The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-08-10
CHAPTER VIII.
on Runner Service.

On Runner Service.
One night q man named Bartel and
! were detailed for runne service and
were instructed to go to Dixmude and
deliver certain dispatches to a man
whom l will call the burgomaster and
report to the branch staff headquar-
ters that had been secretly located 10
another part Of town. We were to
travel In an automobile and keep a
sharp watch as we went, for Dixmude
was being contested holly at that time
and German patrols were In the neigh
b0rhood. No one knew exactly where
they would break out next.
line trenches. but very shortly one of
our outposts stopped US. Bartel al
ried the dispatches and drove the car
too. so 1t was up to me TO explain
things TO the sentries. They were
convinced after a bit of arguing. Just
as we were leaving a message came
over the phone from our commander,
them to hold US when we came.
IL was lucky they stopped us, for 9TH
erwise we would have been out of
reach by the time his message came.
The commander told me. over the tele-
phone, that If a French flag few over
the town the coast would be clear II a
Belgian. that our forces were either
In control or were about TO take over
the place but that Germans patrols
we're near. After this We started
again.
When we had passed the last post
we kept a sharp lookout for the flag
on the pole of the old fish market. for
by this we would get our bearings
and perhaps. If Ii should be a German
flag. a timely warning. But after we
were down the road a bir and had got
clear we saw a Belgian flag whipping
around in a good. strong breeze. But
while that showed that our troops OF
the British were about TO take over
the place 1t also indicated that the
Germans were somewhere near by.
Which was not so cheerful.
As We went through the suburbs
diOu6 thG Ianal Which uAio On the
edge Of the town we found that ali
the houses We're battered up. We
tried to hail several heads that stuck
themselves out of the spaces between
buildings and stuck themselves back
just al quickly. but we could not get
an answer Finally we got hold of
a man who came out from a little
cafe.
He told us that the Germans had
been through the town and had shot
II up considerably. killing and wound
ing a few inhabitants. but that shortly
a small force Of Belgian
cavalry had arrived and driven the
Boches out. The Germans we're ex
either to return or begin a bonn
bardment at any moment and all the
inhabitants who sported cellars were
In them. The rest were trying
to get out of town with their belong
ings as best they could.
On reaching our objective we made
straight for the Hotel de Vile, where
we were admitted and after a shori
wait taken to the burgomaster. We
questioned him as to news, for we had
been Instructed to pick up any infor
he might have as to conditions.
But we did not get much, for he could
not get about because of the Germans.
who had made 1t a policy to terrorize
the people of the town.
We had Just got into the a and
about to start when the burgo-
himself came running out. He
ordered us to leave the car there and
said he would direct us where to go.
He insisted that we go on foot, but ]
could not understand when he tried
to explain why.
We soon saw the probable reason
the burgomaster's refusal to ride
N the car. All around for about a
mile the roads were heavily mined and
small red flags on iron slaves were
stuck between the cobblestones. as
warnings not to put In much time
those places. Also. there were
stuck up all around warning
pCOpAc VI tue uulucS anu lOEDlOu1DS
heavy carts to pass. When we got
on the road / breathed againI
After a great deal OF questioning we
reached u destination and
made our report to the local command
ant. We told him all we could and In
turn received various information
from him. We were then taken over
TO the hotel. Here we read a few
Paris newspapers. that were several
weeks old. until about eight. when we
had dinner. and a ane dinner 1t was,
too.
After we had eaten all we could, and
wished for more room In the hold, we
went out into the garden and yarned
a while with some gendarmes. and
then went to bed. We had a big room
on the third floor front. We had just
In, and were all set for a good
rest. when there was an explo-
sion OF a different kind from any I
had heard before. and we and the bed