Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1934-03-07
Reconnaissance
BY STEWART HOOKER
G. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service
GLE WAS my buddy" said Cor

~ A&olIA On w DnIh
eyes fastened on the stars.
"Never get him back. there
tonight" Barnswallow said,
n0dding In the direction of the
trench from whence they had begun
to reconnoiter some hours before.
Tim McTigue did not answer. He
was thinking of the afternoon long
ago when Jim Larrabee had gath
cred up his all but lifeless form
from the waters of Eureka lake.
Larrabee had labored over him all
afternoon before his efforts, which
at first seemed TO be futile. brought
a spark of life. That Incident
marked the beginning of an unlag.
ging friendship. Even McTigue's
marriage had not weakened the
bond. Larrabee was a frequent Wis.
ltor In his home and pretty Mollie
McTigue had taken a great liking
to him, too. And now Larrabee lay
dead. victim of a random enemy
bullet.
Hoist him on my back" McTigue
instructed presently. hugging the
ground.
Barnswallow sensed the futillty
of dissenting. We'll alternate" he
said. Progress was desperately
slow. Occasionally bullets whlned
overhead.
Presently McTigue felt his com.
panion brush against his shoulder.
1t seemed hours since they had last
spoken, but he knew Ii could not
have been so long because of the
lnky darkness all around them.
They had advanced perhaps twenty
five yards. Barnswallow worked his
way along side and L~arrabee's fac
cid figure was transferred to his
back.
ITS getting light" Barnswallow
murmured.
McTigue was silent. Barnswal-
low knew he was weighing their
chances from every angle.
"You push on" he said finally.
"Ill stick"
Barnswallow shook his head.
'Nothln' doing" be protested.
"D-n 1t, one of us has got to
report back" McTigue said. bitterly.
You're the skipper" Barnswal-
low said.
McTigue lay still for a long while.
A shell tore a hole In the earth,
not fifty feet from where they lay.
Guess well have to leave him
behind" McTigue said after a
while.
They deposited the corpse In the
mole torn by the shell.
Il suppose" McTigue said, SLOW
ly, I'VE ought to search his clothes
for things"
Barnswallow nodded. Larrabee
mad a brother In Kansas City. He'd
never married. Barnswallow raised
to his knees beside the body. His
fingers were numb and heavy.
Go on" McTigue commanded.
Barnswallow fumbled at the but
ton of Larrabee's jacket They
were faxed with dirt and dry blood.
His face was CHASTITY when he
finished. He had gathered a pipe,
a tobacco pouch, a handkerchief, a
soiled letter and a small photo
graph.
Nothing of value" he said, bend
ing toward McTigue, who seized the
collection.
"Was this all?"
"Yes." hesitantly.
whats that? In your other
hand?"
"A photograph of Jim,"
B~arnswallow said. "You probably
have one"
Il haven't" McTigue snapped. HE
told me he didn't have one. Let's
see It,"
Barnswallow made no move to
comply. McTigue cursed vehe-
mently.
Give me that picture" he COM
manded, sprlnging from the ground.
His voice keyed to the pitch of his
emotions, carried to alert, enemy
ears. A machine gun spattered bull.
let's all around. McTigue pitched
forward.
"Jeesl" he muttered, as his body
convulsed. relaxed and was still,
B~arnswallow fiattened to the
ground. He remained motionless for
some time, cheek pressed against
the damp earth. Then he remem.
bered 1t was fast becoming light.
Before pushing toward the trenches
once more he knew he must con.
firm mis- startling discovery. He
rolled over until his body pressed
against that of his newly fallen
comrade.
In the pocket OF McTigue's shirt
he located the object of his search.
a small photograph of McTigue's
wife, which the latter had proudly
displayed on frequent occasion. Mol
lie McTigue was Enthusiastically pref
ty. The inscription on the back of
the photograph read:
Lovingly yours,
"Mollie."
Barnswallow compared this photo