The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-03-24
CHAPTER ll-consinued.

at doesn't amount TO an appoint
meGt. Just a Job an assistant TO Wal
ton. the engineer the contractors are
sending out, We're going to put up
a bridge somewhere IN Africa"
That's 1t knew It." said the cap
tain. Going away. Want any money!"
The question came like solid shot
out OF four-poundcr. Alan started,
colored and smiled, all at the same
time.
''No. thanks, sir" he replied, 1--WE
got all | need"
The captain hitched his chair for
ward, placed his hands on his knees.
leaned forward and glared out on the
avenues 'I'he Lansings," he began,
like boy reciting piece. fare devils
for drink. the Waynes for women.
Don't you ever let 'em worry you
about drink. Nowadays the doctors
call us nonalcoholic. In my time IL
was Just plain strong heads for wine.
! say. don't worry about drink. There's
a safety valve In every wayne's gull
let.
"Bnt women, Alanr' The captain
siued around his bullying eyes. you
look out for them. AS your great
grandfather used TO say, TO women,
only perlshable goods-sweets, flowers
aud kisses And you take II from me,
kisses aren't always the cheapest.
They say God made everything down
TO little apples and Jersey lightning.
But when be made women the devil
helped" The captains nervousness
dropped from his as he deliberately
drew out his watch and fob. Good
thing he did, too" he added. as a
pleasing afterthought. He leaned back
sin his chair. A complacent look came
over his face.
Alan got up to say good-by. The
captain arose. too, and clasped the hand
Alan held out. zone more thing" he
said. Don't forget there's always q
Wayne to back a Wayne for good or
bad" There was suspicion OF mois-
lure in his eye as be hurried his guest
on.
Back In his room Alan found letters
awaiting him. He read them and tore
them up-al but one. II was from
Glen. She wrote:
Dear Alan: Nance says you are golne
very far away. am sorry II has been
raining here very much. In tho hoilows
all the bridges are under water. have
Invented new game. II Is called steam
boat" I play II on old Dubbs, We 90
down into the valley and make him go
through the water around the bridges.
lie puifs Just like steamboat and when
he gets out he smokes all over. He ID
too fat hope you VIII come back very
soon. GLEN.
That evening Glenn was thrown into
transport by receiving her first tele-
gram. II read, ''You must not play
steamboat again. It Is dangerous,
Alan. She tucked It In her bosom
and rushed over to the Flrs to show II
10 Gerry.
Gerry and AiIx were spending the
summer at the Flrs, where Mrs. Ian
sling. Gerry's widowed mother, was
still nominally the hostess. They had
been married two years, but people
>
and In so doing stamped her with her
own seal. TO strangers they carried
the air OF couple about TO be mar
ried az the rational close of long en-.
gagement. No children or thought OF
children had come to turn the channel
OF life for AlIx. On Gerry marriage
sat as an added habit. II was begin.
ming to look as though he and Alix
drifted together not because they were
carried by the same currents but be
cause they were tied.
Where duller minds would have
dubbed Gerry the OK, Alan had named
aim the Rock. and Alan was right.
Gerry had a dignity beyond mere bulk.
He had all the powers OF resistance.
none OF articulation. Where a pin
prick would start an OK IL took an up
heavaI to move Gerry. An upheavnl
was on the way. but Gerry did not
know Ii. II was yet afar OF.
To the Lansings marriage had all
ways been one OF the regular func-
tions Of regulated llfe--part OF the
general scheme OF things. Gerry was
slowly realizing that his marriage with
ak was far from mere function. had
little to do with regular life and was
foreign to what he had always consId-
cred the general scheme OF things.
.Alix had developed. quite naturally,
into social butterfly. Gerry did not
picture her as chain lightning playing
on a rock, as Alan would have done,
but be did, IN vague way, feel that
bits or bis impassiye self were being
Clipped away.
Red Hi bored Allx and she SLOWED
IL. The FIRST summer after the mar
riage they had spent abroad. Now
AlIx' thoughts and talk turned con
stantiy toward Europe. She even sug.
gested a flying trip for the fall, but