The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-08-29

suffered. But he was in uniform.
not too well fitting. and the silver
crosses he wore left no doubt Of
his identity.
Adam said. Good evening
Chaplain. It IS Chaplain Henry,
isn't it? You'll forgive me for not
being sure. but your appearance
Is considerably altered"
The chaplain darted him a sus-
picious glance, but Adam seemed
only gently concerned
"Ah yes. Yes indeed. Quite so.
I'm afraid I did not see you at
first Major Drew, / believe. And
-er-the young lady"
Adam formally introduced us
and the little man so far regained
his composure as to bob his head
at me. But ne did not meet my
eyes, and / knew that he was re-
membering the extreme infor-
maIity of our last encounter.
As we emerged into the hot
darkness of the summer evening
he would have escaped us. but
Adam held him in conversation,
drew from him the admission
that he had been released from
the hospital that afternoon and
that he was going back now to
bachelor quarters. So, as we were
going there too, there was MOTH
ing for it but to fall into step
with us.
Inside the theater l had been
amused by the sound of pedantic
Syllables falling from the swollen
lips of that rufian countenance.
But as we strolled along in the
friendly darkness | began to real
ize what it would mean to such
painfully serious man to be the
subject of whole garrison's
mirth.
The added fact that he was a
chaplain made it something of a
tragedy. A chaplain's duties are
broader in scope than those of
most men of the cloth. He con-
ducts a weekly nonsectarian ser
vice for such of the garrison as
care to attend. but his chief work
is among the men. He is rather
like a social director. a Rotary
Club and a Y:M.C.A. all in one.
and Adam had told me that a
good chaplain is the enlisted
mans guide, counselor and friend.
It would be too bad If this were
to impair his usefulness by max
ing him only a figure of fun.
"A Ruined Man
LIE WAS thawing a little under
L L Adams sympathetic atten-
ton. ! kept out of the converse
ton because l thought he would
prefer not to be reminded of my
existence. and presently he was
doing all the talking. recapitulat-
ing, in a rather plaintive way, the
circumstances of his arrival on
the post. Adam put in a quiet
question now and then. but the
chaplain seemed unable to add
anything to what he had already
told.
THEY'VE given me back my
car" he said in conclusion. NAT
urally / have been unable to
drive it as yet-my hands-but I
expect to find it has been abused.
| think one need hardly doubt
that a ruffian of that type would
have no compunction at driving a
new car at a high rate of speed.
Probably not" Adam agreed
cheerfully. And if, as seems like
ly. the same man stole Mrs. Bride
wells car he sped himself to his
own punishment. A punishment
considerably more drastic than
the law would impose"
That is so" agreed the chap
lain. The ways of providence are
strange"
Did l imagine it, or was he a
little impressed that providence
had taken a hand in his revenge?
We entered the club by the
door of the guest wing. My rooms
were the first on the right. l asked
them both in. but the illumina-
ton of the corridor must have re-
minded the chaplain of his en-
barraSSing plight, for he declined
and battered stifffy toward the
rear of the building. We watched
him until he reached a door near.
the end of the corridor-the quiet
rooms he had requested-then. I
preceded Adam into my sitting
room, e
That's a ruined man." he said
somewhat compaSSionately.
What do you mean?" l asked
although thought I knew. md
| was right. Adams thoughts mad
been paralleling mine.
Il mean that soldiers are like
children in one respect, at least.
Once let them get the idea that
thing or IN this case person. Is
funny, and they will never take it
seriously again"
Julia had taken me at my word
and put in an appearance shortly
after breakfast that morning. |
had stopped work long enough to
make her welcome. then turned
back to my typewriter.
She spent the morning prowl-
ing back and forth in my two
rooms. as noiseless and as pas
sionatefy restrained as a Gagged
cat. Or she would lie stiff and
silent on the studio couch, smok-
ing cigarettes. lighting one from
another with quiet ferocity.
Suddenly she muttered hur-
ried goodby. snatched her hat and
left. called after her to ask her
to stay to lunch. but she did not
seem to hear me.
Hello, jeff" she was saying
breathIeSsiy, out in the corridor.
Hello"
His voice. like himself. express
SionleSs.
Faltering footsteps, an instant
of charged silence. Then
BE seeing YOU" in Julia's sud-
denly too-jaunty voice.