"Well, of all things!" exclaimed Stell.A book on the war, by an Englishman.A detective story of the lurid type that lulls us to sleep.His shoes ranged in a careful row in the closet, with a shoe tree in every one of them.There was something speaking about them.They looked so human.Eva shut the door on them quickly.Some bottles on the dresser.A jar of pomade.An ointment such as a man uses who is growing bald and is panic- stricken too late.An insurance calendar on the wall.Some rhubarb-and- soda mixture on the shelf in the bathroom, and a little box of pepsin tablets.
"Eats all kinds of things at all hours of the night," Eva said, and wandered out into the rose-colored front room again with the air of one who is chagrined at her failure to find what she has sought.Stell followed her furtively.
"Where do you suppose he can be?" she demanded."It's"--she glanced at her wrist--"why, it's after six!"And then there was a little click.The two women sat up, tense.The door opened.Jo came in.He blinked a little.The two women in therosy room stood up.
"Why--Eve!Why, Babe!Well!Why didn't you let me know?" "We were just about to leave.We thought you weren't cominghome."
Jo came in slowly.
"I was in the jam on Michigan, watching the boys go by." He sat down, heavily.The light from the window fell on him.And you saw that his eyes were red.
He had found himself one of the thousands in the jam on Michigan Avenue, as he said.He had a place near the curb, where his big frame shut off the view of the unfortunates behind him.He waited with the placid interest of one who has subscribed to all the funds and societies to which a prosperous, middle-aged businessman is called upon to subscribe in war-time.Then, just as he was about to leave, impatient at the delay, the crowd had cried, with a queer, dramatic, exultant note in its voice, "Here they come!Here come the boys!"Just at that moment two little, futile, frenzied fists began to beat a mad tattoo on Jo Hertz's broad back.Jo tried to turn in the crowd, all indignant resentment."Say, looka here!"The little fists kept up their frantic beating and pushing.And a voice--a choked, high little voice--cried, "Let me by! I can't see! You MAN, you! You big fat man! My boy's going by--to war--and I can't see! Let me by!"Jo scrooged around, still keeping his place.He looked down.And upturned to him in agonized appeal was the face of Emily.They stared at each other for what seemed a long, long time.It was really only the fraction of a second.Then Jo put one great arm firmly around Emily's waist and swung her around in front of him.His great bulk protected her.Emily was clinging to his hand.She was breathing rapidly, as if she had been running.Her eyes were straining up the street.
"Why, Emily, how in the world----!"
"I ran away.Fred didn't want me to come.He said it would excite me too much.""Fred?"
"My husband.He made me promise to say good-by to Jo at home." "Jo?""Jo's my boy.And he's going to war.So I ran away.I had to see him.I had to see him go."She was dry-eyed.Her gaze was straining up the street.
"Why, sure," said Jo."Of course you want to see him." And then the crowd gave a great roar.There came over Jo a feeling of weakness.He was trembling.The boys went marching by.
"There he is," Emily shrilled, above the din."There he is! There he is! There he----" And waved a futile little hand.It wasn't so much a wave as a clutching.A clutching after something beyond her reach.
"Which one?Which one, Emily?"
"The handsome one.The handsome one." Her voice quavered and died.
Jo put a steady hand on her shoulder."Point him out," he commanded "Show me." And the next instant, "Never mind.I see him."Somehow, miraculously, he had picked him from among the hundreds.Had picked him as surely as his own father might have.It was Emily's boy.He was marching by, rather stiffly.He was nineteen, and fun- loving, and he had a girl, and he didn't particularly want to go to France and--to go to France.But more than he had hated going, he had hated not to go.So he marched by, looking straight ahead, his jaw set so that his chin stuck out just a little.Emily's boy.
