South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-05-19

Capt. John Gavin dtoppcd into "a
great wicker chair in The tcoroom in
oxford st. His cr1tch. terribi- new
20 him. was taken with am impulse
of swift tenderness by "a girl sitting
i'm the chair near him. Gavin rod
ded silent thanks.
The girl returned to he. se;r. her
eyes lowering over the soldier with
soft glow of which he was quite
unconscious.
Gavin had come back e. om the
war crippled. sorely unner-ed and
depIoring the fate that had sent him
I back at all He desired more Than
anything else 10 he lying out there
under the eiderdown Of bloodsta.ned
earth that covered STA liev, Quake
and Malone Three of the iiresl pals
ever given 20 man had Teen rft on
the battlefield sleeping t0e endless
sleep. Gavin had left "a leg with
his pals and with that b-t,er-sweet
thought a smile of utter loneliness
ard pain crept into lis eyes. He
gazed at the many people blinking
tea but i'm remote. impersonal
way His thoughts were still hover
ing over the battlefield where the
splendid bodies Of Drake AMI Ma
lone and Stanley were quickly turn
ing to dust
blind impotent rage had kept
Gavin's brain at fever heal sin aft
/ ar the amputatiou Of his ieg he
/ knew ne could never IttutI 20
avenge the death Of his pals nor Of
l the many brave men hEnJng Cruel
/ pity dashed him down finally into
/ torpid inactivity and depression.
/ SO remote was Gavin in sense
/ from his surroundings that ne did
not hear the girl who had approach
4 ed She had come 10 him from
nearby table at which were many
| laughing people. She addressed him
a third time. and with that effort
I Gavin struggled swiftly for his
I crutch and would have risen had
not her hand motioned him quickly
To remain seated. She cropped into
the chair opposite
Gavin was shy to the extent of
. brusqueness with women. lie feared
their wistful eyes far more than en-
envy gunfire or the lions jaw. And
I now, taken unaware. charged as il
we're from ambush. he colored a fine
dusky red.
The girl, Polly Malone. felt a
lump rise i'm her throat These
brave, brave men - what children
( they are" she thought tenderly.
Please forgive me" she apollo
/ gized \ softened American accent
drifted along with her words. lis
there chance. just a vague hope.
I that YOU could have known my dear.
dear brother I see YOU are of the
/ Royal Sussex regiment and he"
/ she closed her yes for seCOnd, then
Gavin saw the finest little smile he
had ever seen breaking through the
unshed tearms-"he fell vs. tn them.
a quick, wonderful light leapt
into Gavin's eyes His face was
/ transformed That sweet. sweet
smile struggling over the pain had
been I'm Jimmy Malone's ewes that
starry night on the battlefield when.
with Gavin's arms supporting him
he had entered the Great Rest
Jimmy Jimmy" ne called softly
and with both hands outstretched
he grapsed those Of the girl That
haunting likeness TO his pal quite
. unnerved him He was not con-
I scious OF the warmth Z his clasp.
. He knew only that he was touching
some one who was kin 10 Jimmy
. Malone The world was suddenly
flooded with gold and Capt Gavin
felt for the first time I'm many
weary. heartsick weeks his soul stir
ring within him
He forgot his shyness with wom-
en-. forgot everything that was past
and ugly. while he was IN the pres
ence or Polly Malone. His nature
sensitizod by acute suffering felt
the soothing charm Of Jimmy Ma
lone drifting through the person OF
/ Polly Through Jimmy's sister Jim
my was reaching across the gulf 70
\ Gavin and Offering him. II not the
muscle and bone OF himself. then
surely the essence % their friend
ship
II was sitting here deploring the
uukind fate that allowed me 10 live"
ne said frankly and now. because
van