Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-08-25

81 wonder if this shirt waist will dc
for tomorrow"
oh, yes; I wouldn't put on a fresh
one till we're there. My, it's good to
get those shoes off! Patent leather
draws my feet So"
Tan shoes are easier for travelling.
Oh, do you like those lace-front cor
| sets? I've been wanting to try them,
they say they're" The rest was lost
| IN the trundling Of baggage outside
Huh, just getting interesting"
grinned Warren. 'What're those two
females over here alone for, anyway"
I think one is correspondent for
some paper" whispered Helen. Don't
you remember her, the one who was
always writing on deck?'
ooh, that! Well, it'll take more'n a
lace front to make her"
Hush, dear, they'll hear you!'
Now what else have you to do?" de-
manded Warren. ..-
Just to fix my hair-but I don't
need the light for that"
She switched off the light and raised
the window at the foot of her berth.
The long platform was now cleared
of trunks. The cold, white arc globes
t1ickered ghostly along the prison-like
station. The familiar English signs of
soap, tea and junket seemed frivolous
ly out of place against the grim stone
walls.
Will Of ho11 an
whistle, with almost a sinister silence,
the train slipped out into the dark
ness.
The outskirts Of Liverpool, with
the streets stony, treeless, and poor
~ lit, looked inexpressibly dreary.
There were endless rows of the mo-
notonous, low brick houses, all dark
now except for a faint glimmer 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
Nov let's get what sleep we can
A silence of several moments then
Helen crept out Of bed and bent over
him with a Wistful:
Dear, I can't go to sleep without
telling you good night right"
AS she stopped to kiss him, her
hand unconsciousIy slipped under his
pillow and touched something cold
and steely. With frightened cry she
drew back.
ooh, oh! Why, Warren, that
isn't
well, what if it is? What're you
! fumbling under my pillow for?"
T. TIT isn't 1oaded?" breathlessly.
What use would it be if it wasnt?'
/ ''But, dear, you don't think"
Think it's just as we'll to have one
Lot of sneak thieves at a time like
this. Now you go to sleep and stop
! proWling around
Helen crept back into her berth, but
the touch of the revolver had chilled
her. There was something terrify.
ing in that cold steel. With rush it
brought back all her brooding thoughts
Of the war.
They were beyond the city now
speeding through the understanding
English country. Raising her pill
low, 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 Belgian
battlefelds had few months ago been
as serenely quiet as this. Perhaps
many of the battles had been fought al
night under just such a calm. pale
moon.
The thought of the killed-and wound
ed Helen resolutely put from her. AL
:, 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 expressing her sympathy II
the only way that could help.
Determinedly she now turned he1
: thoughts to London. They would BIZ
. there in the morning. What condi
lions would they find? The hotels
restaurants, music halls-all the place!
. she had loved on her first trip-hov
= many of those would be closed?
Whatever the hardships or incon
. veniences of the next few weeks, Their,
was something thrillingly excitin,
about being so near the heart O
. things.
The spirit of adventure was Away
y strong within Helen, and now sh
looked forward to their arrival in Lon
don with glow of eager expectancy
, The Thirst for Applause.
That the desire to "show off, an
8 thereby win applause is a powerful il
" cRntiVA to action iS nuidannnd hu th