Evening star., 1923-06-10

streets end 1t walked before him,
-syueIy discernible, moving with a
slHectness that gave purpose to It's
pznsress. It troubled him. There
-7as mockery in the thought that its
purpose might duplicate his own.
A fine mist blurred the lights OF
rhe houses that stood grouped about
rhe little park. The houses remind
d Martin of Paris. He remembered
the march up the Champs Elysees
N the drizzling rain between rows
Of buildings something like these.
Paris! He laughed.
Beyond the park was stone ter
race with broad steps leading down
to the rivers edge. Martin began
water.
Then he saw her, sitting huddled
on the bottom step. A woman-a
girl.
She heard his step behind her and
gave a start and a cry, shrinking
away from him. Martin stoou still.
IT'S all right; ain't no bull"
Her voice came In quick whispers
"Whatcha want7"
"Nothin'," said Martin.
"Watcha doin' here?"
"Nothin'."
Neither m t.
She leaned back on one arm, her
face turned UP toward him. 1t was
sharp, triangular face white, with
two dark spots for eyes,
"Outa luck. huh?" she cueried.
I'll say So"
Her glance made note of shrunk-
en- Army jacket.
SOLDIER"
"Yeah. Was"
head. "Sit down. Make yourself at
home"
Her pert humor, with it's ironic
undertone. drew from him a sheepish
laugh. He sat down beside her on
the stone step.
Il see you walkin' ahead Of me.
had hunch where you was goin'."
Yeah
you outa luck, too?'
'You said 1t, boz"
what was you goin' to do?"
The girl studied his profile. dimly
revealed in the mist. He repeated
his question.
Jump in" she said shortly.
Takes nerve" said Martin. "I
been here before. mean-to the
river"
And you couldn't do tt?''
we'll mean-I thought I might
as we'll hang on-a while longer"
''Not for me" exclaimed the girl.
"You had it pretty tough. huh?"
"Rotten."
well, say 1nean-let's go-to-
xether."
This time she looked at him
frankly.
You scared:"
yeah"
And you a soldier! Maybe you
didn't get across, thought"
Sure 1 did"' said Martin.
"France?"
Yeah. And Russia. It was fright
tul there. 1 got hit with piece of
ehrapnel. In the hospital six months"
Was you scared them
''Nawi I didn't care what happen
nd. So far away from homo and ALL"
You got homer
ibid have
'sMarried"'
"Naw. Just my mother and me-"
what happened to herr"
Died"
"While you was over there
yeah
Gee
n TEITHER spoke for some time.
~ Then, Whats your name?" he
asked.
Minnie. What's yoursT'
Martin"
The girl gave fluttering laugh.
Funny, amt 1t, our bein' here?"
yeah, it's funny, all right"
'Whadda y spose-" She paused.
Ercping for speech. 'Whadda you
e'pose it's all about?"
Gosh! / don't know"
It's the bunk, amt it?"
Sure, it's the bunk, all right. Fight
sn' them Russians. and the boches
and all, and gettin' the buns rush
when you get home"
Yeah; it's worse since the war.
But it always was a punk game.
Makes you sore-don't it?-when you
walk up the Avenoo on an empty
stomach and see all the guys and
danes ridin' round in fancy buzz
wagons? Gee: l could live the rest Of
my life on what they spend for gas
II used to feel that way, too. But
it ain't their fault! It's just luck"
yeah. That's right. Often used to
think I'd like to throw a brick
through some OF them plate-glass
windows on the Avenoo, but then
thought s'pose L hit some nut tina,
slin't got 1t comm to him.
Sure. You can't tell. Some Of
them birds is all right. I met a guy ir
Russia-he was one of them bolshe.
~ikI-you know. He was in the hos.
pital with me, and he could tall
American. He taught me lot O.
1hem Russian songs and dances, after
we were up and around. Well, he wal
1ryin' to tell me I should start a revo
luton over here when I got home, bu
j says, Gosh, We hadda revolution
once L says, and now look says
you can't even get glass of lager
Kinda kiddin' him-see? Well, h.
aever said nothin' for three days
yeah, three days. And then he say
TO me, Martin he says, you're right
he says. We hadda do what we don
In Russia because 1t was the onl.
thing to do. believe In bolshevism
he says, because it's all for tn
workin' man and all, but what tn
world needs he says, 'ain't new form