The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-23
EVENING STORY
What the Major Knew.
BY DORA NOLAN.


from Beth. Yet as he sat in the train
that was speeding him to the home
town on a seventy-two-hour leave the
second day after the docking of his
ship, his heart was high and no carp
ing finger of doubt plucked at his
heart strings.
For Floyd was not the only soldier,
by many hundreds, who had gotten no
mail from home for weeks and months
upon end, tho many were the loving
messages that had been sent them.
And he knew the especial liability to
loss of their mail that fell to the lot of
men whose experiences were like his.
Hubert had been one of those SOL
dierS whom the fates seem to con-
spire to keep away from their own
commands. Within a week of de-
barkation in France he had been de-
regimental headquarters whence had
come a loud cry for help from expert
accountants among the enlisted men to
straighten out the tangled paper
work" of the organization. Thence he
had been chased back to the port of
debarkation on a hunt for some unac-
counted-for military property.
Next came a transfer to brigade
headquarters and an expert clerical
job under which he chafed.
Then all Unexpectedly. the big
push" and for a month Floyd almost
slept on a motorcycle as a dispatch
bearer, tearing over the roads of
France and encountering every or
ganization in his division but his own
battalion, which had been meantime
detached to serve with the French.
Twice for a fevered hour he had
gotten into the red flood of battle,
each time with a different and
carnage unscathed. Then, back on the
motorcycle, returning to division head
quarters after delivering a highly i'm
portant message to the commander of
battalion just going in" the end
of the world, seemingly, had come
out of the sky where Hun bomber
had evaded the vigilance of the Ameri-
can scouts-and Floyd had found con-
seriousness on a train headed for a base
hospital.
There he had remained for seven
weeks while the two broken and man
gled arms were restored to usefulness.
After that period in a convaleScent
hospital and one day an order to re-
port again to division Headquarters
And all this time, and the rest of
the time over there without one word
from home not a sign from Beth
but who could wonder? Wars must
be fought as best they may and SOL
diers must be here or there as the
exigencies of the service demand,
whether one hears from the loved ones
or not.
And Floyd Hobart was a soldier
to the marrow of his bones. Too
brave a soldier and too true a man
to doubt the conetancy of the girl
who had promised to be his wife Just
because her letters had gone astnay
so there was no shadow, no pre-
monition of evil, no cloud upon the
strong mans faith, as the hurrying
train carried him nearer and nearer
to home-and to the happiness he
had yearned for all this frenzied year.
Floyd had wired Beth Hardwick
that he would arrive in the home
town by the. train on which he was
travelling.
There were many people on the sta
ton platform as the soldier, first pas
senger to alight, swung from the car
step, but his keen eyes found Beth's
erect and well-clad figure instantly.
Then it was that the first warning
came.
The girl had not yet seen him, and
as she scanned the trickle of detrain-
ing passengers Floyd could see none
OF that eager anticipation, none of
that JOY of imminent welcome in her
eyes, OF which he had been so sure.
Beth was pale, and worry had
stamped itself upon her face.
In moment more she had seen
MIN and took step or two in his
direction as he hurried to her. But
there was apprehension, nervous gay
ETY. and a queer. unaccustomed air of
defiance in her manner, all at the
same time. Floyd's heart turned to
lead within him.
Tn very. very glad you're safely
back, Floyd" Beth said-apd even as
she spoke. in a constrained, unnatural
voice, Hobart saw that the little soli-
taire was gone from her left hand.
He drew her aside from the crowd
on the platform. 81 can see, Beth"
he said Tell me about it. I've
And Beth told him.
1t was Fred Terrell. Terrell of
tloyds own company-Terrell the
lawyer, who had come home from the
training camp the week before the
regiment sailed, utterly cast down be-
cause at the last moment he had been
rejected by the medical officers on
account of lamentably imperfect
vision.
He had almost wept as he told Beth
of the bitter disappointment a strong
man suffers at being, against his pro-
tests and in conflict with his dearest
hopes. compelled to stay out of so glo-
rious a crusade.
Beth had felt so sorry for himi
And then he had been so splendid
afterward-had made such wonderful
speeches urging on the growth of the
peoples will to victory, even consent
ing to enter politics, which he abb
horred, so that he might. in the state
assembly, lend his sturdy patriotic aid
to the war governor!
And he had been such a miracle of
kindness and consideration to Beth in
her loneliness after Floyd had gone.
And somehow Floyd, away over there
in the midst of the vast turmoil, en-
gagged in such great heroic things.
seemed to need her so much less than
this disappointed friend at home, who
was denied the dearest aspiration of
patriotic young Americanl
And-oh. well. Floyd would under
stand And, anyway, he must have
far outgrown ordinary little Beth
Hardwiclxi
Hobart took his sentence like the
soldier he was. But he could not help
wishing, bitterly. that the Huns bomb
had fallen a rod nearer.
1t was Andrews, the major doctor.
just returned to civil life, who bulIied
his bosom friend. Floyd, into confess