The Ordway new era., 1920-07-09
CHAPTER IlI>-cenaousa.

WIN tnH"ln pfcruR nara bfrf MS
shoulder. Nr. cDijen strained 20 de-
cipher The uneven peGmaHshID. He
begHn 10 rend aloud;
Dear Nr. cnlIeDt
II mn asking Air Henry Ulllisrd
~ bring you ti,is letter personally. I
want him 10 tell you what I'm not
writing, too. And you can tell other
people. N you care 20.
II want yOu 10 know ibnt since I've
had time 10 think. I've changed my
mind nbonf good many thing. I've
come 10 The conclusion fhnt you were
right md wns wrong. Maybe yon
won't remember the Inst tnIk We had
together, bur I do. You told me then
ihat didn't hhye n In me 10 mike
good unless I learned that WHH hbOut
iha most worthless young mnn IN town.
aud the 0ne with tbe hardest ROW 10
iHe In order 20 make something Out
~ myself. md set out from there.
Well rya learned ~, ! had 10. or
course. I couldn't ngrce with you NJ
the time. That wouldn't have been
expected. i,ut over here I've had one
lesson after another. home OF them
helped, Ana since Stay. when I was
hurt. I've bnd lots ~ time To think
theta over.
~ never deserved your kindness nDd
now I cant ever rcpny Il. Iiut II m1y
please you 10 know that this war
Inns taught me what yoD tried 10. and
c0uldn't-~ibDt | was M close 10 ZERO
value NJ home M n man could be. IT'S
only through this war that I've gOt
any pride In myself ana I'm sort Of
Ike kipiing'H gentleman rnnkcr--im
proud Of myself brcnnss I've done
away with NIL the other kinds Of pride
used 10 have. Aud I believe F,e
made good-hot m n grcnt general.
but ns n priyntr soldier. That was
the trouble at bofnr-I was only M
20 he a private. and 7 thought I could
he general ofr hand. You said I'd
do well if learned that. nnd have.
They gnvc mo the croiI de Guerrc,
aud In n way. that proves II, doesn't
~ N0iftc that they didn't even make
me n corporal. though That's niI
right haven't hnd enough training
yet 10 be n corporal It's curious
~ wnnt you 10 know that I'yc
thought Of you n Rrcnt deal. ! don't
blame you for letting me 70. I dld
once, but I don't now. Please th'nk
OF me, though, m n man who cnino
through NJ the finish even II he'd been
pretty hopeless before.
''IiillInrd the best man In the world.
hns promised 10 bring you this letter.
hope you'll he glad to ncc him nnd
20 hear hlH side Of the story, This is
my APOLOGY and my blessing, II thnta
worth anything 10 you. send kiss
to Angela,
"R NJ"
Mr. Cullen ended with falling In.
Election, and let the hand which held
the letter drop To his knee.
"Fhe letter. mr. you might guess from
the looks OF IT," anid lillilnrd, "wus
written ut several different timcs--nc-
eordlng 10 his strength, I want you
to realize, too. Mr.. Cullen, that II was
~ small effort for him to write H.,
Aud then | was In Switzerland when
he died, and his possessions had m
gone to one OF those tnpc,bound bu.
rraus, 40 that hnd fearful time 20
identify myself ana get what lie had
meant me to have, aud after that. I
hnd to make n sudden trip 10 Russia,
aud back to England ngnin. There
were delays-delnys. wns III for
nryrrnl months myself had typhoid
IN London, hhonld have mnilcd
these things to you long ugo, but he
had hrgged me to come In person, nnd
l had promised. Aud every day ex.
prctcd that In another week or two
| SHOULD start for home, | feel that
! owe YOU thia explanation md u
great plea for forgiveness for what
must seem to you like gross lndltrcr.
cncc on my pnri, liut lnudcd hard
~ two weeks ngo. md | came up to
you nj the earliest possible momcnt."
"ln some ways he wns n most re.
mnrkabr young mnn." said Mr.. Cul,
len. irrclcvantly. Nobody ever un.
d-rstood why he turned out such u
black sheep. Came from u nne old
family, suppose his father was one
OF the most lovcd men In onondngn
rsupty pick lived Tor years on his