Page:The history and achievements of the Fort Sheridan officers' training camps.djvu/399

 THE SECOND OFFICERS" TRAINING CAMP

���FATHER -WENT WEST" "OVER THERE"

��"Your name," someone asks. He remembers that. Other questions follow equally simple. Are they asking him such easy ones because they think he doesn't know anything more? Then they ask him one which makes him stumble and he wishes they hadn't.

They don't seem to be listening to what he says anyway. They are glancing at his reports on that piece of paper. What is there on it? Have they located the time he dropped his gun or the time he gave the wrong com- mand and spoiled the company formation? Has the company commander noted the period when he was discouraged and blue and didn't keep up the pace?

Now they are looking the candidate over. He is tall and thin; he wishes he was stocky and fat. He is stout and short. He wishes he was as thin as a bean pole. He is past forty. He wishes he was twenty-five. He is twenty- two. He wishes he was past forty. He is a college graduate and a lawyer — he wishes he was a mechanic or a miner. Just for a moment to be somebody else, the man they are looking for.

He is asked other questions. Then the board seems to be in a dispute. Someone is against him. He knew it all the time. They had it in for him because, etc. Then a crisp command — "That will do! You may go! What will do? Why must he go? Go out of this room and let them talk about him behind his back. Not he. He almost forgets he is a soldier.

He looks at them. They are no longer interested. Another number and another name are before him. Twenty-three is on his way. He must do some-

�� �