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She laughed up at him so that her face was not more than two inches from
his。 He flushed； but she did not。 She laughed a reckless little laugh。
〃Thanks for helping teach me my trade； Mr。 Ballou。 'Course I only
been at it over three years now； so I ain't got the hang of it yet。〃
He straightened up slowly； and as he did so he rested a hand on her
shoulder for a brief moment。 She did not shrug it off。
That night； after supper； Tessie put on her hat and strolled down to
Park Avenue。 It wasn't for the walk。 Tessie had never been told to
exercise systematically for her body's good； or her mind's。 She went in a
spirit of unwholesome brooding curiosity and a bitter resentment。 Going
to France； was she？ Lots of good she'd do there。 Better stay home and…
…and what？ Tessie cast about in her mind for a fitting job for Angie。
Guess she might's well go； after all。 Nobody'd miss her； unless it was her
father； and he didn't see her but about a third of the time。 But in Tessie's
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heart was a great envy of this girl who could bridge the hideous waste of
ocean that separated her from her man。 Bleeding France。 Yeh！ Joke！
The Hatton place； built and landscaped twenty years before； occupied
a square block in solitary grandeur； the show place of Chippewa。 In
architectural style it was an impartial mixture of Norman castle； French
chateau； and Rhenish schloss； with a dash of Coney Island about its facade。
It represented Old Man Hatton's realized dream of landed magnificence。
Tessie； walking slowly past it； and peering through the high iron fence；
could not help noting an air of unwonted excitement about the place；
usually so aloof； so coldly serene。 Automobiles standing out in front。
People going up and down。 They didn't look very cheerful。 Just as if it
mattered whether anything happened to her or not！
Tessie walked around the block and stood a moment； uncertainly。
Then she struck off down Grand Avenue and past Donovan's pool shack。
A little group of after…supper idlers stood outside； smoking and gossiping；
as she knew there would be。 As she turned the corner she saw Nap
Ballou among them。 She had known that； too。 As she passed she
looked straight ahead； without bowing。 But just past the Burke House he
caught up with her。 No half…shy 〃Can I walk home with you？〃 from Nap
Ballou。 No。 Instead： 〃Hello； sweetheart！〃
〃Hello； yourself。〃
〃Somebody's looking mighty pretty this evening； all dolled up in
pink。〃
〃Think so？〃 She tried to be pertly indifferent； but it was good to have
someone following； someone walking home with you。 What if he was
old enough to be her father； with graying hair？ Lots of the movie heroes
had graying hair at the sides。
They walked for an hour。 Tessie left him at the corner。 She had
once heard her father designate Ballou as 〃that drunken skunk。〃 When
she entered the sitting room her cheeks held an unwonted pink。 Her eyes
were brighter than they had been in months。 Her mother looked up
quickly； peering at her over a pair of steel…rimmed spectacles； very much
askew。
〃Where you been； Tessie？〃
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〃Oh； walkin'。〃
〃Who with？〃
〃Cora。〃
〃Why； she was here； callin' for you； not more'n an hour ago。〃
Tessie； taking off her hat on her way upstairs； met this coolly。 〃Yeh； I
ran into her comin' back。〃
Upstairs； lying fully dressed on her hard little bed； she stared up into
the darkness； thinking； her hands limp at her sides。 Oh； well； what's the
diff？ You had to make the best of it。 Everybody makin' a fuss about the
soldiersfeeding 'em； and asking 'em to their houses； and sending 'em
things； and giving dances and picnics and parties so they wouldn't be
lonesome。 Chuck had told her all about it。 The other boys told the
same。 They could just pick and choose their good times。 Tessie's mind
groped about； sensing a certain injustice。 How about the girls？ She
didn't put it thus squarely。 Hers was not a logical mind。 Easy enough to
paw over the men… folks and get silly over brass buttons and a uniform。
She put it that way。 She thought of the refrain of a popular song：
〃What Are You Going to Do to Help the Boys？〃 Tessie； smiling a
crooked little smile up there in the darkness； parodied the words deftly：
〃What're you going to do to help the girls？〃 she demanded。 〃What're you
going to do〃 She rolled over on one side and buried her head in her
arms。
There was news again next morning at the watch factory。 Tessie of
the old days had never needed to depend on the other girls for the latest bit
of gossip。 Her alert eye and quick ear had always caught it first。 But of
late she had led a cloistered existence； indifferent to the world about her。
The Chippewa Courier went into the newpaper pile behind the kitchen
door without a glance from Tessie's incurious eye。
She was late this morning。 As she sat down at the bench and fitted
her glass in her eye； the chatter of the others； pitched in the high key of
unusual excitement； penetrated even her listlessness。
〃And they say she never screeched or fainted or anything。 She stood
there； kind of quiet； looking straight ahead； and then all of a sudden she
ran to her pa〃
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〃I feel sorry for her。 She never did anything to me。 She〃
Tessie spoke； her voice penetrating the staccato fragments all about her
and gathering them into a whole。 〃Say； who's the heroine of this picture？
I come in in the middle of the film； I guess。〃
They turned on her with the unlovely eagerness of those who have
ugly news to tell。 They all spoke at once； in short sentences； the