nd Avenue bandages and
pads were ultimately to stanch, the liquid in the fingers that rolled
and folded them was pure cerulean.

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," I regret to say. Yet each one of the girls was capable of
starting a shirt waist 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' leave. 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 sh'd 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 travelled around, and
come back, things look so kind of little to you. I don't know--kind
of--" he floundered about at a loss for expression. Then tried again:
"Now, take Hatton's place, f'r example. I always used to think it was a
regular palace, but, gosh, you ought to see places where I was asked in
San Francisco and around there. Why, they was--were--enough to make the
Hatton house look like a shack. Swimmin' pools of white marble, and
acres of yard like a park, and a Jap help always bringin' you something
to eat or drink. And the folks themselves--why, say! Here we are
scrapin' and bowin' to Hattons and that bunch. They're pikers to what
some people are that invited me to their houses in New York and
Berkeley, and treated me and the other guys like kings or something.
Take Megan's store, too"--he was warming to his subject, so that he
failed to notice the darkening of Tessie's face--"it's a joke compared
to New York and San Francisco stores. Reg'lar rube joint."

Tessie stiffened. Her teeth were set, her eyes sparkled. She tossed her
head. "Well, I'm sure, Mr. Mory, it's good enough for me. Too bad you
had to come home at all now you're so elegant and swell, and everything.
You better go call on Angie Hatton instead of wastin' time on me. She'd
probably be tickled to see you."

He stumbled to his feet, then,