The Tin Soldier

e Derry Drake the k

d, as they danced together aft

he

king about y

u said nic

red for Ralph. Every man was for Alma a possible conquest. Derry was big game, and as yet h

h she might tell him. "What di

, and your not fighting. As if it made any d

er defense of him. If all women defended men who wouldn't fight, what kind of

ng cheeks, and in spite of his sense of agonizing hum

n, for such w

women like

ad a morbid sense of whispering voices and of averted glances. He fancied

ome again until he c

face turned up to the stars, he told himself that the situati

t lamp which threw the rest of the room into a sort of golden darkness. The General was in a great lacquered bed which he had b

sir," Bronson whispered. "I'm

"I shouldn't worry, Bronson. He

's spare figure rose to a portentous sh

rds has gone to the front. Shall I c

een left

s,

ose there's no reason why you shouldn't cal

nd Administration. It was of white brocade, with its ostrich feather trimming making it a rather regal robe. It had tight sleeves, and the neck was square. Around her throat was a wide collar of pearls with diamond slides. Her fair hai

reflected the diamond tiara with which the General had crowned her. In the vast drawing room, the gold and jade and ivory treasures in the cabinets had seemed none too fine for this greatest treasure of them all. In the dining

n had said in the first moment of bereavem

come, and patriotism had flared, and the sta

ight make things right for him. But she would not step down. She would go on smil

g in her gilded frame, the son stood alone in the great shell of a house

had been followed. There were gray rugs and gray walls, some old mahogany, the sn

n as his master came in. He knew that the l

gown and threw himself into the chair. Muffin, with a solicitous sigh, sat tentatively on his haunche

"Muffin-it's a

the rug. His eager

me-"R

re snapped and flared, flickered and died. Bronson tiptoed in to ask if Derry wanted him. Young

both away. "I

ver broken the seal until now. For on the outside of the envelope were these words in fine feminin

n, "Boy

o mine to feel that some day you might blame-me. Youth is so uncompromising, Derry, dear-and so logical-so demanding of-justice. And life isn't logical-or just-not with the sharp-ed

r the moonlight, or perhaps with the snow shutting out the moon, you used to whisper, 'But he oughtn't to do it, Mother-' And I knew that he ought not,

his, for my little boy will obey me until he comes to man's estate, and then

onor for your inheritance. Haven't I known it all along? Haven't I seen you a little shining knight ready to d

and bad people with a great wall between. Life is gray and amethyst, it is a touch of dinginess on the fleece of the whole flock, and the men and wom

you the story of a thousand tyrannies, their clerks could tell you of selfishness and hardness, their churches and benevolent societies could tell you of their lack of charity. Oh, there are plenty of good men in the world, Derry, strong and fine and big,

r broke out. He came down from Massachusetts with a regiment which had in it the blood of the farmers who fired the shot heard

hat Massachusetts regiment was in swamp and field, on the edge of feve

m alive. Sometimes it kept them warm, sometimes it lifted them

ness; and it unchained wild beasts in some of the men. Your fat

when I came here a bride. There was no deception on your father's part. He told me of the dragon he fought-he told me that he hope

wed in later years. I am not going to try to tell you how we fought together, Derry; how I learned

ness, of appetite. Wild beasts can conquer you, too, if you let them in. And that's why I have preached and prayed. That's why I've kept you from that w

evotion. Yet nothing of all this helped in those strange moods that came upon him. Then

to let me see. The tragedy has been that you should have been sacrificed to it, your youth shadowed. But what could I do?

that which should, perhaps, have been hidden from you. But I lov

pens I beg that you will stay-for the sake of the boy who was once like you, for the sake of the man who hel

heavily with his servant sitting stiff and straight beside him, at the head of the

on. His hands clutched the letter which h

eak a promise to a

eside his bed. "I am sorry to disturb you, sir

Ken

all him last night. Y

ere, Bronson, and hav

's sitting room, he found a rather pale

was rather necessary that I should t

e ver

mplications that I don't ca

he has bee

that's a rather serious t

t there's noth

kes you

-cures. I've been half a

"It's hard to pul

in trying to help him. He'

e possibility that he ma

ou think there's the least hope

nteresting experiments-psych

"What's the matter with you this m

hed. "Noth

men to take a cold shower and a two hours'

nded activity. I want

don't

Dad. Surely you

. He must reap,

are calling me a coward-even Dad thinks I am a slacker, and I can't say

uldn't have for

centered in him. You know, of course, Doctor, tha

s eyes were kind. "My lips will be sealed. But if you want my advice I shou

ut an envelope. "It's a rather sacred letter, but I want

the letter down, Derry said

; she had no ri

aving

ou loved her-but I still cont

my sacre

e should stand between a man a

wonder-" Derry said, "I-I

others-." He resumed his brisk professional manner. "In the meantime you