The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1919-04-14

WItn q I
| COUNTRY
There had been no indecision in tn,
young mans manner; he had exhibitet
savage eagerness to punish the agi
tator who had tried to spread the doc
trine Of treason.
The young man was a force, a sym
Dol OF Americanism; he was exactl!
the type Of man that had long beef
Corwin's ideal-a fighter taking n,
thought Of consequences.
In a day before the poison Of dis
trust had got into Corwin's veins h,
would have applauded the young maj
for what he had done; but now he saw
In the fellow nothing but supert
animalism-a man with a magnifcen,
body who blindly and unthinkingl,
fought, because. forsooth. q man IL
Washington had arbitrarily declared
fighting to be necessary. Hes the
sort Of fellow that makes 1t possible
for US to wage war;" unused Corwin;
hes cannon-fodder-or willing to be
Capital knows that-and Capital will
use him and his kind. No brain-just
a fighting animal"
And yet. somehow, Corwin envied
the young man, even while condemn
ing him. His action in attacking the
crowd of agitators made Corwin feel
inferior; and even now. reviewing the
incident, pulse Of something shame
full and stealthy ran over him.
When Molly King came tn she did
not look at Corwin. She removed her
hat. placed 1t In locker, and went
directly to her desk, where she sat,
her hands folded in her lap, looking
out Of window.
Corwin watched her covertly. OF
late, Corwin had been aware Of a
deep interest in Molly. When she had
first come to work for him he had re.
garded her with the impersonal inter.
est of the employer. But Of late he
had discovered that he liked to have
her near him; she made an alluring
picture at her desk-her face In pro.
file, the wavy mass Of golden brown
hair GROWING her head and curving
in bullying folds near the nape of her
neck. And several times, watching
her when she had not been aware of
his gaze, he had drawn mental pic.
lures of her in his house, gracing his
table and his drawlng-r room.
For several days Corwin had noticed
in Molly's manner signs Of mental per.
turbation. She had been strangely ST..
lent, and several times Corwin had oh.
served an expression Of worry and
haunting anxiety in her eyes,
He was thinking Of her a few min
utes later when he heard her chair
creak as she left 1t and approached
him. standing close, her face little
pale, slight embarrassment in her
manner. s-,,u-
"Mr. Corwin," she said; 81 wonder IL
you could help mel wonder If you
will help me-"
Looking quickly at her. Corwin saw
that her lips were Quivering, and that
there was suspicious moisture in her
eyes.
why. Molly" He was out OF his
chair in an Instant astonished. A
quick. sincere sympathy had gripped
him. Help you!" he said. earnestly:
that's the surest thing. you know"
She laughed quaveringly; and he
OWNED from the leaping relief in her
eyes that she had doubted him.
you thought wouldn't-you were
reluctant TO speak to me about-about
your trouble. Why. Molly!"
well, you see. was rude to you
the other day-when we talked about
America going to war. And l was
afraid had no right to ask you. Per
haps l haven't. anyway. But Ben is in
trouble. and know Of no one else who
would"
Benz" Corwin interrupted, with
keen glance at her.
my brother" Her face grew very
red, though her eyes were clear and
slightly defiant as they met Corwin's.
"A few nights ago Ben got into fight
with some anu-war agitators. Ben is
thoroughly American, and he couldn't
stand hearing them say mean things
about the country, and the President
and the men who are running the war.
So he knocked several Of them down.
And when policeman tried to stop
him he knocked the policeman down,
90. And now they threaten to sen.
tence him to Jail for attacking an off,
Ger. And I've been wondering II you
couldn't do something"
Corwin laughingly assured the girl
that he would do something" He
went out Of the office a few minutes
later with Molly's thanks ringing in
his ears. feeling unaccountably small
and mean and insincere. For Molly's
words about her brother being thor.
oughly American" brought a vague
disquiet into his heart He, evidently,
was not in that classification; for
while Ben had been fighting the de-
famers Of his country and his Presi.
dent he had stood nearby, silently ap.
plauding the sentiments expressed by
the agitators.
Was Ben, the magnificent fighting
animal, better American than he,
who would have tried to bring reason
to bear In the international quarrel
who advocated pesce-a peace that
would save millions Of lives and bill
lions Of dollars! What was American.
ism? Was 1t blind devotion? Or was
II consideration of the good and safety