The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-06-14
THE COWARD
BY ALICE 4. DRO0AN.


Copyright. 1913. Western Newspaper Union. }
Annie took the elevator to the tenth
floor of the great department store.
She had decided to have luncheon In
the tea room, and continue her shop
ping afterward. And perhaps the rea-
son for Annie's decision was. a secret
hope that Grant Robinson might hap
pen to be there.
Often she had met him In previous
days, when, after their tete-a-tete
meal, they would wander happily away
together for a matinee. Grant had
stopped to buy viOlets for her then,
and during enthralling moments In the
softly shaded theater, when the music
seemed almost to speak to them, he
had bent very low to look into her
eyes, but now-Annie sighed impa-
hently as she hurriedly searched the
crowded tea room-now, all was differ
ent. She could hardly tell when the
change had begun, but It's origin In her
mind had been the discovery that the
man whom she had made an ideal, was
but a coward after all.
"A chain is only as strong as Its
weakest link" and II Grant Robinson
failed now In the crisis Of his country,
If he had, as he himself confessed,
asked for exemption, what loyalty
could be expected by the woman who
gave herself into his care. Never in so
10 L. - %4lA - to 1<Vy
her. Annie knew-as all women know.
The dependence Of an invalid mother
was excuse sufficient-if excuse were
sought from service; but why had
John, the elder and more successful
brother. been permitted to go in
Grants placer Even as she listlessly
read the menu the girl asked herself
the question.
There could be no answer but de-
Mberate Sinking Of duty. Grant Of
fered no explanation.
A broad figure blocked the sunlight
from the window for moment, and
Annie looked up to see the object Of
her thought standing before her.
'.This IL a pleasant surprise" he
said. His voice had its old winning
charm may I join your"
Coolly Annie nodded.
Keenly from beneath his brows the
man studied her face; his own bore re-
cent lines Of weariness. Involuntarily
her lip curled. "He was looking anx-
ious," so friends had told her; "wor-
ried for fear Of being forced into wal"
She spoke crisply: "You applied for
exemption?"
YES" Grant Robinson answered,
"and received IT. Mother Is depend
ent."
$50 John went" the girl burst out,
land you stayed at home"
The man sighed. II stayed at
home" he repeated quietly.
Then suddenly white-aproned maid
approached the table.
ooh" she cried do you see the
people leaving. There is fire In the
hoor above; it is coming down fast !;
there will be crowds at the elevators,
hurry"
White-faced. she dashed away, and
Annie with trembling knees turned to
find the great room babble Of excited
voices; tables were overturned as the
throng rushed headlong toward the ell
evator gates.
Gaspingly, Annie put out her hands
to the man at her side.
Grant" she breathed.
Calm and reassuringly he clasped
the hands In his.
1.-THE narrow stairway is already
dangerously crowded." he said. "The
one thing is to quietly wait our turn
here. Courage, dearest"
Even In her terror, the word brought
a sense Of Joy.
Hours passed, or could 1t be days
and months as the elevator swung 81
lently up and down on perilous jour-
neys. Annie stood, her face buried on
her lovers breast. until the guard
cried sharply: Three more" Then
she raised her face. Grant and she
were standing almost alone. Before
them, q man with his frail little wife
On his arm.
The man and Grant exchanged
glances, saying plainly: "Our women
Aret."
"Step in, Annie DEAR" directed her
lover, and quickly she obeyed. The
little wife frantically beckoned her
husband; generously he turned to
Grant; down an opposite wall crept
q tapping tongue of fame. Then be-
fore Annie could realize what had hap
pened, Grant Robinson had grasped
the man by the shoulders, forcibly he
had thrust him into the car, the door
banged shut.
The man, the fral little wife and
Annie were gazing dumbly upward to
where her lover stood smiling. Be
hind him that threatening tongue Of
flame! But when, after agonized wait
Ing. he came to her there In the roped-
of street, his smoke-blackened face
was uninjured, his true, tired eyes
looked patiently into hers.
annie" he said, "you must believe
r