Perhaps the parents were not quite right in this, for, even if Robert
Favor had not gone out in the fields to labor, he had graduated from
high school and college with high honors. He never spoke to the
village children nor noticed them, and was not, as a result, very
popular with the young people of his home town. The neighbors said
this was all on account of his bringing up.

It was therefore a surprise to them when, at the beginning of the
great war, after Germany swept over Belgium, Robert Favor hurried to
Europe. It was later learned that he had joined what is known as the
"Foreign Legion" of the French Army. Titusville next heard that he had
been made a lieutenant for heroic conduct under fire. But Titusville
did not believe it; it said no Favor ever did anything but run away in
such circumstances. But they believed it when, later on, they read in
the newspapers how Lieutenant Favor had sprung out of the trenches and
ran to the rescue of a wounded private soldier who had lain in a shell
hole in No Man's Land since the night before.

The village swelled with pride and the eyes of the children grew wide
with wonder as they listened to the story of the heroism of the
Squire's son. But this was as nothing to what occurred later. "Bob"
Favor was brought home one day to the house on the hill, pale and
weak from wounds received in battle.

Spring was at hand, and as soon as he was able, Captain Favor--you see
he had again been promoted--was taken out on the lawn where, in his
wheel chair he rested in the warm sunshine. The bright red top of his
gray-blue cap, and the flash of the medal on his breast excited the
wonder of the children, who pressed their faces against the high iron
fence and gazed in awe. It was the first real hero any of them ever