The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-03-10


so vital, SO full Of promise.
"Paul! When did you come? I'm
ever so glad to see you'll"
"Just yesterday. I'm staying with
Blanche"
''How nice! Isn't her apartment
pretty? And isn't Philip-well. just
almost too good to be true?"
aYes. guess he is true, though.
Blanche is lucky"
Mary sat down, pulled off her white
gloves and took of her hat.
SIS everything all right at Lady
Blanche farm? OF course, or you
wouldn't be here! Are you going to
stay long?"
"Only a few days."
1--WE must try and make them pleas
ant for you. Hannah is giving din
ner for me tomorrow-Tm sure she'll
want you to come. And there are sew
eral good plays In town"
Its awfully kind of you. But I'd
honestly rather not be asked to din
ner. FL came just for-for rather
q special reason"
"YesT said Mary, still lightly.
Sim going to enlist"
Mary, pouring tea, did not answer.
"Tve-Tve had a devil of row
with mother"
Mary handed him the cup. "You
would, Of course" she said quietly.
do you think l did wrong?"
"No-I don't think so. Tell me
more about It,"
'She's all right, physically. though
she insists she's a nervous invalid.
And she's all right financially. too, IL
she'll only be careful. We were in
debt. rather, after Blanche's wedding,
but I've paid that all up. I've used
some capital of my own. Now she can
keep Hod and Myra to work for her
and have plenty of money left over
for food and clothing and taxes and
everything that / can think Olive
been over it all pretty carefully. I've
told her she could have my share
of our income, too. as long as was
gone. That's fair. isn't it, Mary?'
81 should think 1t unexpectedly
fair. What branch of the service
do you want to enter?"
''The marines. If they can't get
into a scrap on sea. perhaps they will
on land"
"Yes-I suppose Cousin Violet, when
she saw she couldn't stop your going.
advised the Quartermaster's depart
ment or something like that?"
''How did you guess? felt there
were lots of other men who could go
into that, men with families, mean,
or who weren't all right physically.
There's nothing the matter with my
heart; found that out from David
Noble before he left. 1t was David
who first put the idea of going to war
into my head. I've had plenty Of
time to think 1t over since. and I'm
sure I'm doing the best thing. But
I'm sorry to have quarreled with moth
er. Cousin Jane took her side. too,
and your father. No one seems to
know there is war. In Hamstead.
hardly. tried to make them see how
felt. couldn't. I'd made up my
mind to go. anyhow, but hated going
like that"
YES" said Mary. ut must have
been hard. And Tm-rm sorry. Paul"
'Sorry I'm going?"
"Oh. no. I'm glad you're going. I'm
only sorry they couldn't see that you
were right to go and that it made your
going harder. l suppose it is hard
enough, anyway"
Paul put down his cup and came
and sat down beside her on the sofa.
MARY" he said, his voice trembling
little, II haven't any right to ask, of
course, but would you tell me?-Are
you going to marry Mr.. Hamlin?"
mo. I'm going home, very soon
now. I'll try to make them see your
side, in Hamstead. don't know
whether / can, but I'll try. And that
there is war. And that they must
wake up and help to win it, if they
don't want to perish in it."
"Would-would you marry me?"
For a minute the girl did not an
swer. She sat looking into the fire
and in spite of its bright reflection,
Paul thought that some of the lovely
color had suddenly left her face.
IL thought" he went on, taking
courage at not being instantly re-
pulsed, shat If you would-we could
have just week or so together before
enlist. We could go to some quiet
little place by the sea-neither of us
has ever done that And while l am
gone, l could could remember it
and look forward to coming back to
you, that way, again."
Suddenly he knelt down, and half
buried his face in the soft folds of her
dress. "Mary-rve been so lonely
without you all winter. I've wanted
to talk to you-about New York, and
the farm and the war-about every
thing ! was interested in and think
ing over myself. I've wanted to try
to make some things easier and pleas
anter for you. l never knew before
that home, to me. meant-just you.
MarV-I want Won SO-D