With Haig on the Somme

red Letter

re Regiment (T.F.), sat on the step of the fire trench, hi

them. The other was his platoon commander, Captain Bob Dashwood, who chanced to be coming

head in the direction of the German lines, only one hundred and twen

ied Harry Hawke with a grin, though he h

the wood on the left, and the Germans were repl

that picked Marshall and Brown off

an of A Company, pointing with an oily finger to a fresh notch cut on the rifle stock. "He

rest in the wizened, mahogany-coloured face that looke

p, Hawke," he said. "H

ept no tally of all I've done in wiv the b

o take a squint at the beggars," and as the private dropped back into his seat agai

ine craters, with a line of barbed wire fencing that follo

, when there was a sharp stifled gasp, followed by a slithering fall, and Captain Dashwood lay in a heap among the white wet mud at the bo

y fault!" he moaned, as a sergea

y. "I've warned him a dozen times-and he's not dead, either. P

when a couple of bearers came running along the communication trench they laid the wounded man carefully

uttered, bending down and peering into the peris

n straightway from the base hospital, and then for several weeks they heard no more of him, and

kin' sandbags," he kept muttering to himself. "Home ain't like home without a mother,

e with the telegram that had just arrived in his hand. "Only got a week's kit leave too, which means that he's to join at once. I'll put him through his facings and sho

n one side of the table, and Master Billy Dashwood, ag

provingly. "When will you learn to

rn, gazing up at the ceiling with the face of an innocent cherub, an

Dashwoods in the regiment for generations, and it is nice to feel

d a young man who sat opposite to the children with his back to the tall wind

am indeed more than proud, Monsie

at the War Office, and they do nothing t

you're rude," said his mother. "The W

ntal water in Regent's Park, and if one had not known it, one might have imagined i

let by a fraction of an inch, but he had made quick recovery, and before his month's sick furlough was at an end he was already secre

s very English, except the young man with his back to the windows, an

months before, obstinately refused to heal, found himself in very pleasant quarters, thanks to the hos

tic in every line of his figure, with laughing grey eyes in a handsome face; the other, a stolid, fair-haired Fleming, who

pression of a grateful dog, and waited upon her hand a

hwood," he said in perfect English, w

g," laughed Captain Bob encouragingly. "Your turn will com

ant gravely. "Even Ottilie here loses heart,"

sture with her hands. "For myself, I dread to go back to poor Belgium," she murmured in broken Engli

mimicked her accent, "I wish it might be possible th

but Mademoiselle Ottilie threw an impulsive arm round the

madame. He is so yo

u the hump, old chap. Still raining," and he glanced at the windows. "What do

opening the door for Mrs. Dashwood, and the two officers went into th

lgian missed an easy shot. "And you've left them

n with a wry smile, as he limped towards th

s the white ball followed the red into a pocket.

, I have so much time for practice these days," and he lit a c

y. By Jove! you ought to see the munitions they're piling up behind us. It is incredible! The worst of it is, our sector simp

rence. Why, not long ago, I yarned for half an hour with a major of the R.E., as I thought-didn't tell him much, luckily, but we hadn't parted five minutes when he was 'wanted,' and there

rissel. "When do you think Sir

re's my young brother. Excuse me, Van Drissel," and without further ceremony he darted into the hall as a lad in the

Bob, o

an! This is a bit o

yish reproduction of his brother's, brown as a berry from the arduous training he had unde

's only 'How d'you do?' and 'Bye-bye.' But isn't it fine putting me in Bob's battalion? How are the kids? And,

tings. The rain had cleared, and as he stood looking out where the trim lawn sloped down to the w

ian army," said Bob, coming in as Van Drissel turned round. "This is

you," said D

iled Van Drissel.

Yes, it is quite right

nis is a great stunt on languages. You two will be able to make us feel thoro

the Belgian, producing

e some grub first, and if you don't min

ld, although he's my own brother," expl

w o

nd a half,"

e killed," said V

all have to take our chances out there, but I don't mind betting you he comes off with a D

service uniform, to the rather oppressive admiration of Billy and the huge delight of his sisters. T

the house with his wonderful spirits. There were people to dinner almost eve

ast night arrived, and the mother and her

eadache, and her brother also in

gether," he had said con

when Bob told her. "I do not care very much for Belgians, a

not like mademoiselle's bright black eyes, and the lieu

struck, and Dennis, who had been living at high pressure, suddenly yawned and said: "Would you mind, mater, if I tu

s bedroom door with a bang. "I have a letter from your father which I want y

emselves on the great padded settee, into which one sank s

ht to have done. The date of the Great Push is fixed. But here is the

brows lifted, for the brigadier

een kept wonderfully quiet, and so far the enemy knows nothing. All their attention is turned on the 'Clown' Prince's insane operations against Verdun, and

ee the artillery we have massed ready for the preliminary bombardment, which promises to be the biggest in histo

ese places on the map, and then when the thing comes off you will be able to follow it," and, going out into the hall where his brother's kit was rea

ecture, which Mrs. Dashwood followed with the keenest interest, and when at last they go

shed voice. "He is very young and very impetuous, and regards the whol

taking her face in his hands and kissing it, and t

ind the settee, where he had crouched all the time, and

. "It is worth a stiff back to have