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Tarkington, Booth, 1869-1946

"Ramsey Milholland"

"
"I see," she said, nodding. "I've wanted to speak with you about
Ramsey."
"All right."
She bit her lip, then asked, abruptly: "What made him do it?"
"Enlist as a private with the regulars?"
"No. What made him enlist at all?"
"Only because he's that sort," Fred returned briskly. "He may be
inexplicable to people who believe that his going out to fight for his
country is the same thing as going out to commit a mur--"
She lifted her hand. "Couldn't you--"
"I beg your pardon," Fred said at once. "I'm sorry, but I don't know
just how to explain him to you."
"Why?"
He laughed, apologetically. "Well, you see, as I understand it, you
don't think it's possible for a person to have something within him that
makes him care so much about his country that he--"
"Wait!" she cried. "Don't you think I'm willing to suffer a little
rather than to see my country in the wrong? Don't you think I'm doing
it?"
"Well, I don't want to be rude; but, of course, it seems to me that
you're suffering because you think you know more about what's right and
wrong than anybody else does.


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