The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-02-23

beggef the. captain to let him IciiUb
the tree that rose near one end Sf the
trench, In order that he might Try to
get the range Of the German gulks.
The captain did not like theN idea.
he had been cautioned not to expose
his men-and especially his OTHERS
unnecessarily. And he warned Guy
that he might get picked of by l Ger
man sniper.
'Not a chancer Guy protested.
"Please! 1t would be ripping Ereally
to do something"
The captain perceived that tAe in
action of waiting for an attack was
fast setting Guys nerves on edgk And
at last he gave his consent.
For little time Guy called but d.
rections to the captain, who stood at
the telephone relaying Guys instruc-
lions to the battery. In the light fur
nished by the British bombs the youth
full lieutenant carefully watched the
effect of the shells that whistled over
their heads and burst increasingly
nearer to the Teuton artillery.
Fright on gun!" Guy shouted at
last. II saw it crumple! That's it!
Keep the range at Twenty-Five fiftyw
The words were hardly out of his
mouth before he came topping from
his perch. The captain and one of the
privates caught the limp figure just be-
fore it struck the ground, and they laid
him tenderly upon the dirt floor Of
Trench 81.
They've got him. He's not
dead, though" Captain Monta-
que kneeled beside the lad and bent
over him. And corporal with some
knowledge of first-aid procedure I'M
dertook to stop Guys bleeding. He
was seriously wounded-that much
was clear. And he was unconscious.
"Beastly dull'-so Guy had been
writing Georgy Wagstaff. lawfully
hot-no excitement Haven't seen
German or any decent food. But that
doesn't matter. Tell mother I'm being
careful"
Poor kidv' Charlie Brown ex-
claimed. 1t was a grim business
| war!
"Sad-very sadv' the captain agreed.
But perhaps he'll pull through; and If
he doesn't-well! forgive me, Mr..
Brown, if I seem heartless- but re-
member! this is new to you and he's
only one, and I've seen so manyw
Captain Montague noticed that the
American correspondent was white
and somewhat unsteady.
"T' feel a bit shaken. Do you mind
IL go back now" Charlie asked.
Certainly not!"
| IF come across the surgeon or any
of the Red Cross, you don't mind if
send them back, do your Charlie
wanted to do what he could to help his
friend.
The captain readily gave his assent.
"I'm through with war" Charlie
Brown said as he shook hands with
Montague. "I'm off to London. I'll
see his mother there, and that kid girl
of his-and then go to New York,
where there's no war, thank Cod And
you know, Cap, when I'm home, sit
ting at my desk. looking down over
Broadway where war only means some
more headlines on the front page about
some unpronounceable places, and you
turn over the paper to see how stocks
closed, or who won the game when
I'm back there and the war stuff
comes over the wire, I'll be thinking of
you fellows over here under fire, and
I'll be wishing you luck, old man, the
best of luckw
The captain thanked him; and they
said good-by.
Charlie fingered for one last look
at the wounded Guy,
81 hope you pull through, old boy!''
he said; he knew, though, that Guy
could not hear him. "DARhat you can
for him, won't your he asked the cap
tain. II know his mother. .. This
whole business is hell, isn't it,"