Soldiers Pay Read Free Page B

likes.”
    They half dragged, half carried the two civilians and with diabolical cunning Yaphank led the way through the train and dismounted from a day coach. On the platform Schluss put his arm around the soldier’s neck.
    â€œListen, fellows,” he said with passion, “y’ know m’ name, y’ got addressh. Listen, I will show you ’Merica preshates what you done. Ol’ Glory ever wave on land and sea. Listen, ain’t nothing I got soldier can’t have, nothing. N’if you wasn’t soldiers I am still for you, one hundred pershent. I like you. I swear I like you.”
    â€œWhy, sure,” the other agreed, supporting him. After a while he spied a policemen and he directed his companion’s gait toward the officer. Lowe with his silent one followed. “Stand up, can’t you?” he hissed, but the man’s eyes were filled with an inarticulate sadness, like a dog’s. “Do the best you can, then,” Cadet Lowe softened, added, and Yaphank, stopped before the policeman, was saying:
    â€œLooking for two drunks, Sergeant? These men were annoying a whole trainload of people. Can’t nothing be done to protect soldiers from annoyance? If it ain’t top sergeants, it’s drunks.”
    â€œI’d like to see the man can annoy a soldier,” answered the officer. “Beat it, now.”
    â€œBut say, these men are dangerous. What are you good for, if you can’t preserve the peace?”
    â€œBeat it, I said. Do you want me to run all of you in?”
    â€œYou are making a mistake, Sergeant. These are the ones you are looking for.”
    The policeman said, Looking for? regarding him with interest.
    â€œSure. Didn’t you get our wire? We wired ahead to have the train met.”
    â€œOh, these are the crazy ones, are they? Where’s the one they were trying to murder?”
    â€œSure, they are crazy. Do you think a sane man would get hisself into this state?”
    The policeman looked at the four of them with a blase eye. “G’wan, now. You’re all drunk. Beat it, or I’ll run you in.”
    â€œAll right. Take us in. If we got to go to the station to get rid of these crazy ones, we’ll have to.”
    â€œWhere’s the conductor of this train?”
    â€œHe’s with a doctor, working on the wounded one.”
    â€œSay, you men better be careful. Whatcher trying to do—kid me?”
    Yaphank jerked his companion up. “Stand up,” he said, shaking the man. “Love you like a brother,” the other muttered. “Look at him,” he said, “look at both of ’em. And there’s a man hurt on that train. Are you going to stand here and do nothing—?”
    â€œI thought you was kidding me. These are the ones, are they?” He raised his whistle and another policeman ran up. “Here they are, Ed. You watch ’em and I’ll get aboard and see about that dead man. You soldiers stay here, see?”
    â€œSure, Sergeant,” Yaphank agreed. The officer ran heavily away and he turned to the civilians. “All right, boys. Here’s the bellhops come to carry you out where the parade starts. You go with them and me and this other officer will go back and get the conductor and the porter. They want to come, too.”
    Schluss again took him in his arms.
    â€œLove you like a brother. Anything got’s yours. Ask me.”
    â€œSure,” he rejoined. “Watch ’em, Cap, they’re crazy as hell. Now, you run along with this nice man.”
    â€œHere,” the policeman said, “you two wait here.”
    There came a shout from the train and the conductor’s face was a bursting bellowing moon. “Like to wait and see it explode on him,” Yaphank murmured. The policeman supporting the two men hurried toward the train. “Come on here,” he shouted to Yaphank and Lowe.
    As he drew away Yaphank spoke swiftly