The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-08-30

I wanted to fling my arms around
him again, to crush him close against
my qufvering body - to use every
lure of voice and charm to hold MIN.
But tnstinc tively I knew that II would
do no good. Jim was all soldier now.
The wtles that might hold man,
lover, would only repel him.
you think you are fit for active
service 2" questioned.
II do. I'm practically sure or It.
This limp won't matter when I'm
flying" Jim spoke gravely. as if he
were discussing the matter with an
other man. He seemed quite, unaware
that he was alone with his wife
the woman he loved.
tits 11:15. Will you call the por-
ter on the phone, Anne, and have
him get me a berth on the train for
Washington. There's one in about an
hour. I'll pack up while you attend
to that
I carried out his bidding mechan-
| ica1ly made reservations and dis
cussed plans with the porter quite as
| if it was the editor of Ha1dane's
| Magazine for whom I was arranging
! and again barbara Lee efficient
| business woman.
Then I turned to my husband.
| WAS this before you met me?" I
asked.
Jim looked up inpatient1y from the
bag he was packing:
'Was that before I met you?''
S'Your application to the War
Deartnne nt %
"I don't just remember - what
does it NATTER"
I dared not to tell him - but to me
it mattered beyond everything else in
the world. If Jim had made his ap-
plication before I came into his life
had made it because he was a SOL
der and felt the stir of battle in
| his blood = would try to accept
pain and loneliness as a soldiers
wife must. But if it was after [ had
come into his life - then it seemed
to me that our love was = failure I
had been jealous of Betty Bryce -
that was nothing compared to the
h1deous bitterness I felt now
Through my brain again and again
flashed these questions:
Wife or country? Wife or coun-
try? Does a man ten days married
go back to war if marriage has
brought him happiness? Has Jim tir-
ed of me - already?"
remembered som ething he had
said to me on our very first morn
ing at Walgrave. I had to put it in
to Words-to discuss it with him.
Jim do you remember-just two
days ago when you brought me here
that you said perhaps you'd never
had any right to marry me? Was
this - why?"
"Anne, can't you see I'm trying to
make a train? I'll never get my
things packed if you keep nagging at
me. How do L know what 1 meant
couple of days ago? Give a fellow
hand here - there's good old
girl
And so-with the unanswered uues-
ton between u.s., L helped Jim pack.
He needed my help, and handing him
brushes and combs and handkerchief
and packages of documents gave me
back the feeling of belonging in his
life The world might 'totter about
me later, but for the present 1 n t
see that my husband didn't start off
without the proper quota of pajamas.
When I could keep silence no
longer L Ventured a question.
limits our first separation.
Will you - miss me?"
Il sure WILL" replied my husband
heartily. Yet he'd used as deeply
emotional a tone in discussing the
lack of wheat bread in America.
II like to go to the station with
you. 1t won't cost any more. I'll
walk back" L suggested
81 should say not! L wouldn't
trust my girl to strange taxi driver
at this hour of the night, and walking
is out of the question:
(TO BE CONTINUED