The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-06-01

0ACRRAhk khCAl AAAtc anu UOAlDHs NHGN
broke and fled 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 a mighty cheer.
The ammunition had arrived and with
1t a battalion of Scotch to reinforce
them. They were saved. The unknown
machine gunner had come to the rescue
In the nick Of time.
With the re-enforcements IL was an
easy task to take the third German
line.
After the attack was over, the cap
a and three of his noncommissioned
officers, wended their way back to the
position where the machine gun had
done its 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 his company had left 1t. A
strange company was nimbly crawling
up the trench ladders. They were re-
endorsements going over. They were
Scotties, and they made a magnificent
sight In their brightly colored kits and
bare knees.
Jumping over the trench, Lloyd raced
across mo 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 the work of his company, good old
ID company. Leaping 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
front of them, a mass of Germans pre-
pairing for a charge. Why didn't ID
company fire on them? Why were they
so strangely silentf What were they
waiting for2 Then he knew-their am
munition was exhausted.
But what was that on his right? 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 It's base
lay six still forms. They had brought
their gun to consolidate the captured
position, but a German machine gun
had decreed they would v 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 a sharp click was the
result. 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 Englandf He'd been
offered the chance, but with a blush OF
shame he remembered that he had beer
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 ID com
pany would have TO die, because he
Albert Lloyd, had been afraid Of
ANhAN LII Va "a AO NAAON AAhV 9
baby. Anyway he could die with then
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 1t 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 q 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, 1t 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 T.
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 u 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 gun!'
AS If reciting a lesson in school, the
soldier replied in a weak, s~ingsOng
voice: Insert tag end of belt in feed
block, with left hand pull belt left
front. Pull crank handle back on roll
n, 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 ~
ing beside the gun, and followed the
dying mans Instructions. Then he
pressed the thumbpiece and a burst of