South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-08-15
TIL Co,,J By
nc SOCOuIO Earl Reed Svers

1t was the kind of day young
lovers dream about The later after
noon sun cast streamers of gold on
the shimmering river; from the
porch of the massive hotel drifted
the sound of soft music. Myrtle
Thorpe. her chin cupped in her
hands, looked with unseeing eyes
across the water.
Il can never marry you now, she
said listlessly.
The rather good looking man sit
ting beside her opened his eyes with
unaffected surprise The scar on his
left cheek grew livid.
Why he asked.
Because you're a coward"
The girl spoke evenly, as if she
were commenting on the weather.
but there was a finality to her words
which brOOked no argument. There
was something about the set of her
mouth and the smooth curve of her
chin which told Ned Randolph that
further words would be useless.
Nevertheless. ne refused TO accept
dismissal without an attempt TO JUS
tify himself
why am l a coward?" he per
sisted
There was a hint Of scorn in the
glance Myrtle gave him.
You know the answer as well as
] do" she said shortly.
But l can't swim"
That doesn't make any difference
You might have tried to do some-
thing"
But there wasn't anything
could do"
The girl dropped her hands in her
lap and turned searching eyes to-
ward the man beside her.
DO you think that if had been
man and someone was drowning not
p yards away. I would have run 10
the dock and would nave tried TO
get i'm a boat? No. would have
jumped into the water and swan out
10 him.
Myrtle you're unreasonable.
couldn't have done any good in the
water"
1T was the most humiliating ex-
perience I've ever known" the girl
continued. There YOU stood on the
beach with half the hotel looking on,
yelling for help as if YOU were a
child. Why didn't you do some
thing?"
IT did the only thing possible. I
called for help and then went TO the
rescue in boat"
Yes. and before you got half the
way. Jim Turner ran down from the
porch and swan out TO the man who
was drowning. Now everybody says
he's a hero and you're a coward"
And do you think so, tOo2''
Yes" There was a hopeless final
ity in her answer. with just the
barest suggestion of a sob at the end
OF the word She turned her face
away. and. for a long two minutes,
neither spoke Ned broke the
silence.
Bravery doesn't always consist in
doing something that is rash and
foolish" he said IF / had plunged
into the water. there would have
been two drownings instead of one.
I did the only thing possible under
the circumStances-an I'm sorry
that YOU should be Inundated
The girl smiled just a triie Bit
terly.
You don't know how much it
would have meant TO me II you had
proved yourself a hero" she said.
My family have always counted
heroism as the one best thing in life.
Five of my ancestors were in the
Revolutionary war; my grandfather
was a colonel in the Confederate
army. and my two brothers are
down at Fort Myer."
And you think that l ought 20
enlist2
Yes"
1T wouldn't do any good"
Why
Because I'm physically unfit
She shot him a glance in which
doubt was mingled with amusement.
You're surely big enough She
rose suddenly 10 her feet. 1t won't
DO any good TO talk about il, she
continued IL couldn't help won
dering why you haven't done some