Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-24

his walk from the station ex-Privaue Dan
Barrigan blamed some of his discomfort on
his new shoes, new blue serge and the
straw hat which felt harder than his Old
tin hat His bronzed and rugged face lacked
b the grin that made people like him even
before they knew him.
He kept asking himself how these Texans
stood the heat in late May afternoons ike
this But when he found the sleepy street ne
was looking for and saw number 3l5 ne 1eis
chills colder than any French mud running up
and down his spine and his feet were admittedly
cold
He walked past that screened door four times,
giving it only furtive glance at each passing
At the fifth turn he mumbled TO his BUDDY,
sleeping under the little white cross In the
Arponne. sarge. this is some tough detaili"
AS he approached the house again bulging
old Negro woman was backing out OF the door
with q baby carriage but her head was turned
and she was glazing at him with aggressive
suspicion.
Looking for somebody In this mousse MlssA
MANI" she cried.
Dan wanted 10 say no and run, yet he asked,
"Does Mrs. George Grayson live here2"
The next thing ne knew be was waiting for
her in what he would have called the parlor.
It was all new and dainty and SIN spoke
charmingly Of q bride.
There were no photographs Of sergt George
Grayson. Dan felt sorry for the sergeant miss
ing all that daintiness and comfort but ne had
his own troubles to think about just then.
He dropped some of his fears when he saw
that she came in wearing black She was sim
slim and pretty in that soft Southern way and
her hair was the same copper color. But he
thought her face had aged 10 years In less than
2 and he could not quite decide what it was
that told him SO.
She looked like q woman who had done lot
Of crying without tears, the dry kind that
wracks inside. GodI you couldn't blame heri
CHE mOtioned for him to sit down. He would
- rather have stood, but she took obedience
from him for granted, Is her husband had
always done.
you say you were friend OF my husnands?
The same company"
Same platoon, maiam-same blanket many
. night-rm Dan Harrigan!"
ooh yes of course He wrote lot about
you. You're the one who was always getting
into funny troubles with the French. You
unprecedented general once"
She was smiling wanly. HE said you stole
pig too"
what else has he told her, Dan, was asking
himself nncomfortably.
I'm the guy who was sitting next to him in
the train, ma'am, when We pulled out Of Fort
sin to 60 north. The guy that made that feIla
pile the boxes on the platform 30 the sarge
could kiss you good-by out the window"
He saw her stiffen as though he had peeped
at something sacred that belonged TO her youth.
But he had to 60 on, even IL she threw him out.
He Just had 10 let her know how close they
were, or he would get nowhere.
II knew q lot about ycu ma'am, even Ia
camp down here. Two months IA q tent with
guy crazy over his girl is q long time. He
used TO admit 1t thOugh-neyer hid fused to
laugh at himself and say It was good to be
crazy over you
81 guess he used to like to talk to me because
kept my trap shut, never razzed him. But
that day on the train going north he was plain
goofy and saw 1T was good for him TO talk TO
me little"
Dan was beginning to perspire profusely and
the stiff collar bothered him. II she would only
loosen up, separate her tight lips or something.
HE put corporal in charge and ordered
the other guys OF our seat and did nothing but
let of steam about you all the way TO New
York Talked about your high school days
even-hcking guys bigger than him for carry
ing your bOoks-writing you letter every day
for four years.
81 knew that four-year line was stretching
M-but you know how he was when he got het
up. And he said them love letters made q writer
out Of hiu-made him q newspaper man.
why, na'anl, he even said 1t was . good
war-excuse me-because it let him get married
to you without waiting tin he could afford it
and-aDd-"
He paused for more breath and more words
and while hopping the moisture between his
neck and collar pleaded with his eyes for q nod,
mile, any crimb of encouragement.
He was houndering for another beginning
when she spoke. Her voice was low and throaAE,