Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-04-20
CHAPTER ii-continued.

1T doesn't amount to an appoint
ment. Just job as 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 p
The question came like solid shot
out of a four-pounder. Alan started,
colored and smiled, all at the same
time.
"No. thanks. sir" he replied, ave
got all 1 need"
The captain hitched his chair for
ward, placed his hands on his knees,
leaned forward and glared out on the
avenue. 'The Lansings," he began,
like boy reciting piece, ARE 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 1t
was just plain strong heads for wine.
say. don't worry about drink. There's
a safety valve in every Wayne's gul'
let.
But women, Alanw The captain
siued around his bullying eyes. "You
look out for them. As your great
grandfather used to say, TO women,
only perishable goods-sweets. flowers
and kisses And you take it from me,
kisses aren't always the cheapest
They say God made everything-down
to little apples and Jersey lightning
But when he 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
pleasing afterthought. He leaned back
in 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. lone 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'
ture in his eye as he hurried his guest
off.
Back In his room Alan found letters
awaiting him. He read them and tore
them up-all but one. 1t was from
Glen. She wrote:
Dear Alan: Nance says you are going
very far away. ! am sorry. 1t has beer
raining here very much. In the hollows
h-3l ND nave
invented a new game. 1t is called steam
boat" I play it on old Dubbs. We &C
down into the valley and / make him &C
through the water around the brluges
He puffs just like a steamboat and wher
he gets out he smokes all over. He is
too fat. hope you will come back very
soon. SLEM'
That evening Glenn was thrown into
a transport by receiving her first tele'
gram. 1t read, You must not play
steamboat again, 1t Is dangerous
Alan" She tucked 1t In her bosom
and rushed over to the Firs to show II
to Gerry.
Gerry and Alix were spending the
summer ut the FRS. where Mrs. Ian
sing, Gerry's widowed mother, was
still nominally the hostess, They had
been married two years. but people
still spoke OF Alix as Gerry's bride
and in so doing stamped her with bel
own seal. To strangers they carried
the air of a couple about to be mar
ried at the rational close OF long en-
cagement. No children or thought oil
children had come to turn the channe
of life for Alix. On Gerry marriage
sat as an added habit. 1t was begin
ming to look as though he and AilS
drifted together not because they were
carried by the same currents out De
cause they were tied.
Where dulier minds would have
dubbed Gerry the OK, Alan had named
him 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 it took an up
heaval to move Gerry. An upheava
was on the way, but Gerry did no
know II. IT was yet afar of.
To the Lansings marriage had al
WAYS been one Of the regular func
tons of a regulated Iife-part OF thu
general scheme of things. Gerry was
slowly realizing that his marriage witt
Alix was far from mere function, hae
little to do with a regular life and wa'
foreign to what be had always consld
cred the general scheme OF things
Allx had developed, quite naturally
into a social butterfly. Gerry did no
picture her as chain lightning play Ing
on a rock. as Alan would have done
but he did. In n vague way. feel tina
bits of his impassive self were BEING
Clipped away.
Red Hill bored Alix and she showed
it. TIE urst summer after the mar
riage they had spent abroad. Nov
Alx' thoughts and talk turned con
ttant.v toward Europe. She even sug
g4ased & Gyng trip for the fall. Blu