Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1918-05-30


result. The gun was unloaded Then
ne 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
oHered the chance, but with a blush of
shame he remembered that he had been
AFRAID. The nickname of the machine
gunners had frightened him. They
We're 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 o
name. In his shame he cried like a
baby. Anyway he could die with them
and' rising to his feet, he stumbled
over the body of one of the gunners
who emitted a 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 shook it and the soldier opened
his eyes. Seeing Lloyd, he closed
them again and, in a faint voice, said !:
Get away, you blighter, leave me
alone. don't want any coward around
me-"
The words cut Lloyd like a 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:
Eyes, it is Lloyd, the coward of
Company D, but so help me God, If
you don't tell me how to load that gun
I'll put bullet through your brainm
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,
if you want to save that company you
are so proud of. tell me how to load
that ID gunI"
As If reciting a lesson in school, the
soldier replied in a weak, singsong
voice: insert tag end of belt in feed
block, with left hand pull belt left
front. Pull crank handle back on roll
er, let go, and repeat motion. Gun is
now loaded. To fire, raise automatic
safety latch, and press thumbpiece.
Gun is now firing. If gun stops, ascer-
tain position of crank handle"
But Lloyd waited for no more. With
wild joy at his heart, he took a belt
from one of the ammunition boxes ly-
ing beside the gun, and followed the
dying mans instructions. Then he
pressed the thumbpiece and burst of
fire rewarded his efforts. The gun
was working.
Training it on the Germans he shout |
ed for joy as their front rank went
down.
Traversing the gun back and forth
along the mass of Germans, he saw
them break and run back to the cover
# their trench, leaving their dead and
ounded behind. He had saved bis
npany, he, Lloyd, the coward, had
e his it." Releasing the thumb
piece he looked at the watch on his
wrist. He was still alive at 80 49,"
ping "a bullet sang through the
air, and Lloyd fell forward across the
gun. A thin triczle of blood ran down
his face from little, black round hole
In his forehead.
"The sentence of the court had been
duly carried out"
The captain slowly raised the limp
form dropping over the gun and WHIP
ng the blood from the white face, rec
)gnized it as Lloyd, the coward of d
Reverently covering the face
With his handkerchief he turned to his
'noncoms' and, in a voice husky with
motions, addressed them:
Boys, it's Lloyd, the deserter. He
has redeemed himself, died the death
# herO-died that his mates might
i've"
That afternoon solemn procession
yended its way toward the cemetery.
IN the front a stretcher was carried by
wo sergeants. Across the stretcher
he Union Jack was carefully spread.
Behind the stretcher came a captain
md forty-three men, all that were left
# D company.
Arriving at the cemetery, they halt
d in front of an open grave. All about
hem wooden crosses were broken and
rampled into the ground.
A grizzled old sergeant, noting this
destruction, muttered under his
,reath: Curse the cowardly Brighter
Who wrecked those crosses! If 1 could
My get these two hands around his
eek his trip West would be short"
The corpse on the stretcher seemed
0 move, or it might have been the
Wind blowing the folds of the Union
ack.
CHAPTER XIV.