The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-02-20
Re-enter
Treadgold

By DOROTHY DOUGLAS
Copyright, 1913, by the Mcclure \
per SYndicate1

Copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per SYndicate-1
1t was the trailing melancholy of her
voice that first stirred TreadgoId's 1e-
thargic pulse into action. Later ne had
a too ieeting glimpse of a pale oval
face framed in tawny gold as Ida
gazed wistfully from the rose-hung
gate that opened into her cottage gar
den.
Treadgold was annoyed with himself
that the quality of the girls voice had
twined itself among his senses and in
dignant at womenkind in general mere
ly because Lidas eyes had stabbed
his heart with a silent appeal.
Ever since the day ne had donned
the khaki uniform and become a sol
der to fight for his country Tread
gold had eschewed anything even Dor
dering on the feminine. He had
Stunned that thrifty. fascinating.
heady world of the gentle sex as if it
had the plague running wild within its
borders. War was a thing apart-a
business that must be sternly followed.
There must be no cOunter-magnet lur-
ing the senses from the austere pur-
poses of the fighting man.
During his six months at training
camp his brain had been far too busy
for the most part in trying master the
contents of some twenty or more text
books, as well as drills, field practice
and d few more Oddments of learning,
to find much time for missing the fem
mime part of life.
A few more months at camp, where
hn of hn fol-
had been sent to officer the troops,
quite rounded off Treadgold's ability
to live happily and usefu1ly without
the love OF woman.
In weaker moments, perhaps under
the influence of glorious moon or the
trickle of woodland stream, remem-
brance Of dainty, smiling lips, a swift
caress or the fragrance of rumpled
traces came TO disturb Treadgold's
war-fiIled 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 TreadgoId found himself
up against power stronger than him.
self. Unless he took q frightfulIy 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, irritated him.
He decided, however-and with the
decision his jaw clinked-that he
would fight this unknown girls in
f1uence, 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 I remain on that battlefield
when the fight is DONE" philosophical
TreadgOId, "there will be less regret,
and if I come out whole, then
straight path to something nifty, and
not masculine, for me-"
"In fact" he decided, something
just about the type of Little Sad Eyes
thereswill be my finish"
So he fought the magnet and con-
quered. 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 a Won
derful thing. He could the less hap
PLY kill the BOche and destroy man
kind greedily were he to be reminded
L. l., \ T-.E4 =
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, Treadgold knew that should
he marry a 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 I'M
der cover of darkness from the New
York wharf and sailed out toward
France Treadgold found himself re-
joicing that be was not bringing the
tragedy of separation into some ones
life.
When the ba1Je ragged for him he
was still more gtad for nasty bit of
shell caught him p1ctty squarely in
the temple.
Treadgold re-entele& the world of
feminity on a stretched. In other
words, he was carried tcnderly if I'M
consciously into the hospital, where
the gentle, Stunned sex took him into
it's wonderful care.
1t was many weeks before TreadgoId
knew that he had re-entered the world
where feminity played a vital part for
consciousness was long in returning to
him. His first waking glimpse was
however 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. Treadgold fan
cied he smiled, but his brain was not
= sufficiently brisk TO be certain of any