"
I'm, night which resulted in outbuiS's
of riff. firing on either side tha'
gradually died away.
:, wiring party and listening posi-
,,,,,y were out from the American
trenches. and Mark was on duty WIN
three others of the str"tcher bearers
company. ready for Il call.
II WAS an ccrir sensation. sittihE
there in the dugout. looking through
TN, doorway at the stars SHINING
,hnvc ,h, parapct, ut the sentri"S
standing at their posts. eyes Oh '"'
terrain opposite: hearing the rat-ta'
OF machine guns. the challenges INV
heavy breathing OF his companions
o,vious to everything. Nividly thr
uast scenes OF his lf" flashed through
his mind. Eleanor. his love ana ms
folly his shame and his regeneration
wcr. lived over again. k'ii'rh'h
approachcs had changed the FOCUS ~
,h,. mental pictures. He tried not 10
huild cxtravagant hopes on the con-
y.rsation. hr tried TO believe In Nell
ermun. even to reconcile himself 10
the possibility of his marrying Flea
NOR But ne knew that he was un-
able to think clearly: and. even us ne
strove to reconcile the past ana the
future, the alarm came.
4 corporul was at the dugout door'
"Strctchrr bearers" he whispered.
Tb, four men were on their feet
Immediately. two stretchcrs ready.
"A man hit between the lines
said the corporal. you've got 10
bring him in. You can see him from
this loop hole.
Mark stepped upon the sentry $
platform and saw. indistinct IN 'h'
darkness. huddlcd form about hall
WAY 10 the German trenches.
Then ne heard Kellcrman's voice at
his side.
-, man of the --th got hit" ne said.
"Bring him In. Weston. Make quick
lob of it. Corporal Barnes. you'll take
charge. You two will be ready to take
out your stretcher In case anything
Sspps6s.| he added % the two others:
The corporal hoisted himself upon
the sandbags and squirmed over
Mark followed. and they pulled up
IN, strctcher and then Marks COM
rade. AS they were over tn" Wrtp"
the trenches faded into inrisiblilty;
nothing was to be seen but an uh-
dulating extent OF ground. with the
posts that supported the criss-cross-
Ing wires.
The corporal led the way. crouching
toward the gap In the wires iheH
passed two lines. traversed a diaEohai
lane. and emerged beyond the third
jn,o the open. The body OF the wound
ed man. which had disappeared, came
into light. a black patch under IN"
stars.
Get down." whispered the corpor-
al.
They flung themselves To the
grouud. and proceeded to wriEgl" for
ward under his directions. pushing
the stretchcr rs soundlcssly as p"Ss'-
Bile across the rough ground. sud
denly the man with Mark uttered an
exclamation.
what the DEVILS hc sent us ON TINS
lob for" hr demanded truculen'iE.
shut up, you fool" whispered the
corporal hoarscly.
"That amt the man. He's heen
there these past three days. Dutch
man ne is: every listening post party
knows him. What's the good OF drag
yiny him in? He amt got no head To
him."
what you talking ahout?" snarlcd
the corporal That's the man the ma
ior said. and there amt no other In
sight. Tcht!"
They fattened themselves as 4
rocket burst into the air above the
German lines. revealing as clearly as
by daylight the lines of the hostile
wiring posts. the huddled heap some
forty wards before them. and IN"
whole terrain. with its hummochy
ground and distant copses. blasted hy
shellfre.
Then the machine guns burst forth
RAT tat tat tat" sang the bullets
overhead.
They swished through the grass
and battered on the ground. NO
answer came from the section of the
American line Immediately behind the
defenders, but on each side there
came answering volleys. making the
air nm inferno OF cracking death. Then
gradually the alarm subsidized. The
rocket showers died down.
Now, boys" whispered the corpo-
raj.
They crawled onward. The huddled
form came into clear view. The body
seemed to be already blending with
the earth. melting into formlessness;
and there was no need to wonder
whether this was Of dead or wound
ed man.
The corporal swore.
II told you so!" mumhled Marks
companion. 81 told you 40. What's he
sent us here for. the fool?"
His words ended in gurgle. From
behind the shelter Of the corpse leap
ed five men. Noiselessly they flung
themselves upon the party OF three.
Mark felt a pistol at his temple.
"Surrender!" Kissed voice in his
ear.
In fash he realized the trap The
three were unarmed. noncomhatants:
Il was counter -raid-and Keller
man had known that the enemy were
abroad that night and suspected their
rendezvous.
He saw his two companions being
dragged. unresisting. toward the Ger
man lines Three men were with