The Yale expositor., 1915-04-22

robe, Tor even with the tWo-Shllllna
bath soap was not furnished.
While he was gone Helen hurriedly
Strengthened the bed and put the room
in order, while the maid emptied the
ashes and brought more coal.
Aren't you going back to bed, dear.
and have breakfast there?" when War
rem reappeared with wet, tousled hair
Its a wretched morning. You ought
to stay in bed and nurse that cold. oh,
are you going to shaver"
go ahead and order breakfast" an
he stropped his razor. They're slow
as pond water. I'll be ready before
they get up here"
A notice on the door stated that az
many of the walters had enlisted.
meals would not be served in the room
except in case of illness. But now
that Warren had cold, Helen rama
for breakfast without conjunction.
Feel better" when shaved and
dressed, he threw himself into the biz
chair before the fire.
From outside came the sudden,
shrill clamor of fife and drum. Helen
ran to the window. A small troop o.
English recruits was marching grimly
through the rain. Most of them were
mere boys, and Helen watched thep'
pass with the ache in her throat thai
was always there when she saw these
clear-eyed, ruddy-cheeked youths starr
off to war.
AS she turned from the window, she
was struck with the warmth and cheer,
compared with the scene outside. Tho
lights, the fire, and Warren reading In
the cozy chair, gave note Of home
like comfort to the hotel room.
Dear" STOPPING to brush his hair
with her cheek, we're going to have q
nice long Sunday all by ourselves.
Don't you think 1t seems. cozy here this
morning? After all there's nothing
like an open fire."
Huh, burns your face and freezes
your back"
A knock at the door and a waiter
entered with the breakfast tray.
"Will you have it here, maam?'
drawing a table before the fire.
yes, but you needn't wait, I'll serve
it."
He left the tray on chair, and Hell
en-, delighted with this added note of
domesticity, laid the cloth and set the
table.
"Oh, these are the kind you love-"
raising the silver cover from a plate
of toasted mullins"
How about the coffee?" Warren felt
the coffee pot. Thought so; stone
cold"
Helen tipped the lid, but there was
not sign of steam.
Here, give 1t to me. No use send
ing it back; rest of the breakfastll be
cold before we get It," and STOPPING
over the crate. Warren damned the
coffee pot into the bed of glowing
Goals.
"Oh, dear, don't! Why, it's silver
plated-you'll ruin it,"
Let it alone" pushing her away.
That won't hurt It,"
At the first faint simmer, Warren
trlumpnantly lifted III on.
"How about that?" as he poured the
steaming coffee into his cup.
A crash! A scream from Helen!
The coffee pot lay on the floor, with a
dark pool of coffee flooding the car
pet. Warren stood over it, still clutch
ing the handle. The heat had melted
the soldering.
"Oh, it'll ruin the carpet" Helen
snatched a towel and frantically
mopped the dark stain.
well, this time it didn't work."
calmly, as he picked up the handle
less pot. Punch that bell and well
just duplicate on the coffee order"
Helen thought resentfully how diff
ferent would have been his attitude,
how he would have fumed and ragged,
had there been the slightest pretext
for blaming her Flushed and over-
heated from STOPPING by the fire, she
rose from her knees with q muir
mured:
well, I'm glad that for once you
couldn't blame me-"
Hey, what's that?" sharply.
Nothing" family rubbing the car
pet with fresh towel.
"Whatd you say"
Hadn't better try to wash out this
stain before it dries?"
That's all right about that stain
what'd you say just now?"
Helen hesitated, then with a touch
of recklessness:
Dear, I'm always blamed for every
thing, so can't help feeling relieved
when something happens that you
can't blame me for"
That's a nice remark" snarled
Warren. mot content to let things run
smooth-are you? Want to raise a
row, heyg Well. right here's where you
pay for that little speech. Cold or no
cold, I'm going to have my breakfast
in peace-downstairs, alonel You can
have yours here or do without--just
as you blame pleased"
And the door slammed after him,
leaving Helen to a morning of repent
anna for har facfloaa ramarL