Show J I 1 f Q t V Q mccord service CHAPTER VII continued 8 id have had a swell chance to be the unknown soldier continued fink pink if it been for the dommie dominie know what he done oh what I 1 know it was splendid I 1 was for me lie ile heaved me across his shoulder ashe as he was cornin comin back and dumped me at the dressin station it was while he was a duggin me that shell spoiled my map how bravel brave abbie clasped her hands tightly just a part of the days work for him pink forgot his usual caution in the warmth of his listeners undisguised admiration desm he kept me from bein planted under one of them nice little white crosses and I 1 aint never forgot it I 1 was laid up in the hospital until after the armistice but the dominie never lost track of me the fact my pan was busted never seemed to worry him of course not but conceded moodily it spoiled me for my own profession fes sion bothin but what was that mr pink you probably dont follow the sp ortin pages so close or remember reading my name im kid pink I 1 was I 1 mean youre not telling me it it surel sure fairly beamed 1 I knew it would come back to you after a minute me lightweight division you remember I 1 was goin strong for first place when they kicked up that row on the other side what did you do oh I 1 wait to be mustered id been a short order jockey cook that was before 1 I took up the gloves serious after 1 I was on my pins and wonderlin won derin what next the dominie makes me a proposition ion I 1 was to come and throw in with him help around the house by sl ingin hash and helpin to take care of the kid dale sure he was gettin to the age when he was gettin into everything the dominie wanted to have the kid with him guess it sort of made up for not havin the wife id beung up about six brothers and sisters and dale give me no trouble 1 I had gloves on him by the time he was five used to sit down on the floor and swap punches with him kep his mind off his fair fairy v tales of how nice that was you tellin me id have dug cl ditches itches for the dominie with my fingernails if hed asked me to would yet for that matter you see I 1 always wanted to pay him back for what he done for me may be Ive had the chance in a way of course you havet have abbie brown exclaimed ive never heard of such devotion I 1 think its wonder wonderful full 1 I wish you have heard it lowi now pink remarked a trifle ungraciously the dominie never talks war stuff hed be sore as a pup if he thought id been shooting the works like I 1 done clone he would be like that there was rare understanding in those few words but they brought only dismay to pinckney what had possessed him to blab all that tripe and to a skirt of all things he eased himself from his perch and faced the cause of his downfall with belligerency in his own voice and eyes that was pure dumb of me forget I 1 said anything about the dominie and the missus he dont talk about her 1 I understand and ill always understand him better after this 1 no you wont nobody understands that guy women least of all As long as weve gone this far we might as well put the cards down I 1 can tell youve got good sense but if theres any dames in this burg that think the dominies you get me on the block well you can tell em for me all wet miss abbie bridled perceptibly she rose hastily from her chair thank you for telling me everything ery thing I 1 had no idea it was so lat late I 1 only intended to stay a minute no wait ill slip right out the back door it if you dont mind pink link looked after her with gloomy eyes beatin it to the neighbors to spill can you tie that the lost last remark was caused by a glance at the kitchen table the empty doughnut pan still reposed where he had placed it at its owners disposal circumstances entered into an unholy conspiracy to keep him from having that talk with lee brady was dales grim conclusion he had planned to see her the afternoon following the party then came a request to drive his father over to newark doctor farwell was scheduled to address a meeting in that city if it were not too late when he finished he wished to go into new york he would appreciate it if dale would bring the car back to locust hill since he disliked driving in manhattan when dale reached home it was late afternoon he decided to defer his call until evening and to make it without telephoning in advance if lee were hurt or angry even it would be too easy for her to plead a previous engagement he must see her CHAPTER VIII pink was engrossed with plans for an after dinner excursion the incident of the doughnut pan had left him a prey to vague forebodings bo dings there was the chance that brown dame might come back for her property if she encountered the dominie or dale it was more than likely she would make some crack about that kitchen visit accordingly pink chose four of the likeliest browns in the telephone directory and copied the street numbers on a bit of paper he planned to begin the quest as quickly as the dinner dishes could be washed and the kitchen put in its usual scrupulous order even then he had a narrow escape for dale appeared just as mr and the pan were achieving a stealthy exit from the back door where are you going pink the door closed with a hasty bang the first brown doorbell summoned an aged man who proved hard of hearing and eyed the pan with deep distrust apparently he labored under the delusion that a contribution of some sort was desired after a noisy attempt to clarity clarify the situation pink turned away in disgust at his next stop fortune favored him the door was opened by none other than miss abbie herself heres your pan the grateful messenger announced and thrust it at her why thank youl you did you ever hear of anything so stupid calling at your house just to get that pan and then walking right off without you must come in and sit down a few minutes youre tired I 1 know no thanks not tonight but my mother would so like to meet you ive been telling her how we not a chance I 1 mean im in a hurry pink explained so that was it been telling her old lady and who else fine time id have gig glin that one off he told himself as he beat a hasty retreat into the darkness in the meantime dale had made his way to the bradys where hattie the elderly domestic assured him that lee was at home mrs brady however was the only occupant of the living room when he entered oh its dale how are you lee is upstairs but she will be here presently please sit down fine dale helped himself to a chair 1 I suppose I 1 should have asked lee if it was convenient for me to call he began abruptly but I 1 was away all afternoon and I 1 did want to tell her how disappointed I 1 was about last night father had invited guests for dinner and I 1 know it mrs brady sensed the anxiety in his voice that was quite all right she suggested kindly lee was disappointed that you were unable to come all of us were before he had time tu to pursue the subject further lee appeared from the hall the callers heart sank when he saw that she was wearing her coat hello was her cheerful greet ing how are you all right I 1 have come i over unannounced were you going out only to the corner to post a letter lee removed her coat and tossed it into a chair if trust me with it ill drop it in the post office dale took the letter and thrust it into his pocket 1 I was just telling your mother how sorry I 1 was about last night oh well 1 lees voice was disappointingly indifferent maybe ill have better luck next time no I 1 wont she laughed im all through having birthdays I 1 forgot it was impossible to tell from lees manner whether or not she held any resentment it against him she chatted freely and frankly as dales spirits drooped he was almost on the point of making his adieus adicus when mrs brady excused herself and retired from the room when he was satisfied that she was out of hearing dale drew a long breath lee he blurted 1 I wanted to tell you about last night who our guests were 1 I know she answered quietly evelyn was here today she mentioned it oh I 1 see the admission left him floundering 1 I would rather have told you myself im not sure I 1 have preferred it that way but its quite all right well you see I 1 like to mention it over the phone I 1 guess I 1 was rather upset anyway father 4 1 W N af Is dv w Y I 1 4 A he decided to defer his call until evening told me point blank that he expected me to be on hand to help him entertain ter tain it sounds queer I 1 know but its rather difficult to oppose him please dont say any more about it dale I 1 told you it was all right but it he insisted miserably 1 I feel like a and all last evening now dont try to make me think you have a good time lee laughed that would be too much I 1 thought perhaps you dropped in tonight to tell me goodby good by I 1 heard you were going away sooner than you had planned who says say so im leaving after the holidays mr marblestone sort of got to quizzing me last night I 1 might have given him the impression I 1 was ready to put on my hat and start I 1 know I 1 felt like it just what are you going to do at the dale its a joke im trying my hand at well it wont be teaching just keeping a section of beginners busy ben lingham is taking a leave the second semester and payne thought I 1 could hold down some of his work there much in it but I 1 jumped at the chance to be associated that much more with the chief doctor payne is head of the department part ment he ill say he hes one of the foremost consultants in the country today there are a lot of mining men up north mostly who swear by him im going to cultivate him all I 1 can in hopes he might land a berth for me with one of his clients client this spring A recommendation from him ought to go a long way r that sounds interesting then you wont be coming back here there was a little note in the last that dale was quick to detect lee he told her steadily 1 I should have gone away sooner I 1 and theres just one reason ill always be coming back if youre here or unless you tell me I 1 cant do you remember dale that I 1 told you one day that you were funny you are and I 1 think wed better talk about something else yes I 1 do remember he said slowly everything that happened that day I 1 always will and id better be going home dale rose to his feet hesitated uncertainly lee theres something I 1 want to ask you ou first yes she met his eyes unflinchingly Is is everything all right now yes lee smiled up at him brightly Every things just right the fast approaching holidays brought little of pleasurable anticipation to dale farwell each time he thought of christmas he was conscious of a feeling of dejection that he could not shake off it meant leaving locust hill leaving home leaving lee for the first time his departure from his fathers roof carried a realization aliza tion of permanency dales forthcoming work at the university must be a stepping stone only high time he was making a niche for himself putting his education to the test in the meantime he must devote as many hours as possible to his father and to pink he owed them that hence young mr farwell became something of a recluse those last few weeks pleading his preparations as a reason for declining invitations there was one exception he went to lees home as frequently as he could contrive an excuse lee had been as good as her word so far as their outward relations were concerned but dale was MIS miserably conscious that something of the old comradeship was gone he could not define it with any degree of satisfaction there was a vague barrier there lee was holding him away from her gently but none the less firmly aside from the usual home remembrances mem brances dales christmas shopping concerned itself only with a gift for lee furtive prowls through department stores a search that took him as far as new york left him rather dismayed at the vast miscellany contrived for feminine use 1 I hope you dont mind my acting as my own delivery boy he explained evasively to lee when he was fortunate enough to find her alone on the afternoon of the day before christmas 1 I had these flowers for your mother and I 1 wanted to be sure they got here shipshape you know TO BE CONTINUED |