Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-14
OVER THE TOP
BY
ARTHUR GUY EAIPEY,
An American Boy Who Went.
Copyright. 1917. by Arthur Guy EmpeyJ

Il was carrying on conversation
in our tap code with Casscll at the
other end. 1t ran something like this:
Say. Cassell. how would you like
to be in the saloon bar CT tho Kings
Arms down Rye Lane with Il bottle OF
lass in front OF you. aud that blonde
barma!d waiting TO I'LL EN- UP again
"Cassell had fancy for that par
ticular blonde. The answer came back
III the shape of "A voilcy of cusscs.
changed the subject.
After awhile our talk vccrcd round
TO the way the Boches had been cx-
posing themselves on the road known
on the chart as Target Seventeen.
What we said about those Bochcs
would never have passed the Reich
stag, though believe ii would have
gone through our censor easily enough.
THE bursting shells were making
such Il din that l packed up talking
and took tc watching the captain. He
was tidgcting around on an old sand
bag with the glass 10 his eye Occa-
.ionally he would let out n grunt. and
make some remark ] couldn't hear on
account of the noise. but ! guessed II
was all right. Fritz was getting fresh
again on that road.
"cassell had been sending in the
tap code TO me. but | was fed up, and
didn't bother with IT. Then he sent
o. s, and WIS all attention. for this
was call used between US which
meant that something important was
on. ] WAS all ears in an instant.
Then Casscll turned loose.
You hlankety blank dud, I have
been trying TO raise you for fifteen
minutes what's the matter. are you
asleep" Dust If any ono could
have slept in that Internal rackctD
Never mind framing nasty answer.
Just listen
Are YOU game for putting scmc-
thing over on the Bochcs. and Old
Pepper all in ONE
II answered that was game enough
when II came TO putting IL over tho
Bochcs, but confessed that / had a
weakening of the spine. even at tho
mention OF Old Peppers name.
lie came back with. It's so absurdly
easy and simple that there Is no chance
OF tho old heather rUmbl!ns 1t. Any
way. If were caught. I'll take the
blame
Under those conditions 1 told him to
spit out his scheme. II was 50 daring
and simple that II took my breath
away. This is what ne proposed:
IF the Boches should use that road
again. TO send by the tap system the
,arge, and range had previously
told him about our captain talking out
loud as II he were sending through
orders. Well. II this happened, l was
10 send the dope to Casscll and he
would transmit IL to the battery com
man6er as officially coming through tho
observation post. Then the battery
would open up. Afterwards. during
the Investigation, Cassell would swear
h" received 1t direct. Thcy would have
to believe him, because il was impos-
siblc from his post in the battery dug
ont 10 know that the road was being
used at that time by tho Germans
And also 1t was Impossible for him TO
give the target. range and degrees
You know battery chart Is not passed
around among tho men like "A ncws-
paHcr from BiiEhty. From him tho in
vcstiGation would 80 TO the obscrva-
ton post, and the observing officer
could truthfully swear that had not
sent the message by phone, and that
40 orders 10 fire had been issued by
him. The investigators would then be
uD in the air. we would he safe. the
Boches would receive "A good bashiny
and We would get our own back en-
Old Pepper II was too good 10 be
true. / Glccfully fell in with the
scheme, and told Cassell was his
meat
Then ! waited with beating heart
and watched tho captain like a hawk
ii' F" as 'tb INNING 10 ilSCt again,
and was drumming on tho handbags
with his feet. AZ last. turning TO me,
he said:
Wilson. this army is a b,anke,y
blank washout. What's tho use Of hav-
ing artillery II II is not allowed 10 fire?
The government at home ought 10 be
hanged with some of their red tape.
It's through them that we have no
shells
II answered Yes. sir and started
sending this opinion over the wire to
ceSsei', but the captain Interrupted
me with
Keep those Internal fingers still
What's the matter. getting the nerves.
When I'm talking 10 you, pay attcn-
ton
My heart sank. supposing ne had
rumbled that tapping, then all would
be IN with our plan. / stopped drum
ming with my fingers and said:
Seq %our pardon. sir. just a habi,
with me-
Gro be continued to-morrow.)