New Britain herald., 1927-06-14

last she had to confess to herself at
least that she was no longer young.
She manged to look up into his
face with smile. however. and say:
No. I am afraid II had = son he
would hardly be o. suitable age, but
I'll adopt you for my war son II you
like"
"Mulcaulhy knew he had said
something he shouldn't. He didn't
want to make another break. but he
seemed to have had some kind Of
loyalty about him that made him say:
Thank ye kindly mum. but me own
mother would be jealous maybe She
comes Of the fighting Irish and
would want the honor OF being the
mother Of me -fer-nothin' self
at the front fer herself alone.
"At this moment. Wynne. Mrs.
Hilliard caught my eye and I bowed.
"She rushed forward as If she would
speak to me, but they were shouting
All aboard and l obeyed in
SANITY"
Mulcaulhy came numbering up.
did 70 see the lady that
! wanted to adopt me, MAXWELL" he
said.
Yes" answered Rod.
well. she was a locker all right,
and I always did like red-headed
woman. 1 think I would have ac-
cepted her offer. but We see l don't
write very well and knew she was
tip-topper."
Phillip Wynne Tracy " looked
at the big, splendid Irishman, from
.. head to foot. He smiled -contemptu-
ously as he thought of Lyra Hilliard.
You really don't have to read or
write Mulcaulhy, to accept the offer
Mrs. Hilliard made you"
What do you mean by that.
Tracy" There was hint of anger
in the big soldiers mystification.
"Oh. I know there will always be
some one over there to write your
letter for you. I would be glad to
do it myself if was anywhere near
you"
We'll Maxwell did you turn
down the pretty girl that offered to
kiss you for luck. for fear you'd
have to write to her." asked Null
caulhy. turning to Rod.
Il think If the lady who wanted
to adopt me had been her weight
AMI age would have taken a
chance"
You must be crazy. Mulcaulhy. l
didn't hear any girl offer to kiss
| me-" protested Rod.
"Of course We didn't, for We stood
there like a stoten bottle and every
one about We could see that your
mind was a hundred miles away"
But that girl was good sport,
Tracy, for she just put her hand on
Maxwells shoulder and said: I see
you've left her behind. buddy. I'll
pray God every night to bring you
I back to her. Good luck"
Hes making that all up, Phil"
said Rod. Hes nothing but an
Irish fictionist
"All right, if you want 1t that
way" said Mulcaulhy good ma
turedly as he passed along to the
/ other end of the train.
DO you suppose your mother got
! your telegram, PHIL" asked Rod.
/ You know tomorrow Sunday and
I it would be awful to get there and
lind YOU gone"
| of course she got it," answered
! Phil trying yainly to tell his pound
; ing emotions that he had done the
right thing by keeping out of Lyra
billiards sight.
Suddenly Rod asked. What kind
OF place is this training camp to
which we are going. PHILIP"
Il haven't the slightest idea, but
| must tell you, even at the risk of
having you think that / am hard
boiled. Rod. I'm rather glad we
| didn't see mother before we left. /
think it's a good thing that soldiers
! can't see mothers very often.
Il thought it out very carefully
last night while ! was awake on
that jerky old train. and for the
first time I realized that some of us
are not going to come back from
this expedition. and SO have de-
| termined to have good time il I
can before 1 leave this old U. 8. A.
I'm about fed up on being
I hero. It's short life and a merry
one for me after this. my boy"
! Rod looked at Phil rather inauir-
ingly and wished he had told him
nothing about seeing Lyra Hilliard.
(TO BE CONTINUED
| Phil receives news which disturbs
him. His mother has met an old
friend and in the next chapter she
writes that he has offered her war
work.