Adventure Magazine Cover — page 178: what you’re looking at

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

The Phantom Major cAnother story of the Ambulance Service By Larry Barretto HE Ambulance Section stood stiffly erect in anticipation while their lieutenant ha- rangued them. It was appar- ent from their grins of satisfac- tion that they had found at last the nearest spot to Paradise that they ever expected would be their lot in any part of war-torn France. The officer thought so too. He had marshaled his outfit through some of the bitterest fighting in Belgium; at Chateau-Thierry; and on the Aisne. Now to find himself transported almost over- night to the end of the line in this quiet cor- ner of the Vosges Mountains was too good to be true. It couldn’t be true, he told him- self, and wiggled his toes in their polished boots to see if he were awake. About them hung a silence as complete as that in any primeval forest. No sound of shells disturbed the quiet air. Above them the Vosges Mountains reared themselves in gloomy solitude, their slopes covered with dark pine and fir. A bird, soaring into the void, sailed, a diminishing speck, but no air- plane peered down with spiteful eyes, watch- 176 ing the movement of troops. On the gray road which stretched toward the near-by town a group of French soldiers could be seen, their uniforms a soft blue patch, but they were not drilling. They were emerg- ing from the Café d’Alsace, and their arms were about the waists of girls. The section panted with eagerness to join them. Their lieutenant continued to speak. “Just because we’re way off here in the Vosges and there isn’t any shelling, you needn’t think the war is over,’’ he said by way of discipline. ‘‘There’s work to be done and we’re going to doit. Not as much work as you are accustomed to,” he added and grinned again. “TI will now assign your posts.” The sergeant stepped forward and handed him a paper. The lieutenant glanced at it. “The médecin chef tells me that there are only four posts to be filled. That means that four cars and four men will be out atatime. The rest of you will have to con- tent yourselves with the quarters here until your turn comes.” He gestured to the billets behind them CO (C@