The citizen., 1920-05-27

~Doctor Durant. can't think It's
fair 70 put Dicks motives under the
microscope like thatl Why not for
get everything but the attending cir
cumstances to the one great fact.
He"
"rm not unfair" said the doctor
slowly. "rve never been unfair II I
could help II. and certainly not to this
man, above all others. Here y case
In which Q man who left US most un-
heroicaily comes back to us. In spirit
at least. as hero. The particular
thing he did In a fact. I'm proud OF
him for lt--and so far. for that, and
for that only. But II isn't true that
by itself alone II made him hero.
And when said that I'm Interested In
the lesser facts. mean that Dicks
reasons for going into the war at all
may be the proof that he was hero
and that any physical bravery he may
have shown has nothing whatsoever
10 do with II. Please don't msjudge
us We're not trying 10 belittle any
thing Dick did: It's neither fitting nor
possible But what we want to know
II where the credit lies-with Dick. q
reasoning. inspired. determined man.
or with Dick. intoxicated by danger.
In the latter case. his herolsm would
appeal TO us as detached incident,
having no relation to his earlier life
or TO our own; II would be something
10 bring us pride for that. but for moth
Ing else. In the other case. the knowl-
edge Of the why. IN addition to the
what. would bring us But
about DIckf"
"lou can be happy. then" said Hill
Hard uneasily. because he went over.
! believe. In the firm conviction that
every man has two countrles-his own
and France"
"Yesr The doctor sat down abrupt
ly.
'As long as you're Interested in what
he did before he was wounded"
"And afterward. Mr.. HillIard"
"-Rather than how he was hurt. let
me assure you that as far as | know.
from the first day he landed. ! don't
believe he thought once about his own
mlsfortunes. He had them. ] know.
But II you've got any manhood In you.
you can't think OF your own troubles,
over there. It's too fearful The Car
rel-Dakin solution heals all sorts OF
wounds. Doctor Durant, all but the
worst wound OF all--and that's what
every man who has any humanity and
any sympathy about him gets when he
first sees France. His heart is torn
clear out OF him. He can't sleep. he
can hardly live with his own thoughts
And that quiet resolution you speak
about-it's enough II II comes TO n man
there don't care what he had In his
mind when he left you; l don't care
what II was that led him TO 20 over
seas; don't care what his purpose
was when he sailed; know that when
he stood on French soil there wasn't
an atom OF selfishness or self-pity In
him. IL wasn't a question of adven-
ture; II wasn't question Of drowning
his SORROWS; II was question of his
doing anything and everything he
could TO help out Let me tell you
something" Hilllard sat on the edge
OF his chair. "It's possible that you
never thought OF Dick Morgan either
as martyr or a fatalist. Nor do i
think he was. But when he was
brought TO Neuilly there was among
his papers little sort OF field diary
I'm sorry Il was lost. so l haven't II
10 show 20 you. but I saw II often-and
under the date of his first tour of duty
In the front line trenches was scrib-
hled this, quoted from Rousseau: The
dead carry 20 the grave, In their
clutched fingers. only that which they
have given away Doctor Durant,
Dick went into this war In the belief
that the only way TO reclaim his life
was TO sacrifice II. Does that answer
your question:"
There was an utter stiffness. II had
been n superb fiction. but Hllliard.
thinking obliquely OF Angela. was only
partly sentient of his baseness.
'Thank you" said the doctor. and
glanced at his daughter. "Yes. He
had the making OF a splendid man. l
knew his parents and his grandpar-
ents. His career In Syracuse hadn't
anything TO do with his heredlty, Mr..
Hllllard; II was the result OF badly
chosen environment. He chose II
himself. and he had all young mans
interest In temptation. But when those
temptations were removed. when he
was free 10 revert 10 his family tradi-
tions. why then he could"
at would please me great deal
more, doctor. II you looked AT him inde-
pendently and maybe little less AGA
demically-if you didn't 90 so far be-
yond the actual facts"
"IIow do you mean"
"Why," said Hilliard, "for one thing,
In laying so much stress on his grand
parents. Dick was the one who went
overseas; his grandparents didn't
And his grandparents didn't 20 into ac-
tiOn on the western front singing Ste
venson's Requiem at the top Of their
lungs and knowing that II was mighty
appropriate. as Dick did,"
"whatf" said Carol. Strengthening.
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