The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1926-01-07

|TTIIE racnetonous whir-whir of the
sew ing machine that had been
the only sound in the little room
stopped eaddenly, and Nan Marraby
leaned her elbows on the table before
her and ran her fingers through her
ough hair with a weary gesture.
Fed up, fed up. fed up!" she said
iercely. Then all at once she
aughed, looking across at the girl
Who sat in a low chair by the fire,
with a newspaper spread on her
knees.
Nan watched her for a moment in
silence. a little frown bending her
tevei b.oWs; then she said gently:
Leave That old casualty list alone,
lear. WHAT is the good of worrying
Yourself, when you know quite well
hat Tim is all right. It's no use
.cssing an imaginary fridge before
soa come to it." She pushed back
ser chair, and. rising, went over to
ser friend and, STOPPING, drew the
newspaper gently away from her.
Il don't believe in meeting trouble
more than halfway" she said brisk
w. Heavens: what a sight | look!'
Why in the world didn't a kind
Providence present me with a sleek
mead like %yours?" she demanded. She
glanced down at the smooth, fair
nair of the girl beside her with envy.
I don't believe you're paying the
least attention" she complained ag-
%srievedly
Joan Eudicott raised her eyes. It
was perfectly evident that she had
not been listening.
There are only three casualties in
he-the aiiddlesex today n said.
TWO wounded and one missing. On,
Nan-
4 absolutely decline to discuss the
var. Nan broke IN, curtly. though
ler eyes were very tender. For
heavens sake let's pretend to be
.heertul. even if were not! Stand
-. and let me try on Y Sr blouse
IS almost finished"
She took jeans hand. dragging
eer &c her feet.
I should aevcr smile at ell If it
wasn't for you" Joan said. And
then she added:
From all accounts Peter must be
a wonderful mani
Nan laughed.
lie isn,t-not q little bit! I don't
suppose you'd even call him good
looking. He's big-if you like a Zig
man! [ renem0e r the first thin %
hat struck me about him were his
eyes and the size OF his boots" She
laughed again. q tender little laugh
of reminiscence. as she thought OF
the day when she had first met Peter
Lyster; of the queer feeling that had
seemed to shoot through every vein
Of her body; OF the way that-for no
reason at all-she had felt
the color rising in her face as she
met the whimsical smile in his gray
eyes.
1t was not often Nan allowed her
thoughts to stray like this: she real
zed how necessary it "a to keep a
irm hand on herself during these
for her own sake and also for
girl with whom she was sharing
h~omes--the poor little wife of two
AdpPN JC0t2t WV WG5 lis i1A
self to a shadow for the sake of a
nan with a Jolly laugh and a heart
Ike a lion. who was facing death
hundreds of times a day out In
Trance.
And 1t had been to Nan that
rouble had come first.
Peter Lyster had been wounded,
eriously. Afterwards better news
ollowed, and Nan drew a breath of
elief and the strained look left her
yes a little, till now when she knew
hat he was out of danger and com
home.
IF 1t had been me 1 should have /
one to France If 1 had had to walk /
very step of the way and swim the {
.hannel," Joan said after a moment, {
er thoughts still with that fateful c
light when the yellow envelope had
cen put into Mans hands. c
Man made a grimace. '
"Ah, but then you're Tins wife," c
le said ruefully. And the War
flee don't recognize a sweetheart in
lie same way. I suppose it's all f..
ght, but . :" She shrugged her
loulders. Anyway, I shall SEQ him