Adventure Magazine Cover, June 20, 1925 — page 21: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A Sergeant of Cavalry ORDINARILY the sergeant s—> would have been tried first, but a) ~ in this case he was not and so ce" —_waited until all the other men had filed ; in and filed out, and when the last one had paid his call on Judge Duffy—any summary court 1s so called in the Army— the sergeant’s name was called and he went in. “Sergeant Nelson Colburn, Troop A, 18th United States Cavalry, you are charged with violation of the 61st article of war, in that you did neglect your proper duty while commander of the guard, on or about July 23, 1918, this at Camp Genicart, France. Guilty or not guilty?” “Guilty, sir.” “By ,’ snorted the major. ‘If this charge sheet was properly made out it would be a general court martial affair. You ought to be shot! Suppose that jerry had escaped?” ’ “He wouldn’t escape, sir,” said Colburn. ‘He told me we feed him better than he ever got in his life.” ‘Well, that’s beside the point. The fact remains that you allowed a prisoner of war to be absent from the camp and beyond our control for an unknown length of time, and that is a very serious offense. The French are wild. It makes no difference if he did come. back; he was gone, and we don’t know where, for a whole afternoon. “Your troop-commander is away, so that I couldn’t consult with him, but it was my intention to overlook a good deal and give you a mild sentence on the strength of your record. I had in mind to confine you to camp for a month. But I’ve changed my mind. JI heard you utter sentiments just now that are traitorous, that a yellow cur wouldn’t own to. You're a disgrace to the regiment, a dishonor to the uniform. I still think you ought to have a general court, and if it wasn’t for the good name of the regiment I’d see you got one. You’re guilty as ! Tl fix you! Get out!” The sergeant took his departure. He was received by Sergeant Olsen, the latter . at the point of tears. “They'll hang you sure,” said Olsen. “Whatever made you do it?” “Come on over to quarters, Oley,” said Colburn. “TI won’t let you suffer. Come on over and [ll spill it. Don’t make any more motions about my getting away, because I don’t want to make any getaway, 3 and some one might hear you. There’s no use in losing your stripes.” They proceeded in silence through the camp, where cooks, police, troop clerks and hangers about who were not at drifl regarded them with horror. They passed two German prisoners, one carrying a pick and shovel and the other pushing a wheel- barrow, herded along by a very diminutive French soldier. One of these prisoners grinned at Colburn, and the sergeant dropped his eyelid in reply. “Is that the bird?” asked Olsen. “That’s him.” ‘Who put him the mouse on his eye?” “I don’t know,” said Colburn. ‘Things were hectic, I ain’t kiddin’ yuh; and if that’s all he got out of a bottle barrage, he’s lucky.” The two went into the barrack where the “sergeants were quartered. The place was deserted, all the occupants being at drill or off about their business somewhere, and the prisoner and his guard had the place all to themselves. “Now, ” began Olsen, sitting &wn on a bunk, “enill it. Let’s hear all about it. There’s more cook- house rumors afloat than I ever heard in my life, but let’s get the low-down. Was you drunk or did the sun get to yuh?” | “To begin at the beginning,” said Col- burn, unhooking his blouse and hunting for cigaret material, “it was a Saturday morn- ing. Id been reading the newspapers and everything, and all they say is that the Americans won a great victory at Chateau- Thierry, then that the frogs have taken Soissons, and that the Boche are in full retreat. It looks as if the war might be over any day. COMIGDIOOKSEEO