cts　native　of　their　kind；　had　at　the　first　sought　how　they　might　with　honour　keep　back　their　men　from　the　perils　of　war；　now　in　their　compassion　for　women　thus　relentlessly　outraged　and　for　their　tender　babes　pitilessly　mangled；　consulted　chiefly　how　they　might　best　fit　their　men　for　the　high　and　holy　mission　of　justice　for　the　wronged　and　protection　for　the　helpless。　　It　was　this　that　wrought　in　Larry　a　fury　of　devotion　to　his　duty。　　Night　and　day　he　gave　himself　to　his　training　with　his　concentrated　powers　of　body；　mind　and　soul；　till　he　stood　head　and　shoulders　above　the　members　of　the　Officers'　Training　Corps　at　Calgary。
  After　six　weeks　of　strenuous　grind　Larry　was　ordered　to　report　to　his　battalion　at　Wolf　Willow。　　A　new　world　awaited　him　there；　a　world　recreated　by　the　mysterious　alchemy　of　war；　a　world　in　which　men　and　women　moved　amid　high　ideals　and　lofty　purposes；　a　world　where　the　dominant　note　was　sacrifice　and　the　regnant　motive　duty。
  Nora　met　him　at　the　station　in　her　own　car；　which；　in　view　of　her　activity　in　connection　with　the　mine　where　her　father　was　now　manager；　the　directors　had　placed　at　her　disposal。
  〃How　big　and　fine　you　look；　Larry！　　You　must　be　pounds　heavier；〃　she　cried；　viewing　him　from　afar。
  〃Twenty　pounds；　and　hard　as　hickory。　　Never　so　fit　in　my　life；〃　replied　her　brother；　who　was　indeed　a　picture　of　splendid　and　vigorous　health。
  〃You　are　perfectly　astonishing。　　But　everything　is　astonishing　these　days。　　Why；　even　father；　till　he　broke　his　leg〃
  〃Broke　his　leg？〃
  〃There　was　no　use　worrying　you　about　it。　　A　week　ago；　while　he　was　pottering　about　the　mine；　he　slipped　down　a　ladder　and　broke　his　leg。　　He　will　probably　stay　where　he　belongs　nowin　the　office。　But　father　is　as　splendid　as　any　one　could　well　be。　　He　has　gripped　that　mine　business　hard；　and　even　Switzer　in　his　palmiest　days　could　not　get　better　results。　　He　has　quite　an　extraordinary　way　with　the　men；　and　that　is　something　these　days；　when　men　are　almost　impossible　to　get。〃
  〃And　mother？〃　enquired　Larry。
  〃Mother　is　equally　surprising。　　But　you　will　see　for　yourself。　　And　dear　old　Kathleen。　　She　is　at　it　day　and　night。　　They　made　her　President　of　the　Women's　War　Association；　and　she　is　　Well；　it　is　quite　beyond　words。　　I　can't　talk　about　it；　that's　all。〃　　Nora's　voice　grew　unsteady　and　she　took　refuge　in　silence。　　After　a　few　moments　she　went　on：　　〃And　she　has　had　the　most　beautiful　letter　from　Jack's　colonel。　　It　was　on　the　Big　Retreat　from　Mons　that　he　was　killed　at　the　great　fight　at　Landrecies。　　You　know　about　that；　Larry？〃
  〃No；　never　heard　anything；　I　know　really　nothing　of　that　retreat；〃　said　Larry。
  〃Well；　we　have　had　letters　about　it。　　It　must　have　been　great。　　Oh；　it　will　be　a　glorious　tale　some　day。　　They　began　the　fight；　only　seventy…five　thousand　of　the　Britishthink　of　it！　with　two　hundred　guns　against　four　hundred　thousand　Germans　with　six　hundred　guns。　They　began　the　fight　on　a　Saturday。　　The　French　on　both　their　flanks　gave　way。　　One　army　on　each　flank　trying　to　hem　them　in　and　an　army　in　front　pounding　the　life　out　of　them。　　They　fought　all　Saturday。　　They　began　the　retreat　on　Saturday　night；　fought　again　Sunday；　marched　Sunday　night；　they　fought　Monday　and　marched　Monday　night；　fought　Tuesday；　and　marched　Tuesday　night。　　The　letter　said　they　staggered　down　the　roads　like　drunken　men。　　Wednesday；　dead　beat；　they　fought　againand　against　ever　fresh　masses　of　men；　remember。　　Wednesday　night　one　corps　came　to　Landrecies。　　At　half…　past　nine　they　were　all　asleep　in　billets。　　At　ten　o'clock　a　perfectly　fresh　army　of　the　enemy；　field　guns　backing　them　up　behind；　machine　guns　in　front；　bore　down　the　streets　into　the　village。　　But　those　wonderful　Coldstreams　and　Grenadiers　and　Highlanders　just　filled　the　streets　and　every　man　for　himself　poured　in　rifle　fire；　and　every　machine　gun　fired　into　the　enemy　masses；　smashed　the　attack　and　then　they　went　at　them　with　the　bayonet　and　flung　them　back。　　Again　and　again　throughout　the　night　this　thing　was　repeated　until　the　Germans　drew　off；　leaving　five　hundred　dead　before　the　village　and　in　its　streets。　　It　was　in　the　last　bayonet　charge；　when　leading　his　men；　that　Jack　was　killed。〃
  〃My　God！〃　cried　Larry。　　〃What　a　great　death！〃
  〃And　so　Kathleen　goes　about　with　her　head　high　and　Sybil；　too；　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt；　you　know；〃　continued　Nora；　〃she　is　just　like　the　others。　　She　never　thinks　of　herself　and　her　two　little　kids　who　are　going　to　be　left　behind　but　she　is　busy　getting　her　husband　ready　and　helping　to　outfit　his　men；　as　all　the　women　are；　with　socks　and　mits　and　all　the　rest　of　it。　　Before　Tom　made　up　his　mind　to　raise　the　battalion　they　were　both　wretched；　but　now　they　are　both　cheery　as　crickets　with　a　kind　of　exalted　cheeriness　that　makes　one　feel　like　hugging　the　dear　things。　　And；　Larry；　there　won't　be　a　man　left　in　this　whole　country　if　the　war　keeps　on　except　old　McTavish；　who　is　furious　because　they　won't　take　him　and　who　declares　he　is　going　on　his　own。　　Poor　Mr。　Rhye　is　feeling　so　badly。　　He　was　rejectedheart　trouble；　though　I　think　he　is　more　likely　to　injure　himself　here　preaching　as　he　does　than　at　the　war。〃
  〃And　yourself；　Nora？　　Carrying　the　whole　load；　I　suppose；ranch；　and　now　this　mine。　　You　are　getting　thin；　I　see。〃
  〃No　fear；〃　said　Nora。　　〃Joe　is　really　doing　awfully　well　on　the　ranch。　　He　practically　takes　charge。　　By　the　way；　Sam　has　enlisted。　He　says　he　is　going　to　stick　to　you。　　He　is　going　to　be　your　batman。　　And　as　for　the　mine；　since　father's　accident　Mr。　Wakeham　has　been　very　kind。　　If　he　were　not　an　American　he　would　have　enlisted　before　this。〃
  〃Oh！　he　would；　eh？〃
  〃He　would；　or　he　would　not　be　coming　about　Lakeside　Farm。〃
  〃Then　he　does　come　about？〃
  〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Nora　with　an　exaggerated　air　of　indifference。　　〃He　would　be　rather　a　nuisance　if　he　were　not　so　awfully　useful　and　so　jolly。　　After　all；　I　do　not　see　what　we　should　have　done　without　him。〃
  〃Ah；　a　good　man　is　Dean。〃
  〃I　had　a　letter　from　Jane　this　week；〃　continued　Nora；　changing　the　subject　abruptly。
  〃I　have　not　heard　for　two　weeks；〃　said　Larry。
  〃Then　you　have　not　heard　about　Scuddy。　　Poor　Scuddy！　　But　why　say　'poor'　Scuddy？　　He　was　doing　his　duty。　　It　was　a　patrol　party。　　He　was　scouting　and　ran　into　an　enemy　patrol　and　was　instantly　killed。　The　poor　girl；　Helen　Brookes；　I　think　it　is。〃
  〃Helen　Brookes！〃　exclaimed　Larry。
  〃Yes；　Jane　says　you　knew　her。　　She　was　engaged　to　Scuddy。　　And　Scallons　is　gone　too。〃
  〃Scallons！〃
  〃And　Smart；　Frank　Smart。〃
  〃Frank　Smart！　　Oh！　his　poor　mother！　　My　God；　this　war　is　awful　and　grows　more　awful　every　day。〃
  〃Jane　says　Mrs。　Smart　is　at　every　meeting　of　the　Women's　Association；　quiet　and　steady；　just　like　our　Kathleen。　　Oh；　Larry；　how　can　they　do　it？　　If　my　husbandif　I　had　onewere　killed　I　could　not；　I　just　could　not；　bear　it。〃
  〃I　fancy；　little　girl；　you　would　measure　up　like　the　others。　　This　is　a　damnable　business；　but　we　never　knew　our　women　till　now。　　But　the　sooner　that　cursed　race　is　wiped　off　the　face　of　the　earth　the　better。〃
  〃Why；　Larry；　is　that　you？　　I　cannot　believe　my　ears。〃
  〃Yes；　it　is　me。　　I　have　come　to　see　that　there　is　no　possibility　of　peace　or　sanity　for　the　world　till　that　race　of　mad　militarists　is　destroyed。　　I　am　still　a　pacifist；　but；　thank　God；　no　longer　a　fool。　　Is　there　no　other　news　from　Jane？〃
  〃Did　you　hear　about　Ramsay　Dunn？　　Oh；　he　did　splendidly。　　He　was　wounded；　got　a　cross　or　something。〃
  〃Did　you　know　that　Mr。　Murray　had　organised　a　battalion　and　is　Lieutenant…Colonel　and　that　Doctor　Brown　is　organising　a　Field　Ambulance　unit　and　going　out　in　command？〃
  〃Oh；　that　is　settled；　is　it？　　Jane　told　me　it　was　possible。〃
  〃Yes；　and　perhaps　Jane　and　Ethel　Murray　will　go　with　the　Ambulance　Unit。　　Oh；　Larry；　is　there　any　way　I　might　go？　　I　could　do　so　much　drive　a　car；　an　ambulance；　wash；　scrub；　carry　despatches；　anything。〃
  〃By　Jove；　you　would　be　a　good　one！〃　exclaimed　her　brother。　　〃I　would　like　to　have　you　in　my　company。〃
  〃Couldn't　it　be　worked　in　any　possible　way？〃　cried　Nora。
  But　Larry　made　no　reply。　　He　knew　well　that　no　reply　was　needed。　What　was　her　duty　this　splendid　girl　would　do；　whether　in　Flanders　or　in　Alberta。
  At　the　door　of　their　home　the　mother　met　them。　　As　her　eyes　fell　upon　her　son　in　his　khaki　uniform　she　gave　a　little　cry　and　ran　to　him　with　arms　uplifted。
  〃Come　right　in　here；〃　she　whispered；　and　took　him　to　the　inner　room。　　There　she　drew　him　to　the　bedside　and　down　upon　his　knees。　With　their　arms　about　each　other　they　knelt；　mingling　tears　and　sobs　together　till　their　strength　was　done。　　Then　through　the　sobs　the　boy　heard　her　voice。　　〃You　gave　him　to　me；〃　he　heard　her　whisper；　not　in　her　ordinary　manner　of　reverent　formal　prayer；　but　as　if　remonstrating　with　a　friend。　　〃You　know　you　gave　him　to　me　and　I　gave　him　back。I　know　he　is　not　mine。But　won't　you　let　me　have　him　for　a　little　while？It　will　not　be　so　very　long。Yes；　yes；　I　know。I　am　not　holding　him　back。No；　no；　I　could　not；　I　would　not　do　that。Oh；　I　would　not。What　am　I　better　than　the　others？But　you　will　give　him　back　to　me　again。There　are　so　many　never　coming　back；　and　I　have　only　one　boy。You　will　let　him　come　back。He　is　my　baby　boy。It　is　his　mother　asking。〃
  Larry　could　be