Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-19

(COntInued from 1eSteTudy oIaI.l
r NSTINCTIVELY, Able took off
his tin hat
Loud shouts of laughter greeted
i this. The uproar added to his
confusion, and the Lieutenant
seized the chance to below humor-
ously: That's the spirit, Able! Miss
Rose Mary meet Corporal Levy. Sit
down there. Able, and show her how
you can play!'
Turning Able saw black leather
music case on the piano.
The noise of the crowd still con-
fused him, but in his ear the cool,
quiet voice of the girl was saying,
"You won't find these hard. know
you won't. I've heard about your
playing"
A fraction of his nervousness left
him, at that. She opened the case
and spread the music for him. His
eyes took in the page, his fingers
found the yellowed keys and ran
through the opening chords. They
were stiff, his fingers, stiff from days
in the trenches, but they weren't so
stiff that they could forget lifetime
of such playing. All over the room
the crowd took up the air and hummed
1t. to stop, az once more that slender
figure swung around.
"Sure an I couldn't be better off
IL MIR. Miller were here to play for
me-" he heard her say.
Subconsciously he noted the brogue
and wondered II it was put on.
Then--abruptly, without any signal
to him, without even glancing toward
him--as If quite confident that he
would follow her-she was singing
again.
Able, fingers moving automatically,
took up the accompaniment. An ex-
traordinary glow warmed him, as If
the heat from those tin reflcctors
were growing stronger; but his head
was clear enough. Swiftly and easily
he followed her clear to the end
five verses, each with its elaborate
tricky refrain; and when it was over
when he had played it again a Sec
ond time, because the big crowd
wouldn't let her stop--he felt strangely
alive, exhilarated.
':Now let's see; the other ones here
somewhere"
She was standing beside him again,
leaning over him. That clear. voice,
pleasantly near and intimate, said,
Heavens! I'm sure 1 brought it"
Here 1t is!'' She caught up a sheet
ways like this song, and ] think you
will. Oh dear-I'm sorry"
The music had slipped from her
hand.
Able, picking 1t up, tried to part
the sheets and found himself in diff
ficulty. The paper was old and dog
cared, soft to the touch and hard to
separate.
"stuck? Here--let me help you"
81 can do it,!
TITS such old music"
mo, it's my hands. I'm all thumbs.
Just came out of the lines last night,
"Out of the lines! Last night"
Lieutenant Cooper, lowering near,
insisted on answering for him:
"Yep-that's right! Abie's outfit
came out yesterday. Been In ten
days. Game kids. these lads. Game
ROSTERS, all of 'em. Game is their
middle name---hey. Corporal?"
Able, furious. flushing, gritting his
teeth, bent over the music.
Still bent. still leaning forward, he
played the opening of the second
be sure-as IL the girl beside him stood
an instant. staring at him. There
was pause, while he played the in
troductory bars. then she turned, and
that velvety voice with the Irish Tilt
in 1t flowed out across the room:
when l was bit av' a gurrl In old
Killarney"
Abruptly, as IL hand were clap.
ped across her mouth, she stopped in
mid.verse.
Able, startled. wheeled round on his
chair. He was just in time to see the
door across the big room fill with en-
tering figures-in time to recognize
Major Belknap, the battalion COM
mander, as he came striding up the
center aisle.
There was a scraping of feet and
benches. turning of heads; and from
the seated company protesting NUT.
ter
"Hell.
"Old Bellknap!
whats he want?"
"Shut upr'
"Look who's here!''
"At.ten-shun"
The bark of the Sergeant by the
door. The room rose en- masse.
Major Belknap. straight, grim
figure, came swiftly up the steps and
onto the platform. He bowed to the
girl and brusquely acknowledged the
salute Of the two men, both now on
their feet; then faced the footlights.
Sorry to break this up, men, but
I've got to interrupt. New orders.
This outfits moving tonight. All en-
listed men report to your section
chiefs at once. Men of Companies A
and G fall in outside. Snap into 1t,
too, please! You've been waiting for
some action-looks as If you were
likely to get some now. Dismissed"
A hundred feet scuffied the floor,
and suddenly as the door In the rear
was opened again, there was audible
the rattle of anti-aircraft guns and
thin and clear. the distant drone of a
plane.
A plane! No enemy plane had
been over this sector for days. The
sound spoke volumes.
Corporal Levy gathered the music
on the piano, and slipped 1t mechan-
ically into it's case. The Major was
speaking to the Lieutenant. to that
figure in blue. The room was filled
with voices: Goodbye, Rose.. j."
"We're outa luck, Rose!. :" "See you
another time!. :" Come again,
Rose''
A sudden WEAKNESS spread over
Able. Action! He knew what that
could mean. He had been through
It often enough. And 1t is one thing
to come out from week in the line
it's quite another to go back in again,
with only IL hours rest. Stiffly,
YEARLY, he started toward the stairs.
Then a voice, quick and friendly
and family troubled. called to him:
Corporal Levy! Just a minute!
He swung around.
She had left the two officers-was
crossing the platform-holding out
her hand TO him. Aren't you going
to say goodbye after playing sc we'll
for me?"
He felt himself color.
Goodbye. i was only too glad to
play. I'm sorry I couldn't do better"
"Do better! Don't be absurd"
And he saw she was in earnest. "I'm
Just an amateur-you'r musician
HOh no inst MAY for the fun OF