CHAPTER XXIV Continued.
23
Jost as he finished speaking, the wel
come pup-pup" of a machine gun In
their rear rang out, and the front line
f the onrushing Germans seemed to
neft away. They wavered, but once
again came rushing onward. Down
their second line. The machine
was taking an awful toll of lives.
again they tried to advance, but
machine gun mowed them down.
Dropping their rifles and bombs, they
and fled in a wild rush back to
trench, amid the cheers of "D"
They were forming again
another attempt, when in the rear
D company came a mighty cheer.
ammunition had arrived and with
It battalion of Scotch to re-enforce
them. They were saved. The unknown
aarTiine gunner had come to the rescue
fta the nick of time.
With the re-enforcements it was an
task to take the third German
After the attack was over, the cap-
i and three of his noncon missioned
wended their way back to the
position where the machine gun had
tfone Its deadly work. He wanted to
thank the gunner In the name of D
company for his magnificent deed.
Tbey arrived at the gun, and an awful
sight met their eyes.
Lloyd had reached the front line
trench, after his company had left it. A
strange company was nimbly crawling
p the trench ladders. They were re-
fakements going over. They were
Seotties, and they made a magnificent
sight is their brightly colored kilt's and
hare knees.
Jumping over the trench, Lloyd raced
: "No Man's Land," unheeding the
rf bullets, leaping over dark forms
the grotmd, some of which lay still,
while others called out to him as he
mpeeded past.
He rme to the German front line,
tat ft was deserted, except for heaps
" ead and wounded a grim tribute
t the work of his company, good, old
! company. Leaping trenches, and
casing for breath, Lloyd could see
right ahead of him his company in a
tfead-ended sap of a communication
trench, and across the open, away In
trtmt of them, a mass of Germans pre
facing for a charge. Why didn't D
company fire on them? Why were they
o strangely silent? What were they
waiting for? Then he knew their am
amnftion was exhausted.
But what was that on his right? A
Baehfne.gun. . Why didn't it open fire
and save them? He would make that
gim's crew do their duty. Rushing
wrer to the gun he saw why It had not
wpened fire. Scattered around its base
lay six still forms. They had brought
their gun to consolidate the captured
position, but a German machine gun
had decreed they would never fire
again.
TJoyd rushed to the gun and, grasp
ing the traversing handles, trained It
an the Germans. He pressed the thumb
piece, but only a sharp click was the
result The gun was unloaded. Then
he realized his helplessness. He did
not know how to load the gun. Oh,
why hadn't he attended the machine
Cm course in England? He'd been
offered the chance, but with a blush of
shame he remembered that he had been
afraid. The nickname of the machine
gunners had frightened him. They
were called the "Suicide club." Now,
because of this fear, his company
would be destroyed, the men. of D com
pany wo'Ud have to die, because he,
Albert Lloyd, had been afraid of a
name. In his shame he cried like a
baby. Aryway he could die with them
and, rising to his feet, he stumbled
. vcj tfce body of one Of the gunners,
who emitted a faint moan. A gleam
af hope flashed through him. Perhaps
Oris man could tell him how to load
!!he gun. Stooping over the body he
Xtstitj shok it and the -soldier opened
Ms eyes. Seeing Lloyd, he closed
them again and, in faint voice, said :
vr5Vsl sa?1 '.!!tr Jk&i t;s-
V vtr T In Charga. s
MP BE TOP
ANAMEHCW50IMR
WHO VENT
MAOHNE OIHHER.JERYIHC IN FRANCE '
1517 BY
"Get away, you blighter, leave me
alone. I dont want any coward around
me."
The words cut Lloyd like a knife,
but he was desperate. Taking the re
volver out of the holster of the dying
man he pressed the cold muzzle to the
soldier's head and replied:
"Yes, It is Lloyd, the coward of
Company D, but so help me God, If
you don't tell me how to load that gun
I'll put a bullet through your brain !"
A sunny smile came over the coun
tenance of the dying man and he said
in a faint whisper :
"Good old boy ! I knew you wouldn't
disgrace our company -"
Lloyd interposed: "For God's sake,
If you want to save that company you
are so prond of, tell me how to load
that d d gun !"
As if reciting a lesson In school, the
soldier replied in a weak, singsong
voice: "Insert tag end of belt In feed
block, with left hand pull belt left
front. Pull crank handle back on roll
er, let go, and repeat motion. Gun Is
now loaded. To fire, raise automatic
safety latch, and press thumbplece.
Gun Is now firing. If gun stops, ascer
tain position of crank handle "
But Lloyd waited for no more. With
wild Joy at his heart, he took a belt
from one of the ammunition boxes ly
ing beside the gun, and followed the
dying man's Instructions. Then he
pressed the thumbplece and a burst of
fire rewarded his efforts. The gun
was working.
Training it on the Germans he shout
ed for joy as their front rank went
down.
Traversing the gun back and forth
along the mass of Germans, he saw
them break and run back to the cover
of their trench, leaving their dead and
wounded behind. He had saved his
company, he, Lloyd, the coward, had
"done his bit." Releasing the thumb
piece, he looked at the watch on his
wrist. He was still alive at "3:38."
"Ping!" a bullet sang through the
air, and Lloyd fell forward across the
gun. A thin trickle of blood ran down
his face from a little, black round hole
In his forehead.
"The sentence of the court had been
"duly carried out."
The captain slowly raised the limp
form drooping over the gun and, wip
ing the blood from the white face, rec
ognized It as Lloyd, the coward of D
company. Reverently covering the face
with his handkerchief he turned to his
"noncoms" and, in a voice husky with
emotions, addressed them:
"Boys, it's Lloyd, the deserter. He
has redeemed himself, died the death
of a hero died that his mates might
live."
That afternoon a solemn procession
wended its way toward the cemetery.
In the front a stretcher was carried by
two sergeants. Across the stretcher
the Union Jack was carefully spread.
Behind the stretcher came a captain
and forty-three men, all that were left
of D company.
Arriving at the cemetery, they halt
ed in front of an open grave. All about
them wooden crosses were broken and
trampled Into the ground.
A grizzled old sergeant, noting this
destruction, muttered under his
breath: "Curse the cowardly blighter
who wrecked those crosses ! If I could
only get these .two hands around his
neck his trip West would be short."
-The corpse on the stretcher seemed
to move, or it might have been the
wind blowing the folds of the Union
Jack.
CHAPTER XXV.
Preparing for the Big Push.
Rejoining Atwell after the execution
I had a hard time trying to keep my
secret from him. I think I must have
lost at least ten pounds worrying over
the affair.
Beginning at seven In the evening It
was our duty to patrol all communlca-
-i -ft r
Hon and front-line trendies, nicking
note of unusual occurrences, aiid ar
resting anyone who should, to us,' ap
pear to be acting In a suspicious; fan
ner. We slept during the day.. 1 1 j
Behind the lines there was- gref Ac
tivity, supplies and ammunition pour
ing In, and long columns of troops Con
stantly passing. We were ' prepkfi&g
for the big offensive, the foreriiiiner
of the battle of the Somme or. "Big
Push." :- t j
The never-ending stream, of tfien,
supplies, ammunition and guns pour
ing into the front lines made a migjity
spectacle, one that cannot be de
scribed. It has to be witnessed -wjfth
your own eyes to appreciate its vi&f
ness. V !
At our part of the line the Influx of
supplies never ended. It looked Uke
a huge snake slowly crawling forward,
never a hitch or break, a wonderful
tribute to the sy.em and efficiency tPf
Great Britain's "contemptible
army" of five millions of men. f '
i Huge flfteen-lncb guns snaked aloitg,'
foot by foot, by powerful steam trac
tors. Then a long line of "four poftj
five" batteries, each gun drawn' by
horses, then a couple of "nine polt
two" howitzers pulled by Immense ;
caterpillar engines. I
When one of these caterpillars woulpl
pass me with its mighty monster ip
tow, a flush of pride would mount t)
my face, because I could plainly rea
on the hanrfe plate, "Made In U. S. A., '
and I would remember that If I wore
name plate It would also read, "Fron
the U. S. A." Then I would stop titfj
think how thin and straggly that!
mighty stream would be If all f he'
"Made In Ut S. A." parts of It were
withdrawn. j
Then would come hundreds of HnH
bers and "G. S." wagons drawn by
sleek, well-fed mules, ridden by sleeps
well-fed men, ever smiling, although!
grimy with sweat and covered with th
fine, white dust of the marvelously
well-made French roads. f
What a discouraging report the GeH
man airmen must have taken back to
their division commanders, and fills
stream Is slowly but surely getting big-!
ger and bigger every day, and the pace?
is always the same. No slower, noj
faster, but ever onward, ever, forward!?
Three weeks before the big push of
July 1 as the battle of the Somme has
been called started, exact duplicates
of the German trenches were dug
about thirty kilos behind our lines.
The layout of the trenches was taken
from airplane photographs submitted
by the Royal flying corps. The trench
es were correct to the foot ; they
showed dugouts, saps, barbed wire de
fenses and danger spots.
Battalions that were to go over In
the first waves were sent back for
three days to study ihese trenches, en
gage in practice attacks and have night
maneuvers. Each man was required to
make a map of the trenches and fa
miliarize himself with the names and
location of the parts his battalion was
to attack.
In the American army noncommis
sioned officers are put through a course
of map making or road sketching, and
during my six years service In the
United States cavalry I had plenty of
practice In this work, therefore map
ping these trenches was a compara
tively easy task for me. Each man
had to submit his map to the company J
commander to be passed upon, and I
was lucky enough to have mine select
ed as being sufficiently authentic to use
in the attack.
No photographs or maps are allowed
to leave France, but in this case it ap-'
pealed to me as a valuable souvenir of
the great war and I managed to smug
gle It through. At this time it carries
no military Importance as the British
lines, I am happy to say, have since
been advanced beyond this point, so
in having it in my possession I am not
breaking any regulation or cautions
of the British army.
The whole attack was rehearsed
and rehearsed until we heartily cursed
the one who had conceived the idea.
The trenches were named according
to a system which made it very simple
for Tommy to find, even In the dark,
any point In the German lines.
These Imitation trenches, or trench
models, were well guarded from obser
vatlon by numerous allied planes
which constantly circled above them.
No German airplane could approach
within observation distance. A re
stricted area was maintained and no
civilian was allowed within three
miles, so we felt sure that we had
great surprise in store for Fritz.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Isinglass From Fish Sounds.
Isinglass is made from the sounds
or swimming bladders of fish. One
ton of hake, says the Popular Science
Monthly, will yield from 40 to 50
pounds of sounds. These are dried,
soaked, cut in pieces, rolled into
Isheets and cut into ribbons. The rib
bons are dried and wound on wooden
spools. One ounce of Isinglass will
clarify from 200 to 500 gallons of wine
and one pound will clarify from 100 to
500 barrels of beer. It Is used for
making cement for mending glass and
pottery and for adhesive plaster and
enters Into the manufacture of many
textiles and waterproof fabrics.
Tea Plant Purposely Dwarfed.
In Its wild state the tea plant grows
to a height of from ten to twenty feet ;
In cultivating It Its size is kept down
to about three feet for convenience In
picking. The tea of Japan Is mostly
of the green variety. Considerable
black tea Is exported, but Is grown
mainly on the Island of Formosa. The
eed Is usually planted In terraces that
extend from the bases of hills to their
very crests, like giant steps that con
form with the general contour of the
hillsides. During picking time one may
see large groups of tea-pickers (most
ij women) gradually working theh
way downward from the ton of a biu
-IMPKOVED UNIFORM INTERHATIORAV
LESSON
(y REV.
P. B. FITZWATER, D.
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute of cmcago.)
(Copyright, 1918, Western Newspaper
Union.)
LESSON FOR JULY 28
OBEYING GOD.
LESSON TEXTS Matthew 4:18-22; John
14:22-24; James 1:22-27.
GOLDEN TEXT If ye love me, ye will
keep my commandments. John 14:15.
DEVOTIONAL READING John 15:8-17.
PRIMARY TOPIC Loving1 God and do
ing his will.
LESSON MATERIAL Matthew 4:18-22;
James 1:22-27.
INTERMEDIATE, SENIOR AND
ADULT TOPIC Obedience: To whom?
Why? How?
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL I Chron
icles 16:15; Psalms 103:17-18; Matthew 5:19;
John 15:12-14; I John 2:3-6, 17.
Obedience is a vital part of our re
ligion. The obedience of the Chris-'
tian is not legal but filial. Eternal
life is not secured through obedience,
but obedience is the tangible evidence
that one possesses It.
I. The Call of the First Disciples
(Matt 4:18-22).
1. By whom Jesus Christ (v. 18).
Jesus Is the Son of God. Since he
is equal with God, he has the right to
call. Those who hear his call should
i render Instant and hearty obedience.
I 2. The circumstances of their call
i(v. 18).
j The call came to them while they
were busy with their business Inter
ests. God always calls men who are
vitally engaged in some business, not
ihose in Idleness.
3. The nature of (v. 19).
It was a definite, call. In that defi
nite men were called into a definite
service.
j (1) To follow Christ. We must fol-
llfrw Christ before we can serve him.
Qnly Christians can do Christian work.
SWe should ionow mm to De HKe mm,
lln, order to win others to him.
1(2) To win men for him "Fishers
of men." Christ calls men Into work
ht the same character as that In which
ihey were engaged. They had been
fishing for fish; now they are to be
fibers of men. When Christ calls
ynfn he does not call them to a lower
ejpvice. This is a fine case of promo
tlon. Men catch fish to kill and feed
jip)n them, but Christ's disciples catch
tan to make them alive and feed
tHem.
1 4. Response to Christ's call (vr. 20
(1) They left their business Inter
ests Immediately.
(2) They not only left their bnsl-
i v.
nfss, but James and John left their fa
ther also. Following Jesus sometimes
Toeans turning one's back upon busi
ness Interests and dearest friends ana
relations. Regardless of what It
ecstSt the true disciple will ren
3er Instant obedience to the call
Df; Christ, because he has a right to
fal ; us, and we can trust his wisdom
tbrnbt call until he has need.
'' jit The Motive for Obedience (John
U122-24).
f4e grand motive actuating ohdl
en(je Is love to Christ. The proof that
we$ (fo love him Is that we obey him.
Ev$4 when we may not be conscious
of ?juiiusual outgoings of the affection,
tlw$ conclusive evidence that we loye
is Ithat we obey. Keeping his com
ma;idments means such a regard for
thei; that we highly treasure them as
sonfjethlng precious. The reward for
suctji j obedience Is to have Christ's
prafrer for us to God to send his Holy
Splint upon us (John 14:16, 17). Then,
too,L.the Father will love us, and he
and'the Son will take up their abode
wltf us. This abode is not temporary
buHpermanent.
lij.sThe Kind of Obedience That
Counts (James 1:22-27).
UiThe obedience of deeds (w. 22-
24),f:i .
Hearing God's Word will do no good
nnleysi it is accompanied with obedfr
encetk S Hearing and not doing is as
futllt- ;as beholding, one's face In a
looking glass and forgetting what man
ner ijf tnan he Is. Calling Christ Lord,
and ot doing what he says, will avail
nothiSi (Matt. 7:21, 22). To pretend
to kjow God and not keep his co'm
man$lnients is to He (1 John 2:4).
2. fhe obedience of perseverance
(v. 2?i)i
WeP should not only look Into God's
Word' and admire its perfections, but
steadfastly and persistently do the
thing!" Required. Only those who thus
persevere shall be blessed in their
deeds;
3. T,hp obedience of speech (v. 26).
The;! -one who has genuine religion
twill control his tongue. Just as the
pnysic)an ofttimes can diagnose the
physic condition of the patient by an
examiijfftlon of the tongue, so the
moral faid spiritual condition of the
Individual can be determined by the
speech: ei the individual. The one
who doesj not control his tongue proves
that hti religion is empty and void.
4. Ti e, obedience of kindness (v. 27).
Thos$ Jwho have received the kind
ness ol 5od will manifest that kind
ness Ihjthelr lives. This kindness will
expressijiiself in ministering to the f a
therless and widows.
5. Th! fobedlence of purity of life
(27)41 '
.The lifiw of God enjoins upon his
children" hot only purity of life, but
ibstlnenpe from all appearance of evil,
rhe onefjwhd has been made a partak
er of th Divine nature keeps himself
from th $lns of the world. It means
tils separation from the things of the
-orld wMlch camrot
For the Garden
' -. ' w---oir-jv I'll
rW, 0r' I
For tne garuen party and all the
rest of summertime's engaging oppor
tunities for living outdoors some clev
er hats and bags to match have been
made. They all take cognizance of
the fact that everywhere the lady goes
her knlttlng-bag goes, too, and It is
getting to be as much an affair of In
terest and Importance as the hat it
matches. With the Introduction of mil
linery braids and laces in its construc
tion, we have summer knitting bags
different from anything that has gone
before. Knitting Is becoming a sort
of national pastime the tired busi
ness woman and the woman of leisure
If there are such any more--declare
It restful to the nerves. Anyway,, It
Is essential and must be attended to.
The novel bag shown in the picture
Is merely a tube-shaped affair covered
with ribbon, lace and a fancy millinery
braid a companion piece to the frilly
midsummer hat that Inspired It. It Is
capacious and very chic designed for
the woman who Is able to indulge In
little fancies and not recommended for
Slip-Over and
The slip-over blouse and others that
have the appearance of slip-overs but
fasten on the shoulder, have been
steadily Increasing In popularity and
their chances for becoming a feature
In fall styles are excellent. So far the
slip-overs have been developed in
georgette crepe almost to the exclu
sion of other materials, but it is cer
tain that they will be made in more
substantial silks for fall. Some of
them have a short peplum and are
belted down with narrow belts of silk
or patent leather, but these are few
In comparison with the number that
are made regulation blouse length
that is, disappearing under the skirt
at the waistline.
For georgette slip-overs, small pat
terns in brilliant bead embroidery are
so effective that nothing has supplant
ed them for decorative purposes.
Bright colors, as emerald green, blue,
gold and rose, are chosen for many of
the blouses with peplums. They hang
fairly straight and are belted in. Their
lines and beadwork" are reminiscent of
American Indian art and they continue
to be at once, simple and very dressy.
With a blouse of this kind and a silk
or satin skirt, one may dress up to the
requirements of almost any wartime
function.
The blouse shown In the picture Is
one of those that has the appearance
of a slip-over, but open on one shoul
der to allow! It to slip over the head.
It hardly needs description, since it Is
plain, except for three single box
plaits In the georgette at the front
and back. Between the plaits at the
front there are two conventional flow
r motifs outlined In colored silks.
Four small crocheted buttons are set
along the shoulders.
The second blouse Is a model that
has proved successful made of silk
l 1 ....
cllUU t-lSf. UHMV a IV plenty gf
pretty bags that are nmiv simnlvmJ
.-i .-.r.. n ,.1 '1-1
ui iiiau'rnus nmr mv
the year round. ThK
'as'innhle j
particular bar
suyge.sts ujs or ii-m,' materials one
may have on haml f..r millinery li
often discarded bt'f.irv it shows shs !
of wear.
. , uui umi- muni uinerenct
1 X 1 1 I
wnui nais and nau :uv made nf so
long as they are pretty and cleverly
made. What is cwWvA the 'VniicA
vogue" has introduced cnlioo. pnjhani,
cotton crepe, percalo and other cottons
into the making of .xtm hats for mid
summer. They might, all be classed as
garden hats but, like sport hats,
they go everywhere.
And everywhere Is just the place to
find knitting hags anyone who can
use a needle can own one of these
matched sets. Silk cords and tassels,
narrow silk fringes and narrow lin
gerie laces the old-fashioned ric-rac
braid and hand-crorheted edges are all
appropriately used with these smart
inexpensive, wartime novelties.
Other Blouses
and of the sheer c.tM!. ms voile,
batiste, organdie, with a - -birr fr"flt.
collar and cuffs of crosv rucked white
organdie set in. In the ph-tun it '3
made of cross-bar voile in ehina !i'"e
with white organdie.
(7)
Embroidery Now the Thing.
That beaded trimming is rapidly giv
ing way to embroidery seems to be 8
fashion tendency beyond dilute. K
Is said that one reason why the metal
lic bead effect became so popular In
Paris and later in America a season or
so ago was because it' was possible to
make use of metal filings and srapln
from munitions works for niueh.of this
trimming. But for some reason very
little, metal trimming is coming int0
this country now and beads are s'urce'
Embroidery is entirely wirhin tn
bounds of things available.. - Hence t e
new dresses will show emoroider
rather than beads. It has i -en sa
that .there is an end to s,K'le;
Oriental and ecclesiastical embroider
ies, that is, bright colors "ive beert
overdone, and most of th-- ?iua
dresses showing embroidery wdl
worked in threads of the same color
in some simple one-tone contrast.
Organdie Frocks.
Organdie frocks, though a bit uto
the picture when we look at the c k
Ing, long-lined frocks of medlej
tendency, or even the starchless tru
of Empire origin, are charming for
young girl in their crlspness and rr
ness. With a wide, beribboned garde
party hat they are bewitchlngly yom
ful