Part 9 (1/2)
With a bitter feeling of disappointment and sha wrangle had convinced hi fro feet, half inclined to go back and thron the ht of Jardin deterred hi into the here he rearranged the group of watches already displayed there, and placed the watch, Frank's beautiful watch, in the place of honor on a purple velvet cushi+on in the center
Teeks passed, and one day remained before the boys were to start to school Frank finally heard froain to collect what he ter him that life would be really terrible without a lot ofthat he would have to tell later That it only concerned Jardin himself Frank did not question, as Jardin was never interested in anything concerning other people except as it had so on hiht of nothing else Then, as though it had been a terrible unseenon the boy, his temptation leaped upon him
Temptation only attacks the weak If we allow ourselves to harbor unworthy or wicked thoughts, if we pave the icked and unworthy deeds, te bully He does not like to be laughed off, or to be scorned He prefers to be parleyed with Then there is always a good chance for hi, and say hurriedly, ”Here: quick, quick! Here's the easy way out! It's the _only_ way out! Just you tell this lie, disobey your parents, or take this , you know, because youwill be all right”
That is the way temptation talks, and on that last day before the boys started off to school Frank listened
He was over at Bill's quarters, in B2, when the telephone rang Now there are just two telephones to each building at the School of Fire, one upstairs and one down They are wall phones, fastened on the outside of the buildings, th When the bell rings, whoever is nearest answers and calls the person who is wanted So Frank, standing in Bill's doorway and close to the phone, stepped out and took down the receiver While he waited for an answer, he leaned his elbow on the sill of thebeside hi desk shoved close to the sill inside A strong wind fluttered the papers
Frank, waiting on a dead line, stared at the desk and his eyes greild Down at the end of the porch a grey-haired Colonel sat with his eyes glued to the _Ar about a proposed increase in pay, and he had no interest in small boys Across the sandy space on the porch of the opposite quarters two ladies sat e
In the Sherman quarters, he could hear Mrs Sher Bill's trunk
No one noticed Frank No one sahat he did next, so stealthily and rapidly But in a moment he put the receiver down on the shelf, hurried to the Shermans' door, and called for Lee
”Someone wants you on the phone,” Frank said, and as Lee hurried out, Frank sat down on the door sill and whistled shrilly to the Sher to chum with the pretty ladies across the way
They looked up, saw Lee at the phone but did not see Frank who had dodged inside the door The Colonel looked up frolared
Lee called ”hello!” half a dozen times He too leaned on the sill of the openNo one answering the phone, he hung up and went back to the packing
And the nextfearfully overdressed in new suits, and bearing spotless shi+ny yellow suitcases, stood on the train waving to two rather da ht, and started away on their long journey
Lee did not wave at them The half of Lee that was Indian was afraid that the half that hite would look too sorry and lonesoures waving on the train while a friendly porter clutched a shoulder of each So Lee stayed in the machine and listened as the train pulled out, and felt very blue and lonesoo shoot sos for Bill's room And he wondered how soon the boys would look inside their suitcases Lee had opened both those suitcases!
The boys, wildly excited over the charravely studied the flat bleakness of Oklaho the Post, although Bill felt rather lohenever he thought of his irls who ca on the Post, he had pasted on the dial of his wrist watch, the Major helping They had had lots of fun doing it, the Major pretending to be awfully jealous But when the picture was fastened safely on the dial, it was the Major, as soot out his color-kit and delicately tinted the lovely features until the cut-out snapshot looked rare and lovely as a portrait painted right on the watch Then he carefully fastened the crystal, and Frank slipped it on his wrist, more than pleased
”In old ti his brushes in the tulove belonging to the lady they loved the best They did not hide their keepsakes in their inside pockets but bound them boldly on their helmets, to remind themselves that they must be loyal, faithful, fearless, brave and true for her sake, and to show all who cared to look that they were proud to do their best for one so fair No doubt there were dark days and hard tieet
”You will find it so, old ently touched the watch, ”_she_ will, always You know it, don't you?”
”Yes, sir, I do!” said Bill, looking down on the s face
”Then you don't need another word from me, son,” said the Major They were alone He bent and kissed the boy on the cheek Then he smiled
”That is allowable between ht” He left the roo that was part promise and part prayer went up froht!” he whispered
Frank had spent his last evening alone, a throng of distressful thoughts crowding in on him His father was on soht it necessary to break her weekly engagears but he reatly excited over the co trip, and had other and o away So hts crowded upon him that it was not until ten o'clock that he happened to think of his watch, still in Lawton at the pawnshop He had not redeemed it, and the twenty-five dollars reposed in the botto, in an envelope that had thread wound around it
He reflected that he could send the money and his ticket back to the pawnshop man, for it was too late to take the trip to town His parents were apt to return at any time They did not come very soon, however, and Frank went to bed, a lonely, unhappy and sinning boy
The boys had so much to look at that for awhile they were quite silent
Then Bill re