Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1919-07-09

tresses came to disturb Treadgold's
war-filled brain. These had been fleet
ing, easily banished dreams.
"Ancient past!" the fighting man
would mutter grimly.
But in the case of Lida's blue.eyed,
wistful face Treadgold found himself
up against Il power stronger than him
self. Unless he took frightfnlly cir
cuitous route, his billet led him
straight past the cottage, with Ida
either in it singing with melancholy
sweetness, or gazing appealingly from
the garden gate straight into the eyes
Of the passer-by.
Treadgold was annoyed when he
saw her and upset for the day when
he didn't see her. He felt that the
girl was aware Of his presence on the
path, whether he passed or didn't
pass. This feeling, too, irritnted him.
He decided, hOwever-and with the
decision his jaw clinked-that he
would fight this unknown girls in
fluence, and as successfully as he had
fought the lure of all his feminine
world when he had first entered the
army. Soon France would see him an
actual fighter on the battlefield.
"And If remain on that battlefield
when the fight Is done," philosophical
TrcadgOld, there will be less regret,
and II I come out whole, then
strnight path to something nifty, and
not masculine. for me-"
"In fact" he decided, "something
just about the type of Little Sad Eyes
there will be my finish."
So he fought the magnet and con-
quercd. Had Treadgold been another
type Of man he could have managed
to meet the girl who had stirred his
pulses, could have loved and sailed
away. But he was not that kind Of
man. Love to TreadgOld was n Won
derful thing. He could the less hap
PLY kill the Boche and destroy man
kind grccdly were he to be reminded
constantly that he had left wife be-
hind. He knew that ever behind the
sword thrust Of battle he would sense
the humanity side of the question,
would realize before killing the man
that he was also killing the woman
whom that man had left behind-kill-
ing her happiness at least.
Besides, Trendgold knew that should
he marry girl like Little Sad Eyes he
would be consumed with longing for
her every moment that held him from
her side. He had not the strength to
fight both the enemy and his own emo
tiOns.
So when the great ship stole out un-
der cover Of darkness from the New
York wharf and sailed out toward
France Treadgold found himself re-
joicing that he was not. bringing the
tragedy of separation into some ones
life.
When the battle ragged for him he
was still more glad for nasty bit Of
shell caught him pretty sQuarely in
the temple.
Treadgold re-entered the world Of
fem!n:ty Oil stTetchcr. In other
words he was carried tcnderly If un-
consciously into the hospital, where
the gentle, stunned sex took him into
It's wonderful care.
1t was many weeks before TrcadgOld
knew that he had re-entcrcd the world
where feminity played n vital part for
consciousness was long in returning to
him. His first waking glimpse was
however Il most delightful one Sitting
by his bedside was a charming nurse
who started Immediately to do the
hundred and one comforting, soothing,
wonderful things about bedside that
only woman can do. Trcadgold fan
cicd he smiled, but his brain was not
sufficiently brisk to be certain Of any
thing.
His progress was more rapid after
that fist glimpse and he realized that
n world with women in 1t was good
place to get back to. His nurses hands
were slim and caressing and her hair
waved softly about her smooth brow.
Treadgold wondered If he would event
ually find himself in love with her
He was, In fact, drifting in that de
rectiOn when, during q dull afternoon
in the hospital, he heard the trailing
melancholy Of voice. Instantly
Treadgold knew that 1t was the same
voice augmented in sweetness and tim
Der that had quickened his letharglc
pulse-far back in America. For
America seemed frightfully distant to
Treadgold after the smoke and fire of
battle and the long lapse from con-
sclOusness.