Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-01-24
CHAPTER II.

Nine o'clock on a night In June-noe
June evening, heavy-starred on vel
vet. but furious June night. with
Stygfan blackness looping overhead,
and Stygian water battering and boil
Ing against the hull plates. The ship
was dark as the night itself: blind
dark. without a single ray to play the
traitor. On deck solitary venturer
Rugged the rail. and Alphabetically
watched the waves tear past.
Out Of the warmth and cheer and
the vitiated atmosphere Of the smox-
Ing room came Martin Harmon. big.
florid. exuberant. A heaving lift Of
the deck sent him lurching sidewise
he saved his balance by struggling
toward the rail. when suddenly the
slope was reversed, and he slipped
and slid to the barrier OF safety,
clutched II. and found himself at arms
length from the lonely watcher, who
hadn't stirred. or even turned his
head.
"Hello!" said Harmon. his surprise
tinctured with easy familiarity. "Some
night"
yes. It is." The tone Of the 10.
Spouse was curt. so curt that Harmon
fnstinctively leaned forward to dis
cover what expression Of countenance
went with 1t. The night was so black
that he might as well have tried to
penetrate curtain Of solid fabric.
"seen any U-boafs yetr' he asked
humorously.
"Not yet" The taciturn one moved
q trifie away; q man less thin-skinned
and less dined and wined than Har-
mon would probably have taken the
hint and removed himself. but Har-
mons was an inquisitive disposition,
and he never attempted to curb IT.
he was the sort Of travelling compan.
Ion who makes Christians reflect up
on the dennftion Of justifable homi.
eide.
"what Is your liner he inquired
after pause.
Tho other man laughed quecrly.
Tho drst n. II 1t makes 80
much difference to you"
''Beg pardon7 don't quite get you.
You said :"
II said the first line. meant the
arst-line trenches. I've been in It."
Harmon jerksd his head upward in
comprehension.
"Oh, I~seel You mean the wari
And you've been right on the spot
where the fighting Is? Pretty lively
up there. isn't IT. Something stirring
most all the timer
IT imagine so." The other mans
accent was amazingly dimdent. and
Harmon pesred at him, incredulous.
'Good Lord, don't you know1"
mot great deal. I happened to
get hit the first day ( was In the
trenches"
but you got in It again afterward,
I SUPPOSED I'll bet you did!"
mo"
"whatl You never got back At all,
lust ono day. and you're through?"
Eyes. After I was discharged from
hospital I was discharged from the
army too. Permanently unfit"
"Ensliah army1"
"No-French."
"weil, that's some rscord!" said
Harmon appreciativsly. THAT Ger
tainly is some record! Not to say
tough luck-the toughest kind. Going
back hons. I take it,'
"Looks that way, doesn't IT."
Harmon ignored the sarcasm
''Back TO work, Oh? What did you
ny your line isr'
II didn't say. haven't any Just
now"
Harmon pondsred second.
"Oh! Gentleman Of leisurei Sol
der Of fortune, eh1 Well. wouldn't
worry II wsre you. You're disap-
pointed; that's natural but the
world hasn't como 70 an end yet. OF
course II Is something Of con,e-down
to leave the army and get into harness
again, but after all there's plenty OF
excitement right in the United States.
Biz work to be done, sonl Big money
TO make. And It helps the war along,
too. I tell you there never was big
ger opportunity to mako money than
there Is right this minute. The hard
lob ISN'T to ind the scheme it's to hnd
tho men to run 1t. Don't you worry
you'll land something right OH
the batr'
~Thanks for tho complimentr'
"Oh, its no compliment Anybody
can maize money these days. It's 4
plain statement Of fact Say.
ist.A 70 IN and have something Come
Ia and be sociable. What you wants
a drink. Am I right or am wrong1"
"Well-"
sAnd that's what tho doctor Or
dered Come On It's On mo-"
The other man hesttated. and at
last succumbsd. ont Of sheer uficor.
cern, to companionshlp he realized
Ia advances would b. distastsful.
"All right" no consented brishys
and together, arm IL arm, tAsy Stun.
tisd ana tucked across the trsaohercus
deSk, ana presently crssssd TIE thrssh-
old into ne hAsy light q me smoking
room. HArmen, smiling bfeAdly. wipsd
the brine from hiD snnartins eyes. 4.
YNsw, them 10 rid, what parlieu.
~ hpnnl u poison a. yot, And