Show ar IL CHEVRONS H V B by d LEONARD NASON illustration illustrations by WM service all bf by clego G it dwain comp cn py 27 IRWIN MYERS D S C STORY FROM THE START sergeant edl eadle and nd private 11 darcy lately discharged from row a hospital behind the front in biona bord bored and nd ills dl arnce bermea ku guitta led with 11 alf in rupla 1 smet camp they their lud ind thil th guards and nd go over the th hill to find and and nd belcin their old outfit the few B nty enty ninth meld artillery at AI thy they are r told that outfit bits moved up beyond I 1 ul weak elrd and hungry the th two mn men a e ak k food upon th the promise of a rl real tej filed they split abile all ot of wood tor for an n officers took look when th the latter offers the bin in bread and nd aim salm thy they thrash bim hint j CHAPTER I 1 continued 2 in the street on thit ott otier er lile side of the he rail wall fadle facile and darcy ran lita vIlY atone along they turned down a treet street that led between garden wall walls a e back alley unpaved thy the topped stopped and n listened holding their gasping breaths there was wn a distant clamor a far off howling in the intervals of which the two could distinguish the words hey crooks I 1 at P a nal a PI lets let get et autta town aid sold varcy 1 feel nervous here we wont want to ito to toul tool don t we I 1 well wel I 1 let lot a e find t the be road man ilan I 1 feel batter after pasian gaii da that bird a beatin the men idea a him ont out goldfish to coppla wound ed guys back from hospital I 1 I 1 can do a heap 0 walkin to ae save myself i a month mouth or of no en on the rock pIll they continued down the street to its end and info into tho that crowed crossed there there were some w art liters filling at ski the far end of the roal there wax was a restaurant ith more ld idlers lers sitting bea re to it but cone tons of fiem tem showed any interest Inte reet in thi th two tranger tr landle went boldly dp up to one of the tables which te Is the road to tout fellars fell nr be asked huhl aid said the inan the rond road to toul I 1 down the other 1 I lie ae 0 the tobin toi n it gw out by ty the M h P bar racks how far t Is asked faille twenty anve kilometers fadle PI art ank sank they coul coull I 1 never make it before oteliu twenty five kilometers meant mount about fifteen miles more than it days march for tor him and hit his ired crim comp panic nuli A lie I 1 and darcy went aly awny away tie tl ey walked do m n r seemingly engles end en lles I 1 paved li treet and came come out on the tecc lie ebe of a meade on the far for side 1 of which vi is a lone long row of tree trees fretch ins ing away out of to the northeast I 1 III bet that a the rond road mild said I 1 idle adle it looks ilk ilki a main road and tt it goes in 1 the dIrEct direction lon they cross crossed the hot field their brows fi ow and fit 1 ladt 1 arrived at th edge of the road ant at and looked ind ly at t their new clims slims 1 obese shoes were not cot yet let broken in and aoi hence made their feel feet lore sore were getting closer all the time aid said fadle ere bound to find ond the outfit out lit some day 1 I eh ell bome some day agreed darcy 1 ft ben we were breo or tour four him bun dred miles from the it diani eem sees half bait ai as far tar off as tt it doea does now when we sin lint t bot but ten or twelve here come comes a motorcycle guy he ile pointed to a cloud of bluit du nip a bronch lac ing from the direction of the town ton in front of ahiel could bi een peen the thin liepe of a it 11 motorcycle with its rl rf ler the motorcycle approached slow lowed ed down and as darry tool stool up to hail ita its rider tile machine topped stopped tile rider was a larie husky collier it very capable looking pin gun swung from front his hip and his arm bore the alu ampard with two white letter letters law large and glarist al P oh misery I 1 muttered fad fail e the th boiling of this policeman boded the wanderer viander ers no good it would mean it request griest re to in be hown shown the authority for far their wandering at enrie an I 1 tike like simple simon indeed they had nit olt any the military policeman approached pro ached ched are you the two ny guy that beat op up the cook asked he be ft hat cooer countered fadle radle the at P grinned 1 I 1 aln aim t skin askin sold be hut but juit just as a one tie ruy to another that bird tin been buff dufferin erin for a rubbin diwi for ome some lime dune come clean cleat now ain I 1 you two the one ones that slipped all it 11 to him himl you ansbe the description two toygh guys uy uniform uniforms phony wound stripe toughest one a sergeant erie ant 1 well fald eadle we bad a few words with a guy uy back therea there 1 don t know about his hi belas a cook lie ile a a cook all right sold the V P he ile rook cooks for the big bl boy boys that bang around corpa corps bead quarter tell me I 1 is it true yuh yoh knocked him down and kicked the liver out of 0 him I 1 S amethia like that aid said darcy lie he lot tot as n to chop up ii cofas coffs cor 0 an in mill tall bed eire give us a feea hr f r tt it an then be he issued nut out a can 0 sold fish T adut leaf I 1 hini him bald the it 1 ile ned used to rook for oar our detail well be he got ot promoted ri be cik for the corp corps me mess an e tat all let set to lite off the fat 0 6 the tand land why we gle give hia him a blowout the gitil bj be leit felt that set el tie n back a balb pay apiece so than I 1 about a reek week later when bed he it never come near us u a couple ot of as 01 rent went up to pay him a call alt ile ie was a ittin in 1 the hed shed away ut at what tint was left of a roast pig pl well ell lo 10 two roni be he dl alln in t offer us u none en tin we askel for it an maybe ald said ame mme hard worda what de dies he do bui but turn DS as in for botheris bol bo herin therin blin him nn an hana in to roun I 1 his kitten I 1 an on the flit charge theet sheet ie Is ln drel by old tur tor himself seere sentence ent enre ile W e re still till kayln the blind hy ny O 0 1 l da d I 1 cried tile tie 11 1 I demme liasse liaise hands with you buyst boyl he ile enli sail yon you broke every tone in his body almost lie shook hand hands violently with darcy and ralle fa he isow now then ben mid he you from wanta wanto get away from here I 1 isten now there a a ration truck gain up to tout toul in about ten I 1 saw it leadin when lim I 1 come out III 1 curve back to town an tell en em to be on the tb tso kout for yuh jump lo 10 an tny stay 1 utta debt tight no one II 11 look tank for yuh in tout toul lie ile mounted his motorcycle swung it about and we was cone gone A few min rain ute utes inter later a truck come to I 1 a groaning ao 10 halt ai as the two wanderers wun deren waved their arms at it you two the ruy guys that beat up the cook called the driver tri that a I us u answered radio radle well get in the heck back directed the driver an holler aten you re in the two booked each ench other in over the tailgate yelled to the driver an I 1 imay ay they went well ell CHO can you tie that as aked ked darcy everyone in ihle this county I 1 to our friend became because we beat up the cook lie ile must hare hate been mean ai as logwood and twice ai as nasty III iby vy enid said fadle faille when that M P shook hands with me I 1 was ni rn ire ore eur our prim than it kainer I 1 ali dt had d adne ine it why think of the th frog ie le doull hine hose had bad with the general if hod arrested tie men chril had banged film un erale cooil I 1 know knew one desp that will ent en pi or for a few weeks bleyl bellowed a voice from the fri n tit of the truck 1011 isa birl henary that I 1 our out middle name anlu en elered ered eadle were we always abw y hungry tiu nery there theres a me case 9 jan lam open and bread in a lalit there yelled the futin I 1 ila dig in the two the he jam am helped tte melvea to a lont loaf ot of bread an so alf ate i the truck rattled on the rain drove agi dinst the tover they halted 1 walle I ile the driver drier held conversation with un teen seen men inen an ani I 1 if tivy ey proceeded again me belanio been live t thicker h icker a an it I 1 11 I 1 a u lie ile aoud tel let when they were nt tit a en cri soroa 1 by the tree free comi lent tent of ile tl e driver an I 1 his assistant and the faint falat yet let bitter replies of uman soldiery old lers were gettin near the front old said darcy peering out the back there these trucks are all without hardly bad had he enid said this when hen the tile truck lurched violently several flail I 1 and thin came come to tit a bait balt ditched I 1 derided deil ded eadle lie ile waited tor for the driver to burst into pro unity faulty but be beurl bearl item g down from their perch in allenie lente el hal the matter he 8 albed ked two mo dil liping figures appeared appealed at t the he tollgate nthan thin eald said one out of in la Is as fur as we go TI Is ie 11 tout io do you sipie sult itse we could sleep in the tile grutle tonight biked asked ladle su sit e aid said the briw there 0 buim in here tor for a million lie and hit his couil coin ani n bad had balding ding rolla rolls ille oti ofil liers whitla tiey unrolled oo 00 top tol i I 1 the tile loud loaf i idle und and dan or ineer imd had bulling nul ling but blan lita and anti our coat alj alwy ey put e awn di wn and slid billig their gal gas butki fur for lilliw ll liw giggled anoual like bluke to ond find a pluie place where they could lie und esabe the shap hii p corner corners of the rutton rution case cases CHAPTER 11 field order orders 36 very la 11 in tl it e rulo ruin still mi bukaj anit down slantwise el beare a ct id wind tue the t u wanderers looked adly sadly oui out of the truck they were in the tile yard of a brent a burr burrack act by high build faM en nal pl now and cheerless che erlea A loot iong line of 0 truck trucks like their owe own wa was nailing ailing to to unload where here do you to go from froni att eadle asked the ariter we ie unload ND an gu so bock back to guiou leur leurs tit do 60 you a ant 1 I 1 don I 1 I 1 know said balte ea lie bot bat I 1 thought I 1 id d go la tit and aak ask the blile tinS bolcer the seventy ninth field artillery Is ever bear beat of cuir NO aid said the driver 11 1 never did oat but there a ten million outfit aroun arouni I 1 bere here black jack cover heard of bait ot of aall come on called eadle radle let atts dust out of here they hect across aero the yard and out the main wall gole ate of the castree their hair waa was I 1 as their bands and face faces bog rimmed with cal 1 dast dust from riding la in trains train and road d ant tron from pound ing the highway their happily were covered by I 1 t air alick ere cr vil which lich put CD on over their pail packs cave gave them a decidedly bump hump backed bickel appearance the two went down the bill blu kakiw ing that this mint must lead to the center of the town tie TI ey crossed is brills bridge abdie the railroad and so come came to the ot 1 fashioned city ata look at the I 1 IV said darcy dare to 0 o a chisper hi sper indicating a diun 40 a hiker who twirled st club under tinder ohp arh of a a rt of never mind him replied eadle under lle ills breath beep keep right on loing ins just as though be mein anything to t you hey yelled the V P the two stopped I 1 hey where you o 0 guys goin I 1 du n town eald said sadie radio we wont to find and the billeting oot it pass 0 so o answered radio the 11 31 11 waved bis his club in a fes ture lure that aid said outside auml aa plainly ai as if it he had spoken it the two turned without corum eDt and re grated their steps on the railroad bridge they butted by common consent and leaned against the railing dont it beat iiii aid said dany darcy you an die ate a compla wounded ply guys tryan to eel get back to the front you I d think every one would che gle i a hand A nea on the wood in straggling black glack ctr were the th word words F A pot post of Cc mirand but list 31 ilowe how 0 chane it en on a aap for tie night git olt thi th I 1 outto beret beel hey guy the thir DIVIs Inu I 1 land and out show roe me your pass an III tell yuh aint ala I 1 gal no co pa pass cit olt th ihl thi I autta here berel I 1 w a jour cit arager asked r adle I 1 idie game came for a bike lo 10 the rain 11 bure zure its better than sittle here bitio our thumbs an vion lerin lerla when we eat ent 1 I ell let a go e again somewhere betea here and germany we ought lo 10 ln tal I 1 an outfit that II 11 give two wo good soldiers eold sold ler lers a job until they find own at sunset ot at the duy day the rain had ceased but the sky was a III low ering the tile wind rustled the ne e lenses and a chill cold damp was on all the countryside darcy I 1 cally trumped tb tl it e mud they bud hall that day ed wenty two kilometers rid ine ing in on en enaty ply niss alss cs ris bareback on horses that nearly dove clove them in two in country cart carts ant imely a on a tank aliey had hud acme to t a thickly wooded section into thy the depths of whose forests went inar narrow row ro ron ala 1 new and bearing the marka marl 9 of moch much traffic N re gettin closer to the front a all 11 tie time said darcy Mt clien an ing wl I 1 be mil hid lo 10 the wo da I 1 e to d duck uck awn 1 in one 0 these to a Is what tr tie h hl hi I Is bolln you bowl now the sergeant lind hod darted to one alaf sid of if the rond rand and was looking into tr the air with intense earnestness ant the matteri matter abed dacy vacy da va cy anin in ome here suit still eadle and a sec if it you see what I 1 id d 0 darcy compiled and found te ile ser set scant geant looking at a ilece of new halt the top of a box in ghib cannee gotis got Is hn hit I 1 been pocked on the th wood W no 4 in struggling black letters wre were the word senty ninth F A cost at ot oj command Unde meath ao an arrow pointed d n one of tl III e narrow rm roa I 1 li it slat 1 real said darcy sure ito it real reala said the sergeant ne e hav ni hart had a drink for week our outfit down this road darcy ft hat tint ayou think of that fr luckl luck 1 11 I dont doul believe it aid said dnny darcy inell ell well eo to see the tw tv of 0 them splashed their theft way awn the road beyond the first turn a c tin A fused murmur became audible aal after another minute minutes a hey they could eee see a sort of park under tinder the I 1 rem agent half hall cowed with tar a 8 picket line lice tie tortes tethered thirlon kicking and squeal ueal ing fadle an darcy la in the direct lii it of the picket line and discovered abal the underbrush was thick with she ter tents well I 1 it it abat sin I 1 beloyd I 1 cried par dar ty cy sud derly mell if it it aint darcy dare no FAA sergeant caddel cried the man addressed as a hlloyd when did nn juh get back hy fly ad if you aint slat more welcome than a month months payl nad had yet the eer ser cleint wringing the other hand saure cure etrig 1 ng flo ago aid said 1 I 1 m a huy man mart III eco see you fellars to 10 a second there i a the old id gun crew varcy that run gun autta line there most of the oil gang I 1 in irit III 11 see jua ua in a minute abedes here the ali old alan asked the sergeant we WL ve got to report to him an I 1 then we 11 II bout about ebon chow I 1 HI tente tests over there under that big tl tree 1 eald said pointing well 1 I gitta hurry away lie shook bandi bands again and hastily took his departure I 1 every everl one a in a rush P ld tid eadle thet they enst be b gogul to bare have en via la in erection lon you so go over and parley with the gun crew via mariy rcy and IIII go tell the old alan his hi two prodigal prodigals had hati come home its it dot not much later than five 0 clock they re rather early with chow tell the ati old man we re badent bad breakfast said darcy 1 I III II 11 see II 11 I 1 cant hit these hombres up for bonne name chow rood III he be back tit a a |