The diamond drill., 1919-04-05


Syndicate.)
snow, what shall do nextT
thought mischievous little Miss Court
ney Burke. She made a very pretty
picture as she sat on the dark sofa.
her golden head laid against II and
her dark gray eyes gazing earnestly
at the ceiling.
AS she was sitting there her broth
er's little two-year-old girl came into
the room. She toddled up 10 Courtney
and said: "Me wife letter TO papa
poor papa. way of dere in Fance."
"What have you got. Heleny' Court
ney asked her.
Helen held up newspaper which
showed several pictures of soldiers.
Suddenly Courtney's eyes danced
michlevously and She eagerly scanned
the faces OF the soldiers TO find one 10
whom she thought the word romance"
would fit.
She came TO the name OF Lieut.. Ar
thur Stanton. Then she stopped and
looked at the half-finished sweater be-
side her.
"IIl finish this sweater" she said.
"and there won't be any, harm in writ
Ing little fbte for lonely soldier"
Accordingly. after the khaki sweater
was finished she wrote CHEEKY little
note and signed her niece's name,
miss Helen Burke" TO It.
Time went on, and Courtney had
very nearly forgotten about letters
and sweaters. when a letter came for
her little niece. Upon opening IL
she found very interesting and
grateful letter from Lieut.. Arthur
Stanton.
He thanked her for the sweater, also
for the letter, which. he said, was the
first that he had received from the
good old u 8. A., closing by asking
her 10 write as often as was possible.
Courtney wrote TO him, and she re-
ceived his nice letters, but all the
while she had the guilty feeling that
she was deceiving him.
A long time elapsed and the letters
ceased. She wondered and watched
for them. Until now, she did not
know how much those letters had
meant To her. She was angry with
herself for thinking and feeling as
she did. What did she know about
him1 Nothing, only what he had writ.
ten her.
She soon lad other things TO take
up her mind. as her brother had writ
ten that he was coming home on
short furlough.
II was very warm day In June that
Courtney had just finished combins
her little niece's hair, as Helens papa
was expected home that day. There
was a strong resemblance between the
seventeen-year-old aunt and her little
two-year-old niece.
The bell rang and Courtney jumped
up and ran out of the nursery. She
hurried TO the door, but instead Of see
| ing her brother. as she expected. she
looked into the merry brown eyes OF
young soldier.
"Does Miss Helen Burke live heref
he inquired politely.
Courtney replied in the affirmative
and after asking him In she called hei
little niece.
The soldier expressed no surprise a
seeing the little tot instead OF "A grown
! up young lady, but he introduced him
self as Lieut.. Arthur Stanton.
Courtney turned red, then white
She didn't know whether To cry or I,
laugh. so she turned 10 the window
until she could get control of her
self.
What would she do? Here he wat
making himself right at home, payinl
no more attention 10 her than II sh'
wasn't there. Oh. dear why did sh'
write that letter? She might have
known she would get into trouble-sh,
always did My, but he was yer!
good-looking fellow at that. Well, tn,
only thing To do was to tell him tn,
! truth.
! Lieutenant Stanton. wish TO max,
an apology" she said.
He raised his eyebrows and stoo,
up. His young figure was very erect
as he stood with his head throw
back, and she just couldn't help bu
admire the man. His black hair wave,
she always did love curly hair.
Oh, why did he look at her so close
ly! 1t made things so much harder.
"Oh. Helen" she said suddenly
please go and get the newspaper Ii
auntys desk"
AS the little one toddled away
Courtney looked az him again, and sh
thought. "how could l ever have don
such thing"
Lieutenant Stanton stood waiting Il
silence for her 10 speak, and II ther
was twinkle OF fun In his dark eyes
she failed 10 see it
She opened her lips TO speak, thel
burst into tears. lie let her cry
while. then spoke very gently: mis-
Burke, think ! know what you ar
about 10 say. Please don't apologize
for ANYTHING / knOW all about n -