The next morning, at ten o'clock, the officer entered the jail. "Get a
move on you, young man!" he said brusquely. "You're going up to the
court to be examined to see whether you are a slacker or a traitor. In
the one case you will be interned and in the other case you will be
hanged or shot."

The young anarchist was on his feet in a moment. "But, officer, aren't
you going to give me a chance to enlist?"

"Young man, this Government does not want traitors to enlist, nor
pro-Germans."

"I am not a pro-German this morning," cried the excited man. "I have
thought the whole thing over last night. I did not sleep a wink. I think
this Government is the best government in the world. And I am willing to
fight for it."

The officer was astounded. "Well, my young enemy," he exclaimed, "a
dungeon seems to have had a good effect upon your mind. What has
regenerated you? Was it the cold water or the corn bread? Or the steel
door before your dungeon? Or was it the bad air in your cell? Or
possibly it was the fear of death, or God Almighty, or future
punishment. Come now, out with it!"

It was a thoroughly frightened boy who stood half an hour later in the
prisoner's dock. "Give me some book on the Government of the United
States," he exclaimed to the judge. "And give me a week in which to show
that I am in earnest, and I will then volunteer." The judge was very
grave. "Young man," he said sternly, "any boy that will eat the bread of
the United States, that will enjoy the liberty of this country, and has
had all the chances to climb to place that have come to you, and refuses
to enlist, has something wrong with him, and it is only a question of
time when he comes to the judgment day." To this the young man made the
answer that he had been lazy, careless and ignorant; that he had allowed
himself to become the tool of the runaway agitator, and then once more
he asked that he might have a chance to enlist. With the help of
friends, the judge and the draft board finally let him off and sent him
to a camp for three months' intensive training. Then came the news that
his company had been sent over seas, and within a short time thereafter
in the list of casualties the name of this young foreigner appeared.
But one letter reached this country, and that letter was notable for
this sentence: "For the first time in my life I have had young Americans
for my companions. The boys in my company have had a college education
and they have ta