Adventure Magazine Cover, November 10, 1924 — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

The Casual’s Return “Your monkey was here,” said he, “very excited that troops should go without him. It is all right. They can not go beyond Rennes, where there is another commissaire, who will take them from the train if they have no transport orders.” “What do you mean monkey?” asked Eadie. “Outstiti?”’ queried the officer. ‘‘He was a second lieutenant, was he not? That is what his rank would have been in our service.” “Good,”? muttered Eadie. learn French.” He examined the other’s medals. Legion of Honor, Military Medal, Croix de Guerre with two palms and a fistful of stars, and three others, one the British Military Cross, and the other two medals that Eadie did not recognize. The young man wore the anchor insignia of the French colonial troops. “You have some very fine medals,” re- marked Eadie. “Ah, yes,” said the aspirant, shrugging his shoulders. ‘‘But I rather would have my arm. Nor do medals, you know, help one to walk.” “Thank you, indeed, for your informa- tion,” said Eadie, and fled back to Jake. | Fa ten and when the train arrived, the “4 three mounted it and were borne away toward Rennes. The officer rode with the other two, though he slept most of the time so that there was little oppor- tunity for conversation. When they ar- rived at Rennes it was early evening, and the United States owed Jake and Eadie two meals. They descended lightly from the train and the officer hurried across to the station to find out where his men were. Very soon he came back and directed Eadie to go to the French Red Cross hut, where he would find the soldiers, and march them to the rest camp behind the station where he, the officer, would meet them again. Jake was to remain with the officer. Accordingly Eadie went to the Red Cross hut. It had evidently been an old freight shed, but it had been whitewashed and was hung with bunting and patriotic litho- graphs. With benches and tables painted a light blue it was cheery enough. The sight of the interior should not have a very “‘We live and THE officer appeared shortly before. abe) depressing effect, but it did to the sergeant. He searched high and low, his heart going lower and lower like mercury at. the ap- proach of a frost, and at the end of his effort, the best he could do was to round up four men. ‘“‘Where’s the rest of them?” sake Eadie. “Dunno,” said the four. “Well, where do you think they are?” “Huh!” ‘(Where did they say they were going?” “They said somethin’ about seein’ the sights.” “When will they be back? Did they say? How long have they been gone?”’ “They won’t be back,”’ said one man with an air of conviction, “‘until their francs is all gone an’ that won’t be soon, fer we was only paid day before yesterday.” “Come with me,” said Eadie wearily, “to the rock that’s higher than I.”’ He led the four to the group of Adrian barracks that formed the rest camp. “Sir,” said he to the officer. ‘‘this is all that is left. I haven’ t the slightest idea where the others are.’ “They’re up in the town,” said the lJieu- tenant calmly. ‘You’d better go and find them. We'll leave here tomorrow morning at about seven. That ought to give you time enough. You,” indicating Jake, “take charge here at the camp and don’t let any one go that the sergeant sends back.” As Eadie left the camp to go up to the city, a hand seized his sleeve. He looked up. Jake had run through one barrack and _ doubled back through the other, and thus headed the sergeant | off. “Lookit, sergeant,” began Jake earnestly, “to with that guy! lLet’s you an’ me go over the hill. We got some change from sellin’ them clothes. To with the whole bunch. Come on! He’ll run you ragged an’ probably bust yuh at the end of it after all!” : , “Nix,” said Eadie. ‘“The Frogs told me that we’re going to Coetquidan, about four hours’ ride away. This looey bird comes from my division, you know, and he could prefer charges against me and have me laid away. They don’t hold kangaroo courts in my outfit. No, I’ve got to soldier with the indecent, lecherous hound for another day, a and then I’m done. ‘It’s a judgment on me for not obeying orders and going to the outfit I was assigned to in Camp Merritt. All my hard luck, COmiclbook (© =