Three Soldiers

front of him his eyes followed other patches of olive-drab moving among the tree trunks. Overhead, through the mottled light and dark green of the leaves he could see now and then a patch of heavy g

our of the blood in his ears, he could hear batteries "pong, pong, pong" in the distance, and the woods rin

ain he pictured himself taking sight at something grey that moved, and firing. His forefinger itched to press the trigger. He would take aim very carefully, he told hims

at it rolled at his feet and bounced with a fa

side to side in his chest. He stood stiff, as if paralyzed for a moment before he c

hat," he muttered be

taken hold of him. The olive-drab patches ahead had moved forward again. He followed, looking eagerly to the right and the left, praying he might see something. In every di

f grey-green cloth. Without thinking Chrisfield strode towards it. The silver trunks of the be

appy in the angry pumping

back of the long coat of the Ger

er heavily. He had no face. Chrisfield felt the hatred suddenly ebb out of him. Where the face had been was a spongy mass of purple and yellow and red, half of w

pine go cold; the Ger

ng squad. The silent beeches whirled about him, waving gnarled boughs a

behind the other men. Th

thing?"

The corporal went off to the head of the line. Chrisfield wa