Abilene weekly reflector., 1918-06-27

nj them. Give them HI Lord, II
we only had machine gun, we could
wipe them out Here they come, get
ready, men,"
Just as he finished speaking, the well
come "pup-pup" Of machine gun In
their rear rang out and the front line
OF the onrushlng Germans seemed to
melt away. They wavered, but once
again came rushing onward. Down
went their second line. The machine
gun was taking an awful toll Of lives.
Then again they tried to advance, but
the machine gun moved them down.
Dropping their rifles and bombs. they
broke and fled In wild rush back 10
their trench, amid the cheers OF ID
company. They we're forming again
for another attempt, when In the rear
Of ID company came mighty cheer,
The ammunition had arrived and with
IL battalion of Scotch to re-enforce
them. They were saved. The unknown
machine gunner had come to the rescue
In the nick Of time.
With the re-enforcements II was an
easy task to take the third German
line
After the attack was over, the cap
tain and three Of his noncommissioned
officers, wended their way back 20 the
position where tie machine gun had
done It's deadly work. He wanted 10
thank the gunner Ia the nane ~ p
company for his magnificent deed.
They arrived at the gun, and an awful
sight met their eyes.
Lloyd had reaehed the front line
trench, after his company had left It. A
strange company was ninbly crawling
up the trench ladders They were re-
endorsements going over. They were
Scotties, and they made magnificent
sight In their brightly colored kits and
bare knees.
Jumping over the trench. Lloyd raced
across mo Man's Land" unheedng the
rain Of bullets, leaping over dark forms
on the ground. some of which lay still,
while others called out to him as he
speeded past.
He came to the German front line,
but 1t was deserted, except for heaps
Of dead and wounded-a grim tribute
to the work of his company, good old
d company. Leaplng trenches, and
gasping for breath, Lloyd could see
right ahead of him his company In a
dead-ended sap of a communication
trench, and across the open, away In
e.o,t 30 thor, a n,ooS of Garunna nrp-
pairing for a charge. Why didn't ID
company fire on them? Why were they
so strangely silent? What were they
waiting for? Then he knew-their am
munition was exhausted.
But what was that on his right2 A
machine gun. Why didn't 1t open fire
and save them? He would make that
guns crew do their duty. Rushing
over to the gun he saw why 1t 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 machine gun
had decreed they would never fire
again.
Lloyd rushed to the gun and, grasp
ing the traversing handles, trained 1t
on the Germans. He pressed the thumb
piece, but only sharp click vas the
result. The gun was Gnloaded. Then
he realized his helplessness. He did
not know how to load the gun. Oh,
why hadn't he attended the machine
gun course in England? He'd been
offered the change, but with blush of
shame he remembered that he had been
afraid. The nickname of the machine
gunners had frightened him. They
v ere called the "Suicide club" Now,
because of this fear, his company
would be destroyed, the men of d com
pany 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 faint moan. A gleam
of hope flashed through him. Perhaps
this man could tell him how to load
the gun. STOPPING over the body he
ReullJ SuOOh IL anu tiC oOidiSA VPNHSN
his eyes. Seeing Lloyd, he closed
them again and, in faint voice, said
"Get away, you blighter, leave me
alone don't want any coward around
me-"
The words cut Lloyd like knife,
but he was desperate. Taking the re-
volver 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
Company d. but so help me God, II
you don't tell me how to load that gun
I'll put a bullet through your brain!'
A sunny smile came over the coun-
tenance 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,