Evening journal., 1919-11-18

mot with you as the target o. his
hobservatons. ] can't" said Smiley.
I'm goin' to get the G.. {. NJ. or bustl'
I said MurdOck.
mot you. George Christopher You
take my word for Il! Not when there a
woman In the case, you won't! She u!
bust your run OF luck. There's somethin
knows where an put crimp 70 your
propagandrum, George Christopher, my
boy. A man who's 'ad al your luck In
not gettin' found out Is goin' TO trip up
at the end as sure as my fist ere aim
commissariat rations. Specially when
there's a woman In the easel!
George Christopher Murdock, full OF
splendid resolutions not altogether un-
connected with the ham-and-beet shop,
TOOK the three-penny bus TO Richmond,
and arrived there after dark. His pros
pectiVe tather-in-law happened 10 have
gone to Kingston 10 see about a froeh
supply OF saveloys and beef that evening,
80 there was no chance OF interviewing
OF lngratiating himself by scrubbing the
shop floor.
But he called at the back door OF Mrs.
haviland's house on Richmond Hill and
got some beer and cold meat in the kitch-
en-unbeknOwn TO Mre Havland and
LOOK susie for a walk In Richmond Park
afterward.
When Mars makes love 20 Venus their
conversation Is very similar TO that Of
ordinary folk In like predicament and
what he told her underneath the horse
u AANNn nus nttM AANN 10 kAlNr ANW
often 10 bear detailed repetition. Except
that most Of his phrases had a military
smack 10 thcmi his cloquence on that
occasion was much like any other mans
All or his phrases were as understand
able as A+B-C TO Susie by this time and
the rest Of what he told her would have
been gold and frankincense and myrrh
TO any woman, soldiers girl or not
She assured him. in return. that Mr
Blakely was a merchant Of his word,
even u his merchandise did consist main
ly or ham and beef in slices, and she was
positive that what he had said about
the good conduc' medal would stand for
all time. Let George Christopher only
behave himself and win that most-dini-
cult-to-get OF medals. and the pcaling Of
the wedding bells would follow In due
course.
At p. m. exactiy. as her mistress al
ways stipulated. he saw Susie Blakely
back TO the big house on the hill. where
she was nursemaid. There he kissed her
EoOd-by, with due regard 10 military
form and docorum, and started Off to
walk back through the park 70 Kingston
Barracks.
At IL p. m. exactly. his leave OF ab-
sence would expire The canteen would
be closed al ten: II was not nine II
he got back before ten. the canteen would
still be open, and there would be a temp
tation 10 be fought. Therefore he would
walk and save throepence into the bar
gain. And since the night was fine, and
he had two whole hours In wnich 20 cover
a little more than three miles. why
hurry?
Like most soldiers-and particularly
cOckney soldiers-rabbits fascinated him.
He loved 20 watch the little darlinEs
gambol in the moonllght-and TO fling his
bayonet with an undo land Jerk. trans
fix a fat one and smugsie 1t back TO bar
racks inside his tunic
His quest brought him close 20 a big
pond and set him 10 listening and watch
ing silently from behind a tree. lie
watched for several minutes. completely
obsessed. before anything but the gam
boiling OF the rabbits drew away his rapt
attention. His hand was on his bayonet
hilt and he was poised on tiptoe for sud
den action when he heard a sob.
II was a bitter, sorrow-laden sob, torn
from the tortured soul OF a woman. For
a moment il startled George Christopher
very nearly out OF his senses.
His hrst instinct-immediateiy obeyed-|
was 70 jump clear OF the tree and strike
an attitude OF interested innocence. That
brought him full into the moonlight. ten
PAGES from a bench beside the pond. The
moment that he left the tree and showed
himself a little cry Of pleasure welcomed
80 you're come at lastr' said a low,
sweet voice, IN which tears still sounded
uppermost "Chariei I thought you
my names not Charlie. miss" said
Murdoch advancing toward the bench.
and making sure that his bayonet was
rammcd home in its sheath and his tunic
straight. "Can / help you IN any way
He could not see her very clearly yet.
for she was dressed in some dark stun
that blended with the night But she
seemed YOUNG; ana & her Vol voice was os,,rreii wei
to him that she could have no business
out IN the park alone so late at night.
He came three PAGES nearer. and she
Who arc your" she demanded. GO
owayi I mistook you for Cap"
NO. miss! Captains don't wear uni
forms when they're on duty. and mine
o. Frtf rnnFnfmfa mnffDFrm either. not 10y
a ,ong wayi Maybe III do Instead,
though. Was you lost7 III show you
the way. You amt got no call TO be
afraid OF mel Let me 'eip yer, missl Let
ono. thank youl You can only help
no by leaving me alonel II expected
some one. You didn't happen 20 see any, az y,
body coming IN this direction. did your
George % e. Christopher was peering at her
through the darkness very keenly. He
law more than eighteen, he thought, and
possibly still younger. SO far as ne was
able 70 Judge by the feeble moonlight !
she was lovelier than any woman he had
"You know, miss" he said respect 7
fully, "this amt no place for young
lady 20 be waitin' all alone at this
IA Let me see you to the gate? I'll
walk behind, SOS not 70 bother you.
an you go on in front, an change
Wuen 4 say
. ''No. thank you" she answered acid !
~. Il know quite well what ] am
iofng, and I don't need any assistance
from strangersl Would you mind
George Cbristopher could think OF
nothing else 10 do, so he left her. He
started Off I'm the direction OF the
Kingston gate as fast as he could lay
'oot to the ground.
Cause I'm a bloomin' soldier. . !
i'pose 1 amt good enough 70 see 'er
10 the perishin' gate!" ne muttered
20 himself.
He felt indignant at the rebuff he
had received, and anxious 70 put as
much ground between her and him
elf as possible. He stopped. though. D
before he had gone. a hundred yards,
and turned and listened he had
leard another sob.
He listened intently for a minute or 1
nore Then he heard another sob-then j
smash That settled H. He clcnched I
,is gsts tucked his head down and came |
lie found the bench beside the pond de- |
For or a moment II did not occur 70 him |
q look into the water. He ran up and ]
Iown past the bench on the landward F!
ide Of Il. peering among the trees and /
Ie could find no traces Of her, and he /
.ad stopped 70 scratch his head and .
hink when his eyes fell on something
lack that was moving on the water at [
iiftie distance from the shore II was J.
moving away from him, toward the mid
le of the pond, and he lost no further
ime. He threw his cap on and plunged
II was the girl, all right-wadlng IN
and houndering about waist
eep. The water was rather shallow. but
he bottom of the pond was Uttered up
With roots and reeds and fallen branches
nd. in his hurry TO overtake her he put
ie foot wrong once or twice and plunged
4 headlong. once he found a deep hole,
umbled into II and disappeared head
ndcr.
That scared him, Tor one or George