The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-31
EVENING STORY
A Soldier Returns.
(By Dorothy Douglas


Capt. John Gavin dropped into
great wicker chair in the tearoom in
Oxford street His crutch, terribly new
to him, was taken with an impulse of
swift tenderness by a girl sitting in the
chair near him. Gavin nodded silent
thanks.
The girl returned to her seat, her
eyes lowering over the soldier with
soft glow of which he was quite I'M
Gavin had come back from the war
crippled, sorely unnerved and deplor-
ing the fate that had sent him back
at ALL He desired more than any
thing else to be lying out there under
the eiderdown of bloodstained earth
that covered Stanley, Drake and Ma
! lone. Three of the finest pals ever
given to man had been left on the
battlefield sleeping the endless sleep.
Gavin had left a leg with his pals,
and with that bitter-sweet thought a
smile of utter loneliness and pain crept
into his eyes. He gazed at the many
people drinking tea, but in a remote,
still lowering over the battlefield
where the splendid bodies of Drake
and Malone and Stanley were quickly
turning to dust
A blind, impotent rage had kept
GaVin'S brain at fever heat since after
the amputation Of his leg, he knew
he could never return to avenge the
death of his pals nor of the many
brave men fighting. Cruel self pity
dashed him down finally into torpid
| inactivity and depression.
So remote was Gavin in sense from
his surroundings that he did not hear
| the girl who had approached. She
| had come to him from nearby table
She addressed him a third time. and
with that effort Gavin struggled
swiftly for his crutch and would have
risen had not her hand motioned him
quickly to remain seated. She drop
| ped into the chair opposite.
! Gavin was shy to the extent of
brusqueness with women. He feared
their wistful eyes far more than enc
my gunfire or the lions jaw. And
now, taken unaware. charged as it
| dusky red.
The girl, Polly Malone, felt a lump
rise in her throat These brave,
brave men-what children they are,'
she thought tenderly.
please forgive me-" she apologized
A softened American accent drifted
along witt her words. rs there a
chance, just a vague hope, that you
could have known my dear, dear
brother. 1 see you are of the Royal
| closed her eyes for a second; then
! Gavin saw the finest little smile he
had ever seen breaking thru the I'M
shed tears-''he fell with them.'
l. "A
Gavins eyes. His face was trans
formed. That sweet, sweet smile
struggling over the pain had been in
Jimmy Malone's eyes that starry night
on the battlefield when, with Gavin's
] arms supporting him, he had entered
the Great Rest.
Jimmy, Jimmy" he called softly
and with both hands outstretched he
gasped those of the girl. That haunt
ing likeness to his pal quite unnerve6
h a Nf h.
warmth of his clasp. He knew only
that he was touching some one who
! was kin to Jimmy Malone The worl6
was suddenly flooded with gold, an6
Capt Gavin felt for the first time il
many weary, heartsick weeks his sou
stirring within him.
He forgot his shyness with women
forgot everything that was past and
ugly, while he was in the presence Of
Polly Malone. His nature, sensitizet
by acute suffering, felt the soothing
charm of Jimmy Malone drifting thru
the person of Polly. Thru Jimmy:
sister Jimmy was reaching across tht
gulf to Gavin and offering him, if no
the muscle and bone of himself, ther
surely the essence of their friendship
Il was sitting here deploring the un
kind fate that allowed me to live" h,
said frankly, and now, because yol
have spoken to me. no longer wan
to die. Strange" he added thought
fully, how a few simple words will
the glance from sincere eyes can il
1umine the world"
Polly Malone said nothing. She wa
touched to the heart by the quick re
Spouse in Gavin's nature This littl,
Hurried call to friendship had made
different man of him. His need hat
been grave. In her heart Polly wa
thankful for the strength that hat
prompted her to address him.
rHad you not worn your uniform,
she said shyly, Il should not hav
known"
II hate taking it off and gettin,
into mufti." he replied quickly; :.
seem nearer the chaps out there
with khaki on"
Polly swallowed hard She must b.
soldier for she was facing one. Tn
depths of his hurt lay in those simpl
words. His life and soul were still il
khaki fighting the enemy while hi
body, crippled and unnerved wa
dashed back in physical inability
He told her of heroic deeds, beau
tiful stories of self sacrifice for Go,
havoc of warfare was made to seen
: but the glorious fight for eternal good
, the struggle for supreme civiliza tiol
and honor. The triumph and gran
! deur of a clarion note sounded thrl
his words. Polly sat quietly and lis
, tened.
And Jimmy" he added softly
brave old Jimmy saved our entir
battalion that night. He went on
accommodating tour alone, and lone
handed bombed the enemy trench. Blu
they got him, the fiends, by hoistin
the flag of truce-and Jimmy-fel
. 1 took command then, and we Tough
like devils gone mad-l When the Skin
, mish was over L found Jimmy an
! held him in my arms while he smile
: thru the pain-that brave, brave snil
of the Borderland
Captain Gavin" Polly faltere,
eagerly, you have lighted great BIZ
torch for me. / have been fighting
) depression, grief and an overpowerin
/ sense of defeat. This horrible ache
ache, ache for Jimmy has just sick
{ ened me until 1 longed for oblivion
s 1t was weak, know, but 1 loved Jim
my with my entire being: he wa
pal, brother and friend. We had bee