Knowing from experience that money could often make a person forget unpleasant things Mr. Carter took out his billfold. “Guess you’d like a little change for the trip to town.”
Kitty laughed. “You’ve never known me to refuse money, have you, Dad?”
“Not yet.” He handed her a bill. “You might get Billy that ball and mitt he’s been begging for. It’ll soon be warm enough for him to play outdoors all day. Maybe the ball will keep him from climbing so many trees.”
Kitty smiled. “He’s a regular monkey when it comes to trees. When I take him to the park he picks out the tallest and climbs up it like a cat.”
“I’m afraid Nina spoiled him, letting him climb that old magnolia in our yard back home.”
“Dear Aunt Nina, how I miss her.” Kitty sighed as she put the money into her purse. “Yours is the second order for playthings I’ve had this morning.”
“Not Billy. Hazel Dawson wants me to get her a set of chessmen.”
“Hazel wants a set of chessmen,” he said, puzzled.
“Seems to be getting quite a fad. Lieutenant Cary plays every time he comes to the USO hall.”
“Oh.” Mr. Carter’s tone carried a world of meaning.
“Oddly enough it’s generally with someone from the galley. First it was Chief Krome and last night it was that young fellow, Punaro, who was in here just now.”
Kitty’s watching eyes caught the surprised look that came into her father’s face.
“Dad, how long has Punaro been in the service?”
“I don’t know. Two or three months, I imagine.”
She felt he was annoyed with her, but couldn’t keep from saying, “It doesn’t take so many months for them to show their true colors, does it?”
“Why so much interest in this raw recruit?”
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[Illustration: _Kitty Caught the Surprise on Her Father’s Face_]
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“Some things have happened recently to stir my curiosity,” she answered evasively. Her father’s attitude repelled her further confidences, nor did she feel this was the place to talk too much. But she was determined to learn the one fact for which she had come.
“I must go now, Dad. But tell me one more thing.”
“Anything you want to know except military secrets,” he replied, becoming playful again, because she was so serious.