The Tin Soldier

d promising to join them later; Derry catching his breath when he saw his violets among Jean's laces; Drusilla wondering a little at th

our fathe

has a fine nurse. Dr

er him as he sat next to her. "I want Emily always, but Daddy has to have a nurse in the office, and Emily won't give up her toys. And in

ed under cover of the lig

ore--eve

er it,

y, De

ke to his other guests and seemed to listen, but he hear

black with a turquoise fan, he towering a little above her, more than President in these autocratic days of war. They

down on wo

x adjoining Derry's. Ralph was there and Alma Drew, and

oft raptures of the youthful pair. In the days to come Ralph was to suffer wounds, but none to

ey always gets

know what

You are going to

r looked beyond the bliss of the moment. To have Ralph's ro

shan't dance with you,

th me," grimly, "th

ms. "Oh, how dare you." She was c

irony of it-that I cannot make you. But

ink it is

But the world

d marry him if he were

adour beneath your balcony, yes. But not a beggar. You'd want him sil

o you again. But because I was fool enough once to believe that Derry Drake was

he saw with a throb of relief that her

ation as she came up. "Wh

you now-there are too many people.

de

d

t w

to talk about it-wai

rry was dancing with Alma Drew. And it was Alma who had said at

she was like Alma-that money could buy her-that s

he thing for Derry. Ralph Witherspoon had dared to p

sely, not as a chi

Derry, "I saw you dancing with Jean

dove-or a silver swan." The look that he se

. "So that's it? Well, a man

s were not to be fanned by any words of Alma Drew. If he lost his fortune,

and Derry's, with everybody else shut out. When they had supper with the Witherspoon party joining them, and Ralph palely repen

owed and eclipsed by the white flame of Jean's youth and innocence. "And he loves her," she thought

ttention was rather more than usual fixed upon her by a remark which Captain Hewes had made when the two men had stood alon

very att

odiment of your best ideals. When she sings one w

aughter. Set side by side with Drusilla, Jean seemed a childish creature, unstable, swayed by t

rs passed

Drusilla said. "Some day I shall p

go over a

day they will. I can drive a car-

e tonight. They are asking me to head a hospital staff in Fr

e maiden on the other side of t

dn't keep me back. But I am al

sweep back the sea as to stop what is going on over there. I have been s

e wh

peculation; just knowing and believin

tiful! He bent down to her. "

pect and then love. But Jean? She's a moon maide

u are the supreme type

a type. Some day perhaps he

to Jean. "You need not let the tho

that I am goin

lost her

on't believe it. She has known him a few

l others,'" mu

he lov

loves you less-sh

s hand. "I am not sur

I have said it. There will be nothi

, and I can make others feel." She had, perhaps, tonight,

daughter before she went upstairs, he held her close and smoothed h

a moment. "I have a letter to a

ocky scarf gave out glittering lights of blue and gree

I am thinking of going to France, Emi

rtled gaze upon hi

my decision has come. I haven't said anything to Jean. But she won't keep m

e to be all d

be with you in the shop, she likes that-and it would keep her from brooding. Or, if yo

back, and then my occupation would be gone."

over, too, as a nurse.

d know that they were wagging, and would not care. But he, with his mind on bigger things, would never know, and would blunder unseeing into the net which was set for him.

of Jean and Derry. "What d

much in lo

d J

ou know. You s

f age and loneliness. "S

ld make up to your little Jea

hand. "You are feeling it l

Emily. And I am jealous

m, and at last they came. "She will

think sh

now

really worthy of a

is ears. "I like Emily's hands much better than Hilda's." They seemed, indeed, to re

hat-"your dear wife would never have love

-to hold me

ood up. "I must go to bed, and so mu

an, Emily-there's no one in the world tha

but she had left unsaid the words she should have spoken. "You must not take Hilda