“Cheero, laddie, better eat something. You’ll feel better. Don’t give up hope. You’ll be pardoned before morning. I know the way they run these things. They’re only trying to scare you, that’s all. Come now, that’s a good lad, eat something. It’ll make the world look different to you.”
The good-hearted sentry knew he was lying about the pardon. He knew nothing short of a miracle could save the poor lad.
Lloyd listened eagerly to his sentry’s words, and believed them. A look of hope came into his eyes, and he ravenously ate the meal beside him.
In about an hour’s time, the Chaplain came to see him, but Lloyd would have none of him. He wanted no parson; he was to be pardoned.
The artillery behind the lines suddenly opened up with everything they had. An intense bombardment of the enemy’s lines had commenced. The roar of the guns was deafening. Lloyd’s fears came back with a rush, and he cowered on the earthen floor with his hands over his face.
The sentry, seeing his position, came in and tried to cheer him by talking to him:
“Never mind them guns, boy, they won’t hurt you. They are ours. We are giving the ‘Boches’ a dose of their own medicine. Our boys are going over the top at dawn of the morning to take their trenches. We’ll give ’em a taste of cold steel with their sausages and beer. You just sit tight now until they relieve you. I’ll have to go now, lad, as it’s nearly time for my relief, and I don’t want them to see me a-talkin’ with you. So long, laddie, cheero.”
With this, the sentry resumed the pacing of his post. In about ten minutes’ time he was relieved, and a “D” Company man took his place.
Looking into the guardhouse, the sentry noticed the cowering attitude of Lloyd, and, with a sneer, said to him:
“Instead of whimpering in that corner, you ought to be saying your prayers. It’s bally conscripts like you what’s spoilin’ our record. We’ve been out here nigh onto eighteen months, and you’re the first man to desert his post. The whole Battalion is laughin’ and pokin’ fun at ‘D’ Company, bad luck to you! but you won’t get another chance to disgrace us. They’ll put your lights out in the mornin’.”