Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-03

after few minutes, this one will be
just right" and she picked up small
tightly curled shell, the inside of which
was packed with fine, hard sand. The
sand just makes it heavy enough u
throw" she said. unconsciously speak
ing aloud in her interest. "Tll try to
nit that as dark ar tba spot there on the
up and taking careful aim, she sent the
little shell spinning across the water.
Fascinated, she watched it go-and
then
Mercy, what was that" for hoarse
cry burst out upon the stiffness. Aline
stood alone for a moment. stunned. II
must have struck some one" she de-
cided quickly: and fear lending wings
to her feet, she sped around the curve
of the beach and over the hard sand TO
the other side.
"Oh, why did ever do such a silly
thing she almost sobbed in her anX-
iety. u may have killed some one"
And in her terror she rushed OH with a
fresh burst of speed
Hardly seeing where she went. and
running 50 fast that she was not able
TO stop at once, Aline nearly fell over
the hgure of a young man sitting
against a rock ruefully rubbing his
forehead with one hand, and with the
other wipng away the little stream of
blood that trickled down his face from
a cut on his temple.
"Why-wi-why-" stammered the
girl. completely out of breath from her
The one" he answered, a little puz-
zled. "Why-er-yes, | guess | must
be; that is, whichever one You mean,
guess I'm it" getting slightly mixed
girls troubled face.
why, | mean are you the one that
shouted for help just now" explained
Alne.
Shouted" he replied Well, / should
say | did. You see, | was sound asleep
| when this thing came along in such
| hurry. Why, | thought a shell from a
12-inch field gun had struck me. and |
| certainly must have yelled loud enough
to have scared off a whole, regiment of
the enemy. You see, at first / really
didn't know just what had happened.
! I'm sorry if | frightened you. Won't
you sit down a moment? and he spread
| his coat out on the sand.
| We'll, really, you did give me quite a
shock,", admitted the girl, sinking down
upon the, sand: just beginning to feel
| the reaction. But then" she went on,
II really deserved it, for, you see, /
threw the shell. | do hope it hasn't
Nothing but scratch" he assured
her, taking down his handkerchief, to
| prove his words. IT'S not worth talk
ing, about and certainly not worth the
awful racket l must have made. But
you see it was the shock, coming as it
! did when ! was sound asleep But
there's no harm, done, SO don't give it
another moments thought"
And so they sat there in the glory
of the summer sunshine and chatted as
| only two young folks can talk, who are
mutually attracted to each other, and
for the rest of the morning and many
morning thereafter Sammie Allen and
Lem Crothers's summer boarder walked
together on the hard stretch of sand
that lay between their two homes.
But three months is not forever, and
the end of the 'furlough was drawing
near. Again, the two young people sat
on the sand at the very spot where
In atInl
pected manner.
In low tones Sammie Allen was
speaking to the girl at his side. My
times nearly up, Aline," he said. and
/ shall have to GO back, Aline, now,
and think that. our pleasant days are
over" He looked at her suggest'vely.
Must they quite-over. Aline?" He
rose and, taking her two hands in his.
helped the girl to her feet. "Aline, little
girl, won't you tell me that there'll be
even happier days for me-for us-when
l come home-fOr good?"
And with smiling eyes and little
tremulous smile on her lips, the girl
went into the outstretched arms that
awaited her, and when he sought her
II really think that am the only
man in the company who can truth
fully say that he has suffered twice
from shell shock and survived" said
first took away the use of my arms
and legs for a little while, but the
second robbed me of my heart for
| ever"
We'll. | was frightened out of my
wits when 1t happened" confessed Aline
but since 1t has turned out like this, :,
giving his arm a little squeeze, why
now, of course, I'm very glad that ]
gave you that second shell shock"
And together they wended their way
toward the Allen farmhouse,
Fridays Complete Nouelette--
"QUALIFYING."