Carbon County news., 1944-09-07

wouldn't get very far"
o "You mean with the blonde?'
!. Freddie inquired, and received hi
e laugh.
: He kept up a horSeplay of sayin
t that this was as far as he wanted t.
go, that he'd had nice ride, bu
, would now go back home. Whel
, this wore thin, he introduced nev
, subject. "Still proud to fight, Pop?'
! he inquired.
Mr.. Wrinkle kept his temper. eve
all ought to be-"
"WeIl, I'm not" Freddie declared
''I'm not going because I want to-
and I don't care who knows it.
don't want to be any darned sol.
dier. Lugs, that's all they are.
They're going to make me into a
lug"
Mr.. Wrinkle looked around. No one
except the contingent from Spring
vile seemed to have heard these
remarks. The men listened with
interest. Some of them looked star
tied.
81 don't think you ought to say
such things" Mr.. Wrinkle advised.
who says that, Pop? Who says
I can't say what want?"
"Well :" began Mr.. Wrinkle.
isn't this a free country, Pop?
Can't a man say what he wants?
Tell me that, Pop"
When Mr.. Wrinkle didn't reply,
Freddie was infuriated, taking out
his resentment on him as if holding
Mr.. Wrinkle personally responsible
for his being drafted. Tell me that,
you old coot, and don't act like
we're in the Army already"
Before Mr.. Wrinkle could gather
his outraged senses, Jack Pettigrew
pushed through the group of men
and came up to Freddie. His thin
face was white with anger. Don't
talk like that to Mr.. Winkle," he
ordered.
Freddie turned on the revolving
stool to Mr.. Wrinkle, ignoring Jack.
"How about that, Pop? Should I
talk like that to you?"
Jack made lunge at Freddie,
who whirled, placed his hand on
the boys chest, and showed him
back.
Jack, crying imprecations, re-
turned to the fray with clenched
fists.
Freddie jumped up to meet him.
Mr.. Wrinkle was gripped with dis
may. Things were fast getting out
of hand. In fact, they were already !
well out of hand. The proprietor of |
the place was yelling, waitress
shrieked, and customers called out.
Mr.. Wrinkle heard his own voice
crying, Nov look here! Look here!
Save that for the Germans! Or the
Japs!"
The men laughed. Jack subsidized, |
glaring. Freddie made ironic gri-
maces.
An armistice had been declared
in the premature war. Mr.. Wrinkle
breathed with relief He wasn't cer-
tain that he liked the responsible
ties of leadership.
He counted the men carefully as
they got back on the bus, making
sure Freddie was among them. His
glance caught that of Jack, whose
eyes were hot and who said, I'm
going to get him! I'm going to get
lim plenty"
''That's all right" Mr.. Wrinkle
,almed him. II appreciate your
standing up for me, but you've doEe
Another hours ride got them 70
heir destination, and they descend
ID at busy station where they were
transferred to another bus. This was
already half filled with soldiers-elect
ike themselves.
Hello, fresh meat" one of these
greeted them.
From the highway, three miles out
# town, the entrance to the camp
vas no more than a dirt side road
where two armed guards stood and
ign declared this to be a military
eservation and that no admittance
vas allowed.
Having been invited, they were ad-
aitted.
After passing through quarter of
mile of thick woods, they came to
great cleared space in which stood
hidden city. There were many
'ooden buildings, some os them of
he story, others of two stories. Dust
ose from the passing of their own
nd other vehicles, and frorn march
lg feet.
The bus stopped before a building
hich had sign on it saying, 'Tn-
lction Checking Station" Standing {
, or sitting on the ground before t
is were perhaps fifty more selec-
es. They stared at the newcom- c
s who descended from the bus. l
o one spoke in the atmosphere of c
atient waiting and weary anxiety.
Mr.. Wrinkle looked about, some r
hat at a loss. He didn't know t
hat to do next. O
A tall, thickset Sergeant, holding a
sheaf of papers in his hand, came 9
It of the building. He looked at f
e new arrivals and asked huskily.
Who's the leader?" C