The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-07-19


that this was piece OF almost professional duty
that he vas va, reporting te superior officer
How did you do it'' she said. It's like a
miracle" Then she made effort to bring the
situation into the normal. She seated herself and
lighted the lamp under the kettle. But I'm sure
you must want some tea.
lie disregarded the interruption although he took
the essy-chair opposite TO her.,
i went into training as soon I was strong
enough to walk 1t was odd how the detached
dehniteness oi his tone had the force to Sara of
the most imprisoned utterance she had ever heard
There was an ex-bruiser at home that had some
exercises that served
He paused moment, and the muscles Of his
face tighteped
The doctors had told me that the shoulder where
they had taken eff the would certainly be
higher than the other, and that the lung would be
partially atropied-always was in such cases told
them--With eaborations--that they didn't know
what they were talking about, that didn't propose
10 carry aronad anything like that" Here he
STOOD, his lean hgure very tense and straight
Would you mind coming here minute, Miss Hal
stead" he asked. And put your hand here3"
She obeyed his gesture, and spread her fingers
Again She 8Gtyed ard felt the great bands fnot and
unkaot under her Land, as be acxed the muscles as
seriously as though promotion in his profession de
pended on his establishing his fitness before this
judge DO. you see any signs Of atrophy there =
he challenged her, 4nd is there any difference in
She shook her head in evidence Of the verdict and
sank into her chair again, oddly disconcered.
q
shift" be asked his searching eyes hers Ready
She nodded again afraid TO trust her voice;
sat looking into the freight with certain rest
tulness IN his face. lie turned suddenly on her
agsin And Of course You did l. you know that:
short "Oh, yes, you did it, ne ended the matter.
She found it comfortable TO. create diversion
functorly. She couldn't help seeing how clevery
he managed using the wide OF his chair
table, and adjusting his plate and cake and cup
and saucer well that no enc would have realized
that he was making enc hand do the work OF two.
effort that skill in itself BETRAYED and her throat
contracted, brt in admiration than in pity
Yes, it took good long time to learn he said
prosly, answering the thought behind her eyes.
But it is cutting up meat and putting on gloves
"And what is it to be now2" she asked
Il think my work is going to be in China" he
said 81 doubt if come back here, for more than
a visit. The Chinese fighting is pretty fine
being; he doesn't what happens to him. And
I'd Ike to have hand in making an army I tell
his eyes and, for the first time, she saw the gieam
in them OF exaltatien; he was on FIRE with enthu-
siasm. 1t made her feel sudden chill Of loneliness,
this purpose in which neither she nor any woman
Tell me-. She said, leaning forward rs this
he only thing you have brought out Of all that
lorrorthe desire to go bacls2 What has it meant
o you, after all, all that experience" !"
He studied her before he decided to
Il can't go into all the psychological part of it,
Cor one thing never was much for going down
inside myself to drag up motives and all that and
II the fuss people make about fighting There is
othing in it but going crazy mad, determined to
you're hit, long, big grind aterward when the
nly thing you feel like doing is to at the
ghoe thing. And there's 10, use going into the
eing sick part OF it, for field hospital is place
0 take woman even in thought But when you
ad been detailed to bury the dead in trenches be
ore you were hit, and then when your cot Is right
10ol i1tn walk hen he
cons not torturing YOU into the room where
hey are cutting other men up and every other MIN
te you see leg come shooting through
ne air to add to the pile in the corner, you lose
omethng in you that has made you regard lnd- {
dual human suffering or death as Of great import
nee in comparison with great projects. And IN
lace of that tenderness you are made, II there any
uff in you to make it out Of man. ss~sAe~e~ :
beyond that" she asked, little breathlessly.
'"Wel" he said, with perfectly sincere grimness
a brute Of an army nurse pounded me little and :
ung me down my unhealed wound because | =
othered him. have learned that it does not pay b
yer TO be the under dogP c
He rose, and she knew that the queer interview :
hich had carried her through more untried emo !,
ons than any other talk of her life, almost at -
end A craving for something to make him stay, 9
sappontment that they should end with such :,
rutal touch, cutchng after further revelation, =
assessed her. The talk-lite the man himself =
.emed incomplete, 50 garbed
new that she must keep him. tumut OF some = =
ling had arisen that told Observation-Disclosures !;
ere something more that must come. IL was
1ly an instant but it seemed to her eternity, =
at Harthen regarded her, with his exasperatng air =
duty done, his cool impersonal gray eyes on -
ers -
He shall not 60" she thought desperately. And 3
fore she could have time for another thought, or q
1ew what she doing, she had raised her eyes a.
I'd given him-what she had never done deliber- b
ely TO any before-a long, deep, challenging 4
ance out Of the depths of her woman's being i
Harthcn stood still 1t seemed to her that he =
id given a start. Her hand fell away from the !;
H. leaving half choked tinke. H narrowed his g
,es sudden mood had shot into them that made - -
EN- almost black. Then he opened them-wide, =,
id they blazed on her. -
Good Lord~ he said in voice of hushed, sig " "
fcant wonder What a beautiful you - -
ew
She had no time to realize the utter brutal hon !,
ty of his surprise She had clutched at her heart "
r awe 1t was comng-the something wonderful !.
rrifying before which she shook with Longing, and ~
uddered with fear. Kerby appeared. With all her r
aiming she couldn't say word. It. was Harthen
10 took command of her house and her, with ro
rect and complete sense OF possession that LETT her -
recourse but to defend herself with silence that b
oud hide the trembling. He came toward her "
'Se nd vour man away" he commanded her IN a