The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-04-14

her. and his blue eyes looked down
F into hers with concern ard a quick.
pleading humility. For the split
+ second that faintuess overesme
her. she knew a sharp. leapinr re-
lief relief almost unendurable
n its ecstasy She clgng 20 Inn.
seeing in that ore LOOK the new
haggardness Of his face. the
shamed uncertainty IN his eyes.
But in the next moment. she vas
pushing him away She was stand-
Ing straight and ngid. he anger
and despair which had whipped
her on through the dreadful hours
making her lips tighten and her
voice hard.
Where were you all this time
Don't you know we've been look
ins for you I almost went out Il
my mind. Paul had detectives ia
New York-Suzanne hired detec-
tives here-I phoned the camp.
they said you'd deserted-whers
were you? Why did you do it"
Bits eyes dropped. He kicked
morosely at a pebble
Where We're you? She cried
again. y looked fer you all night!
All day yesterday. Where were
you ."
AFTER I knocked Paul down,
II had to hitchhike from New
York. I went crazy. Martha.
didn't come to until they kicked
me out Of the hotel. But knowing
you'd gone hack 10 him
"Oh. Bill, don't start that again!
I told you I've never been in love
with him, | didn't go back to him.
Suddenly all the anger left her.
the passionate desire to convince
him. oh, never mind. Bill, Thst
doesn't matter now. DO you know
you're a deserter2 You've got to
get back to camp quickly, You
must do everything you can 10
make them go easy on you
I've made dreadful mess Of
things he admitted morosely. Il
guess it's too late
No. 1t isn't too late! Oh, Bill,
get into the car with me. You
drive. please. Drive fast Wen get
to camp. Ill speak to the conf
handing officer. Perhaps they
they're not so heartless after
all :"
He laughed shortly. Our trou-
bles don't concern them. Discipline
Is all they care about"
And they're right! You should
never have done it. No matter
what happened, your first duty
was to the Army"
Duty" he SAID. ITS their ia
vorite word
It's a big word, Bill. A solemn
word"
As she sat there beside him.
4 while the old car strained over
the road, Martha thought of the
guardhouse where she had found
him last Sunday. Would this being
absent without leave mean a
longer term in the guardhouse
More severe punishment Bill,
will they court-martial YOU"
II don't know" He turned and
his eyes met hers. "All I know,
Martha, is that I'm ashamed in
my soul to have given you all this
trouble. II could get down on
my knees to you, I could-could
cut off my arm g.. but it wouldn t
help. Nothing could make it right
again.
"Oh, sweet, will you ever trust
me after this? Can you ever for
give me for my suspicious? I'D
do anything, If only you'd give me
another chance
The Army's got to give you
another chance" she said steadily.
That's our first concern. After
that-oh, Bill, I've never stopped
loving you" She lifted her tear
stained face. Bill kissed her swift
ly. Then they turned their faces
resolutely straight ahead-to the
immediate future that awaited
them at the camp.
TWO hours later. going down
the road that lead to the sentry
hut and the cantonment. Martha
saw Suzanne's car. Bill There's
Paul and Suzanne" Bill touched
the horn button. Paul and Suzanne
tumbled out of their car in sur
prise and relief
"Oh, Martha, you found him"
Yes Her smile was tremulous.
There's no time now Bill must
report at once. Wait for me"
AS Bill stepped on the starter,
Martha saw Paul turn 10 Suzanne.
You've been wonderful" he said
simply.
Suzanne answered Il was wrong
about those things I said AZ the
hospital, Paul. I know now none
of them was true But you should
have known, long ago. Paul-Id
do anything for you
Martha thought. as they were
left behind there on the road. that
perhaps this crisis had worked
minor miracle II had brought Paul
closer to suzanne-it had given
Suzanne a chance TO atone. How
odd, that my life and Bills should
CONTINUED on Page Seventeen
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