The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-03-14
"NUMBER ONE"
BY ALICIA CHALLONER.
Copyright, 1917, Western Newspaper Union. }

4Ou Won lSei OlIeHuSu.
scold me, will you, Mr.. Ward!'
A culprit, fair enough to be irresis-
tible to the most hardened anchorite, |
pleaded with dewy eyes and soulful |
face. They stood at the gate of the |
home of Winifred Sumter. There had |
been tennis party and somehow Al
bion Ward had fingered and Winifred
had encouraged him.
All through the afternoon she had
devoted herself TO his company. She
had done so purposely. To this man
She felt that she and her family owed
more than they could repay. Albion
Ward never dreamed that they were
aware of facts in the career of Ned
Sumter, brother and son, which he
supposed to be buried secret between
Ned and himself.
Those two had been college chums.
Ned Sumter had got into q scrape that
meant not only expulsion at the most
critical juncture of his college career
but public disgrace. Albion Ward had
stepped into the breach. He had
y
Ned. He took the blame Ned should
have suffered.
You will stay quiescent," declared
Albion in his impassive but determined
way, "or I'll wreck the future of half
the class, by duplicating all who were
mixed up in the miserable horse play
business of blowing up the founders
monument on the campus. What are
graduating hon0rs to me? I'm bro
ken, worthless fellow, i wreck from
drink and will be worse as time goes
on. It's born in me and ] can't resist
| it. Take the lesson this ugly escapade
! has taught you, Ned, and keep to the
road called Straight after this"
What Winifred Sumter limited at
was no fiction. Young, brilliant, the
favorite and heir of an indulgent uncle.
curse rested over him as it had over
his father before him. He was no sot,
but no restrictions could prevent him
from getting liquor when one of his
drinking spells was on him.
II had come about that Ned had in
sisted upon his going home with him
one vacation. Those were two weeks
to be remembered. For the first time
in his life Albion Ward felt the sway of
a spirit SO pure, so gentle, so friendly
nay, more, loving. that he seemed
transplanted into new sphere. Then
one night in neighboring town great
storm came up. The village tavern of
a.,
Shutting himself up in a room all By
himself and well supplied with the
fiery liquid, he, Albion Ward, for /
whole week was lost to friends.
I'm not fit to even look at your sis
ter, much less impose my wretched so
ciety upon her." declared Albion sui
lenly, to Winifred's brother.
AT least say goodby to her." ap
pealed Ned. "She knows of your fal
, from grace, as others do, but she i
. full of sorrow, more than that, pit
Q for you. Old friend, can't you brac
] up for her sake?' So Albion consente
TO bid adieu to Winifred, and 1t wa
: as his brief call was ended that sh
placed trembling hand on his arr
with the words:
q You won't feel offended, or-o
scold me, will you, Mr.. Ward?" and h
\ had bowed his head and clenched hi
n hands hard TO endure the shame b
e experienced.
d Miss Sumter" he said huskily,
!, am unworthy of your interest. If
II Will wi
he through the memory of this hoI
! hour. You must not think of me. /
o will try to goodby."
= He was gone, and the next day Win
.e fred sank like n stricken dove whe
e her brother entered her presence vii
rr The exciting intelligence:
Ward is No. l. He was the fir
to sign the honor roll of voluntee
and don't cry or worry, mother, VIII
t fred, for he showed me my duty and
r. Joined, too"
And few months later, in lone
~ spot at the front in far away Franc
n No. | and No. crouched in cay
q like indentation of high Hill as de;
ening crash was followed by show
:. of shattered rock and earth arou
nc them.
They had been chosen to underta
lie a secret important mission.
by Just approaching part of the II
RS. ged ledge along which they had ere
as foot by foot suddenly from the plf
below where a great field piece W
,or operated by the enemy, she'll cal
M HURTING towards them. 1t landed
EST close that the rock splinters penetrat
their uniform in dozen places. \
av WAS partially stunned, Albion drage
FOR him into the cave-like shelter. The
to came a second shell. 1t landed dire
ly at the entrance to their retire
Don't waste time" directed Albion
feverish haste. ''They have the ran
van You can make the fifty yards in SAT
between the shells. Run for your
when | give the word"
Bewildered as he was dragged IT
.cns cover, protesting, as his comrade g
him vigorous push one way and h
enh self darted the other, Ned grOal