IT
THE ETTftTStfT! T?T!GTSTEft-GTTAT?'D
fS A GREAT WAR
By MARY LEE
stretched from
. h.ni nut hit franc
i monter. a " . . ' . ....
-Jk., To ianui- -----
re sh8'd he
I r That afternoon . . . Hi--.'
' I" ai.. .med. She could not
.himc. J"V " . . .
He shoo' 1,18 n,,a"
pit
. . m him he'd ought to giv. her
1 told j -Hu'd OUKht to
HiEiCT better than to choke her
k?. u aettin' awful
"!" ,,nmnr " 'WhoJ' the
3 jtninu -
L- Vrirk atrnde into the canteen
0l1'f.-.J"1.,. which mi hia
. SI Allowed Ann. through the
F' bevond the storeroom.
I 1 1 Hell the man sleeping up
M "P.J... t hia atuff,' he
I tad tn. i'""'-' Tb r0,m
rMld and boil.ke.
'vm nails on tlie wan oiive uiu
"v . - nit iritznatriCK tOOK
"""""l-r' Vith afur lining,
w ?'" " 1.. -Vn.. Tot a fur
" . '.-.a ... Anno. "tsnr Mere.
v ne emu - : -- . .
.. .u that' 1 rtirhr.. It be-
I'10"'.," ' sc.n. What? Disc"?
!.f . the hospital at Toul last
iJl In the hoap
b said Anne. And then: "I'll
tour coffee ready when you get
MM-" ..
A room. oiut'M) .
hrr . . . She rushed to the stove.
. thoes the last pair lanen oil
blocks of wood she's propped
. ut down on the bed, gazed at
.m SUe IflUpiieil. .... -
It if her trunk locked un In Paris
Hare to so .ne.o ... " . .
kbti . . am nouses . . rcupic
I kaivr -. . . Eicitement . . .
fehe rall'd "P Headquarters.
4tn iroulu take a weeK, iaej iuu.
. put the noon up. oue u s iu
damn the orders . . . Paris.
i.r jon could walk on pavements
3 . m .1... fo in.'.
Yes. there'd bo ferry pilots
jl is the morning. A new train
t Or 10U1 me rnuiuMvi mi ..s
xiii'mi. was free acain now. . . .
. the trurk would call for Anne
fin a. m. Not at all. glad to!
Th.nt Ton." said Anne.
ferreinr. Anne rubbed mist off tho
w Mow. and peered out into tno
Wat darknss. Pnle, blue lights,
irlinrj . Him outlines of houses.
. Windows, snutterea. . . . i-aris.
The Oare du ord, sna its pal.
Ur train shed. . . . Crowds, pass-
the iradarmes.
Hldame had anything to declare
hr bac? Madame lind nothing.
idsmB hud orders? Madnme did not
lientand, it seemed. '1'grec Em
Ah. nulitalre,' she muttereo.
Iricsn pilot, pushing from behind
'. Ten-crl Ihe guarrt at toe other
I iras Sudanese. Anne backed
nr. and went to hia gate. He
nted as she ran past.
.rii . . . Pavements . . . Dim, blue
tt . . . Three taxis, standing, their
nosed drivers talking to the pilots.
In stepped out. They wanted to
lo Llirliy. 1 1 or no one would tney
cross Ihe river ... An American
;t trurk bumped townrd tliem.
lbs pilots hailed it. They helped
id. Pips or Americana ... J lie
drivers grumbled in the darkness
. Paris . . .
the track bounced toward the roe
Iniversite. A city, all about you.
It had seemed that all cities must
rp melted, leaving just mud, and
riaeval towns and great fields . . .
sere it was the civilization that
T fought for France . . . The rue
fUimersite. The elhiDed hedge
a the leaves that tasted bitter . . .
) shutters, all closed . Anne
aked the pilots.
Not st all! It was a pleasure!"
r isid. . . .
'Hi familiar door of the apartment
;re she and Joan bad once lived.
pushed u open. The smell of
f'-m . , , Why. it was home.
Bat. how rnn cough, my child!
you are thin!'' Mndrnns de
"sues drew Anne's hand through
rm. pattins It as they walked
'osh the fnmilinr, clean hall. "My
r fftii he m content to have you
sum .iinrlame. l-low does it
the war'; What do thev tell vou
alone dip front''"
Nothins." said Anne, "but I have
rht you lots of sugar, SIndnme.
ue irniterl along the nuai, and
cross the fnmilinr hrirlo. thnf
"d the river. Torix. . . . Whit..
"illi purple slmdnns under Hie
the l.rML'OS. A rlifTfront wnrlf!
" f ranee, tins . . . Ycur feet were
here. V..U ilidn't l,t.,.A tA r.,,11
P henr llie mud smack, kick them
' oi ynu . i i fr
onou in lii-li-licrl., ,1 ,hn irlin
M allOUt smontli navomantm.
river, rushing between Ha qunin
An o,d man fishing ... A snnd
P. IlloilL'hiTIV nr. l,At.i..J U. ....
' 'ir X rOl'llllcro ft hivnrrn tnwarD
fnsT. Tho IncBr. f Vn,.o
F'- dim. fmurd the Cite. Why,
.- "iiai jou Klllgllt for.
.Service ,.n,l ,. ! ...
Slomnk-i,,.. Miss Kentherstonc.
1 "'e .Mnroilisp. in nenrla nnfl
" '"'d Anne. ,Mi Kenllier-
ta'l uiurrio.i M,,jor Moor. h
I be M. i.. j .
MOVMI. VVOrrvin., -n H.- T II..
1 '"'I " II. Vs.
h sv.atoe, ,h(,m .pinming
? Anne KBiil.
I KII..M . St,,-. ,,L. ,, M,..
' to nuil,. bin, fri:et..."'Anne
'd like a ll i i j ii .
ru luruujiu
I here seemed to be a
, .".uir., n iiuuureu
loors.
red tifw
pretty uirla here,
' sKt of grease on the
'ill: behind Ttr.,nL-i A..,
"lirpinl II. .. .
A h. i , . inere, cnair
chair d-vvn with a bumn wlien
"ell. say, look who's
rrn.p,.,! i,er hand and
"I mill sllnok. tfo nilllnt
in 1 !"r.,hfr- snt d..n. tipped
'S.i t "' M' lpgs dnng
'ka'i 1 ''"ette " he held
1e ti,-nr,
run
Aunp,
lie
it.
rar. t.
ed.
My uniform," Anne
linT,1' A cro,r'1 of people chat
Mo':'',7 ""Iging their way
" ' mn;' Afk- American
"in eioeriy v c-
IhL"!!'" ''"g nnder
p arms.
Anna h.p.J
V I'-. . I""' A ' P"rt
'imi i l hrT fnther's old
hfr- Patting
, . ' .; ""t seen War . . .
't i ,!' fr"m Iowa, just
rt.nf r..ii .r .n.
, 'in "I IH'lt.
Th Saint-Mihiel
w RarvT Cald-
The 8. O. S. was a wry smile , , .
And there was Greeubaum, from the
hospital on his way to stop the typhus.
She'd lunch with him? She had to
get mail, and shoes out of her trunk,
and read the American papers to
find out about the great war he'd
wait for her in the waiting room?
All right . . ,
Tho New York papers. In the resd
ing room, hanging from sticks. On
the front page, a fac, handsome,
careless, smiling through the blur of
the newspaper . . . Why, that was
Hoffman ... 'AMERICA'S AUK
SHOT DOWN . . .' Anne bent over,
reading, A brave story. No mention
of fire ... Of blackened hands, cov
ering that debonair face . . . 'Cooked,
like beefsteak . , .'
Greenbauin. waiting here for her
to go to luncheon. "Ready?" he said.
Anne laid down the paper. You
couldn't find out about the war from
that.
"Yes, ready," she said. . . .
Letters, in her broad, military
pocket. Luxurious feeling that one
could read them later . . . New shoes
on her feet. Feet wouldn't be cold,
wet, any more now . . . Greeubaum.
smiling at her through bis heavy
glasses.
Telling her how Ttrnnhw nA tha
little Quartemaater had been shipped
off . . . How Mary Denton had died
too bad . . . Should they go to Vois
in's? Mouth, watering at the idea of
lunch at Voisin's . . . About them the
pleasant, urban racket of the rue
ocrioe . .
To have had a hot bath, and to be
dressing to go out to dinner . . . The
luxury r- it! Anne dressed slowly
Let Barry Caldwell wait . . . She
would not dispel that sweet, relaxed
untroubled feeling . . Civilinn
clothes. She'd bought a new, French
dress of soft black velvet. It hung
from her shoulders after the new
style. It made her very straight and
smooth, and thin.
She put on Rosalind's blnck velvet
nar, iot bad looking She leaned
across the mantci toward the mirror,
powdering her nose. Wicket . . It
iuok tno slilne ott . . . Made you look
well . . . Smell good . . . White gloves
. . . And Rosalind's nice slippers . . .
A fur, lent by the Red Cross woman
down the entry. 'You look lovely,'
she snid ...
"Ah, ha!" Barrr Caldwell snrnnir
lownra ner. wny, sne was
tome on, ssid Anne. . . .
The restaurant was in the Chamni
Elysees. Glass walls and roof en
closed a sort of garden. The white
surfaces of the tables seemed to float
in darkness, the lamp on each small
table lost under its block shade. Above
the tablecloths there floated facea.
Faces, bending over, eating, faces
leaning bock and chatting, t'niform
buttons . , . The white shirt fronts of
waiters
Nice of you to Wear black. T can
just see your face." said Barry Cold-
wen, a disembodied spirit.' He
looked across at the white face, the
gray eyes shining.
"What rot we write home," said
Barry Caldwell. "Now If I write to
my wife that I'm not doing much of
anything, that I dined tonight in one
of the best restaurants In Paris, op
posite to a beautiful woman in block
velvet. It'll moke her unhappy. She'll
reel that all the sacrifices she s mak
ing are for nothing. She wants to
feel that I m on an Important mis
sion."
Anne looked across at the man's
face. Hed talked about his wife on
purpose . . . Needn't have done thot
she hod known all along that he was
married ... He leaned back, and his
high cheekbones cast shadows upward.
Something a little softened in the
keen eyes . . . Something a little dan'
gerous, now, in the man's face . .
Something it gave the world a new
tang , , . "What is your mission?"
she asked. He laughed.
"Oh, taking congressmen to see
safe sector of the front. Swell way to
promote action in the great war! Last
one I took was blind. Insisted on
getting out, feeling a shell bole. We
both got some gas. I came back teary.
I wrote my wife that thought she
might think T was just a little noble.
Women don't mind physical suffering
God knows they get too much of it!
To them it s a sort of noble, cleansing
fire "
"Hoffman burned up." said Anne.
"why didn t they put that in the Amer
ican naDers?"
"Why don't they put it in the paper
(hat forty per cent of nil our aviators
burn up ' said Barry (.airmen, -iviij
don't they print that It's because we
don't Imve parachutes, because our
planes are no good!" He laughed. "If
people knew what, war was reany
like, it wouldn't go on." They helped
themselves to envinr from a great
bo"'1' . . .
"Why don't we tell them?" Anne
said.
"Partly tho censor. Partly because
we're cowards. I'm in the S. O. S. on
regular duty. It takes seven men
down there to keep one up front.
Well, those seven, after a certain
doRe of boredom . . ."
He looked at her. Her eyes-she
knew . . . "Half the, letters I censor
are stringing the folks at home on
to think their little darling is at the
front." he went on.
"That's to protect their forailies.
Families have got to think we're
brave, self-sacrificiug heroes. They've
gut to think we live -. sort of glorified,
celibate life here."
"There's one noble thing about the
S. O. S.," ssid Anne. "That is that
every one there would rother go up
front."
"Not all of "em," said Barry Cald
well, "but most. And can you bloroo
them? Danger's fun. Danger's ex
citing. You go to war thinking you re
going to see excitement. And you find
that seven-eighths of it is a worse
bore than ever Peace was. .
"That's why I object to writing
home and giving the impression that
war is danger. Most of it is boredom
and moral slumping. If every on
would write home exactly what they
do here, every momnn in the L. S.
would be a pacifist when we get back.
" "Yes," said Anne. "I know. I've
been In Bordeaux."
"You've been in Avenue Montaigne."
said Barry Caldwell. "An accurate
BRINGING UP FATHER
By George McManui
I CAnTt omoeuvtand
i-n ivj-OftysJO
HE fto CPoS
''M AFRAID Of
HIM -1 AAeftD
YOUR, HOSr40
"TO CALL ONI him
"TO E.a tea uir
CAN CA.LM WlM
U
a-r--. i af A a. I ttTl!
HE WILA.-l'V6
Got mv Hi ,-
8A.MDTRAIWEO
i wwm i l e
MY MOS3An1D
KtslOW WHol
oO'o'b Its) OOF?
II
I III) rfW L.. 73 .
NOW TAKE THE AOVJlCE I'VE.
ClVEisl VOO- OON'T TRY TO
CilVE ME AMY- 'Ve WORM
A BALL AN' CHAINI LoMfi
-v E.WOUGH , j-J
Ma ' I
6YJOW6'. f
-iou wave r .rti
IMS. Intl Feature Sfrvni. tlau.
TMlMCb ARE:
COlN3 TO BE
OVFPERENT-
Onit grltsln rlghls rmrvrt 2
tFl I ( COME ON HOMe- LI WUY ,VtEH
'- 1 COlN3 to BE NS WANJT TO TALK. VHATf MAO
igp I
w 1 I 1 1 r 1 1 KWI 1-11 II I I I
J u T I I 1 1 1 1 I I
Th
description of what goes on there
nmilil mill swell hit! N"t that I
blame 'em. 1 know nactly why they
act th day they do act. It's part ot
War. Same thing goes on in all wart.
What I ofcject to is that the people
at home have to be guarded from it.
They'd Vttr swallow that. too. First
thing you know people will be teach
ing children all over again that ar
ia noble.
"I'd like to see 'em slop saying.
Johnnv. vour sm-estors went n"hly
out lo Make the World free.' and be.
gin savi g. 'Your ancestors got the
world into such sad mess that there
aaii, j , " Harry raid- wOrld into such san mess mat m-r-ir
lo din that night. 1 wis no way to get out of U eicept by
the anscient method of th beast and
savage."
"I'd like to see them stop saying,
'Johnny, this is your father's sword!'
and begin saying 'Johnny, this i a
photograph of the French girl that
your father lived with. Your dear
father was so thoroughly bored by
the Great War that he got pleasure
from a woman like that.' "
"Would that make Johnny any
less anxious to go and try it?" said
Anne, una man laughed.
"No, but it would make Johnny's
wife and Johnny's mother twice at
determined to keep him at home."
"I doubt." said Anne, "if you'd ver
make people at home believe what
war's like."
"Damn It," said Bnrry ,Caldwell.
"There's a sort of conspiracy against
it. The publishers are in it they've
gotten out hundreds of volumes of
tetters, each one a pail of whltewasn.
And then the orators that raise the
money tell people all sorts of liea.
Liberty Loon speeches all this rot
about our army Is the 'cleanest army.'
Nobody ever tells 'em It. isn't moral
cleanness merely better physical ar
rangements. If they could see statis
tics" He handed her a cigarette, and held
a match up. "What we remember
about war, and what they remember
are going to be two entirely different
matters."
"Some day we'll have to write about
it," Anne said.
"And will they print It?" Barry
Caldwell shook his head. They pushed
their chairs back. "Let'e go lo the
Folies-Bergere, Miss Wentworth," he
sold.
The theatre was dark. They edged
their way past people's knees to their
seats. Sat back. 'Ah . . .' (tirls. in
bright dresses, dancing . . . Weaving
in and out, kicking slim legs, throwing
kisses . . , Slim legs with silk stock
ings, silver shoes here . . . Lithe legs
. . . Petticonts that openert . . .
An American major and a captain
in the side box shouted, their voices
raucous ... A marine M. P. leaned
over the side of the box toward the
Major. "Less noise, sir." he was
whispering, "less noise, sir!"
"Making the world safe!" said Bar
ry Caldwell.
Outside the window the watched a lit
tle creek. Not the way you thought
the Marne should look. . .Nothing in
war the way you thought it would
be...
Two French officers, opposite her,
talking . , . "Mnrvelous what these
Americans had done at Mont-Sec!
Soldiera had gone across barbed wire
os though it were mere grass... But
they were young, these Americans,
mere boys! And they were brave! And
enfin, there were many of tnemr and
tbey were coming fast now..."
Anne mad her wny back through
the evil-smelling corridors of the
French train. Outside closed doors
Frenchmen waited, line up... She
walked past quickly, peering into car
riages trying to find her own place.
At laBt there was the bag.
A young America,! officer sitting
opposite. Hadn't noticed him before
she went to breakfast. Hoped he
wouldn't talk, at least till lunch time.
Sleepy... She sat down, put her head
back, closed her eyelids. A flat wheel
going ker-plunk, ker-plunk below
her. . .
Anne got up, went out into the cor
ridor, stood leaning over. Looking; at
the narrow belief between the river
und the railway. . .Little fences ran
across it, this way, that way. Here
and there among the gross aud bush
es, little crosses. . . As if some one hud
planted crosses wftn tne cabbage...
She turned and beckoned to the young
man in the compartment. Menu, not
lo show it lo him. . .llefore lie came
that way agnin he might be killed...
"Come, see Ihe battlefield of Cha
teau Thiery," she Noid. The young
innu jumped. He stood next her, lean
ing on the railing. More little mud
fields. . .More little crosses... A hel
met hanging on a bayonet among the
dead grass... A narrow creek... "I
came down on the train with a man
who'd fought here. He told me..."
The girl was telling him nbout the
battle.
"(josh. Is that the Mnrue? It's not
the wny you'd thought it would be,"
lie said. They were stopping nt n sta
tion murked with big letters HOU
MANS. "Nothing in war is the way you
thought it would be,'' said the strange
girl...
"
James Eaton sat down again. Hor
rible lo Imve girls know more about
the front thun you did... Still, how
could you help it? Thin girl would
get off soon long before they got
wny up there. ..
"Where are you going? she asked.
The young man gazed nt a sign above
her heod. "Tnisez-voils, mcfiez-vous,
les orielles ennemies vous content.
O. hell. . ."Toul." he answered proud
ly. Wasn't Toul almost all the way
to Verdun? ,
"M-m-ni. So am I. At lensl, (hats
where I get off."
"But I go farmer up tnnn mm ny
truck." the boy snid. Better not tell
liar new where he finiillv went to.
might he a spy. this girl. ..Anne
smiled. So this boy bad never been
there.
The hut at Avency, out in tho mud
field... And she was walking, some
how, up the road toward it. with her
mess hit... He'd be in the hut...Slio
wonted to see him... He was going to
tell her something. . .
About two shining rails thai
D....,l.A nff nlHe hv side, nnd seem
ed to meet somewhere, for off, round
a corner. . .She must walk faster...
Hurry, . .The only person in the world
she really wnnteu rus anus, scimc.
moving up. toword her...
"I'm hungry," he snid. "will yon
tnke lunch..." Anne opened her eyes.
Something that she wanted to remem
ber, slipping, slipping... Something
precious... Catch it .. .Something, t .
Tho train had stopped, was standing.
The voung man oppoaite was asking
her if she wouiu tone mnen u
him. - . ..... .
"Thank vou," she said. If must
find Hint miserable pink ticket.
"Was that wha; that's for
"Yes. Didn't you get one? They
probably won't, let yon In." Th boy,
dismaved. Hungry... "Got a package
nf cigarettes?" snid the girl. 'Come
on. We'll give th Frog that...
Afternoon. The train was growing
dark now. There were no lights. Ker
plunk, ker-plunk, ker... plunk, ker...
The train stopped. Outside, over the
damp fields, darkness settled. Inside,
the railroad carriage was dnnk, coin.
Wrapped in her overcoat, Anne shiv
ered in her corner. Cold waiting, in
the eerie darkness. . .Across the II
est dangereux' sign the young man
leaned out. peering.
The French officer had got off at
Chnlons. with a solemn salute. Anne
nnd the young American W'ere alone.
She knew bis name now. Knew Hint
be had been nt college with her coa
sin. Knew all annul the Immb.ng
school at flermont-Kerrniid. and just
what s'luadron he was hoping to go
"PKnew Ihnt when he got off at Toul.
he had !" find his wsy somehow to o
place called Aven-ry-le-Seo. . .Quite
the opposite direction from where
she'd lie going somewhere out to
ward lb lines, the boy thought.. .
An hour passed. Anne knew that
he hoped to he a writer, was going
up to Harvard, to take up V rench.
Hoped to write poetry or something,
under th inspiration of the front
like Rupert Brooke did. . .S". far. of
course, he hadn t seen anything that
wos inspiring only mud and and
stuff nt Clermont-t errand. Ann
K"Hehr'e','lie'd ret a blanket for her oui
of his bug. No reason she slioiiui oc
col, like m.t. (Why ill 1111 did I hey
s,n, women up here) lie v, -nipped
the blanket roiino ner. " """:'"
...... clnin.v. Anne smiled in the
darkness. Nice b".v. ..
.i... km,., colder than the last
one. Still the trucks bounced past,
through the. darkness. .lame,. Knton
wondered if he couldn't learn o writ
nlnvs before you'd really lived much.
Felt danger, perhaps, or had your
heart broken, or something like that
Would like to write a good piny about
this war. But hang it, so far he hadn t
"You'.' seen the rear." said Ann.
"That's seven-'rlith "
"But people just want th one
eishlh." he snid. "Io you think a
plav could ever give the whole lliing"
"Nothing that people writ will erer
alvi th whole thing." her voice was
fleuut lolituda. sipping atr eofftt. drsamy is tb dirknssi. They'll write
.Tass music, crowds milling hsck
and forth . . . Tobacco smoke, swirl
ing . . . People's shoulders, jiggling
to the music . . . People buying drinks
ar little tables . . . Italian officers
with girls . . . British officers with
girls . Portugues officers with
girls . . . American officers with girls
. . . American soldiers with girls . . .
French avintors, British aviators.
American aviators . . . Everybody buy
ing drinks with girls. Girls laughing,
winking at one another, patting the
officers, pulling military hats off . . .
Vivacity, music, smoke . , . Swirling
, . . Swirling . . .
Anne and Bnrry Caldwell stood,
their bncks against a pillar. A stout
American major tang at a table near
I hem. His cap was tilted toward the
French girl next him. Her hand on
his shoulder, beating time . . . "Mod-
dnmuzell from Armenheres, paries
Voo-ooo!"
A slim Marine lieutenant, a red
band on his slve, dged In next
Ann. "Yet sir. It's him. I warned
him twice." she heard the soldier M.
P. behind him saying . . .
"Sir." the Marine lieutenant, sal
uting the major. "I suggest that the
Major return to his billet." "Th hell
vou do!" The major pushed bis hnt
bock. His heavy hand fell on th
lahl. rattling glasses . . . "Mofl
Inmuzell from Armentleres. porler.-
voo-o-o-o . . .
"Sir. I have a taxlcab at th door
to take Hi Major to his billet .
The hell yon have! Mnrlrlamuzoll
from Armentieres. pa-r" "I.-nless the
Major returns to his billet, it will be
my duty to accompany him to the Rue
Sointe-Anne . . ."
Lt s move on. sold Barry t aid-
well. To the Marine lieutensnt, as
he passed, he said. "Hello. Snm . . ."
Ynu know him'' Anne asaed as
she edged Into her teat.
Yes. I was In colleg with mm.
Fin feller, Sam! Joined the Marines,
because he wns snr that. thy'd see
octlon. Then his battalion got stuck
here on M. P. duty. His Job is to
com her snd to the Casino every
t tpn-Hiirty. to piv. the mnj
or and cnlnnHi. who ure drunk, homo.
Sn.-lier nrn't nllowd to arrent mnj
orn nnd colonels, no they pt Vm nnd
pnint 'em out to Rnm when he Rets
hem, Swell job!
"Well." flnrrr CnWwell lnuchPl.
f lie hnrln't been doine this, he'd
h.ire pot his dsmned head shot off nt
flinteau-Thierrr. He thinks, of
course, that he'd have liked that bet
"It front wnr." said Anne.
The finale, wonderful with color.
Refore the chorus of irirls, n woman.
drpfiP like a pencoek. . . All beads
nnd fathers, sinuous, bare arms nnn
bnre. white atomneli, . .Kissins her
hnndf. s.njrtnr. wavintr. The house
nhmitinr. . .Chorus srirls. klcklne slim
lec. sinrinrj ann tnrowmr Kisses... a
hedlnm of sound, the curtain, falling.
falling... . ,
From the gfire nox an American
captain and two lieutenants leapt
onto the tasre. shout inr. dodffinir the
rlnln. rurmilnir vanishing sman.
hith-heeled slippers. . .Oaitered les
rliM.ppenr.ns Deri inn nt p or imw
ers. , . I he currain iHiimr. inmnir. mi
tine the lees off... "Oh. la! la!" A
woman's roice from aomewhere...
fiiirhfer. . .The audience crowding
up Ihe nlsles toward the exits,..
O.itt'Ho the theatre neonle clutch-
inff at one another'a elbows. Blue, aoft ,
darkness... Paris... j
Are you an ricnt: sain narrj
Caldwell. m
"All riirht." Anne mm. i
Anne stood on the sidewalk In Tier
treat foat. Rhe'd ml her train nn-
mm the conctertre omnn nnn a laxi in i
three minutes. At last Anne wared I
nacknre or American ncarerres.
The taxi stopped A box of boks
that be had taken from the Ameri
can library.
Anns, ifl fh dinim ear. tat In
about their own little corner, about
the Infantry, or about the S.O.S. or
about the Air Service. They'll never
give you tne reeling oi people, bouno
ins in ana Douncma out ot one moth
er a Uvea. People thrown together.
growing to know each other better in
a week tnan id a year at home. Peo
ple thrown apart again, forgetting
uncut eacu otner in me next wee it
People keeping on the -surface of
things for fear that if they uiva be
low they may be drowned there...
They'll never get that feebug of lives,
like bits of confetti, tossed from a
high place, fluttering downward,
downward. . .That's what war is. Con
fettii, fluttering downward..."
"Heavens." sit id James Eaton.
An hour of walking of stumbling
up and dowu beside the track and
trying to get warm.
At last the train went. Jauiea
Katon boosted Anne on, after the
thing was moving, lie held her coat
up for her, tucked iu her blanket. She
fumbled in her bag and found a candle.
And he he blushed and hesitated
about it lie bad a cu mile stick. He'd
bought it in an old shop in Paris-
one did so uauker alter some tu ing
nice to look at in one s billet. . .
He found it a brass dm sou that
crouched and held the candie in its
mouth. They lit the candle, set the
Unix m on the floor between I hem
And in Ihe wav?ring, yellow light tbey
wiitcneu eucu otner,,.
The slntiou at Toul black aud
raiuy soldiers and officers bumpiug
inio one a not tier in tne uarKness..
J nmes Eaton shouldered Anne's
Itooks, hia duffle bag, her suitcase.
He struggled on, behind her. ihe
seemed to know her way here. Hhe
smiled nnd showed her order to the
guard at tho exit.
Ho du In t look nt it. but looked nt
her, and said "Hello, you're back!"
riace tun ot soldiers, in ere was a soi
tlicr leaning over from the line at the
exit, srabhinit the bin: she carried.
ruiy, .Misa Wemivortu, trie uoi
nel'a sbofer waited for you two
hours. The soldier smiling at her,
triad to see her.
u mailer, you can come aiong
with me: 1 sot a truck Here.'
"Kmitzl Hoh, but I'm glud lo see
vou I she was savintt.
.lames fjuioti waicneo; tue somier
take her arm and steer her gently.
Su, the fellow thought he owned her.
lid he? Hell, if you weren t carrying
her dnrn books, you'd turn right
around and leave her. . .Only you
i hi hi i. want to leave her. daiuu it...
Wanted to follow her... Talk to her
more, more,. .Women ougbt lo be
wined right off the earth in wartime.
There she was, turning around
now, to say goodbye, ibis would be
tlie end. t iuii . . . ever see ner
"Would you like to ride to Avency
with us'" she said. "I'm going there,
tlil.
James Katon dumped the box down
on the streaming pavement. So, it
wasn't to the front at all that he was
iniini?. . .The ffirl wan commie. . " e
nuvway. he wouldn't have to leave
her. ...
Til, if neb kniimtfH forward, anlash
ing mud behind it. Inside, Anne and
James Katon nnd another Lieutenant
nut on their bags. Under the flapping
I'Uiivus side, rain spattered. The other
l. eutenaut bad turned up, someuow,
from the darkness. He, too, was going
to Avencyle8ec, wherever that waa
...Url througti tins muo ami unr
nes...Who were this girl and man
that seemed to know each other? Glad
he wasn't the driver. , .Black ' night
like this, and running into tho black
ruin with no lights.
James Katon listened to the mud
Mhidi. Kd of the earth, this must
he where they were, going through
the black mud. ..Why, in Heaven's
mime, did they send women Anne
leaned her back against Ihe slamming
sideboard. The hut home, that...
Could hardly wait to get there... Her
Kitchen, with MacLeod end Hopkins
-lookin for you..." That tiny room
of hers. ..He: stove. ..Her bed, of
shock absorber. . .Her tin hat, on it
ntiil...Sho beirnn humming on old
tune in the darkness her voice Jiggled
hv the firce vibration.
"Hy the old Moulmein Pagoda,
lookin eastward to the aea...
James Katon caught the tune up.
his voice a strong, clear tenor:
"There's s Burma irl a-settin,
nnd I know sho things o me... he
nng. Life, not so bad...fiod, how the
on brouicht back Ihe old, old things
that you'd been wanthu Ut remem
ber... The goofer across the truck
there, coming in with rnther a good
"An' the dawn comes up like thunder
outer ,,
"China. Vront. the Bay..."
Verse after verse, they sang it...
The truck stopped. The girl was
Jumping out over the tailboard, land
ing, splash, in a muddy puddle below
The driver, hauling out her bHgs and
talking to her. "Carnerr's gone.' he
was saying. "There a another boob
in there now. ..." tm tt ,
"No. Not really?' she said. "Won't
you come in and have something to
eat?" she called to the lieutenants.
They piled out. They looked pround
them. Nothing in sight.
This girl, nnd the eoldior. must be
trying to fool them. . . .Nothing any
where but rain and blanknesa, and
there was this strange girl plunging
off into it. . . .Mud. over your ankles
. , .Coming in between your boots
nnd puttees .... Why, this was just
o ploughed field Suddenly the
girl, the soldier, disappeared In some
thing. A fence, that hit you, James
Kntnn Mt his way along ft with hla
hands. An opening he went through.
There was the girl, holding a wood
en door wide open, before him. He
blinked. A place with little lamps or
pink and yellow. A big place, warm
nnd smoky An open fire of wood,
thn flickered in a brnzier.
Abound It soldiers, tinnimr back In
chairs, their feet annlnst its railing.
rtoldiers playing checkers, writiue
letters. One soldier pounding at an
old piano.
Mn. rushing up. shaking the girl's
hand, taking hr coat off, telling her
they'll got her supper ready. , .Toll
ing her lo take her hat off 'Vo tdic'd
lof.k like ho.r-4." !ame Katon
Mood, unnoticed. In tlf shadow. The
noldier at the piano was striking up
a nw tune. !
lbs ethf soldiera isouUd, taxi
ing, looking across their shoulders at
the girl, here. Four hundred voices,
yelling. . .Eight hundred sets of hob
nails, stamping the board floor. , , .
"Hail, hail, the gang's all here,"
the whole place shook. . . .
"What the Hell do we care?
Wbut the Hell do we care?
Hail, Hail, the gang's all here,
What the Hell do we care now?"
Silence, after the uproar. And
then a quiet laugh.
"It's good to be home," the girl
said.
The new Y. M. C. A. mau wanted
a can of bullied beef for breakfast.
Uut.kel was his name, he explained.
old Bad (Ittskell, of Omahaw. He'd
like a little of this corned willy
opened up every morning, just fixed
up with a little creamed sauce. Sure
she'd like it herself, once ahe'd tried
it. . , . He'd be glad to wake her up
a little early, his wife, uow, buck
in Omaha,
"Thank you." Anue said, "I believe
I'll wake myself up."
Cutting bread. It was as if she'd
never left the canteen. . . . Piling
saudwlches. Almost time to stop ami
go to dinner. MiicLeml came in, it ml
stood beside the table, quiet.
"Pvo something for you." He
picked her hand up, gently, nnd
slipped n broad, silver ring over her
finger, "1 mude it for you," he said.
''How beautiful!" She held her
hand up. looking. Who look the rtug
off, fiogering its silver smoothness.
The man's eyes, on her, waiting. . ,
A hoy's face. , , .Boy, bringing u pres
ent to tho teacher. . . .No, a ninny
But you mustn't see that. . ,"I,low
did you ever do it?" He showed her,
standing a two-franc piece on the
table, pounding with his big finger.
"It plays out, snd you cut the in
side." Well, auywuy, she'd taken it. .
. . .Something thnt he bad handled
would be near her. . , .Near as he'd
ever get to this girl.
"I've got something for you, too."
She reached behind a cocoa tin and
pulled out Dnr win's "Origin of Spe
cies." "That the one that's goin to spoil
my religion for me. ain't it? Thanks."
lie tucked the book inside bis blouse
and walked out. Anne held the tsilver
ring between her fingers. A beautiful
thing smooth and hand-made and
simple. Inside the rim. letters. .
She held it up. "Liberte Egnlilc
craicruiie, mey aaid.
A row of British officers sat next
Anne, smoking block pipes. Before
them, on an improvised stage in their
mess shuck, the Avency ahow troupe
was periormmg. i.eiimd them Ifritisb
tommies sat. in solid rows, eyes sol
emn above big mustaches.
Anne laugheif tlie jokes were old,
but boys were funny After her,
the British officers removed their
pipes and laughed, too. Behind, the
Tommies sat in silence. Tho boys on
th stage winked at Anne as they
went past. The officer neit Anne
looked at the watch on bis wrist. He
rose.
The others rose. too. "Going to
bomb Kssi'ii,'' he whispered; "I any.
it was awfully good of you to come
wit h this show, , , ." lie shook
Anne's hund. "Vou can't think how
nice It is to see on American lady"
. . . .Tho twelve filed out. ,
Anne snt alone in the front row.
with the American lieutenant who
ran the show troupe. A roar, like an
express trniii, sounded above the
roof, drowning the final chorus.
"There goes Ihe Hnndley-Page,"
said the lieutenant.
A black night. Tt began to min Just
as they starred back. A mizzing mist
beat against Anne's face on the
truck's front seat. She peered out in
to darkness. Could lie rely aee the
heads of the two soldiers who lay
stretched along the mud gunrds. . , .
Could feel the Lieutenant. tenBe be
side her, his eyes straining.
inside the truck" the piano began
to janirte. The boys singing "Keep
Your Heod I 'own, Frltzie Boy." The
truck lurched. Like being joggled in
to a bottomless abyss, this. . , .The
soldier next her crouched over the
wheel, eyes half closed, neck moving
this way. that way. '. . . .see a darn
thing "she heard him mutter.
1 lie Lieutenant, nervous1. His thiuh
tense aicainst hers. , . .Tils arm, jerk
ing when the truck lurched. A shrill
whistle Explosions from motor
cycle engine The thing grew
loud, and louder Galling below
them, nn the roadway, sputtering off
ahend Into the blackness.
Plana tch rider, said the driver.
"fiot to keep over to the right. Lieu
tenant. There'll be another in a min
ute. They send two Id case one of
em crashes
Anne wanted to take hold of some
thing, to cling to it. But there whs
nothing to take bold of. Would the
day ever come when one could ride
In automobiles with lights on? Oainu
that piano!' muttered the Lieuten
ant. "To the left. Smith, lo the left!
(iod!" He was leaning forward, hold
ing to the runnina lioard. Hey.
there!"
The man on the ntht mudtruard
was shouting. , , . .Tho great trurk
settled sidewavs. sinkinir. slnkinir. . .
Tipping, lurching that crusy piano
inside always Jinellng uning to
tip over well, you could die here, in
this muddy blackness. , . .
Anne felt the Meutcnanf a arm
against her, holding. . . .Not much
would be left when you got under
neath that big truck, , , .Anyway, the
family wouldn't have to see you, , .
Nobody would ever tell that that part
, .A jolt. Thank (tod. the thinir had
stopped, had touched the bottom,
aooiewhere. Inside, men's voices,
singing:
'Keep your head down. Fritzie boy!
Keep your head down. Fritzie boy!'
Piano stilt playing. .. ,M .'Lett night
by the star shell light
We saw you! We saw you!
Yoti were flxlnir Your burhrd wire
When we opened rapid fire.
ix you want to see your lather
In the Fatherland.
Keen your head down, Frltzie Boy!'
Damn thnt music" anid the Lieu
tenant. "Gilt, evervhntlvl "Hnan Ant
Of it.' M
Anne walked tin and down In the
blink mud of the field while the men
shoved. The oltimv truck hung bal
anced, over the bank's edge, its rear
wheel whirling the field's mud out
behind. "Shore on the rear end there,
you (iod da" "Shut up!" j
aom waikt4 o. Battar
to the field a way, so tbey could
curse all they wanted , . . Xabier to
do things in the army if you swore
. , , .Part of the bottied-up rage of
all this wasted generation, working
itself off. . . .She tried to move her
toea inside her damp shoes. If only
one's feet weren't always cold. . .
Water from furze bushes slapped
her ankles. How calm those British
era had been, going to bomb Kssen
. . . .Might have been starting out to
play a golf match A groan. A groan,
out here in the darkucsa? She stum
bled forward, bending over, peering.
A man's groan. . . God, what could
It be? What was it? A man's boots,
lying here, at her feet. . . .One boot
turned up. tho other with its toes
down in tho wet grass. , .A man's
leg. ... A man's body ... .A mau,
lying on his stomach, Ms head twist
ed strangely, under his shoulders.
Leg must have been on backwards
... .It looked like a doll's leg, twisted
the wrong wny. . , .Anne knelt down,
pulled hia shoulder. If she could turn
him over, . . .Wounded soldiers ought
to lie on their backs Iwnutiful, with
pale faces facing Heaven. , .Another
groan, , . .His face wns (lark, distort
ed. It dropped dowu. into the wet
grass, nose in the mud.
Katon snt In Ihe kitchen, elbow on
the tnble. watching Berths cut bread,
when Anne got hack. "I got my or
ders,'' he said. "The i7th wants some
one who can play the piano "
His voice was gloomy. , ,
"The 07th?" Fine! You'll be off
today, then?" She tied her apron,
rolled her sleeves up. Be nice not to
have him always silting round the
kitchen . . .
''Yes,'' he watched her dipping
golden mnrmnlade nut of a tin pail.
Wondered how 'much the French wo
man would understand what be said
. , , Something he must say to her
before ho left here damn H, here
camo that big sergeant , . And the
talkative fellow out of the Post Of
fice . , , Filling the whole kitchen up.
as I!! they owned it . , , And she wat
talking to them, laughing, kidding. .
She vva glad that they hnd come, and
stopped his Katon went out
the kitchen door nnd hanged It. , .
New prisoners came that day to
sweep the hut out, Roay, pink faces
blue eyes, wearing strnnga, round
caps without, a vizor. They brought
their heels eogether, their hands up.
stiffly stood, like wooden soldiers
. . .Oiiziug nt Anne, their faces deli
berately blank, without expression. . .
Why, these were children. . ."CJer
mans." explained the guard. "We got
four hundred of 'em in a stockade
downtown."
"Oulen Morgent" Anne smiled. The
wooden soldiers melted. Sudden smiles
lit their fnces. , .Boys, delighted. . .
"(Juten Morgen, (inadigea Frnuleln!"
They stood, grinning. , .Bowing. , .
Listening to her. eager Ach, yes to
clean a floor, they understood that!
They got on their knees and scrubbed
acruhled without stopping. The
guard leaned on his riffc, watching,
grinning. The floor had never been
so clean, the boards shone yellow.
Anne came with sandwiches and cups
of cocoa. The guard grubbed bis. The
prisoners stood looking.
"Fur Sie." snid Anne. "Fur Ihnen
" How did you ny it?"
MA-n-ach!" Their faces flushed.
They put hesitating hands nut. watch
ing her face. For them? Really for
them? White bread? Cocoa? (.ott In
Himmel! "Ttnnke schon. mein Fraul
letn!" They looked nt her. shyly, from un
der blond brows. "Hehr gut!" She
watched them, eating. Small boys,
with a treat . , , Might be Americans,
except for their caps. . ."The Frail
leln reminds me of my alster In
Hentsclilniid.'" said Ihe youngest,
"Do I!" Anue nid. ...
'Will you conduct n funeral?" The
Doctor stood behind Anne, his trench
cont dripping. "What, me?' She
looked nt the pleasant, pink face, that
was streaked with rain. "Two boy a
died yesterday of flu down at the
camp hospital. There are no chnp
lains In the Air Service, and I don't
know how to get these fellers buried.
You're nn uplifler, I thought perhaps
you "
"'The T.M.C.A. man can do It. I'll
bring him.' snid Anne.
"But I ain't a minister, any more
than you are," Dad (Jiiskell complain
ed. "I didn't come out here to "
"That's what war h, Isn't It. Mr.
Oaskell?" Anne snid. doing some
thing you didn't expect to. I'm sure
nobody could read the service bet
ter " Had t.nskell buttoned up the
collar of his blouse, puffed his thick
chest out. Marched s couple of times
up and down the kitchen. . .
"Well say!" he said. "I'll have a
try at it."
They rode out on the f rnnt seal
of a triielt. Bain dampening their
knees, stinging their faces, , .The oak
trees on the ridge beyond the road
rone up and lost themselves in trailing
white mist.
On Anne's right sat flaskcll, his
face Rfjuinchcd up, eyes half closed.
Thri heating rain, running down the
wrinkles. . .On her left the soldier at
the wheel lowered his head against
the storm, his eyes Intent on the
truck ahead. Its wheels flinging mud
back. . .Behind, a pine box rattled
against the bouncing floor boards. . .
They turned off Into a little field. The
forward truck slopped moving, wheels
whirling, sending up clots of brown
mud.
A young lieutenant jumped down,
signalled to stop. Across the field
there, someone had dug two hole and
thrown the dirt up in a great pile be
tween them. Inti the empty holes, the
rain poured. ,
The soldiers struggled with the
heavy box, , , Lugging it, they lurched
forward, mud sucklnc their hnnta.
The men slid, clutched at tho slippery
wood, trod on. , .After them ploughed
Anne and Mr. (iaskell. Behind the
hole the soldiers laid the box down.
They shook their reddened fingers
. . .nix men with rifles, lined up in
the mud. and stood, red face trl earn
ing, . ,
A sergeant save a shnrn command.
The riflpp, clattered. The lieutenant
aMkajaal tA ffaihaljj iMtfcaat Ml AassilM
Anne fumbled in her pocket for a
book that she had borrowed from a
lieutenant at mess.
She handed it to Gaakell, opened
at a place where she bad put a rib
bon. He burrowed for hia glasses, put
them on, eyes blinking, mouth set,
like some ugly toad, gazing upward,
ltain pattered on the book's small,
thin pages. Uaskcll smacked his lips
and gave an odd gasp.
"I am the Uesurrectlon and tha
Life," he began. , . The soldiers gazed,
down at the mud that ran from tba
lose pile into the black bole.
Tin lieutenant gazed down. Gaskell
stumbled on, gasping, spluttering ov
er unfamiliar words. Anne gazed aft
the long box. Mud, staining the wbtta
bonrds, , .Somewhere were tbia man'a
family, his friends. . .Lump rising in
her throat. . .She swallowed hard. .
To die alone, of flu, in a camp hospi
tal. . .You didn't come to war to do
that ... To be planted Id a wheat
field by people who didn't know yon,
didn't care. .Mud, staining the white
boards.
She felt for her handkerchief. Hea
nose. . .It waa his mother she was
weeping for, not fir the soldier. . .
Shu did.i't know him. Nobody here did
. . .A sharp command. Rifles, point
ing toward the gray sky. .ltiflsa
crackling. .Crackling again. .Again
, . .Sileuce. .The patter of rain . -Little
Levinson, raising his bugle,
puffing his cheeka out. Anne closet)
her eyes. Taps. . .The sweet, famil
iar music of each night. , .The last
note trailing sadly on the damp air. .
The soldiers were getting the other
box down off the truck, struggling
with it through tha mud. This whole
thing to do again. . .Another. . .
Katon waa strolling around the hat
when Anne got back. She watched
him. He was unhappy, reatlesa. . .
Why didn't he go? Five duya bad
passed now since he got his order, To
the U7th, too, tha one be wanted.
There waa that piano business it
must be that afraid to tell them that
be didn't really play the piano.
Anne leaned against the counter
She looked out into the smoky hut,
where the men sat. Tbey sat, feet
up, oo the rail about the brazier, cap
tipped back, coughing. .Tbej seldom
sang now. . .From the darkness, over
iu the corner, little K1 ward's white
face, gazing at her. . .Men, cougbiug
, , .Coughing. . .By the stove, behind
her, MacLeod coughing . , .Hopkins
coughing , . .Anne coughed. When the)
coughed now, her ears hurt. .
Cutting bread. 'Just a baby's pray eg
at twilight,' some soldier wailed M
the tinkling piano In the hut outaidc
, . .Through the kitchen wjndow Ann)
saw Jamea Katon strolling aerosg
fro... the woods, , .Still here queer!
He come In the kitchen door.
'When ltghta are lo-o-o-o-o-ow.
'They've signed an armistice with
Austria," said Jamea Eaton.
"They have?" Anne held tha bread
knife poised. Could It be true, then,
that this wsr might end? Not now . .
Not so soon. , .'Poor baby's ya-e-are
Damn that song. Are filled wits,
te-e-e-e-ears. ,
"Dope come over the telephone,
from Chsumont."
"Truly ? Do you suppose "sna
Isid down the bread knife, stood gaz
ing out of'the window. It It should
slop. . .It it could only stop. . .Queer
noiie behind her. Eaton . , .She could
feel him, standing very close, making
funny noises with his breath. Uood
Lord! Ho it. was that? And not be
cause he couldn't play the piano, that
ho boil stayed here "Her precious
little tot, Js Dnd'a forgot-ma-not
. . ." That tune. . .God! if only there
wasn't any piano. ,
"You don't care anything about
met" His mouth near her ear. . .Hia
hot breMb against her neck. . .Bo he
was going to make a scene right here
. . .What Idiots men were . . Slaves
to their bodies. , .Most of them not
nil . . .There had been one who and
he waa the only one you 'She cllmhe
the ata-a-a-a-aira, . . Got to say
something.
With Katon making noises here be
hind you. . .Making the whole place
tremble with his Ugh. , .If only men
could
"Nope." Rhe went on cutting bread.
'Quite unawa-a-anres, and says her
prayers. , Damn that piano. , . .
"(iod!" Fnton stepped back. Always
known this girl was a hard one. .
Known it ever since the day he saw
her toss thnt prayer book on the
tnble. , .After a funeral, laughing. . .
And yet, Grent God! He wanted If
only this fool place weren't full of
people. , .You couldn't argue women
into this thing. , .But tbey fell, once
you'd
Ievfnaon1' she was calling, Toms
help me lift this marmite off tba
stov. like a good boy, will yon. Easy
now. Now up. Tha-a-at'a ft'
The little bugler stood there, beam
ing. She treated the fellow as If ha
were a small boy. , .You had to act
like a small boy. it seemed, with wo
men like her. . .She was turning now
and looking at him. .Making him
ache all over. ,
"Do yon know what I'd do If I
were you? Her yoiee was very
gentle. His mother nsed to talk, Just
like that, when he was naughty. . .
Perhaps, after all, she wasn't a hard
one. . .Made you ache worse, thle . .
'No,' he stammered. Hia face hot
. , .Growing hotter. . .I'd go up to my
squadron today, right off. for fesr the
war should be over before I got
there." Rhe held her band out. Pend
him off feeling friendly. . .Must a Ba
by's Prayer at Twi-l-I-l-Iight. . , .
Damn that piano. . . 'For Her Daddy
Over There . . Her hand still out. . .
He stood. Didn't dare to touch her
. . .Wanted God! say something,
make your damn mouth more. . .X
sound. , . .Didn't care look at her
eyes for fear ha He turned, rushed
out. "Good Luck,' she waa saying. . .
Anna went on spreading salmon on
a sandwich. 'Poor things,' aha rnnt
tered. . . .
"Say, If you was Teferrln' to tbesa
here goldfish sandwigea you're mak
ing." Hopkins came In, perched Mm
aelf Oil the table, breetr. smiling, "
say tbey are poor things'," Anna
laughed,
i