The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 153: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

RS. PALMENTER frowned at her Mi niece in strong disapproval. “Jt is all very well to be patri- otic, my dear,” she said, “‘ but for a young girl of your gentle up-bringing to be rid- ing around town with a lot of strange seldiers—”’ “ Not a lot of them, aunt,” NeHa cut in with a laugh. ‘I never take on more than one or two at a time. There isn’t room in the runabout for a crowd.” “T call it positively scandalous,” the elder woman continued, ignoring the m- terruption. ‘I think you must have taken leave of your senses to de such a thing. When your uncle presented you with the car he certainly did not intend that you should use it as a public hack. Several of the neighbors have observed your carrying on, my dear, and have called my—”’ “ Bother the neighbors!” Nella ex- claimed, her blue eyes flashing. ‘‘ They’re the kind of people who think that they have fully served their country by stand- ing up when the Star-Spangled Banner is played, and hanging out a flag on the Fourth of July. Anybody who can see anything wrong about my giving a lift now and again to a tired soldier-boy ought to be locked up in a concentration-camp— present company excepted, of course. ay Lee Bertrand “Seriously speaking, Aunt Martha,” the girl continued, “ you are really making a big fuss about nothing. It isn’t as though I—er—went out deliberately look- ing for soldiers to ride in my car. But when I am motoring alone, and I happen to be hailed by a man in uniforne who courteously asks me to carry him to or from the camp, I—well, how could I very well refuse? ‘Those dear, brave boys are doing so much for us that we women ought to be eager to render them a service whenever an opportunity presents itself. Nothing that we can do to make their lot a little easier ought to be too much for us.” Mrs. Palmenter shrugged her shoulders. “‘ There may be something in your view- point, but---er—one has to consider the conventions,” she declared. ‘“ Especially when a young woman is as good as en- gaged to be married—”’ ‘“But I am not as good as engaged to be married,” Nella interrupted. ‘ You are referring, of course, to that disagreeable cousin of yours, Sylvester Barnes. I have told you repeatedly, Aunt Martha, that I am not at all in favor of your plan to get rid of me by marrying me off to that— that slacker.” “T am not seeking to get rid of you. Don’t talk ridiculously, Nella. You know very well that smce the death of your 147 comiicbooks CO