Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as
he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a
trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the
soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the "No
Man's Land" between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade
back.
"You can go," said the Lieutenant, "but I don't think
it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you
may throw your own life away." The Lieutenant's words didn't
matter, and the soldier went anyway.
Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him
onto his shoulder, and bring him back to their company's
trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom
of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, then
looked kindly at his friend. "I told you it wouldn't be
worth it," he said. "Your friend is dead, and you are
mortally wounded."
"It was worth it, though, sir," the soldier said.
"How do you mean, 'worth it?' " responded the
Lieutenant. "Your friend is dead!"
"Yes sir," the private answered. "But it was worth it
because when I got to him, he was still alive, and I had the
satisfaction of hearing him say, 'Jim, I knew you'd come.' "
