The Tin Soldier

streets and the sordid taverns of the town. When his wild moods came upon him, he struck out straight for open country. Up hill a

through woodland paths. They slept by day and journeyed by night. By reversing this program, the General as a rule avoided them. But not always, and when the l

e had flung defiance at them. "My mother's motor is up the road with t

ands of his son. He adored him. It was only of

in that ageing body. He shuddered as he thought of the two men who were his father-one a polished gentleman ruling

ky, the river was a thin line of

e. "He is singing down there," he sa

Derry listened. The quav

h the-trumpet-that sh

the-hearts of men-

l, to answer him! Be

e words-held pathetically to the memory of those days when he had marche

s heart. "Couldn't you do a

he sent me home. Told

ty years, the General had discharged Bronson more than once, always without the least idea

yourself just now. You'd better go

you can bring

onson, th

back. "It is freezing cold, sir, you

ashlight revealed the General, a humped-up

as he recognized his son.

e was t

e a lump of ice in the morning, Dad.

ronson, son, He is

There were moments when he was

ome,

you come

not c

round. "Sit on this and wrap up y

t move. "I am puf

gled. Things at times happened to his le

ly comfa'ble-g

leave y

t to b

ad been moods of rebellion, but usually he

e reaso

and freeze-than go

a whiplash. He sprang to his feet. "You

mean

coward, and

on't you go

uckle of living waters beneath

go and fight

ape from that taunting voice. "You'll be sorry for this, D

leave that old man down there to die of the cold-

father's shortcomings, they had always clung together-and now they were separated by words which had cut like a

others-there had been, too, averted faces. He saw the little figure in the cloak of heavenly blue as she had

s back at his father the taunt that was on his lips. T

n humiliating moments, hard moments, but always he had been sustained by a

came a shivering old voic

s,

wn-and h

suffered a reaction. He felt chilled a

the nearest hostelry, or for a stop at Chevy Chase. He would, he promised, go to bed at the

s car. He insisted on an understanding. I

"we won't stop.

etermination backed at the moment by righteous indignation. He lifted his father bodily, put him in the car, took

ed himself up in the rugs, dropped his head against the

ng guided up his own stairwa

l, quite surprisingly, made no protest. He had his bath, hot drinks to follow, and hot water bags in his be

e evening was yet early. He had lived emotionally throu

flags, paid homage to men in uniform. He was aware that he was, perhaps, unduly sensitive, but it was not pleasant to meet the inquiring glance, the guarded question. He w

was his mother's grandfather, who had the same fair hair and strongly marked brows. He had been an officer in

better to have inherited Quaker blood. Derry smiled whimsically as he thought how different he

then deny him the opportunity to exercise his birthrigh

h of fruit was set befo

squabs, no mushrooms, no avacados-for them bully beef and soup

g that he might thus, vicariously, atone f

e were lights upstairs and down. Was Jean McKenzie's room behind the two golden windows above th

ind. As yet he knew only the message of her beauty. He fancied her as having exquis

ed as he heard her laugh. Then her clear voice, "Isn't it a wonderful night

himself straining his ear for that light laugh, found himself wishing that it were he who

house was packed, and Jean and her father, following the flashlight of the usher, found harbor finally in a box to the left of the stage.

be together-so sufficient without any other. Once Dr. McKenzie got up and went out. When he came back

rmed gay incidents in his life rather than serious epochs. He had carried in his hear

Arc and the lover who failed her, with the reincarnation of the lover and hi

drawn breath of the girl in front of him

my d

hate him

ay was

pinning on her hat. She saw Derry and smiled at him

and. "How do you do? So you

ddy. He-he came to b

buy your dreams, Jeanie," her father sai

at all," said

d the portal of the gilded door, Derry

take pity on me-and join me at supper? There's dancing at the Willard and

nto Jean's eye

ou like

d you. And you haven't any

Otherwise she is sorry for them." He looked at his watch. "When I get

ent. Jean was between her father and Derry. As he kept step with her, it seemed to him that no w

nfastened her coat, and he saw her white dress and pearls. "Am I fine enough for a

ative frock-and I am glad that

hy

as heavenly, and now thi

e sat ve

ve said that? I

d you did

are

h their words-" The color ca

rned, Derry found a ta

enzie told his young host. "She lives on star-dust, and she wants me to live on star-dust.

appetite, too, was gone. He too wanted only an ice! The Doctor's o

y asked, as the music brough

a place like this. But her eyes a

partner. But Derry saw nothing but Jean. She was like thistledown in his arm

Cinderella sits on the door-step. Yet

was such a little starved

dreadful to be

at her. "You hav

er my mother di

er is de

rank a pot of black coffee, and was at peace with the world. Star-dust was all very well for those young thi

d a rosy parfait with a strawb

an who had failed. If he had really loved

ry's opinion; "the spirit was w

other chance. Oh, Daddy, tell him the story the little Fr

to buy violets of an ancient dame. She found the old flower vendor inattentive and, looking for the cause, she saw across the street a young American trooper loitering at a corner. Suddenly the old w

wonderful?"

her," the Doctor told Derry,

Daddy-! Can't you see our m

, indeed,-a gl

ed. She stole a timid glance at him. The qu

Jean finished her parfai

, and they danced. The Doctor smoked alone. Bac

uline voice. Then came a warning

y told the Doctor. "I

r on an errand of mercy, he thought of the thing which he had heard.