"This comes from Berlin, so they say. According to rumor, the Kaiser and the Crown Prince seldom talk to each other. They happened to meet the other day. And the Crown Prince said: 'Say, pop, what got us into this war?'
"The Emperor replied, 'My son, I was deluded.'
"'Oh, sire, impossible!' exclaimed the Prince. 'How could it be?'
"'Well, some years ago I was visited by a grinning son-of-a-gun from New York—no other than the great T.R. I took him around. He was most interested in my troops. After he had inspected them, and particularly the Imperial Guard, he slapped me on the back and shouted, "Bill, you could lick the world!" … And, my son, I fell for it!'"
This story fetched a roar from every soldier present except Dorn. An absence of mirth in him had been noted before.
"Dorn, can't you laugh!" protested Dixon.
"Sure I can—when I hear something funny," replied Dorn.
His comrades gazed hopelessly at him.
"My Lawd! boy, thet was shore funny," drawled Brewer with his lazy Southern manner.
"Kurt, you're not human," said Owens, sadly. "That's why they call you Demon Dorn."