Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1943-01-08

very nice ABOUT tfle gallant QeeQ WHICH
had won Corporal Trim his decoration
Gertie's husband was no talker.
Never had been. To be just like this,
with his darling, was all he wanted,
though in a way he sometimes felt,
even now, as if he didn't know her
very we'll. Gertie had been an old
fashioned bride. That is to say, bit
shy and stand-offish, and he hadn't
yet known how to make her see what
difference wife being a little bit
coming-on makes to a chap
But she had suddenly kissed him of
her own accord just now That showed
didn't it, that she was getting more
used to him and didn't mind him
rocking her in his arms as if she were
a baby? In fact. she had murmured,
isn't it lovely to know we're all by
ourselves in this big house? I used to
feel as if Auntie was always spying on
us the last time you were on leave"
AS only answer he had laid his
cheek on hers, trying to think of the
right words to explain how he loved
her, how he worshipped her and that
deep in his heart he never wanted
her to be any different from what she
was. Corporal Trim had known some
bold girls in his time and he thanked
God his Gertie was not like any Of
them.
But all he could find to say now
was Il expect you often go the zoo
as its so near, sweetheart"
Il go there whenever Auntie can
spare me, and I've got to know one
of the keepers called Mr.. Green. who
looks after two of the tigers He's an
aWfully nice chap and he gives Auntie
and me as many free passes as we
feel like having"
The strong arm round her frightened.
Does that lawfully nice chap" ever
come here?" he asked in a casual
tone.
Mercy. no! Mr.. Green has a nice
home of his own. He isn't young. He
was a sergeant in the last war Well
go across and see him tomorrow"
There came no answer to that.
Corporal Trim felt no urge to go
across and see Mr.. Green. He felt he
would like to stay here, in this big
comfortable room, with his dear little
:, love, for ever and ever.
ITS lucky there's never been a raid
over the ZOO went on Gertie. Not
but that they're ready for one. My!
That they are. The very day the war
started, what do you think they did?"
Corporal Trim couldn't think what
they had done, SO he remained silent.
They killed the poisonous spiders,
and the man who looked after them
couldn't help crying, it upset him So!
Also, when I first got to know Mr..
Green, he told me something so hor-
rible, Tom. It's quite haunted me
whenever there was raid on
, "HOrrihle0 What on aortb woo
that?"
They've got hold of some old
; gentlemen who used to be in India,
! and are what's called crack shots, -
so if bomb ever falls on the tiger
house or the lion house, and the poor
brutes escape alive, they'll be shot
stone dead before they've time to do
any mischief"
Each old gent stands close by,
, waiting, with his finger on the trigger,
and Mr. Green says it fair gives him
the creeps to see how disappointed
some of them are that nothing ever
happens. One of them must have been
regular fire eater, for when he was
5 a young man he killed 20 tigers! He
stands just opposite the tiger house,
waiting to have a go at Mr.. Green's
I'D like to pot tiger" chuckled
!, Corpoal Trim. Think what nice
rug he'd make!"
You wouldn't feel like that if you
happened to be his keeper" and
Gertie spoke in a very reproving
' voice.
, Maybe not But your Mr.. Green
needn't worry, sweetheart. Old Lon
don won't be bombed again. The
! ferries have seen the cockneys can
/ take it, and they're going now for
what they ought to have done all
along. mean war factories and NUM-
| ton works"
And then, just as Corporal Trim
uttered the word works" there fell
. on their ears the wailing scream of
} the siren
, There now!" cried Gertie, and she
burst out laughing. "All the same,
, expect you're right. We've had the
warnings time and again. without
even a gun having to be fired"
| She hoped off his knee. I'd best
. open the window. just in case Il bomb
: falls near here for quite a number of
folk we know have been hurt by the
glass from their windows blowing in
on them"
: Corporal Trim got up too. and
pushed the roomy armchair well back
into the middle of the large room.
But the night air was chilly and
he was glad Gertie hadn't bothered
about the two other windows. At last,
Aren't you coming back, dearie?" he
: asked coaXingly.
She came slowly towards him. She
7 did love him-she did-she did! But
what she enjoyed was just nice gentle
: love making. and feeling he was all
, hers, rather than that she was all his
. Gertie Trim was at the parting of
, the ways. though she didn't know it
5 and never would. On the way. that
is, to becoming the hard self-righteous
kind of woman who suddenly wakes
, up one day to find her husband no
longer loves her, and prefers her
room to her company.
, He took her in his arms, hungrily
) II want to kiss you. May ~"
: She said with half sigh, yes, If