The Washington times., 1938-03-01

. NV NilA' -
= As a result the fellows sta
toned behind the Chinese lines
Eot all the pix, while the rest OF
us were forced to take routine
shots of Jap troops on their way
to the front.
But when it came to real war
shots, We were told politely e.
very politely. to stay away
Which, after the battle of Shang.
hia, was an awful let-down. Three
months before we had had the
Jap fleet in the Whangpoo, blast
ing away at Chapel. shells whis-
ting over the Bund, Soochow
Greek choked with bodies.
Well. time dawdled on until
, one afternoon in January when
! was standing at the longest bar
in the world slipping scotch and
= soda and talking to young An
. Mantle officer from the Conces.
= sion Francois. Just as he was get
:. ting really wound up on the poll
tical situation, house-boy came
in paging me.
"PERSON" MEANT "CHINK"
- "Person to see you," he mur-
INJURED.
I followed him out of the bar,
curious. By person" he meant a
Chink; only whites were gentle
men," high-ranking Chinese be-
ing Chinese gentlemen"
What d'you Want?''I demanded.
The man bowed. handed me a
note, dirty but neatly typed.
Dear Rusty" it said, I'm up
near Haiwei covering what 1 call
in my dispatches the Haiwei
front Actually it's a Chinese
g.. outpost and a Japanese outpost on
opposite sides of a paddy-field.
They take pot-shots at each other
when they're awake. Two mis-
sionaries up here are helping the
refugees, while I sit around and
wait for the scheduled Japanese
push. There ought to be a good
story in it. if and when. Mean.
while we need fourth at bridge,
so I'm inviting you up for the
week end. Yours, Doll O'Hara. !"
Dolly O'Hara, more generally
known as the China Doll and con-
sidered by some the most beautiful
girl in Shanghai! More, she was
eace reporter of the Shanghai
Herald and as crazy, reckless
and impudent a wench as ever hit
the China Coast.
. UNMINDFUL OF BULLETS
Id first seen her sitting on
Settlement parapet during the
fighting around North Station
red hair flying and wide Irish
grin on her face. Stray bullets
tipping all around, and there she
sat. I learned afterwards she'd
bet Brady Of the Times that she
could stay there ten minutes
without being hit. Which was
typical of the China Doll.
So for the next three months
I'd followed her around Shanghai
with a matrimonial gleam in my
eye. Just as I figured she was
due to weaken. Dolly disappeared.
and all the city editor of the
Herald would say, was, That
dizzy danes on her own some.
where north of Shanghai. At
least that's where her copy comes
from"
"Oke," I said, grinning at the
Eoolie. Follow me, chop chop"
And I lit out for my flat to change
into breeches, boots, and a wool
lined leather coat. took camera,
too, not my big one, but a little
portable Westman that could fit
In my coat pocket.
THERE WAS CHINA DOLL
. Well, up to that time I'd thought
1 knew something about Shanghai:
but after my guide had snaked
his way through the ruins of
Chapel for an hour or so, I was
completely stymied. We walked
all afternoon and the entire night.
Shortly after dawn we stumbled
INTO Haiwei. And there. helping
a couple of white people load a
truck, was the China DOLL
"Lo. Rusty" she laughed. 'You
look all in"
was. but the sound of her
voice made me forget it. Dolly had
on a long, hooded coat that COW
cred her flaming hair. yet seemed
somehow to accentuate her slim
body.
you're too late for bridge" {"
she announced. The Jap push
has started and DR.. and Mrs Nc
Donald are moving along. Come
over and meet them before they
shove off"
I stuck out dirty, half-frozen
hand. shook with the McDonalds.
Sorry we have to leave" the
minister said, but it's getting a
little too warm here for us"
AS he said that I realized for
the first time that battle was
in progress.
This is no place for you" ]
said to Dolly. You'd better &c
with them"
The China Doll started at me
her eyes blue ice.
And since when" she snapped
"have you beer my boss? Do yor
think I'm going to miss chance
to get an eyewitness story of {
battle? You can run along if you're
afraid"
That hurt me. Without sayinl
anything, I pulled the Gamer;
from nv pocket, cranked it up