A Maid and a Million Men

Sleeps wi

1

t so that day. Every time I noticed the snow-and it had been falling thick and fast since early Sunday morning-it reminded me that Leon had to get back here that afternoon, and between Vyvy and the s

: he evidently wanted to demonstrate his ability to stand the wear and tear, in the hope that he would get some kind of an active command after we reached France. "We," did I say? Which just

inspection. Even that morning at first call, I rolled out as pretty as you please, grabbed a towel and rushed for the water-trough, scrubbed my teeth, washed my face in the cold water, emitted a few curses just to kee

a lot of things that I knew nothing whatever about, chasing errands, reporting this to that officer and that to this officer and

tion, and kept putting off and putting off the moment of his departure. I could understand how he felt: he hated the camp and he hated to leave his Vyvy, and I knew he spent all morning trying to decide wh

now where Leon was supposed to be in this camp-but he spied me and called, so I had to face him. Believe me, I did some tall trembling at that moment, although I rea

g out his hand to be shaken. "Thought

nd perhaps run into Vyvy or Auntie or someone else who was at Vyvy's party and then he'd probably learn that Leon was th

did go home-just got bac

"Your voice has changed, hasn

d. "This damned army life changes you so you hardly recognize

ip down," he observed then. "R

me with me, in spite of Aunt Elinor's objections, and she started rig

'd like to have seen her. Don't know when I'll get to New Y

ed before replying. "Got a match?" I certainly did try my best to sound matter-of-fact,

arrangement of the work we're doing. Means a lot of jumping around for me. Been down South the past three week

ng work?"

g applying for a transfer so I can go over. After all,

und like Jay-Jay. I wondered if my

Why don't we have dinner together t

stead, "Gosh, I'd like to, but it can't be done to-night because I'm so busy I don't know when I'll b

quickly, "Well-" He extended his hand again, "Good luck, Leon. Be careful what yo

I replied with a laugh. "And good luc

eting, and particularly at the idea of Jay-Jay's being so utterly dumb. I was sure that if I saw my Captain in dresses and black

o some purchasing for him in town. "Get a pass for an hour and pick up these things for me," he said, handing me

booth that was secluded enough to allow me to say all I wanted to

o come through and when it did, I almost died of shoc

be spoken over the telephone, but I did try to give him a general idea

he declared. "I'll leave in another five minutes.... But how am

ere! The rest can wait. I'll wait f

voice. She sounded rather shaky when she said, "I

g, Auntie. Don't worry." An

gone much more than an hour and my Gene

2

felt damned pessimistic. I wished I had kept my bright idea to myself, instead of getting into this nerve-racking mess. Leon should have been there by this time, but he wasn

ics, I guess. "What can you do? W

unting for him?" It struck me that probably he had headed in the opposite direction. I suppose I really shou

orry about. "Leon couldn't find Esky anywhere," she d

uld probably be down with distemper when I got home

ited. "But, Leona, you must do something! What if Leon has an

was anything

oon, you go right up to that General and confess the

obably crucify me and send Leon to Atlanta for life! I told her to sit tight and not to worry-everything would

the minute he arri

t here, tell him to lie low until you hear from me. If he doesn't show up in time, I'll s

nk. We were going to Hoboken that night, as sure as my nam

for one sweet time! If I got caught in this thing, thank God I wouldn't have to worry about one of those inspections for probably a month. Perhaps I coul

her man would have got there, if he had to break both legs and

e before midnight-or rather, if I had not left it before that-the die woul

dventure this had

3

The die apparently was cast. The Canwick blood seemed to have turned a sour yellow in at least one spot. I didn't know where Leon was, but I should have assumed hours ago that he would not be there. I don

ffered to help you with no idea that such consequences could be possible and with, I now realized, a mistaken conception of my brother's love and gratitude. This situation ceased to be funny a

just put in-and which was not ended yet, so I felt sure that, barring accidents and given any lucky breaks at all, I'd be better able to stand what was coming than he would. If

ld at least be willing to do everything he could to protect me, and later get me out of it. If he did as I told him in my letter, without regard to his petty prejudices and silly comforts, he probably would save me from all

tell him what he must do-unless she passed out from the shock before that. Leon must stay away from Wakeham; even Vyvy must thi

rusticate and hide for a while, until he could do something about me. He could lose himself in New York easily enough, but then he might get

to her would, of course, be censored-unless I could manage to get them okayed by the General. If censored, I'd have to send instructions to Leon in onion juice: write a letter and interline it

n if he had to work on a cattle boat or an oil tanker-anyway to get there. The rest would be easy: we would switch and I'd come back in his place.... Sounds reasonable in theory; I only hoped it would work out in pr

t Mark Twain or somebody like him said about telling the difference between a girl and a boy: the General tossed a packet of papers to me and I instinctively spread my legs to catch it in my lap-and there wasn't any lap th

d I take a bath in camp? Or on the boat. Or when I got to France? This was getting serious! And there were certain other things that were bound to happen in due time, and from time to time, and would have to be taken care of

asn't going to worry about that-there was little or no danger of him being near there even to-morrow. I told Auntie to tell him to stay away from there if he couldn't make it that night. And a

rush to absorbent cotton. B

C.O. His voice was like the bell th

hat was this I

4

ctions. I thought for the moment that perhaps the pup's presence meant that Leon was about. But I recalled, next moment, that Auntie had

ve me rub his ears. I tried to get him off the bunk before the Lieutenant saw him, but Esky could be stubborn when he wan

that?" he de

of an aide to General Backett, and he was in and out several times the day before. His full name was Chilton

He fulfilled my expectations at once. "Get rid of him, and immediately. You know as well as I, Canwick, that

g homely man across the aisle spoke up in a voice that carried to all corners of

tupidly, fascinated by his bo

"Naw-dat Chilblaines, the God dam

he promptly offered his assistance in the matter of Esky's disposal. I gathered from his conversation that he not only liked dogs but that he loath

" he declared. "Say, buddy, a

Backett,"

ge upon his brilliant idea. "I been waitin' fer a chance to get dat guy alone somewhere, and

just the sort of a fellow who'd go out of his way to make life miserable for anyone he suspected of being antagonistic to hi

mmission and omission that no common soldier could dare contemplate with impunity. This fellow had been in the army long enough to know the necessity of humility on his part, and he therefore got th

he top-kicker'll probably be the only man 'at can suspect anything funny and he's too

tigating?" I objected, hopeful but still in

or other? It's a million to one that we can walk right through without a hitch-why, there's a whole g-- damned army

n on the ship?" I was convinced that it was too risky. "I'd rather arrange to have someone here ship him

e all worked out and carried to successful conclusion. "Why, after we once get on that old scow, we can't get off, even

never had seen anything quite like it: he gave his face a twist, aimed at a sawdust box about ten yards away, heaved a huge sigh and let fly in a

nyway, what can anyone do out in the middle of the ocean? If Chilblaines threatened to throw de pup overboard, you know damn well the G

t it was all about but I patted his head and told him it was all right, and the way he behaved proved to me that dogs have intelligence just like human beings. First we put the dog in head first; then we decided

came at the drawstring, and picked up the bundle to carry it under his arm instead of over his shoulder as is the custo

Esky, besides all his own kit. Thank God we didn't have to walk far. We rode to the train in trucks. Nobody molested

to be around. But that gentleman was nowhere in sight. The officers at the rail gave my overloaded comrade a matter-of-fact glance, the top-kicker accepted his mumbl

er finally assigned the big fellow and another odd number to join me in a little cubby-hole th

rough, tough, genuine he-man. I liked him immensely and so did Esky, who was doomed to spend the duration of the trip under my bunk. The other bunkmate's name was Maur

od help Leon and preserve Aunt Elinor from hysterics! I hoped they were both