The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-04-07
CHAPTER XIV.

3.
standing near the entrance of her dor
mitory, where he would pass her un
less he altered his course; and as he
drew nearer her and the details Of her
face grew into distinctness, he was In
dignant with himself for feeling less
and less indignation toward her in pro
portion to the clOseness of his ap-
proach. The pity that came over him
was mingled with an unruly admlra
ton, causing him to wonder what un
patriotic stuff she could be made of
She was marked. but not whipped she
still held herself straight under all the
hammering and cutting which. to his
knowledge. she had been getting.
She stopped him. for only mo-
ment.'' she said. adding with wan
proudness THAT Is. IL you're not one
Of those who feel that 1 shouldn't be
spoken to-"
NO said Fred. stlmy. 81 may
share their point Of view, perhaps. but
don't feel called upon TO obtrude it
On yon In that manner"
Il see,' she said, nodding. 'I'v.
wanted to speak with you about Ram
sey."
'All right
She Bit her lip, then asked. abrupt
Iy: What made him do it?'
Enlist as private with the regu-
lsrs:'
NO. What made him enlist at ALL"
"Only because he's that sort" Fred
returned briskly. He may be mex
plicabie to people who believe that his
going out to fight for his country is
the same thing as going out 10 com.
init q mur-"
She lifted her hand. Couldn't
you"
II beg your pardon" Fred said AT
once. I'm sorry, but don't know just
how to explain him TO you
"Whyw
He laughed, apologeticalIy. Well.
you see, as l understand 1t. you don't
think it's possible for person to have
something within him that makes him
care so much about his country that
he"
wait - she cried. Don't you think
I'm willing to suffer little rather
than to see my country In the wrongi
Don't you think I'm doing it,
We'll. don't want to be rude; but,
Of course, 1t seems to me that you're
suffering because you think you know
more about what's right and wrong
than anybody else does
"Oh, no. But l."
I'VE wouldn't get anywhere, prob
ably. by arguing it," Fred said. you
asked me-"
~ asked you to tell me why he en-
listed"
1.-THE trouble Is, l don't think | can
tell that to anybody who needs an an
swer. He Just went, Of course There
isn't any question about II. | always
thought he'd be the first to CO."
"Oh, no" she said.
"Yes, l always thought So"
II think you were mistaken" she
said, decidedly. ut was special rea-
sOn--to make him act so cruelty"
"Cruelly'w Fred cried.
1T wasw
Cruel to whom
"Oh, to his mOther--to his family.
To have him 90 off that way. without
q word"
"Oh, no he'd been home" Fred cor
rected her. "He went home the Satur-
day before he enlisted, and settled It
with them. They're all broken up. of
course but when they saw he'd made
up his mind, they quit opposing him
and ] think they're proud Of him about
It. maybe, In spite of feeling anxious
You see, his father was an artillery
man In the war with Spain, and his
grandfather was u colonel at the end
Of the Civil war, though he went into
II as q private. like Ramsey. He died
when Ramsey was about twelve; but
Ramsey remembers him; he was talk
ing of him little the night before he
enlisted"
Dora made a gesture Of despairing
protest. You don't understand"
what is it ! don't understand"
Ramsey. know why he went
and it's just killing mew
Fred looked at her gravely. 81 don't
think you need worry about It," he
said. There's nothing about his 60
ing that you are responsible for"
She repeated her despairing gesture.
You don't understand. But it's no
use. II doesn't help any to try to talk
Of 1t, though thought maybe It would,
somehow" She went little nearer
the dormitory entrance. leaving him
where he was, then turned. Il sup
pose you won't see him?"
II don't know. Most probably not
till we meet-if we should--in France.
| don't know where he's stationed; and
I'm going with the aviation-if It's
ever ready! And he's with the regu-
lars; he'll probably be among the first
TO 90 over"
Il see." She turned sharply away.
calling back over her shoulder In q
choked voice. Thank you. Good-by !"
But Freds heart had melted; gazing
after her, he saw that her proud young
head had lowered now, and that her
shoulders were moving convulsively:
ne ran after her and caught her a. she