Evening star., 1935-05-11
CHAPTER XII.
HOME TO JANE.

street at the head of the men of his
county and New Concord cheered itself
hoarse. New Concord was his own be-
loved town once more. He had not
failed her when his moment called.
When. "the general" returned home
Nappy was so immensely relieved and
so blissfully happy that he was for
once almost speechless. All he could
say was "Dawg gone! Dawg gone!"
over and over, while tears ran shame
lessly down his face. 1t was noticed
in New Concord that Nappy there
after limped a little when he walked.
He was never able to walk quite
straight again any more than was
James.
Jane had not been idle during
James absence. With a husband at
the front, James sharp speeches Of the
past were tolerated and forgiven.
Jane helped organize and run the
New Concord Chapter of the Red
Cross. helped to sell Liberty Bonds,
helped raise money for home relief,
for the Y. M c. A.
She proved SO efficient both as q
speaker and as an organizer that her
fame spread. She was asked to go to
st. Joseph and make speeches there.
She went and remained to help with
the Y M. c. A. hut and canteen at
the railway station. Fully occupied
at last, her natural energies and un-
doubted organizing abilities finding
for once an outlet, Jane forgot to be
sarcastic, forgot all about her health
became what she was meant to be
! a happy and efficient youngish woman,
even a charming youngiSh woman.
She seldom had time to think OF
James, but when she did she thought
of him kindly, even proudly-that IS,
| until she met Mrs. Benson.
Mrs. Benson was one of the Wymans
of st. Joseph, so was not only born
with a golden spoon in her mouth. but
acquired a full golden service on her
marriage. Left widow in 1917, Mrs.
Benson decided to forget her grief in
service"
A cousin in New York suggested
that she man" a fully equipped am
bulance with woman nurses. woman
doctors. woman drivers. and place 1t
at the disposal of the French govern
ment. The suggestion was acted on;
the French government accepted.
Mrs. Benson. meeting Jane and taking
a fancy to her, asked her to go with
the ambulance as alternate driver to
herself
| Never in her whole life did Jane
so passionately want to do anything
as much as she wanted to go TO
France. And she could not. She was
not allowed to 60 because she had a
husband there. Nina Butterfield went
in her place.
Jane, who seldom cried, cried her
self sick Jane had been glad enough
to have James enlist. Now she accused
him bitterly of hideous and unfor-
givable selfishness.
He was a married man. Married
men had no right to volunteer unit
all the unmarried men had been en-.
listed or conscripted. The way ht
fairly ran from her to throw himself
into the Army was a slap at her. HI
had no right, he had no right =.
Jane tore the gold star flag she
kept in her bed room to shreds anc
stamped on it. For once she admitted
to herself, openly and unashamed, thai
she hated James.
In a day or two Jane got hold o.
herself. A second and larger flag with
a gold star hung over the front step'
of the house on Fifth and Oak streets
When the flag grew stained and tht
star tarnished, Jane bought new
one and nailed it into place herself.
She did not criticize James out
wardly, not even to her mother
She dared not, for fear Of the ugli.
ness that might escape and betra!
her. After a little she grew almos
ashamed, almost contrite, for tha
moment of self-frankness when sh'
had admitted she hated her husband
OF course, she did not hate James
She despised his weakness, his in
capacity. But even though she die
not love him, she did not hate him
would not allow herself to hate him
A smaller woman, woman less flnt
might easily but. of course, she
did not and would not.
Because it was expected of her, be-
cause other women from New Con-
cord we're going, Jane went to st
Louis for the big parade and to well
come James fittingly. They met aftel
the parade was over in small wiree
inclosure around the st. Louis City
Hall, with an admiring multitude
pressing against the wire and making
audible comments concerning the fer
yer of each hero's embarrassed EN-
brace of his nearest and dearest.
Jane was beautifully, even exqui'
sitely dressed in new dark blue sui
and toque of velvet violets. JAIME:
kissed her awkwardly. told her sht
looked like a bride, asked her a few
questions and found he had nothing
whatever to say to her.
| The hour they had together before
he left for camp James spent in in.
PRODUCING his wife to his comrades
Their evident admiration of Jane was
pleasant flip to James pride.
You'll soon be home" Jane said al
parting.
I'll soon be home" James an
swered and tried to smile. He knew
and Jane feared that he knew, that
she did not want him back.
Two weeks later James came home