The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-11-07


perhaps he read between the Iines-at
all events he wrote a letter of con-
siderable length sending in his next
nonmilitary stOry-the hero this time
was a South Sea island planter, with
out a suspicion of khaki-and of so
friendly a character that II. B. Shan
ley was constrained to write an
equally friendly letter in reply. Again
that editor congratulated him on his
rare discernment in keeping his he
rOes out of the war game Unless you
can tell your story like a genius and
have an entirely new twist, any war
story now would be deadwoOd. They
have all been written except the really
great ones" The correspondence con-
tinued for several months and the
stories appeared at close intervals.
Then patrick Henry asked permits
sion TO meet II. B. Stanley and the
interview was carefully arranged to
take place in the Purple Book editorial
Office on the afternoon in the week
when Mr.. Truman played golf. He
had quite set himself at ease on the
matter of enlisting now, so sure was
he of Helen's attitude on that score,
and it was only because he had not
definitely decided whether when he
did ask this colleague of his to be
come Mrs. Truman he should sHpulate
that she should continue her post in
the off1ce-he dreaded the presence of
anyone else-or whether he should
arrange to have her do the house
keeping in some conveniently arranged
i 49, rT-
her into his full confidence as to his
intentions. He was planning to set
tie this question for himself that after
noon on the golf course. Perhaps the
next day he would make his declara-
ton.
But the next day he was in no
hurry. Helen was in a wonderfully
joyous mood and this seemed decided
" suspicious. It would be time enough
at five o'clock to ask her.
patrick Henry turned out to be
of the feminine gender, dare say?"
he asked, as he glanced over proofs on
his desk of that writer's latest con-
tribution.
Miss nothing" laughed Helen, ''and
the funny thing was he"
$50 it was a man after an?' Mr.
Truman felt an irritation that he could
not account for.
cit was so funny. He is really per-
fectly wonderful. I hadn't told you,
but we had got very well acquainted
with each other through the letters
we have written. knew I liked
him, but imagined he was going to be
some quiet, StudiouS little man Of
about your build.'
'fWeIl?' Mr.. Truman was distinctly
irritated at that remark.
'Well, he wasn't at all. You see he
had discovered in the third letter that
wasn't a man, and-well, I don't
know how it happened, but we got aw-
fully fond Of each other, and-weH,
he asked me to marry him, and I said
I couldn't say yes till I'd seen him.
And he said there was something about
him that I might dislike very much.
He thought I would, he said, from
something I said in one of my first
letters. You see I told him I was
glad his heroes didn't have broad
shoulders, or something like that, and
well, you see he has, and he turned
out to be Capt. Patrick Henry Madison.
Isn't that wonderful? Iexplained, OF
course, that what said about stories
had nothing to do tn the way felt as
a girl. So I just said yes right away,
and I thought I'd tell you first be
cause you and have always been such
good chums, and-Patrick and 1 viii
be married in a week or so. I thought
you ought to have time to find some
1t,
Mr.. Truman was signing letters
with an air of considerable preoccU-
patton. He gently stroked his bald
patch and Strengthened his blue serge
shoulders.
''It's very funny that a man In The
service would be content to leave ali
patriotic flavor out of his stories. I
should think he would be so enthusiast
tic ne would want to-" Mr.. Truman
had definitely decided he wouldn't like
Captain Patrick
sob, he's enthusiastic, ell right, and
he's going to write one great big thrill
ing war story. He's just been wait
ing till he could write a really great
one. You'll take it, won't you, Mr..
Truman?
'fYes-unIess Pm not here either.
You see, I've been thinking of getting
into the war myself. There is mighty
strong appeal about khaki and all that
sort Of thing" and the associate editor
assured him that there was.