Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-11

WI the steep, earthly steps to
4 L his first duty in the
trenches. These tin ats
ave saved many a skull from being
cracked on low roofs"
They stood together In the trench
while Trotter wheezily regained his
breath. The crisp cool air and the
gray darkness of the night were star
ting in contrast to the stuffy, candle
lit dugout. There had been q dense,
solid stiffness down there, a stiffness
which had made voices hollow and I'M
real Up here in the trenches it was
different vague. awe-inspiring some
thing lay over them. There were sounds
sounds which Raleigh did not under
stand. Sometimes there was the dull,
far-off rumble that he had heard be-
fore. 1t came now, it seemed, with
each light rustic of the breeze. Shadows
crept slowly here and there with the
rise and fall OF Very lights. Now and
then machine guns raped out vigor-
ously and single rifles cracked. The
sounds of the bullets passing overhead
were like long-drawn-out signs. Then
there were intervals of silence, broken
by the low drone of talking men, and
once a big shell passed high above the
clouds, bringing to them the quiet
sound Of ripping stream.
breath.
THE Job of an of1icer on dooty," he
began. 'is to see everything's all right"
He paused, and, as Raleigh realized
that something was expected of him.
he murmured. IT see," and Thanks"
Now" continued Trotter briskly,
lets begin"
A few yards along the support line
brought them to trench which
branched of to the left. Trotter turned
into 1t.
This" he announced. takes US UP
into the front line"
There seemed no plan or reason In
this winding trench; it took roaming
course like a woodland path. Trotter
stopped abruptly after turning q few
corners.
"'Ullo," he said.
"Hullo," came a thin, cultured voice.
An officer rose from where he had
been leaning in the shadows. Every
things o. K.,' he said. Here's the
Very pistol"
He handed a large barreled pistol to
Trotter, and followed it with handful
Of cartridges from his tunic pocket.
Then more carefully-almost reverently
he produced three additional car
tridges from his breast pocket THE
colored ones" he murmured as he
handed them to Trotter, who, in turn,
carefully placed them in a separate
pocket to the other cartridges.
"Righto," said Trotter. Better 80
and get your supper"
Right! Cheero!" The officer squeez-
ed past them in the narrow trench,
giving Raleigh a f1eeting inquisitive
glance and a slight smile. Raleigh
caught a glimpse of rather girlish
face that seemed peaked and gray in
the darkness.
'Ibbert." announced Trotter, as he
resumed his way. Bit windy, e Is"
He then proceeded to explain to
Raleigh that the officer on duty always
carried a pistol for firing Very lights,
and besides the usual white lights.
they had three colored ones which
acted as signals in case of sudden
alarm.
You got to keep 'em carefully
separate, because you can't see their
markings in the dark. / nearly ended
the war Understanding up red one
by mistake And here" he continued
with a note of pride in his voice, as a
lecturer when he comes to his best
lantern slide, here we are in the front
line"
1t was merely a place where the
trench joined another that ran at
right angles; no different, in the dark
ness, from those that Raleigh had been
In since-Seemingly months, but actual
ly only a few hours ago-he had
turned from the Sunken road into the
deep trench across the plains. Yet
never in his life before had he felt
the warm thrill of pride that came to
him quite suddenly and Unexpectedly
on Trotter's words. He was in the
British front line, facing the Germans
with no one in front of him, but many
thousands behind. All those French
people, quietly working in their fields.
his own father Madge the fellows at
Barford-they were all sleeping now,
easy and secure because there were
men in the British front line.
A few yards to the right he could
dimly make out two soldiers on a fire.
step, their heads and shoulders silhouet-
ted against falling light. A sheet of
corrugated iron spanned the trench
below, and two more figures sat doing
beneath its cover.
This ere's a sap" said Trotter,
taking q narrow, tortuous trench which
iutted out ahead; leads you out to
so yards Of the Boche."
The sap was shallower than the
front line, and Trotter walked slightly
doubled up.
Keep yer cad down day and nights
my motto. No point in being SILLY.
Fad down and belly full-that'S been
my motto all through. Many a mans
taken bullet through being afraid of
people seeing i'm keep is cad down.
The sap became narrower toward its
end, and finally opened into a small.
scooped-out recess. Two sentries lay
motionless on the sloping side.
ZOOS that?" came hoarse voice.
"Oficer on dooty," replied Trotter.