Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-30
IMXIJ0URNEY,S End
Mn ~ re- She1HT07 Vernon Bartlett

Gratnger'S house, his old friends, his
old preoccupations? But the last two
years were barrier which cut him OF
forever.
Good Lord, it's Dennis!"
He swung round to find Jimmy
Raleigh in front of hin-Jimmy sc
excited that, in his hurry to shake
hands, he dropped all his pile of books
Stanhope helped to pick them up. In
some absurd way he felt so moved that
he could only talk for the moment OF
unimportant matters. He held up q
rather battered and ink-stained volume
States and dynamics," he laughed
Still at it! You poor blighter!"
TITS my last term though. Then III
be able to join up say, it was ripping
about your Military Cross. Madge was
awfully bucked. She'll be sick to death
at missing you. You've not come across
her hospital yet, have you?"
mo, she's in another sector Perhaps
I'll see her out there some day. 1t
would be great fun" He tried to speak
quite casually, but he felt himself
blushing, and changed the subject.
"HoW'S old 'Pimples' getting on?"' he
asked.
Just the same silly ass as ever. He's
been giving fearful lot Of 'impots' this
term. Keeping his whole class in for
nothing" There was ever so much
gossip about Barford which he wanted
to tell Dennis. But the inch of ribbon
fascinated him.
How did you get the Military Crosse"
he asked THE Gazette talked about
conspicuous gallantry' on Virny Ridge,
or something of the sort. Do tell me
about it."
ment of impotence.
For Gods sake shut up about it.
I'm fed up with the whole business"
| But Jimmy, who had always under
stood in the old days, did not under
stand now.
You always were a modest sort of
blighter," he laughed, and then went
back to the subject that interested him
above all others. Whats 1t really like
out there?" he asked.
| What could one do? Talk of the
mud? The long hours Of waiting? The
fatigues? The noise and the lack of
privacy? But Jimmy would never under
stand. This cursed war had built q
barrier between them, a barrier which
he could never cross however often he
came down to Barford to play in cricket
matches, which would cut him off from
Jimmy until Jimmy's own turn came
to go overseas. And by the time that
happened. 80? Well, after all, one stood
pretty poor chance of sticking another
year in France.
cts pretty beastly at times" he ex-
planned lamely But we have an awful
lot OF Raging when we're out of the
| line"
Yes, I've heard that" the other
agreed. "a good deal better than sitting
in some stuffy old Office. hope it lasts
until I get out"
"It'n do that, my lad; never fear"
commented Stanhope grimly, as they
turned in at the drive of Grainger's
! house.
"Pimples," as the housemaster vas
always called behind his back, was de-
lighted to see so distinguished an Old
Boy, and he proudly pointed out the
fact that Stanhopes winning of the
Military Cross was already recorded on
the honor boards. He talked of the
fellows from his house who had been
knocked out-he called them heroes"
who had 'fallen"-with kind of eloat-
ing satisfaction, which made Stanhope
feel slightly sick. 1t was good fun meet
ing chaps he had known at Barford.
even though many of them who were
now monitors or in the Cricket Eleven
mad then been Insignificant little kids
whose names he had not even troubled
| to learn. And several other masters
had, at any rate, the decency and the
tact to say as little as possible about
the war. But throughout the cricket
match he had a feeling Of unreality
which prevented him from fielding with
any distinction. Besides, he had lost
MS eye In France, and couldn't hit
straight any more. He allowed himself
to be bowled by Ward, a measly little
skunk who had been in his own
dormitory during his last term at Bar
1oro, ana retired, little Sulkily, to the
pavilion.
After tea he persuaded "Pimples" to
let Raleigh of evening preparation, and
the two OF them went for a walk along
the canal. 1t was a quiet, still sunset,
WIN minute silvery clouds fecking the
western sky. Moorhens ran clumsily
through the rushes and started WIDEN
ing ripples which spread across the
smooth surface of the canal to the
farther bank. Now and then an early
oat swooped past them erratically. There
was sleepy, chirping quarrel among
the sparrowS in the ivy on Farmer
Prlngs barn. Here was the elm tree
IN which he and Jimmy had found the
nycatcher's nest during his last Spring
Lerm; there the dark patch under the
bridge, where they had fished yainly
Tor hours. Above the canal rose the
nne sweep Of Hangman's Hill, crowned
with its tall, quiet beech trees. It was
all so peaceful, and in some odd way
so important, that the war became a
matter.
Remember the day we went up To
the source Of that stream at Alum
Green?" he asked.
The Highland?" said Jimmy. Rather
BY Jove, though, wasn't I tiredl"
They both laughed. Perhaps, thought
Dennis to himself, this barrier was not
inSurmountable after all. But Jinny's
next remark dispelled the illusion.
IT'S awfully exciting" he said. "but
sometimes, when the winds In the
southeast, you can hear the rumble OF
the guns in Flanders from the top OF
Hangman's HILL"
Can you?"
Eyes. People wouldn't believe it. But
us true all right. Lots of us went up
there a few months ago, and there
wasn't any doubt about 1t. 1t was fear
fully exciting"
Stanhope made no reply. After all
Jimmy would learn, poor little devil!
And, in any case, there wasn't any point
In talking about the war. When they
turned to go back to school, Stanhope
/ was just as anxious to arrive in time
Tor prayers and supper as Jimmy was
hlmself-it was so pleasant to change
for once in a way. the organization to
which you owed obedience. I'LL come
up to your study afterwards" he
promised.
Good. Well make some cocoa over
the gas burner. I've got a new sort