The Washington herald., 1914-09-28


We'll, ! may not be 90 ail-hred
particular as you are-but / wouldr't
smear all that grease on my face
for a farm"
Through lull in the r1mbEng Of
the baggage trucks, the voices of
two women now came with shrill
distinctness from the adjoining
stateroom:
u wonder if this ThirtwaiSt viii
do for tomorrow
"Oh, yes, wouldn't put on a fresh
one I'LL we're there. Nv, it's good to
get these shoes off Patent leather
draws my feet So"
Tan shoes are easiest for travel
ing. Oh, do you like those lace
front corsets. Pye been wanting to
try them, they say they're" The
rest was lost in the trundling Of bag
gage outside.
Huh, Just getting interesting"
grinned Warren. 'Whafre those
two females over here alone for,
anyway"
'T think one is a correspondents
for some paper" whispered Helen.
Don't you remember her? The one
who was always writing on deck?
"Oh, that Well, MI take more
than a lace front to make her
Hush, dear, they'll hear your
Nov what else have you got to
dor demanded Warren.
Just to FIX my hair-but / don't
need the light for that"
She switched off the light and
raised the window at the foot Of
her berth. The long platfosm was
now cleared of trunks. The cold,
white arc globes fickered ghostly
along the prison-like station. The
familiar English signs Of soap, tea
and junket seemed frivolously y out
Of place against those grim stone
walls.
Then without a sound of bell or
whistle, with almost q sinister SD
enee, the train slipped out into the
darkness.
The outskirts Of Liverpool with
the streets stony, treeiess, and poor
ly Lit, looked inexpreSsibly dTeary.
There were endless rows of the
monotonous, low brick houses, all
dark now except for a faint Elim-
mer from an occasional window.
Vaguely depressed by the scene,
with a whispered Good night,
dear" Helen reached out across the
narrow aisle.
Good night" briefly, pushing
away her hand. Now lets get
what sleep we can"
A silence Of several moments,
then Helen erept out of bed and
bent over him with a wistful:
Dear, I can't 20 to sleep without
telling you good night ightT
As she stepped to kiss him, heK
hand unconsciously slipped under
his pillow and touched something
cold and steely. With a frightened
cry she drew back.
"Oh, OIL Why, Warren, that
int
well, what if it is7 Whatre ysu
fumbtng under my pillow for?"
Tit isn't foaded?" breathlessly.
What use would it be if it
wasntr
But, dear, you don't thing"
Think IFS just as we'll to have
one. Lot of sneak thieves at a time
like this. Now you go to sleep and
stop proving around"
Helen crept back into her berth,
but the touch of the revolver still
chilled her. There was something
terrifying in that cold steel. With
a rush It brought back all her brood
ing thoughts of the war.
They were beyond the city now,
speeding through the sweet-smelling
English country. Raising her pillow,
she gazed out on the peaceful farm
lands. Here and there were groups
of cows sleeping or grazing in the
moonlight.
1t was all so quietly peaceful that
it was hard to think of the war zone
as being so near. All those Bel
gium battlehelds had a few months
ago been as serenely quiet as this.
Perhaps many OF the battles had
been fought at night under just such
a calm, pale moon.
The thought of the killed and
wounded Helen resolutely put from
her. All her mental anguish over
the suffering in this war would not
alleviate single pang, and she was
schooling herself not to think. Just
before they sailed she had sent a
check to the Red Cross. That was
her sympathy in the only
way that could help.
Detsrnlinedly she now turned her
thoughts to London. They would
be there in the morning. What con-
ditions would they find? The ho-
tells, restaurants, music halls-all the
places she had so loved on their
first trip-how many of those would
be closed?
Whatever the hardships or incon-
veniences of the next few weeks,
there was something thrillingly ex-
,iting about being so near the heart
Of things.
The spirit of adventure was al
ways strong within Helen, and now
the looked forward to their arrival
n London with glow of eager ex-