A homesick G.I., Ed had preferred to chat and talk about his family rather than to dance and romance. And Lou, even though rather bored with it all, would let him go on chattering about his mother and father, his four brothers and the animals on the farm. Once, he had made a vague reference to Leslie, a younger member of the family.

"You'd like Les," he said. "Les is a good kid."

Hence it was to Leslie that Lou sent Ed's watch. Not having time to take it to a jeweller's, Ed had asked Lou to do so. But old Mr. Greenberg's eyes were not so sharp as they once were, and it took him a bit longer than he had anticipated to repair the timepiece. By that time, Ed had been sent overseas. Lou had remembered Leslie's name, and had sent the watch to Les in care of Ed's home address, rather than trusting it to the overseas mail. The letter of acknowledgement was brief:

"Dear Lew,

Thanks for sending Ed's watch back. Some newfound buddies might not have been so conscientous.

The watch means a lot to Ed and you were right not to take the chance of sending it overseas. It might not have reached him. Again, thanks,"

The note was signed, "Sincerely, Les".

Obviously, Les thought Lou was another fellow, especially since she had purposely signed her name "Lew" the masculine spelling when writing the brief note which accompanied the watch on its homeward journey. It wasn't exactly prevarication, and if Les should suspect she was "Lou Ellen", he might want to continue correspondence. Lou just didn't want to be bothered. It was easy to let Les continue in this belief, since no more letters were exchanged.

Lou was surprised, therefore, when another letter came in Les' odd, irregular green-inked penmanship, announcing that he was visiting relatives in a nearby city and was coming to see Lou that afternoon.

"I'll wear a grey suit and have a white carnation in my lapel