Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-04-20

Mary and Sol turned quickly.
blanche was standing on the tiny
winding staircase. holding out her
hand. She. too, had heard the
knocker
i've heen-been expecting 1t ever
since Philip was home for his fur
Tough. Take Sol in where it's warm.
Mary. and give him some coffee. II
was awfully kind of you, Sol, to bring
II YOURSELF
I'D a.rather ben licked than to
a-brung It."
II know-pIease."
She opened Il slowly, almost care
fully. Ii was from one Of the doc
tors. and IT was rather long. Philip
had been stricken. very suddenly. with
-pneurnonia. The entire illness had
been a matter of only thirty-six hours.
The doctor was obliged. with the deep :
est regret, to inform her If she
would telegraph her wishes. they
would of course. be complied with In
sofar as possible
The yellow Sheel crackleu III HeF
hand. For moment she shut her
eyes. swaying. and Mary started
towards her but she put out her hand
| as If to keep her back. Not even
Mary could help her through this mo-
ment; she wanted to meet 1t alone.
Then she came slowly down the stairs.
and going to the window wherexthe
service flag hung. she took II down
and stood for a long time with II In
her arms, her lips quIvering. At last
she gathered 1t up. and crossing the
room with 1t, she hung It. as II 1t had
been an emblem Of victory. over the
portrait of the little French countess.
Then she faced her cousin and her old
friend.
"Ill have a new one, with gold
star, In the window" she said quietly.
..but that one belongs there. Can you
have the express stopped at Ham
stead for me. Sol?-You'll go with me,
Mary, of course7 Please tell mother
and Cousin Jane I'd like to be alone
a little White, think But TIL be
ready to start In an hour
There was no time to waste In
breaking the news gently" Mary
found the two older women together
and, without single unnecessary
word, told them what had happened
Violet, horribly stunned and shocked,
| broke into angry and rebellious grief
which FRUSTRATED her completely. But
when Jane had done all she could to
relieve her and the Trailer woman had
| recovered somewhat and they had
| taken the necessary steps to send
Blanche and Mary to bring Philip
| home and to prepare Hamstead for Its
1 first military funeral, Jane went alone
to her room and sat long time, the
/ tears rolling down her grim, plain
/ face, the old candy box tied with red
ribbons which Philip had given her
long before and which she had kept
ever since on her bedside table near
her Bible, clasped In her hands.
THAT nice, pleasant. happy boy,
she said repeatedly. and added invol-
| unfairly, ''and he was a real Chris
tian, too. same as Mary said from the
first"
Violet, when she had discarded her
mourning for her husband, had laid II
away In her attic with her usual ex-
quisite neatness, and Mary. unlocking
4 the trunk. brought down the things
that Blanche needed and helped her
put them on, just as she had helped
her dress for her wedding, year and
half before.
IF had LET him 90 when he wanted
to, this wouldn't have happened"
That was the only complaint shf
made, the only grief which. so far, she
seemed able to voice. But she said
1t over and over again. after she and
Mary were on the train, and the dool
OF the pullman drawing room hat
been closed, leaving them quiet ant
alone together.
Hush. dear! He might have beer
killed In battle
There nave Deen some meaning
some compensation--a glory O.
achievement In that This was JUS
wastel Hundreds OF boys are dyini
like that--when 1t could perfectly vel
have been avoided They've been al
most freezing to death In the camps
all over the country"
II know. | see how you feel Blu
don't believe that anything PHILLIP
ever did was wasted, just the same
IF Paul dies, at least 1t won't b.
this way"
mo"
"Oh. Mary. how could you let hin
90 the way you did, Supposing h
never comes back, either-do you eve
think of that?"
Did she ever think OF 1t Not Ion
before. Mrs. Weston had handed he
a letter that had just come froI
Rosalie King She had married he
noorwalker on hurry CALI and the
had had three days together hefor
he went across" And that, she ha
: learned. was to be all the honeymoo
she would ever have. Mary, takn
, the letter from Mrs. Weston's lin
hand. read 1t over twice. And Ssh