Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1920-02-05

tresses came to disturb Treadgoid's
war-illed 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 T%readgold found himself
up against a power stronger than him
self. Unless he took a frightfully 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 vas 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
f%luence, and as successfully as he had
fought the lure of oil 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
Treadgold, "there will be less regret,
and II I come out whole, then a
straight path to something nifty, and
not masculine, for me-"
TN fact" he decided, something
just about the type Of Little Sad Eyes
there will be my fnish."
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 Treadgcld was a Won
derful thing. He could the less hap
PLY kill the Boche and destroy man
kind greedily were he to be reminded
constantly that he had left a 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 nan 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
tons.
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 he was not bringing the
tragedy of separation into some ones
life.
When the battle ragged for him he
was still more glad for q nasty bit Of
she'll caught him pretty squarely in
the temple.
Treadgold re-entered the world of
feminity on a stretcher. In other
words, he was carried tenderly if I'M
consciously into the hospital, where
F., the gentle, Stunned sex took him into
it's wonderful care.
1t was many weeks before Treadgold
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 a most delightful one. Sitting
by his bedside was q charming nurse
who started Immediately to do the
hundred and one comforting, soothing,
wonderful things about a bedside that
only a woman can do. Treadgold fan
Tied he smiled, but his brain was not
sufficiently brisk to be certain Of any
thing.
He looked eagerly at his nurse.
"Whose voice is that I hear?' he
asked her.
The nurse smiled at his excitement
scented q romance and told him all
she knew.
"Her name is Ida McVicker, and
she is the niece Of our staff surgeon
She was pining away by inches, II
seems, In America because she COULDN'T
do anything when all her brave coun
trymen were going off to fight"
"But how did she ever get ovel
herew burst out Treadgold, "from
cottage With roses"