Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-03-07
copyrisht 1870: By News Syndicate Co. Inc
An English Girl Fills
Her Brothers Shoes
When Her Country
Calls
IN TWO PARTs-PART ONE

katherine Hyde sat on an upended
suitcase. gray eyes studying the
startled faces Of Mary and Evelyn
FOWL. She held her crmpled nat across
her knee as though she were riding a
hunter at jump.
\ Not going" gasped Mary, echoing
Katherine.s last words.
"Kathie are you craZy2" asked Eve
lyn. The last boat train leaves in 20
minutes. With people sleeping even in
bathtubs, we're lucky enough to have
a three-berth cabin. But you've for
gotten something. You can't stay. any
way When they gave us our exit per-
way they do everybody's.'
of course can stay" said Rather
ine. An l have to do is miss the
train" Her lip trembled. Twelve
got to see Ronnie."
"Ronnie!" cried Mary. "A fine half
brother he's turned out to be! We've
been here three CHASTITY days and all
calls saying he would try to drop
around!
Katherine stood up. She was tall for
a girl handsome rather than pretty,
and her dark hair was the envy Of all
her friends. When wet she could slick
II like boys, when damp it curled,
and when dry, as it was now, it became
a tumble Of waves.
'Ronnie is British" she said. the
, huskiness of her voice matching the
dusky color in her cheeks, "a British
naval officer assigned to intelligence.
Doesn't that mean anything to you
two2 Don't you realize this country Is
at WARP"
"Of course we do" said Evelyn. land
that's why we're trying to keep you
from making fool of yourself. Do
sN~s,, la Ioy ~
around2 Call him up and ask him.
dare you"
The challenge seemed to settle a
point in Katherine's own mind. She
went to the telephone and put In the
call With her hand over the mouth
piece she looked pleadingly at her two
friends "Ronnie and I were babies and
children together" she said, wondering
If she could make them understand.
and perhaps Ill never have a chance
TO see him again. He was born months
after his father got killed in the first
World war and people used to take US
for twins. When mother died years
ago my father was glad to let Ronnie,s
own family take him back. haven't
seen him"
She broke off abruptly, for there Is
something unmistakable about dead
wire. Lieut.. Ronald Gates wire dead?
An English telephone out of order Is
nothing to fuss about, but this was
so different it made her heart thump.
She made for the door.
"Goodby, Eve; by. Mary"
"Katherine!" called Evelyn, your
suitcase!"
Katherine's voice came back from
the hall. Tell them to hold it for me-
When she reached the street she
could hardly keep from running. she
turned left into GroSvenor Square and
left again on Mount street, then slowed
down; perhaps she was Just being
silly. How strange the world looked !:
Broken off from its familiar past IT
was like Peter Schlemihl without his
shadow. No children anywhere and IN
Berkeley Square she came upon
weird truck and winch in charge OF
crew OF mere boys in uniform. They
were hauling down one OF the bllmps
of the air barrage for reinflation. Al
ready hundreds of the queer-shaped
balloons swan like tiny silver fishes
high over London, each with q thin
steel cable that would spell disaster
to any looming plane. and soon there
would be thousands. She felt envious
Of the boys They were in the game
They had a share not in killing but
In saving people from being killed. Her
envy was so strong 1t startled her.