▁two ▁hide ously ▁dis fig ured ▁war ▁veter ans . ▁Despite ▁his ▁sympathy ▁for ▁their ▁pl ight , ▁the ▁soldiers ▁acc use ▁Ell is ▁of ▁cow ard ice ▁for ▁remaining ▁a ▁civil ian . ▁As ▁he ▁and ▁J ini ▁depart , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁soldiers ▁threat ens ▁to ▁mail ▁him ▁a ▁white ▁fe ather . ▁Ell is ▁qui ps , ▁" You ▁don ' t ▁have ▁any ▁wings , ▁let ▁alone ▁fe athers ." ▁ ▁Ult imately , ▁L iz zie ▁returns ▁to ▁the ▁village ▁with ▁t uber cul osis . ▁After ▁a ▁church ▁service , ▁she ▁inform s ▁Ell is ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁right ▁about ▁the ▁war , ▁which ▁is ▁a ▁cur se . ▁Later , ▁as ▁L iz zie ▁lies ▁dying , ▁Ell is ▁vis its ▁her ▁sick bed ▁and ▁promises ▁to ▁bring ▁her ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁E isted df od . ▁So on ▁afterwards , ▁an ▁official ▁of ▁the ▁draft ▁board ▁arriv es ▁at ▁the ▁family ▁farm ▁and ▁takes ▁down ▁the ▁names ▁of ▁Ell is ▁and ▁his ▁brother ▁Bob ▁( C eri ▁C unning ton ), ▁despite ▁the ▁resistance ▁of ▁Ell is ' ▁mother ▁( L lio ▁Sil yn ). ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁Crown ▁inform s ▁the ▁Evans ▁family ▁that ▁one ▁of ▁their ▁sons ▁must ▁join ▁the ▁British ▁Army . ▁ ▁Although ▁ 1 7 - year - old ▁Bob ▁long s ▁to ▁en list ▁instead , ▁Ell is ▁ref uses ▁to ▁permit ▁this . ▁Hor r ified ▁of ▁losing ▁him , ▁J ini ▁ple ads ▁with ▁Ell