University of Santa Clara - Redwood Yearbook (Santa Clara, CA)

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THE REDWOOD 25 barracks glared in the sun. Little heat waves spiralled up on every side, dancing a strange, steady dance to the occasional drone of insects. Now and then a huge Quartermaster ' s truck rumbled along ; and at intervals a squad of prisoners in blue followed by a guard. Then Assembly was blown. A minute or two later Fall in. Out tumbled the young R. 0. T. C. men for afternoon Battalion Parade. Wetherby turned his company over to his junior officer — an immensely brilliant fellow. However he was con- sidered the most homely man in the regiment. Wetherby had turned his foot leaping into an improvised trench in practice that morning. Nothing se- rious, but a little awkward. He had not had a chance for private conversa- tion with Morgan. He was not in the best of humor and the men under him had been made to step sharply that morning. A few of the more awkward, Morgan included, had been reminded rather sharply of the fact. The battalion swung out, marching in a column of companies. They marched well; hands swinging, feet lifting as if parts of a machine. The commands rang out crisp and clear, the men had their hearts in the work. Wetherby was absorbed watching them. Suddenly he felt a light touch on his arm. He turned; it was Marion Davis. He knew her as the girl Lee Morgan was very partial to. He remembered her as the girl always irrepressible, always bent on some small mischief. She was now fairly bubbling over with laughter. Oh, Captain Wetherby. Do come with me. I am with Margery Morgan across there. And she pointed over to the Speedster. Wetherby was nonplussed. You should at least tell me why all the fun, he protested, as she took him by the arm and directed him towards the car. Now don ' t be foolish, she ex- claimed. He thought the remark would better apply to herself. You were standing here and we no- ticed you, she explained between bursts of laughter. Considerate, interposed Wether- by. Interrupt me again and you ' ll not hear a word more, she threatened. As no answer was called for she went on : Well,— where was it I left off?— Oh, yes — we noticed you and Margery confided to me that you were one of the muleteers; I didn ' t ask who told her. I just said I knew you and in- tended to introduce you. She was real shocked. Those were the first days of the war — before the nation had taken on her coat of drab. An officer then was some- what of a rarity. Though not surprised at her mistake, he however asked : Didn ' t she notice my insignia? Insignia ! She ' s just from boarding school, she said this as if she had for- gotten she was not out of school more than six months herself.

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24 THE REDWOOD the old San Francisco Presidio, from orderly to Colonel, was aware it was June. Captain Jack Wetherby, with his morning shower, shave and break- fast over, and with his pipe drawing perfectly was utterly aware it was June. He had every reason to be con- tent, and yet he was not. Life some- times seemed a bit flat after over there. He sat there in the lush green grass ; grass all pied with flowers of yellow and blue. He was just gazing at the jewel-blue sky, just gazing and think- ing— She will be home this week — Mar- gery Morgan — I wonder if she looks much like her picture — , and so on. Before him lay the comfortable offi- cers ' quarters — and beyond stretched the parade grounds. On the other side of the fence against which his back rested ran a branch of the road from town. The morning bustle had not yet begun.. That was his favorite spot when he wanted to go and dream alone. Perhaps it attracted him because at that time of the morning no sound dis- turbed him except the note of some wild bird; perhaps because he could glimpse in the tail of his eye, the blue bay dancing far to the left. His thought changed from Margery to Lee; from Lee to the Training Camp; from the Training Camp to fighting. Therewith came recollec- tions of France — of a gallant Picardy regiment he had seen go to its death lilting a brave chanson. His clear eyes filled with tears ; then he began to hum the tune softly. Soon he broke into the strain and sang there to himself, beating time with his old pipe, on which he had carved a Y during his col- lege days. When he had been ' gassed ' a few of the finer tissues in his throat had been destroyed. His ordinary voice, a pleas- ant bass, was not affected. But when- ever he began to sing he struck a queer, high, ludicrous key. Being quite sen- sitive about this, he disliked to be over- heard. Suddenly, while he was singing he heard a machine slow down on the road behind the fence — heard a peal of girl- ish laughter. Then Lee ' s voice — Sis, I ' ll swear that ' s Wetherby. That person! and the car roared and shot away. Wetherby arose with his ears slight- ly pink. He swore softly. That person, he repeated to him- self. Lee, of all persons to play me false. He was just a bit sick at heart over the supposed treachery of his friend. They say she ' s the most beautiful girl in California. I know she ' s the most popular here in the city. So she hates me. Well — and so ran his thoughts. Then as he walked away — to meet her should at least prove in- teresting — but with all his thinking he never for a moment dreamed that the coming day was to prove the most interesting in his whole life. Ill The day was at it ' s warmest. The

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26 THE REDWOOD She went on the ' re awff ' ly strict at Chevy Chase. She hasn ' t had time to learn to distinguish an officer from a muleteer. This last with a sly smile. Wetherby felt she was poking fun at him. Now do come along, she insisted, as he balked. He could not quite refuse. Margery Morgan took his breath away. She was far more beautiful than her picture represented her. She sat there in the car, just as haughty and reserved as Nineteen could be. She was dressed all in some shimmering white. He perceived that she had the blackest of eyes ; but they looked on him unkindly. She had the firmest of chins; and it was set unrelentingly. And her cheeks brought to him visions of peach-blossoms and the velvet sheen of pansies. Margery, may I present Mr. Mule- teer? Marion had assumed a mock- formal manner. This took the wind out of Wetherby ' s sails. He had thought that Marion had brought him over to correct Margery ' s mistake. He was just about to reveal his real identity when he remembered the event of the morning, of her ex- claiming That person! Well, he thought to himself, she can ' t hate me worse as Mr. Mule- teer than as Captain Wetherby. This masquerade ought to punish her just a little for condemning me without any cause. The conversation was mostly on Ma- rion ' s side. Wetherby was quite over- whelmed with Margery ' s beauty. Mar- gery was ice-cold to Wetherby and somewhat indignant at Marion. She only broke the silence once of her own accord. Which man out there is Captain Wetherby? Wetherby pointed to the officer com- manding his company. True to his voice, she remarked, half to herself. Wetherby was not quite sure as to whether she saw him flush. At any rate he was sure he made some sort of an impression on her. He stood there by the car very straight and very tall. He knew she could not fathom his case for upon suddenly turning towards her, he detected her eyeing him curiously, her brows contracted in the form of an up- turned V. Again he caught her off her guard with a witty remark. She could not repress a smile. It was then that he noticed how bright her face was, then that he noticed how flashing white her teeth. After a few more minutes of conver- sation in which Marion tried to get him to tell some experience of his as a mule- teer, he made his excuses and departed. Out of sight of the Speedster he drew a deep breath, took out his pipe, lit it and puffed furiously. IV Wetherby found it was impossible to make out his report. His thoughts were spinning wildly. His pencil-point broke. He began to sharpen it. His