The Benson signal., 1918-08-24
CHAPTER XxIV-Continued.

-23-
Just as he finished speaking, the well
eome 'pup-pup' Of machine gun in
their rear rang out. and the front line
OF the onrushing 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 fed in a wild rush back to
their trench, amid the cheers of I'D"
company. They were forming again
for another attempt, when in the rear
OF ID company came mighty cheer.
The ammunition had arrived and with
1t a battalion Of Scotch to re-enforce
tiaeaa- They were saved. The unknown
machine gunner had come to the rescue
la the nick Of time
With the re-enfOrCemcnts it was an
easy task to take the third German
ii0e
EAANCA AtC uItULh OVC1, bhE zap
tain and three of his noncommissioned
officers, wended their way back to the
position where the machine gun had
done it's deadly work. He wanted to
thank the gunner In the name Of ID
company for his magnificent deed.
They arrived at the gun, and an awful
sight met their eyes.
Lloyd had reached the front line
trench. after kiS company had left it. A
strange Company was nimbly crawling
up the trench ladders. They were re-
endorsements going over. They were
ScOttieS. a2d they made magnificent
sight in thetr brightly colored kits and
bare knees.
Jumping over the TRENCH Lloyd raced
across "N0 Mans Land" unheeding 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 she work of his company, good old
ID company. Leaping trenches, and
gasping for breath, Lloyd could see
right akesa of him his company in a
dead-eEdcd sap of communication
trench. and across the open. away in
front Of them, mass Of Germans pre-
pairing 70. < charge. Why didn't D
company fire ca them? Why were they
SO strangely silent? What were they
waiting fOr7 Then he knew-their am
munition wAn exhausted.
Bot what was that on his right? A
machine gun. Why didn't it open fire
aud save them? He would make that
gums crew do their duty. Rushing
over to the gun he saw why it had not
opened fire. Scattered around it's base
lay six still forms. They had brought
their gun to consolidate the captured
position. but q German machine 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 sharp click was the
resuit. The gun was unloaded. 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 chance, but with blush of
shame he remembered that he had been
afraid. The nickname of the machine
gunners had frightened him. They
were 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 CLEAN
OF hope flashed through him. Perhaps
this man could tell him how to load
the gun. STOPPING over the body he
gently shtok it and the soldier opened
his eyes. Seeing Lloyd, he closed
them again and, in faint voice, said: