The Topeka state journal., 1919-04-12

No, they were not staying to dinner
with their brother. they told the re-
iieved houseman. Steil and Eva sunk
in ose-colored cushions. They rather
avoided each others eyes.
Where do you suppose he can be?"
she demanded.
And then there was a little click.
The two women sat up. tense. The
door opened. 10 came In. He blinked
a little.
"why-Evel why, B4bel weni
Why didn't you let me know?''
I'VE were just about to leave. We
thought you weren't coming home"
"I was in the jam on Michigan.
watching the boys go by" He sat down
heavily. The light from the window
fell on him. And you saw that his eyes
were red.
And you'll have to learn why. He
had found himself one of the thousands
in the jam on Michigan avenue. as he
said. He had place near the curb.
Then the crowd had cried. Here they
come! Here come the boysl"
Just at that moment two little.
futile, frepzied fist began to beat q
mad tattooo on 10 Hertz's broad back.
The little fists kept up their frantic
beating and pushing. And a voice
cried LET me by! I can't see! You
man, youl You big fat man! My boys
going by-to war-and I can't see!
Let me by!"
10 scrooged around. still keeping his
place. He looked down. And upturned
to him in agonized appeal was the fac
of little Emily.
why, Emily. how in the woridl-'
MY husband. He made me promise
/ fA -hxro fr Tn of hn
| "Jo?"
JOS my boy. And he's going to war.
So ran away. had to see him.
had to see him 60"
sWhy, sure" said 10. "Of course
you want to See him." And then the
crowd gave a great roar.
| "There he isl Emily shrilled. above
the din. There he Isl There he isl
There he"
Which one? Which one. Emily?'
| '"The handsome one. The handsome
one. .There!"
Point h.m out" Jo commanded.
show me. Never mind. 1 see him.
Somehow, miraculously. he had pick
ed him from among the hundreds. Had
picked him as surely as his own father
might have. 1t was Emily:s boy. He
was marching by. rather stiff1y. He
was nineteen, and fun-loving. and he
| had a girl, and he didn't particularly
want to go to France and-to go to
France. But more than he had hated
| going he had hated not to go. So he
marched by. looking straight ahead.
his jaw set SO that his chin stuck out
| Just little. Emily's boy.
| 10 looked at him. and his face flush
ed purple, His eyes. the hard-boiled
eyes of a Loop hound, took on the look
l0N MI nj Nd An1xg ha
was no longer 10. the sport: old ].
Hertz, the gay dog. He was 10 Hertz.
| thirty. In love with life. in love with
Emily.
| Another minute and the boy had
passed on up the broad street.
Emily was clingins to 10. She was
mumbling something over and over. Il
can't. I can't. Don't ask me to. 1
can't let him CO. Like that. can't
| why, Emi1yi We wouldn't have
| him stay home. would we? We
wouldn't want him to do anything diff
ferent. would we? Not our boy. I'm
| glad he enlisted. I'm proud of him.
So are you glad"
| So 1t was that when Jo entered his
own hallway half an hour later he
| blinked, dazedly. and when the light
| from the window fell on him you saw
that his eyes were red.
Eva was not one to beat about the
BUSH She sat forward in her chair,
clutching her bag rather neryously.
Now, look here. 10. Stell and are
here for a reason. We're here to tell
you that this things rot to stop"
Thing? Stop?"
you know very well what I meant
| Something gathering in JOS face
SHOULD have warned her. But he was
| slumped down in his chair in such
| hudile. and he looked SO CID and fat
that she did not heed It
But he got to his feet then. shaking.
and at What she saw in his face even
Eva faltered a I'd stopped.
rYoulr he began. low-voiced. omin-
GUS. "Yo1i" He raised 8 great fist
high you two murderersi You didn't
consider me. twenty years ago. You
come to me with talk like that.
| Where's my boyi You killed him. you
| two. twenty years ago. And now he
belongs to somebody else. where's my
son that should have gone marching
by today? Where's my soni Answer
me that, you two selfish. miserable wo-
men. Where's my soni Out of my
house! Out before hurt you!"
They fed. terrified. The door bang
ed behind them.
10 passed one moist. fabby hand
over his forehead and II came away
wet. The telephone rang. He sat
stiil. But II rang and rang insistently.
eHellol'' He knew instantly the voice
at the other end.
Listen, 10. The crowds coming
over tonight. I've fixed up a little
poker game for you. just eight OF u.s."
i can't come tonight. Cert"
10 stood staring at the black mouth
piece of the telephone. He was seeing
. procession go marching by. Boys,
hundrec Of boys. in khaki.
10. heres something the matter.
You're sick. I'm coming right over"
Leave u Aione!" cried Jo, sudden.