Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-15

early. so that you will have plenty
of time to dress"
Thanks, awfully."
Gust like that.)
He had gone out for the first time
that afternoon to tea. One OF those
parsimoniously rationed teas at the
Piccadilly. when absence Of sugar
was made UP for by de Groots
music. by Air Force fiirtations.
Archie had been taken there in her
now. which she'd been. That day he
hadn't given q thought to the red
gold rogue who had been left on
duty In the ward; she might have
been. part of the hospital furniture.
He. Laverock, hadn't thought Of her.
Incredible.
Afterward, though, afterward he
must have noticed her all right.
Our Ginger" He didn't remember
the first time he'd heard that nick
name. nor which Of them had given
1t to her. But he remembered how
popular she had been in the ward
and how that hair of hers. even un
der her cap. had fairly lighted up
the place.
He remembered q raid night in
, hospital. The alarm at midnight
The high pitched drone over London
of enemy planes. Men and nurses
coming down from the wards on up
per floors.
The bridge four of wounded: him.
self, Navy chat little fellow from
the bed on the left of the main doors
OF the ward as you faced it from
inside), gunner with one leg and q
| fellow named Jones. Playing b,
candlelight. as the shrapnel whistled
over the roof. Getting warmed UT
10 the game. Being told to go back
to bed now. No sooner had this
been done than the wretched Huns
Rad come over again, so that 1t was
| a quarter to three in the mornins
before the hospital inmates turned
| in. 80
He remember how the upstairs
patients and the nurses sat on the
stairs as If it had been at a dance
He. Archie, had gone one better; had
found himself in the ward kitchen
brewing tea with "Our Ginger
Amusing while it lasted. The night
sister, coming in and finding them
had given the girl a job of work and
the patient marching orders for bed
-
Another memory. Once, not lone
before he left the hospital, she had
tucked in an edge of his blankets
with the gesture that she nigh,
have used over a tiny boy who kicks
his bedclothes all over the place
There had been just that look on her
face. He, out of brayado or some
thing, what was it, He had snug
gled his head back on the pillow lust
as that tiny boy might have done
Then. burlesquing baby manner
had put up his mouth and wheedled
Don't get said goodnight
top
There was only the gunner major
In the next cot who could have seen
this, and he was deep in Eve.
/ The girl had looked down quietly
Had then smiled. Had replied in
her bright even voice, Goodnight,
Captain Laverock!"
He broke off that memory, here
10 turn again on his bed. to plunge
ms fist into his bolster setting his
teeth.
Lord Lord, Lord. he had got n
III the neck! Hadn't he been warned
that some day he would get IL In
the neck?
Out OF the past-out of some for
gotten conversation somewhere
phrases seemed to repeat themselves
IN his wakeful brain.
rate may have one rather cruel
thlng in store for you, Archie. = . .
or course you'll always, alwavs be
spout by women. They'll run after
you; pamper you: idolize YOU. = : .
les. Because you are q beautiful
ana a passionate boy. Because
you'll know what eight out of ten
men dont learn-How to look at
women. how to speak to them, how
10 touch them. Almost any woman
VIII DC ready to adore you. You'll
Desln 10 take that for granted. Buti
Later on---You'H pay. You'll meet
the one girl who's different from
every other girl and who will show
you that you've never seen a girl
All! How Internally true. .. .
Just what had happened; lust, Re.
lentless memory. thought. dread
whatever 1t was concluded that
prophecy. '"a'
And neutrality-suspicious. sbs
won't care two straws for your good
i LOOKS. your passion, your charm
one may be the one woman who
won't want you. She probably
1000 Lord. thought Archie.
wretched: tossing again. GhastIy
show Life vast
But she had looked? She Ioorea
at MIN In the stable? Shed cried
out, oh. Archie, how lovely to hear
your voice again.
Wasn't that
An no. Might mean anything Or
ITo onr Nothing. decided Archie
Laverock (this was at the nos
simistic hour of Q A, ny. She 80
merely amused to see an hid
1917. s"' VI since
Az, ne remembered his good -bys at
.ne hospital. and how he'd blpeJ
nearly flyer at Marny's on Gifts Tor for
in na.ron end the v. A. DIS who had
looked after him. Nurse Jofinston e
M naa come in for the big bottle Of
Mysterieuse perfume: because be'd
caught a Whit of that scent aho,,t