Show THE COWARD nT T- T I By ALICE Q G. BROGAN N 1 hi N wP r Z Union Annie took the elevator to the tenth the department store floor of ot great In Inthe Inthe inthe hue have luncheon She had decided to her ber shopping shopping shopping shop shop- the tea room and continue ping afterward And perhaps the rea- rea Ifon for tor Annies Annie's decision was a secret happen happen happen hap hap- hope bope that Grant Robinson might pen to be there Often Otten she had bad met him In previous days day when after their tete-a-tete tete meal they would wander happily away had together for a matinee Grant stopped to buy violets for her then and during enthralling moments In the softly shaded theater when the music seemed med almost to speak to them he had bad bent very low to look Into her eyes but now now Annie Annie sighed impatiently Impatiently Impatiently the I as she hurriedly searched crowded tea room room room-n room w. w was differ differ- ent She could hardly tell teU when the change h had rt begun but bot Its origin In her been the discovery discover that the mind had L 1 0 man whom she he nan had m made maue oe nn nD JU Ideal i was n. n o but a 8 coward after nilA allA nilA nil all A chain Is only as ns strong tron as s Its Grant Robinson If weakest link and failed now non now In the crisis of ot his country If It he had as he himself confessed asked for tor exemption what loyalty I could be expected d by the woman who gave raTe herself Into his care Never In so 80 I Im of his love for I m many ny words had he told her Annie knew knew knew-as as all wom women n know I The dependence of an Invalid mother w were re If was excuse e sufficient sufficient sufficient-It excuse sought from service but why had John the elder and more successful ful brother been permitted to go In Grants Grant's place Even as she listlessly read the menu the girl n asked ked herself henelt the There could be no answer but a deliberate de de- liberate shirking of ot duty duy Grant of ot- no explanation A broad figure t blocked the sunlight from the window for tor a n moment and Annie looked up to see Bee the object of ofner b her ner r thought standing before fore her This I Is a pl pleasant sant surprise he said laid His voice had Its old winning charm chann may mar I Join you your Coolly Annie nodded Keenly from rom b beneath his brows the theman theman man studied d her face his hlA own bore rent recent recent re re- re- re cent nt lines of weariness 1 Involuntarily her lip curled He was was was' looking loo anxious ious so friends had told her worried worried wor war ried for fear for of being forced Into war She spoke oke crisply You applied for tor exemption 1 Yes eg Grant Robinson on answered and received It Mother Is II dependent depend depend- ent So John went the girl burst out and you yon stayed at home The man mon sighed I J stayed stared at ata home me he repeated edy quietly ul a Then suddenly a white maid approached the table Oh I she crl cried do you see toe the people leaving ln Th There re Is fire In the floor above ROOT i It Is 18 coming down fast tart there will be crowd at It th the elevators I burry lurry White faced d. d she dashed away and Annie with trembling knees turned to find the great room n a babble of ot excited voices tables were erp overturned as nR the throng rushed headlong long toward the elevator el elevator el- el evator gates Annie put out her hands to the man at h her r side Grant 1 p he be e breathed Calm and tta reassuringly he clasped the hands In la hl hK his orYle narrow barrow stairway Is already dangerously rous y crowded he said The Theone Theone on one thing Is to quietly tl wait watt our ur turn h here re Courage get dearest Ev Even n In her terror the word brought a sense pense of ot Joy Hours p passed or could It be day clays and months month as 35 the elevator swung si silently silently si- si up and down don on perilous Jour jour- Annie stood Blood her face hurled burled on her tier lovers lover's br breast until tile the guard ord cried sharply t Three more Th Then n she ral raised her face Grant and she wore were standing almost olmo t alone Before them a B man with hi his frail little wife on his arm The man mm and Grant f exchanged saying plainly Our women n first Step p in In Annie dear directed her f 10 lover r. r and quickly she hp obeyed The little wife trant frantically n beckoned her r I husband generously ho hp turned to u Grant down IOwn an 10 opposite wall crept crepta a 8 lapping tongue ton of fi flame me Then hf hI he- he fore tore Annie could realize what had hap hap- Grant Robinson had grasped the man by hy th the shoulders forcibly he had thrust him Into the car the door banged shut The man the frail little wife and noel Annie wore were gazing dumbly upward to whore where her lover loer stood smiling RP- RP hind him th that t threatening ton tongue up of nf flame name 1 I But when after agonized d waitIng watt wait In lag Ing he came camp to her r there In the roped roped- on off street hl his smoke blackened face face was Wn uninjured hl his true tired cf eyes oyes 8 looked patiently Into hors hers Annie he said sold you ou mn must t b believe lh t that I am nm not not not-n a coward Because e It touched me so RO deeply I 1 could not discuss ills dis cuss even with you OU my request for exemption exemption ex IX- I emption from service f One of ot us nR had 11 to stay at home my hone mv brother or me He ne Ino laughed heel shortly The blood of ot my soldier father runs in my veins With his old gun n In my tny arms I had vow vowed d to protect protect protect-my my country Th Then Then John n John comp camp to me If he remained at home It meant the annulment nt of ot his enga engage t ment This wn was hl his sweethearts sweetheart's unalterable un tm alterable decree Sri So o. o Grant paused eloquently I stayed Annie It waRnot was waR not an on easy FY thing doThen do Then there In the theet et and crowded street t. t there with fIre Ore engines JI clanging rinse rIMe by hy Annie raised ed her white face oe and unel tenderly kissed the man who was washer washer washer her hero w |