Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1919-01-07
CHAPTER xxIv-continued.

in their rear rang out, and the from
line of the onrushing Germans seem
ed to melt away. They wavered, but
once again came rushing onward
Down went their second line. The
machine gun was taking an awful toll
of lives Then again they tried to ad
vance, but the machine gun moved
them down. Dropping their rifles
and bombs, they tirned and fled in a
wild rush back to their trench, amid
the cheers of ID" company They
were forming again for another at
tempt when in the rear of ID com
pany came a mighty cheer The am
munition had arrived and with it a
battalion of Scotch to reinforce them
They were saved. The unknown ma
chine gunner had come to the rescue
in the nick of time.
With the re-enforcements it was an
easy task to take the third German
line
After the attack was over the cap
tain and three of his noncommission-
ed officers, wendell 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 d company for his magnfi-
cent 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
it A strange company was nimbly
crawling up the trench ladders They
were re-enforcements going over
They were Scotties, and they hade
a magnificent sight in their brightly
colored kits and bare knees.
Jumping over the trench. Lloyd rae
ed across mo Mans Land" unheed-
ing 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 it was deserted, except for heaps
of dead and wounded-a grim tri-
butte to the work of his company good
old d company. Leaping trenches,
andgasping for breath, Lloyd could
see right ahead of him his company
in a dead-end sap of a communication
trench, and across the open, away
in front of them, a mass of Germas
preparing for a charge Why didn't
ID company fire on them? Why were
they so strangely silent? What were
they waiting for? Then he knew
theis ammunition was exhausted.
Int trrbo L. a
A machine gun. Why didn't it open
fire and save them? He would make |
that guns crew do their duty. Rush |
ing over to the gun he saw why it |
had not opened fire. Scattered |
around its base ally six still forms.
They had brought their gun to con-
solidate the captured position, but a
German gun had decreed they would
never fire again.
Lloyd rushed to the gun and grasp
ing the traversing handles, trained
it on the Germans. He pressed the
thumb piece, but only sharp click
was the result. The gun was unload
ed. Then he realized his helpless
ness. He did not know how to load
the gun. Oh, why hadn't he at
tended the machine-gun course in
Englan? He'd been Altered the
chance, but with blush of shame he
remembered that he had been afraid.
The nickname of the machine gunners
had frightened him. They were call
ed the Suicide club" Now, because
of his fear, his company would be de-
stroyed, the men of d company would
have to die, because he, Albert Iloyd.
mad been afraid of name. In his
shame he cried like a baby. Any
way he could die with them and. ris-
ing 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
ne 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 l don't want any coward |
around me-"
The words cut Lloyd like a knife.
but he was desperate. Taking the
revolver out of the holster Of the dy-
ing man he pressed the cold muzzle !
TO the soldiers head and replied:
Yes, 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
braini''
A sunny smile came over the coun-
tenance of the dying man and he said
in a faint whisper:
Good old boy kew 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 gum"
As if reciting a lesson in school.
the soldier replied in a weak. sing.
song voice: Insert tag end Of belt
In feed block, with left hand null
belt left front. Pull crank handle