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reached the tracks； which perilous spot seemed to justify him in retaining
his hold throughout the remainder of the stroll。 Usually they lost Cora
and Scotty without having been conscious of their loss。
Their talk？ The girls and boys that each knew； the day's happenings
at factory and express office； next Wednesday night's dance up in the
Chute； and always the possibility of Chuck's leaving the truck and
assuming the managership of the office。
〃Don't let this go any further； see？ But I heard it straight that old
Benke is going to be transferred to Fond du Lac。 And if he is； why； I step
in； see？ Benke's got a girl in Fondy； and he's been pluggin' to get there。
Gee； maybe I won't be glad when he does！〃 A little silence。 〃Will you
be glad； Tess？ Hm？〃
Tess felt herself glowing and shivering as the big hand closed more
tightly on her arm。 〃Me？ Why； sure I'll be pleased to see you get a job
that's coming to you by rights； and that'll get you better pay； and all。〃
But she knew what he meant； and he knew she knew。
No more of that now。 Chuckgone。 Scottygone。 All the boys at
the watchworks； all the fellows in the neighborhoodgone。 At first she
hadn't minded。 It was exciting。 You kidded them at first： 〃Well；
believe me； Chuck； if you shoot the way you play ball； you're a gone goon
already。〃
〃All you got to do； Scotty； is to stick that face of yours up over the top
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of the trench and the Germans'll die of fright and save you wasting
bullets。〃
There was a great knitting of socks and sweaters and caps。 Tessie's
big… knuckled； capable fingers made you dizzy； they flew so fast。 Chuck
was outfitted as for a polar expedition。 Tess took half a day off to bid
him good…by。 They marched down Grand Avenue； that first lot of them；
in their everyday suits and hats； with their shiny yellow suitcases and their
pasteboard boxes in their hands； sheepish； red…faced； awkward。 In their
eyes； though； a certain look。 And so off for Camp Sherman； their young
heads sticking out of the car windows in clustersblack； yellow； brown；
red。 But for each woman on the depot platform there was just one head。
Tessie saw a blurred blond one with a misty halo around it。 A great
shouting and waving of handkerchiefs：
〃Good…by！ Good…by！ Write； now！ Be sure！ Mebbe you can get
off in a week； for a visit。 Good…by！ Good〃
They were gone。 Their voices came back to the crowd on the depot
platform high； clear young voices； almost like the voices of children；
shouting。
Well； you wrote lettersfat； bulging lettersand in turn you received
equally plump envelopes with a red emblem in one corner。
You sent boxes of homemade fudge （nut variety） and cookies and the
more durable forms of cake。
Then； unaccountably； Chuck was whisked all the way to California。
He was furious at parting with his mates； and his indignation was
expressed in his letters to Tessie。 She sympathized with him in her
replies。 She tried to make light of it； but there was a little clutch of terror
in it； too。 California！ Might as well send a person to the end of the world
while they were about it。 Two months of that。 Then； inexplicably again；
Chuck's letters bore the astounding postmark of New York。 She thought；
in a panic； that he was Franceward bound； but it turned out not to be so。
Not yet。 Chuck's letters were taking on a cosmopolitan tone。 〃Well；〃 he
wrote； 〃I guess the little old town is as dead as ever。 It seems funny you
being right there all this time and I've traveled from the Atlantic to the
Pacific。 Everybody treats me swell。 You ought to seen some of those
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California houses。 They make Hatton's place look like a dump。〃
The girls； Cora and Tess and the rest； laughed and joked among
themselves and assured one another； with a toss of the head； that they
could have a good time without the fellas。 They didn't need boys around。
They gave parties； and they were not a success。 There was one of the
type known as a stag。 〃Some hen party！〃 they all said。 They danced；
and sang 〃Over There。〃 They had ice cream and chocolate layer cake
and went home in great hilarity； with their hands on each other's shoulders；
still singing。
But the thing was a failure； and they knew it。 Next day； at the lunch
hour and in the washroom； there was a little desultory talk about the stag。
But the meat of such an aftergathering is contained in phrases such as 〃I
says to him〃and 〃He says to me。〃 They wasted little conversation on
the stag。 It was much more exciting to exhibit letters on blue…lined paper
with the red emblem at the top。 Chuck's last letter had contained the
news of his sergeancy。
Angie Hatton； home from the East； was writing letters； too。
Everyone in Chippewa knew that。 She wrote on that new art paper with
the gnawed… looking edges and stiff as a newly laundered cuff。 But the
letters which she awaited so eagerly were written on the same sort of
paper as were those Tessie had from Chuckblue…lined； cheap in quality。
A New York fellow； Chippewa learned； an aviator。 They knew； too； that
young Hatton was an infantry lieutenant somewhere in the East。 These
letters were not from him。
Ever since her home…coming； Angie had been sewing at the Red Cross
shop on Grand Avenue。 Chippewa boasted two Red Cross shops。 The
Grand Avenue shop was the society shop。 The East End crowd sewed
there； capped； veiled； apronedand unapproachable。 Were your fingers
ever so deft； your knowledge of seams and basting mathematical； your
skill with that complicated garment known as a pneumonia jacket uncanny；
if you did not belong to the East End set； you did not sew at the Grand
Avenue shop。 No matter how grossly red the blood which the Grand
Avenue bandages and pads were ultimately to stanch； the liquid in the
fingers that rolled and folded them was pure cerulean。
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Tessie and her crowd had never thought of giving any such service to
their country。 They spoke of the Grand Avenue workers as 〃that stinkin'
bunch。〃 Yet each one of the girls was capable of starting a blouse in an
emergency on Saturday night and finishing it in time for a Sunday picnic；
buttonholes and all。 Their help might have been invaluable。 It never
was asked。
Without warning； Chuck came home on three days' furlough。 It
meant that he was bound for France right enough this time。 But Tessie
didn't care。
〃I don't care where you're goin'；〃 she said exultantly； her eyes lingering
on the stocky； straight； powerful figure in its rather ill…fitting khaki。
〃You're here now。 That's enough。 Ain't you tickled to be home； Chuck？
Gee！〃 ‘
‘I'll say；〃 responded Chuck。 But even he seemed to detect some lack
in his tone and words。 He elaborated somewhat shamefacedly：
〃Sure。 It's swell to be home。 But I don't know。 After you've
traveled around； and come back； things look so kind of little to you。 I
don't knowkind of〃 He floundered about； at a loss for expression。
Then tried again： 〃Now； take Hatton's place； for example。 I always
used to think it was a regular palace； but； gosh； you ought to see places
where I was asked to in San Francisco and around there。 Why； they was…
…wereenough to make the Hatton house look like a shack。 Swimmin'
pools of white marble； and acres of yard like a