Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-11-13


on board had pictures of girls they
knew. He had none, nothing but the
memory of Deborah In her pink and
white dress and white sweater, her
head banded around with braids OF
dark hair, orderly and glossy, her firm,
dimpled chin raised at him def1antly,
her eyes full Of condemnation and re-
buke.
Somewhere he had learned that she
played the organ up at little st. AIMS
by-the.Sea and he had slipped into one
Of the back pews to listen to her just
for one Sunday. his 'neater, sweeter
maiden" Also, before the ships had
slipped away toward Newport he had
found a chance Of meeting her father.
The old man had been busy calking
the seams in his sailing boat and Tink-
ham had spent all his morning one day
helping him and telling him stories OF
navy life. His reward had come when
Deborah came down to call her father
to dinner and they had met properly
and rightly, and he had held her hand
in greeting.
That was all, excepting the postcards
he had dared to send her and the teak
wood box and the trinkets OF Mexican
flligree. Yes, and his picture, just 50
she wouldn't forget him. He didn't
need any of her. His time was up IN
September. II he could only be sure
she was still there in the little white
house on the shore road. Yet maybe
she was married and maybe she was up
at the island plot, whose still white
stones all looked seaward. He stayed
on board and Rugged his memory or
her. afraid to risk the truth Then
Grinman came back and told him, big
Grinman of the gunners' mess.
/ "She's still here, Tink," he said ex-
c,tedly "Seen her today myself. She's
all alone up there. Lost her latner IN
the March blows"
"Dead?" asked Tinkham.
"Sure. She's all alone. I'm telling
YOU. Thought you'd like to know.
Thanks" answered Tlnkham, anu
the next day he got shore leave: Pas.
the docks with their little stalls anu
shops he went, down along the snore
path below the big hotels. Didn't ne
know the shortest way, though? ne
could have found 1t in the darkest
night, that narrow path to her door,
and this was morning, with the sea rip
bling in the sunlight and the gulls
preening themselves out on the bare
brown rocks at low tide. AS he turned
nm the beaten track to the cottage, ne
lifted his cap and tucked 1t under his
arm for all the world the way he had
the day he went to hear her play IN
church. Then, finally he stood at the
green screen side door, tapping, ne,
Tinkham of the navy, with year be.
tween him and a girl who had boxed
his ears.
But he had full revenge. She came
quickly from the inner room and saw
him, and the color rose to her face as
she gave a quick, indrawn little gasp
and laughed to cover II.
Tinkham had rehearsed all sorts Of
proper speeches all the way along the
road, and now he stood silent, adorlng
her, and all he could think to say was:
my times up in September. I'm on
shore leave today"
| She gave him chair on the little
porch looking seward, and they sat
down
! "Did YOU think I'd conner he asked.
| II don't know" :.
Didn't you think anything at all
when the ships came in? Didn't you
even remember me %
She glanced from him to the boat
living keel up down on sands.
"Yes. l remembered. Dad liked to
talk to you best of the boys that came
up here from the ships"
you'll never like me cause spoke
to YOU that day, will your he asked
hungrily. II didn't say anything only
II remember what you said She
smiled at him from under her long
lashes. TITS just what all of them say
to any girl"
IF I said it today 1t wouldn't be the
same" said Tinkham doggedly. I'd
IT'D mean it. That's what came ashore
for. didn't dare come before. ! was
afraid you might be married or dead
maybe. I guess I've thought about you
every day for year. and when heard
about YOUR trouble had to come. I've
only got one more month to serve then
I'm going out home to see my motner
and sisters. But I'm coming back.
can't get away from the sea. l ike II
right here. Maybe It's you that makes
the island seem wonderful. dont
know, but l feel 1t right here.
Tinkham stopped and waited. He
was not given to eloquence Love
seemed to leave him wordless and
smitten with it's glory. Deborah was
looking past him out to sea where the
warships lay, gun metal gray in the
morning light on the sapphire water
The white linen collar she wore was
fastened with brooch Of Mexican fill.
gree silver.
"I'm coming back in September. II
there isn't anybody else - She shook
her head quickly and Tinkham's blue
eyes sparkled. He leaned toward her
eagerly throwing his challenge to fate.
"Hello, sweetheart" he whispered,
not as he had said it that first day, but
with all his hearts longing in his voice,
all his life's hope in the call Hello,
sweetheart"
And Deborah, flushing softly, stretch
ed out her hand to him.
Hello, boy!" she answered. KIM
of thought you'd come ashore