Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-05
CONTINUED From Yesterdays starr

Hardy made some excuse about hav-
ing to get down with the company.
Then he gave it up and grinned In
his disarming way.
IT don't specially want to see him, -
he admitted Hes so fussy about the
trenches, and expect they are rather
dirty. He'll be on at me for hours If
he catches me. Here's list of trench
stores II you really feel you've not
done your duty of taking over properly.
There's lis rife grenades-I shouldn't
use them If / were you; they're pretty
rusty. Then there's 500 Mills bombs,
"a gum boots. -"
That's II pairs"
"Oh, no: IS right leg and left leg.
But everything'S down here. I didn' t
check 1t when took over, but think
the sergeant-major did, so it's quite
al right"
1T don't wonder you don't want to
see Stanhope," commented Osborne
grtn1y, as he accepted the tattered list
Of trench stores, with its stains of
cocoa and candle grease. Why couldn't
%one get angry with Hardy? he asked
himself.
"By the way, how Is the dear boy?"
inquired Hardy when Stanhope's name
was mentioned. Drinking like a fish
as usual?"
Perhaps one could get angEy with
Hardy. What the deuce did he mean,
u1tidy creature that he was, criticizing
O fellow like Stanhope?
why do you say that?" he asked
quietly.
well, damn 1t, It's Just the natural
thing to say about Stanhope." He
looked curiously at Osborne, and chang
ed his tone. The slight bitterness
which always gave an edge to his voice
when he referred to Stanhope
acknowledgements for moment.
Poor old mani It must be pretty
rotten for you, being his second in
command, and you such a quiet, sober,
old thing
when want your sympathy, I'll
ask for it." said the other, with I'M
usual asperity. Hes a long way the
best company commander we've got"
"Oh, he's a good chap, know. But
never did see a youngster put away
the whisky he does. The last time we
were out resting at Valennes he came
to supper with us, and drank whole
bottle In hour IA minutes-we timed
him"
osborne made. a gesture of disgust.
What did these fellows know of STAN
hope? There was that time up in the
Salient, when the company had been
Sassed to blazes near Hill so. and
Stanhope was laid out with trench
fever The men were nervous, and
grlimbling because, as soon as they
reached DickebuSch Huts for rest.
new order came for them to go back
to the trenches. The doctor had
ordered Stanhope to go down to hos
pital, but when the men fell in to move
OF up to the line again, there was
Etanhope on his horse, determined to
20 with them. For nearly three years
he had stuck tt-from 18 to 2l-and
these other fellows, who came and went
In the space Of q few months or so,
filled him with drink in order to make
fun of him. Osborne turned upon
Hardy angrily.
Eyes, suppose you all thought it
amusing to cheer him on, encourage
him to drink more. Just because he's
stuck 1t until his nerves have got bat
And you make q joke of it"
ooh, here, I say" protested Hardy.
Don't take it like that. Don't get
shirty. He's not d drunkard; just "a
Just o hard drinker. You can't help
somehow admiring fellow who can
get through q bottle like that. and
then pick out his own hat all by him
self and walk home. OF course. you're
biased-you have to put him to bed
when he gets there"
Don't be an ass. That's got nothing
70 do with it. There isn't q man to
touch him as q commander of men.
He'll command the battalion one
yves, III" interrupted Hardy. with a
Iaugh.
Osborne had recovered his normal
calm. II wasn't any good arguing with
q chap like Hardy. You don't know
him as I do" he said quietly. 81 love
that fellow. I'd go to hell with him"
"Oh, you sweet, sentimental old
darling!"
Come along. Finish handing over,
and stop blithering."
Hardy remembered that his company
must by now be out Of the front line,
and that Stanhope might be coming
down to the dugout at any moment.
There's nothing else to do" he
asserted, and hitched his pack over his
shoulders.
What about the log book?"
God! you are worker. Oh, well,
here we are"
He discovered a tattered little book
on the table benath his gas satchel and
his map case.
Here we are. Written right up to
date: 5 pm. to pm. All quiet.
German airman few over the trenches.
Shot q ratl'"
Did hep"
mo, I shot the rat, you ass. Well,