n　could　be　heard　the　shrieks　of　the　little　spinster　and　weird　Scotch　oaths　from　McTavish。　　After　the　noise　had　somewhat　subsided　and　when　the　confusion　had　been　reduced　to　a　semblance　of　order；　McTavish　was　discovered　with　his　hand　upon　the　collar　of　the　dazed　parson　who　in　turn　held　the　obese　Teuton　in　a　firm　and　wrathful　grip；　at　which　once　more　the　whole　crowd　rocked　with　an　unholy　but　uncontrollable　joy。
  It　was　Larry　who　saved　the　situation　by　appearing　upon　the　stage　and　gravely　announcing　that　this　unfortunate　catastrophe　was　due　to　a　sudden　international　upheaval　which　as　usual　in　such　cases　had　come　about　in　an　absolutely　unexpected　manner　and　as　a　result　of　misunderstandings　and　mistakes　for　which　no　one　could　be　held　responsible。　　He　proposed　in　the　name　of　the　audience　votes　of　thanks　to　those　who　had　laboured　so　diligently　to　make　the　Dominion　Day　celebration　so　great　a　success；　especially　to　the　ladies　and　gentlemen　who　had　served　upon　the　various　committees；　to　the　speakers　of　the　evening；　to　those　who　had　provided　the　entertainment；　and　last　but　not　least　to　the　chairman　who　had　presided　with　such　grace　and　dignity　over　the　proceedings　of　the　evening。　　The　motion　was　carried　with　tumultuous　applause；　and　after　the　singing　of　〃The　Maple　Leaf〃　and　the　national　anthem；　the　meeting　came　to　a　close。
  After　the　entertainment　was　over　Larry　and　his　mother　slowly　took　the　trail　homewards；　declining　many　offers　of　a　lift　from　their　friends　in　cars　and　carriages。　　It　was　the　Harvest　Moon。　　Upon　the　folds　of　the　rolling　prairie；　upon　the　round　tops　of　the　hills；　upon　the　broad　valleys；　and　upon　the　far…away　peaks　in　the　west　the　white　light　lay　thick　and　soft　like　a　mantle。　　Above　the　white…　mantled　world　the　concave　of　the　sky　hung　blue　and　deep　and　pricked　out　with　pale　star　points。　　About　the　world　the　night　had　thrown　her　mystic　jewelled　robes　of　white　and　blue；　making　a　holy　shrine；　a　very　temple　of　peace　for　God　and　man。　　For　some　minutes　they　walked　together　in　silence；　after　they　had　bidden　good…night　to　the　last　of　their　friends。
  〃What　a　world　it　is；　Mother！〃　said　Larry；　gazing　about　him　at　the　beauty　of　the　night。
  〃Yes；　but　alas；　alas；　that　God's　own　children　should　spoil　all　this　glory　with　hatred　and　strife！　　This　very　night　in　the　unhappy　Balkan　States　men　are　killing　each　other。　　It　is　too　sad　and　too　terrible　to　think　of。　　Oh；　if　men　would　be　content　only　to　do　justly　by　each　other。〃
  〃Those　people　of　the　Balkan　States　are　semi…barbarians；〃　said　Larry；　〃and　therefore　war　between　them　is　to　be　expected；　but　I　cannot　get　myself　to　believe　in　the　possibility　of　war　between　Christians；　civilised　nations　to…day。　　But；　Mother；　for　the　first　time　in　my　life；　listening　to　those　two　men；　Romayne　and　Switzer；　I　had　a　feeling　that　war　might　be　possible。　　Switzer　seemed　so　eager　for　it；　and　so　sure　about　it；　didn't　he？　　And　Romayne；　too；　seemed　ready　to　fight。　　But　then　I　always　remember　that　military　men　and　military　nations　are　for　ever　talking　war。〃
  〃That　is　quite　true；　my　dear；〃　said　his　mother。　　〃I　too　find　it　difficult　to　believe　that　war　is　possible　in　spite　of　what　we　have　heard　to…night。　　Our　Friends　at　Home　do　not　believe　that　war　is　imminent。　　They　tell　me　that　the　feeling　between　Germany　and　Britain　is　steadily　improving。〃
  〃And　yet　two　years　ago；　Mother；　in　connection　with　the　Agadir　incident　war　might　have　happened　any　minute。〃
  〃That　is　true；〃　replied　his　mother；　〃but　every　year　of　peace　makes　war　less　likely。　　The　Friends　are　working　and　praying　for　a　better　understanding　between　these　nations；　and　they　are　very　confident　that　these　peace　delegations　that　are　exchanging　visits　are　doing　a　great　deal　for　peace。　　Your　Uncle　Matthew；　who　has　had　a　great　deal　to　do　with　them；　is　very　hopeful　that　a　few　years　of　peace　will　carry　us　past　the　danger　point。〃
  〃Well；　I　hope　so；　Mother。　　I　loathe　the　very　thought　of　war；〃　said　Larry。　　〃I　think　I　am　like　you　in　this。　　I　never　did　fight；　you　know；　as　a　boy　I　always　got　out　of　it。　　Do　you　know；　Mother；　I　think　I　would　be　afraid　to　fight。〃
  〃I　hope　so；〃　replied　his　mother。　　〃Fighting　is　no　work　for　man；　but　for　brute。〃
  〃But　you　would　not　be　afraid；　Mother。　　I　know　you　would　stand　up　to　anything。〃
  〃Oh；　no；　no；〃　cried　his　mother。　　〃I　could　stand　up　to　very　little。　After　all；　it　is　only　God　that　makes　strong　to　endure。〃
  〃But　it　is　not　quite　the　question　of　enduring；　it　is　not　the　suffering；　Mother。　　It　is　the　killing。　　I　don't　believe　I　could　kill　a　man；　and　yet　in　the　Bible　they　were　told　to　kill。〃
  〃But　surely；　Larry；　we　read　our　Bible　somewhat　differently　these　days。　　Surely　we　have　advanced　since　the　days　of　Abraham。　　We　do　not　find　our　Lord　and　master　commanding　men　to　kill。〃
  〃But；　Mother；　in　these　present　wars　should　not　men　defend　their　women　and　children　from　such　outrages　as　we　read　about？〃
  〃When　it　comes　to　the　question　of　defending　women　and　children　it　seems　to　me　that　the　question　is　changed；〃　said　his　mother。　　〃As　to　that　I　can　never　quite　make　up　my　mind；　but　generally　speaking　we　hold　that　it　is　the　Cross；　not　the　sword；　that　will　save　the　world　from　oppression　and　break　the　tyrant's　power。〃
  〃But　after　all；　Mother；〃　replied　Larry；　〃it　was　not　Smithfield　that　saved　England's　freedom；　but　Naseby。〃
  〃Perhaps　both　Naseby　and　Smithfield；〃　said　his　mother。　　〃I　am　not　very　wise　in　these　things。〃
  At　the　door　of　their　house　they　came　upon　Nora　sitting　in　the　moonlight。　　〃Did　you　meet　Ernest　and　Mr。　Romayne？〃　she　inquired。　〃They've　only　gone　five　minutes　or　so。　　They　walked　down　with　us。〃
  〃No；　we　did　not　meet　them。〃
  〃You　must　be　tired　after　the　wild　excitement　of　the　day；　Mother；〃　said　Nora。　　〃I　think　you　had　better　go　at　once　to　bed。　　As　for　me；　I　am　going　for　a　swim。〃
  〃That's　bully；　I'm　with　you；〃　said　Larry。
  In　a　few　minutes　they　were　dressed　in　their　bathing　suits；　and；　wrapped　up　in　their　mackintosh　coats；　they　strolled　toward　the　little　lake。
  〃Let's　sit　a　few　moments　and　take　in　this　wonderful　night；〃　said　Nora。　　〃Larry；　I　want　to　talk　to　you　about　what　we　heard　to…night　from　those　two　men。　　They　made　me　feel　that　war　was　not　only　possible　but　near。〃
  〃It　did　not　impress　me　in　the　very　least；〃　said　Larry。　　〃They　talked　as　military　men　always　talk。　　They've　got　the　war　bug。　These　men　have　both　held　commissions　in　their　respective　armies。　Romayne；　of　course；　has　seen　war；　and　they　look　at　everything　from　the　military　point　of　view。〃
  As　he　was　speaking　there　came　across　the　end　of　the　lake　the　sound　of　voices。　　Over　the　water　the　still　air　carried　the　words　distinctly　to　their　ears。
  〃Explain　what？〃　　It　was　Switzer's　voice　they　heard；　loud　and　truculent。
  〃Just　what　you　meant　by　the　words　'slanderous　falsehood'　which　you　used　to…night；〃　replied　a　voice　which　they　recognised　to　be　Jack　Romayne's。
  〃I　meant　just　what　I　said。〃
  〃Did　you　mean　to　impugn　my　veracity；　because〃
  〃Because　what？〃
  〃Because　if　you　did　I　should　have　to　slap　your　face　just　now。〃
  〃Mein　Gott！　　You！〃
  〃Not　so　loud；〃　said　Romayne　quietly；　〃unless　you　prefer　an　audience。〃
  〃You　schlap　my　face！〃　cried　the　German；　in　his　rage　losing　perfect　control　of　his　accent。　　〃Ach；　if　you　were　only　in　my　country；　we　could　settle　this　in　the　only　way。〃
  〃Perhaps　you　will　answer　my　question。〃　　Romayne's　voice　was　low　and　clear　and　very　hard。　　〃Did　you　mean　to　call　me　a　liar？　　Yes　or　no。〃
  〃A　liar；〃　replied　the　German；　speaking　more　quietly。　　〃No；　it　is　not　a　question　of　veracity。　　It　is　a　question　of　historical　accuracy。〃
  〃Oh；　very　well。　　That's　all。〃
  〃No；　it　is　not　all；〃　exclaimed　the　German。　　〃My　God；　that　I　should　have　to　take　insult　from　you！　　In　this　country　of　barbarians　there　is　no　way　of　satisfaction　except　by　the　beastly；　the　savage　method　of　fists；　but　some　day　we　will　show　you　schwein　of　England〃
  〃Stop！〃　　Romayne's　voice　came　across　the　water　with　a　sharp　ring　like　the　tap　of　a　hammer　on　steel。　　〃You　cannot　use　your　hands；　I　suppose？　　That　saves　you；　but　if　you　say　any　such　words　again　in　regard　to　England　or　Englishmen；　I　shall　have　to　punish　you。〃
  〃Punish　me！〃　shouted　the　German。　　〃Gott　in　Himmel；　that　I　must　bear　this！〃
  〃They　are　going　to　fight；〃　said　Nora　in　an　awed　and　horrified　voice。　　〃Oh；　Larry；　do　go　over。〃
  〃He…l…l…o；〃　cried　Larry　across　the　water。　　〃That　you；　Switzer？　　Who　is　that　with　you？　　Come　along　around　here；　won't　you？〃
  There　was　a　silence　of　some　moments　and　then　Romayne's　voice　came　quietly　across　the　water。　　〃That　you；　Gwynne？　　Rather　late　to　come　around；　I　think。　　I　am　off　for　home。　　Well；　Switzer；　that's　all；　I　think；　just　now。　　I'll　say　good…night。〃　　There　was　no　reply　from　Switzer。
  〃You　won't　come　then？〃　called　Larry。　　〃Well；　goodnight；　both　of　you。〃
  〃Good…night；　good…night；〃　came　from　both　men。
  〃Do　you　think　they　will　fight？〃　said　Nora。
  〃No；　I　think　not。　　There's　Switzer　riding　off　now。　　What　fools　they　are。〃
  〃And　Jack　Romayne　is　so　quiet　and　gentlemanly；〃　said　Nora。
  〃Quiet；　yes；　and　gentlemanly；　yes　too。　　But　I　guess　he'd　be　what　Sam　calls　a　'bad　actor'　in　a　fight。　　Oh；　these　men　make　me　tired　who　can't　have　a　difference　of　opinion　but　they　must　think　of　fighting。〃
  〃Oh；　Larry；　I　don't　understand　you　a　bit；〃　cried　Nora。　　〃Of　course　they　want　to　fight　when　t