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

ChAf ZEN ALL
"HE train was late in starting. It
was long past schedule time be-
fore a very old and fussy engine
a came to link itself to the
coaches. Even then it took the
Engine time before it had regained its
breath and taken the strain of its load
From his corner Raleigh searched fol-
hours for shellholes and ruins among
the thin woods and fields of Stubble
grass. But he saw no mark upon this
peaceful countryside. The March
evening had long since turned to night
before the fringe of the war zone was
reached.
Peering out into the darkness. he
Kancied now and then that he saw
buildings strangely distorted and broken
and once he caught fleeing glimpse
of deep, black hole beside twisting
stream.
For a long time he dozed; it must
have been near midnight when he sud-
denly became fully awake. The train
had stopped, and men were walking up
and down outside with lanterns-talk
ing and calling to each other. Cold and
sleepy, Raleigh collected his kit and
climbed down on to the platform with
khe rest of the passengers.
Here, at las, with a vengeance, was
the war. No need to search and i'm
hgine any longer. Pale ruins jagged
she dark sky on every side. With little
group Of other newcomers, he was led
down q street where here and there
found swellings rose-shell holes filled
with new earth, which seemed to have
kwollen over unhealed wounds; there
EVere rows of houses like jaws of broken
keeth.
He was shown into a hut of cor
kugated iron, and his valiSe was spread
out by a strange soldier who passed
Che time of day and disappeared. He
lay in the darkness awhile before he
slept. Never had he known stiffness
ko intense as in this broken town. He
Nns used to Quietness, but at home
there had always been some faint rustic
the road. Only once the wind stirred,
and with it seemed to come far-away.
uneasy murmur like distant thunder.
There came to him another time when
he had heard that sound-standing one
Summer evening on the crest Of Hang
paan's Hill, with group Of awed,
excited boys.
Next afternoon a rusty, discordant
motor lorry bounced along with Raleigh
and two other officers who were bound
Sor the same battalion. At twilight
ehey ran through a valley into a stray
cling village of cottages and farms.
The lorry driver pulled up. peered
klong the deserted street, and turned to
his passengers. Looks as IL they've
kone,' he said.
He clambered from his seat and let
the tatlboard Of the lorry down. 81
should see the quartermaster If I was
Tou-transport can't ave left yet.
That's Is place, over there"
Jackson, who had been with the bat
kalion before and was now returning
from sick leave, took the lead, and
knocked at the quartermaster's door
with his stick.
A stout, cheerful onicer appeared,
beamed, and said: "Ha-hahi-we've
been expecting you. You're just too
bate-the battalion moved of an hour
ago. Still, you can go along with the
transport. Come In. Just time for a
cup Of tea"
He led the way into a dilapidated
little room, where q cheerful fire was
burning In q braZier such as night
kxatchmen have in city streets, and soon
he three hungry arrivals were washing
Town slabs of buttered toast with hot.
sEweet tea. The quartermaSter was a
man who got things done; he ordered
The officers valises to be brought into
an adjoining room, advised Jimmy and
The other arrival who had not been out
before as to what they would require,