The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-04-05
Conscript's Wife

Nv BETTY WALLACE

/ f@-iAAaiAee4 IRON ~ -
IS. whether there were other prs
oners in the gusrdhouse. whether
they we're al like Bill. sullen and
surlv. whether some other girl
would come into this bare room.
soon. 10 sit On a bench and try
20 - tactfuL And I thought
maybe today I could talk him out
q hls ieslousy-msyhe today we
could clear Up this thing that has
been tearing US apart"
There's nothing to tell" Bill
said CURLY. All 7 can say is that
It's fine mess. all right. The
government sticks me out here in
damn army camp to play At
dumb war games. while you"
Her spine stiffened. While 1
WHAT"
She should not have said IT, She
knew she shouldn't But there
was only so much she could bear.
Bill wasn't thinking OF her side
Of this He wasn't remembering
that she had come here to be with
him. 10 have this one day OF hap
pness in an otherwise empty
week.
The trouble was, she saw clear
", Bill had never looked at this
from her point Of view At all.
Since the day his number was
called, ne had not stopped to think
what il meant 70 her. Duty. That
morning the induction order came.
she had seen 1t as the govern
ment exacting duty of her as
well as Of Bill
Yet Bill himself had never seen
It like that. To him. il was some
thing he bore while she went on
as before. While she-his voice
was saying it now. taking UP her
question. flinging it back at her
fatty, While you run around with
PAUL"
I told you I haven't seen him.
Bill, I've told you until I'm dizzy
with it. 7 haven't. I haven't"
1T would be nice, If 1 could
believe it."
She stared at him. Stared as if
she had never seen him before.
And she never had Not this man.
Not this angry man with the
curled lip, the skeptical, chilly
eyes.
Something snapped in her mind
then. Something that had been
growing these last difficult weeks
until now it sprang forth. quiver-
ing and alive. but strong and fun
nurtured, A decision. A decision
she had not even known she was
making.
Bill Marshall if you don't trust
me-tf nothing l can say has any
effect on the things you're think
ing about me-then there's M use
in going on. There's no use in nv
telling you anything. If we have
no trust, no understanding be-
tween US any more, it's time to
stop"
She was on her feet. Her cheeks
were hot, a pulse beat in her
throat, but her slim body was
very steady. And her voice was
steady, as if it came from some
where outside her.
She could hear herself-the cool.
determined words, the perfect
control - and a part of herself
stood aside and wondered that she
could be doing this thing which
half an hour ago would have
seemed so incredibly fantastic.
Il stayed with my sister re-
signed my job. gave up the money
l needed for clothes and for Free
dom and for my own self-respect,
just to please you. You asked me
TO do it only so that you could be
sure l wasn't seeing Paul. un-
derstood that, Bill. I didn't argue
about It, did II gave Up my job.
l stayed with Helen and Eugene.
Stayed in a house where I don't
belong, doing work for which I'm
not fitted, caring for children who
aren't my own
Her voice shook just a little. and
then was low and controlled once
more. What have 7 had. staying
there? Only days to live through.
One day exactly like the one be-
fore and the one after. House
work and dishes. scarcely enough
money for a movie. On Sundays,
every Sunday, I came here. 1t
was all I had TO look forward TO.
But was there any joy in see-
ing you? How could there be,
when you choose to quarrel with
me You've Rugged this insane
Jealousy. nursed it. fed it on
Heaven only knows what scraps
OF flimsy suspicion, Because SUI
zanne Decker lost her head and
said lot Of Wild things she was
sorry for half minute later"
Bill lifted his eyes. his mouth
opened 70 speak. But she rushed
on. the tide Of her feeling swelling.
It's too late now. Bill. I've had
all I can bear I've waited and
hoped and tired 10 convince you.
For weeks, I've hoped. worked.
come here and listened to you
-. and now. IN through.
You have JOB 10 do. You