The spectator., 1919-03-14

I stable. had to act quickly.
 "When I mounted. the captain reached for his revolver. covered him with mine and, with shriek of 1 terror, Adrienne threw herself in front of the Uhlan captain to protect him. I saw her too late. My bullet pierced her left breast, and red smudge showed on her white silk blouse as she sank to the ground. I shot the orderly's horse to prevent im- mediate pursuit and then away on a mad gallOp down the road. It was a long chase, but escaped them.
 ''The rest of my men were captured. At our headquarters had to lie like trooper. Told them we had been ambushed and wiped out. It was the only way to save my skin. There were no witnesses against me, so got off with reduction to the ranks and transfer to another regiment. They smelled a rat. all right, but had no proof.
 "So that is my story, Tank. Just forget that ever told 1t to you. Enough to make fellow get the blues occasionally, isn't 1t? Just pass me a flag, and take that look off your face." "
 l gave him the cigarette and, with out a word, went out of the dugOut and left him alone. was thinking of Adrienne.
 Upon reaching the trench I paused in wonder and fright. The sky was alight with a red glare. The din was terrific. A constant swishing and rushing through the air. intermingled with signing moan. gave tes- timony that our batteries were sweating blood. The trench seemed to be, rolling like ship. stood in awe. This bombardment of ours was something indescribable, and shud- der passed through me as thought of the havoc and destruction caused in the German lines. At that moment l really pitied the Germans but not for long, because suddenly hell seemed to burst loose from the German lines as their artillery opened up. l could hear their "five-nines" screeching through the air and bursting in the artillery lines in our rear. Occasion ally far-off rum-hum-rump-rump, Crash! Bru-u-nn-u-gg! could be heard as one of their high-calibered shells came over and burst in our reserve. 1 crouched against the paradOs. hardly able to breathe. While in this position. right overhead, every instant getting louder, came German shell-hiz-z-z bang-g-g! I was blinded by the flash. Down I went, into the mud. Strug- gling to my feet in the red glare of the bombardment.
 I saw that the traverse on my left had entirely disappeared. Covered with mud. weak and trembling. could hear what sounded like far-distant voices coming from the direction of the bashed-in traverse.
 "Blime me, get is blOomin' napper outa tn mud; 'e's chokin' to death. Pass me a bandage-tyke Is b'yonet fer a splint. Blime me. Is leg is smashed. not 'arf hit h'aint. Tn rest O you blokes 'op 1t fer a stretcher. 'Ello,: 'e's got another one-Quick. tourniquet. the poor bloke's a'bleedin' to death. Quick, h'up against the par. apet. ere comes another"
 Whiz-z-z! Bang-g-g!
 Another flare, and once again I was thrown into the mud. I opened my eyes. Bending over me. shaking me by the shoulder was Atwell. His voice sounded faint and far away. Then l came to with a rush.
 "Bllme me. Tank. that was . close one. Did 1t get youT"
 He helped me to my feet and felt myself all over. Seeing I was all right. he yelled in my ear:
 "We've got to leg 1t out of ere. Fritz Is sure sendin' over 'whix-bangs' and 'minnies.' Number 9 platoon In the next fire bay sure clicked 1t. About eighteen of them have gone West. Come on. we'll see if we can do any thing for the poor blOkes."
 We plowed through the mud and came into the next fire bay. In the light of the bursting shells an awful sight met our eyes. The traverses were bashed in. the fire step was gone. and in the parados was hole that looked like n subway entrance. There was mud and blood.
 Every now and then, ducking as a "whiz-bang' or minnie" came over, we managed to get four of the wound ed on the stretchers. and Atwell and 2 carried one to the rear to the first aid dressing station. We passed the dugout which l had left but few minutes before. or 1t least. what used to be the dugout. but now all that could be seen was caved-in mass of dirt: huge square-cut timbers sticking out of the ground and silhouetted against the light from bursting shells. !, looking like huge giants. A shudder passed through me as realized that if we had stayed In the dugout we would have now been lying fifteen to twenty feet down, covered by that cavod-fn narth apd urackouo