Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-19
Continued From Yesterdays Starr

Down in the dugout Stanhope was
arguing in favor of postponement with
the colonel Didn't you suggest to the
brigadier that we should alter our
plans" he asked. and make a surprise
raid farther up the line after dark"
Yes. I suggested that, but he said
the present arrangements have got to
stand"
But, surely he must realize"
The colonel broke in impatiently.
'Look here. Stanhope. I've done
all can. but my reports got to be at
headquarters by this evening. II we
wait till it's dark we shall be too late"
why ~"
They've got some conference to ar
range the placing of reserves"
Stanhope laughed bitterly. They
can't have it later because of dinner,
I suppose" After ALL what could
leisured but fussy old gentlemen in
some chateau miles behind the trenches
realize of the agony of mind of some
poor devil who had to make a raid
through a gap in the barbed-wire, upon
which. as he knew, the Germans had
trained a dozen machine guns. waiting
till the moment came to press the but
ton? They weren't fighting the same
war. the infantry and these old portly
generals: 1t wasn't fair to expect mutual
understanding. But the colonel. he
knew what it meant to the infantry
man. Why hadn't he made more of a
fuss to get the show Cancelled or post
poned?
Lots of raids have taken place along
the line today" the colonel went on in
an attempt to answer Stanhope's I'M
spoken questions. With the attack to-
morrow morning, headquarters natural
~ want all the information they can
get as early as possible. That's why
they wouldn't look at my proposal to
wait until after dark. And I can't
disobey orders"
Stanhope suddenly felt sorry for the
colonel After all, what had he been
but decent little country squire, with
q smallish but very pleasant sixteenth
century manor houSe-he carried photo
graphs of it about with him because he
was fond, rather than proud, of it
and few responsibilities beyond the
educating of son and daughter and
the upkeep of a few farms and cot
tages At considerable expense he had
put the educational responsibility on
to the shoulders of others, whose YER
diets he accepted inquestioningly, since
they were specialists and he was only
a plain man. AS for the villagers, a
few shillings went long way in re-
pairs. and the rector could do great
deal to make people satisfied with their
modest fate If he was invited up from
time to time to dine at the Manor,
where he appreciated the Burgundy and
the port. or was presented every now
and then with cut of salmon or a
brace of pheasants And. because he
had felt it both patriotic and pleasant
to Join the Territorials, he was sud-
denly thrust in command of nearly a
thousand men in constant danger OF
their lives, and under the orders of an
overwhelming hierarchy Of stan oficers
who seldom let him forget, when he
tried TO stand up for himself, that he
was not really one Of them, being only
q Terrier" Stanhope, realizing all
that had become his during the last few
months. felt sorry for the colonel, but
he could not leave the subject.
why didn't the trench mortarS blow
q dozen holes in different places" he
asked, 80 the Boche wouldn't know
which one we were going to use?"
It was only because the colonel SYM
pathized with Stanhope that he kept
his temper. ct took three hours to
blow that one. How could they blow a
dozen in the time? It's no good worry
ing about all that now. It's too late"
Stanhope said nothing.
Its no good getting depressed" the
colonel went on. After all, it's only
so yards. and the smoke ought to blow
across nicely. The winds just right.
I called on the trench n1ortars on the
way up. They'll drop the bombs 80
yards to the right. The Boche7l be
firing into a blank fog. Osborne's a
cool, level-headed chap. and Raleigh's
the very man to dash in"
Mason came hesitatingly into the dug |
out, and lowered around respectfully In
the background until Stanhope turned
questioningly toward him.
Please, sir" he announced. "the
coffee's ready. 'Ot and strong, sir, same
rs you said
Stanhope arranged for an orderly 70
suned his talk with the colonel. We've
picked good men to follow them" he
said. "All youngsters. Strong, keen
chaps"
Good" approved the colonel. Then,
after a pause, he continued: You know
quite well I'd give anything to cancel
the beaStly affair
II know you would sir"
Have those red rags on the wire up
set the men at alp"
Its hard to tell They naturally
t1ke it as q joke. They say the rags
are Just what they want to show them
the way through the gap"
That's the spirit, Stanhope" He
turned quite optimistically toward
Osborne and Raleigh as they came