Show The Luck of Geraldine Laird By KATHLEEN NORRIS Author of The Story of Julia Rachael Page I Heart of II I Wife Sisters etc I 0 Copyright by Kathleen Norris 0 I know I wa was In It lt he ho stam- stam I more moved than sho j ho had hall ever fie seen en him In his life Arc ro you you you- are you OU sorry No No 0 Geraldine was still sUlI looking straight ht up IP Into his face tace No Im I'm glad she said moving backward a astep astep step to io study his coat sleeve her voice olce hardly above ubo a whisper What I I never er seen seem to know What are you He lie folded his arms with n w gesture she well remembered and the big firth firm mouth widened Into a smile humorous half and half halt In the ranks he answered Ju Just t tone one of theten million And Jerry Jerry- If It before I I went you could say that you forgIve me Geraldine half halt turned away and now she put down the bag she was carrying and came back to hIm with with- free trel hands I think think think- She held them both out outto outto outto to him and her own eyes suddenly misted I think 1 I can say that she said My Iy wife she heard him say his voice olce thickened and Incoherent Then his arms were about her again In the theold theold old wa way and their lips were to to to- gether M My I wife My own dear girl back Dean said trying to laugh after atter a while as he held her off oct to look look- at her and quite openly dried his eyes Jerry Jerry It if you could know how Ive I've longed for tor you She came back Into his embrace 0 again t fueling feeling that she could not notI I have enough nough of the tho heavenly strength and peace of ot his holding her so to his heart after atter the bitter years ears Her man man man-hee hep mate mate come come comeback 0 r back to her that was all that mattered mattered mattered mat mat- in the world Never In all their days clays and youth and first love IUd had either cither known an ecstasy com comparable comparable par par- able abl to this But lut come we must sit alt down she said sald smiling with wet lashes and drawing him down beside her on the wide davenport Oh Dean Dean to to be talking together together together-to to be laughing to together together together to- to gether gether- Do you you you-do do you like Uke It she asked with a sudden Interested look The service Yes I 1 like Uke It thor thor- Its It's the biggest thing I ever 0 knew knew- And you ou will go to France and fight she mused I 1 hope so But Dut how did it happen Dean My Iy going In I happened to see an appeal from the Seventh division for tor recruits and it occurred to me that this Is the only job for or men of ot my generation none of ot us can do anythIng anything anything any any- thing until this Is over and I ap ap ap- plied I am too old for tor the draft draft draft- I dratt-I 0 and the only way was to volunteer 1 She saw and marveled as women I Ido do that he loved his work worl Sudden Suddenly ly Iy he got to his feet feel walked SUddEn j to the fireplace and stood looking down ather at ather ather her over his folded arms I There Is something I I- I want to say sayto sayto to you h he said Geraldine began to 0 tremble I know you ou understand It now now now- Oh I 1 do she interposed hurried hurried- hurriedly ly and anxiously as he stopped short Nevertheless Im I'm going to say it What odd half forgotten thrill stirred In her as he paused Geraldine Geraldine Geral Geral- GeralI I I dine wondered if she was falling taIlIng In love Im going to tell you I I he began again in his bis old masterful master master- ful tul way And suddenly he was on his knees beside her chair and had half circled her with his arm I want you to remember that I 1 said to today to- to day here day here In this room that I 1 am sorry dear he said brokenly I have been unfair to you and I have made you unhappy Im I'm sorry It was all my fault tault It was all my fault No No nol no It wasn't all your fault Dean she said eagerly her fingers fingerson on his cheek so close to her own It was mine too I hadn't been edu educated to to-to to to make a good wife wite I 1 0 thou thought ht that Just loving and being faithful was enough Again they looked deeply Into each others other's eyes ees Then Dean said In a alow alow low voice as he had said In the days 0 of ot t their engagement years ago But nut you OU love me Just the same Always she answered stirred to her heart Then that he said slowly makes my whole life liCe different It different it makes my going different and I believe I believe I I believe believe be be- lieve It will bring me home Terror c came me into her ey eyes the first I they had known of oC the worldwide j i terror o of soldiers soldiers' wives I IAh Ah Dean you ou must como come home I she whispered Ive never thought i of ot your not coming home I And for Cor a minute she clun clung to him sick in this moment of ot finding him at the agony of ot a greater tion Mother Iother said a childs child's crystal crystal- crystal 1 clear voice In the tho doorway Janey's parents turned in confusion and amusement so see flee the little girl 1 steadily regarding them Deanie Dennie a astep i j step further Into the room was was' also watching them with round eyes 1 Come here Geraldine said laughing laugh laugh- j j ing and blushing exquisitely She SIle I drew the older child toward her I I Look here Sweetheart etheart who Is 18 this I I she asked IJane j I Jane looked from her hoc face tace o oDean's of I Deans Dean's and smiled her slow and radiant radiant ra- ra diant smile I I II I 1 think think its its it's Daddy she an- an an 1 J with deep rich satisfaction I in her tone And Instantly she laid i both her small arms about her fathers father's I I collar and raised her beautiful little I If f far face confidently for hi hl kiss kiSIL i I Geraldine saw Dean bury hi his face against th the small shoulder a e as h IH he held his first born close to his heartIs heartIs heart Is my father a Deanie de de- de- de Yes m my dear and he ht has haa come com to tell us about it Geraldine said ald surprised surprised sur sut- sur- sur to find herself herselt shaken again I 1 always wanted my father to come back Janey stated from his knee but now Im I'm crying when Imao Im I'm so ao happy I I Were all crying because were we're so 80 j I happy nappy Baby her father said But Hut we have nothing to cry about I now And In Sn Geraldine's deep eyes there shone an utter fullness of ot content content con con- con I tent that they had not known for forlong forlong forlong long years J I dont don't know yet et she Ohe added laughing a little wildly tiow I these children got cot home or where Mother il la is or what time It Is Is or anything anything any any- thing Madame camp came for lor Or UK US when hen I an-I you vou had a caller culler Jane Janey explained and nd Grandma went out ut to market markt said aid that OU U were Er t talking I with will a gentleman and anti w r came cam In t I. to toa a ask k you ou if we could stop tol at Liza- Liza r belh's beths at 5 Its almost past halt t Z 2 Dean said with and I a a. glance at his wrist must bo 10 on a R 3 train Dean She stood up when h ho P did Ill Til see you you when when 1 He lie shook his head soberly When the war is over o Jerry I But But Involuntarily her hands hand caught him again But you OU aren arent aren't going BO so soon Spartan Spartanburg burg for tor a few days longer and and then straight over o he an answered answered answered an- an briefly But But but Dean Dean so so so soon It wa was the old cry the protest against the always sudden Budden blowIn blowIn blowIn blow In about ten days now But But but not she stam- stam France ho he answered confidently Then this is 18 goodbye Geraldine hated herself herselt for tor the sick thumping of ot her heart the dizziness and weakness weakness weak weak- ness nellS that assailed her She was quite ready to part with him onlY him only not to today to- to day not dat-not not so 80 soon They had Just found each other she was still thrillIng thrillIng thrilling thrill thrill- Ing from the touch of ot his arms about her Tomorrow Tomorrow next Tomorrow next week week she she could say goodbye as the other wives I did But today she was afraid sho she would cry she cry she was arr afraid id she would faint faint faint- 0 Kiss Dad goodbye girls she I said with a dry throat Something like a cramp constricted ted her chest and she felt an ice ice-c ice cold ld shudder go down her spine I The little girls In a a. tangle of or tightly clasped little arms flung Clung I themselves upon him Ho lie knelt down to meet them on their own I level and kissed the flushed and lovely little faces hungrily Well Vell drive you to the station Geraldine said fighting a sort of ot ver ver- No no no he said authoritatively The subway is much quicker and goes very near lIe He stood up Good Goodbye Goodbye I bye dear he said putting an arm about her And God bless you for tor the new flew heart you have put into I me When I 1 come back I 1 shall j i make it all up to you and the babies God willing We will have that little brick house of ot ours Jerry Jerry- Ah dont don't she laughed through starting tears And if It I dont don't come back he went on simply know that I my last thought was o of you was wasI I I I sent back to you In thanks and love You'll write me I shall do as much for tor my ray soldier as the rest she answered smiling but shaken Tobacco and chocolates choco choco- lates and cables cables I b I 1 know what the others do t for their men I And a picture of oC you OU and the children Jerry It shall shan be taken and put into a I thin little case case case- Ah Ab dearest there dearest there st-there there never neer was wall a woman like you he said tipping her face tace up for tor a last kiss She shut her eyes her whole being straining I toward him She heard him mutter a goodbye and something like a blessing Then the door closed I lIes Hes gone announced Deanie In the silence GeraldinE moving like I a It sleepwalker went a slow step or two wo toward the davenport and looked at It thoughtfully as if it the environment environment environ environ- ment that had known his strength and p passion still 1 held S something th of their Ir youth a and f force She glanced ra c up at the mantel where he had stood with folded arms and shut her eyes again to hold bold the thrill of ot his look Ah I t must remember it all ev every every ev- ev ery cry word she whispered to herself I shall have to live for tor Just the memory of ot this hour lies Hes Mother gone gont Janey an announced announced an- an flounced sweetly from the window gone Mrs l Fitzpatrick demanded demanded de de- demanded de- de coming in with her old cheeks flushed from her walk Dont lean so far tal out of ot that window window- Janey Madame wants you both Who's been here so long Geraldine Dean the younger woman an answered answered an an- with shining eyes ees Dean Laird her mother echoed incredulously Well I hope youve you've both come to your senses she added guardedly with a glance at athe atthe the he be children lies Hes a soldier Janey announced Importantly And hes he's going to 10 France Mrs Fitzpatrick's ey eyes s questioned her daughter Weve Veve forgiven each other Mother Geraldine explained In the silence He lie couldn't go and go-and and I II couldn't him without let go our being friends again And If it God spares him him him- If It God spares him him him- I 0 S Suddenly she he was crying bitterly I in iii ncr her mothers mother's arms I Why Vb Geraldine Geraldine-Geraldine Geraldine darling dar dar- I ling Mrs 1 Fitzpatrick protested In Ini i tears herself this Isn't like you I dear You cry Were We're all In 1 Gods God's hands dear here or in the I I line front trenches remember that i Its It's Isn't Its Isn't it much better to have him I j 1 j go after youve you've had your talk and forgiven each other othe than to feel as you did for tor a while Oh much Geraldine conceded with brave laughter that was half half- sobbing a as she stopped crying and began to wipe her eyes Much H Hell come back Mother Janey assured her anxiously She and Dean Deanie Ie aghast at the turn of ot events had come to stand beside her Car Ger made herself smile as she dropped on her knees and embraced the little sisters with wide flung arms Ah of or hell he'll come back she echoed I know he be will What else could he do thin Faith I mustn't be forgetting the luck tuck of ot Geraldine Geraldine Ger Ger- aldine sWine Laird 0 The end |