she　told　me　of　her　chief　regret；　and　that　was　that　she　and　Scuddy　had　not　been　married。　　They　both　wanted　to　be　married；　but　her　parents　were　unwilling。　　Now　she　regrets　it　and　she　will　always　regret　it。　　Doctor；　I　see　it　very　clearly。　　I　believe　it　is　better　that　we　should　be　married。　　Who　knows　what　will　come？　　So　many　of　the　chaps　do　not　come　back。　　You　are　going　out　too；　I　am　going　out。　Doctor；　I　feel　that　it　is　best　that　we　should　be　married。〃
  〃And　what　does　Jane　think　about　it？〃　enquired　the　Doctor；　gazing　at　Larry　in　a　bewildered　manner。
  〃Jane！　　Good　Lord！　　I　don't　know。　　I　never　asked　her！〃　　Larry　stood　gaping　at　the　Doctor。
  〃Well；　upon　my　word；　you　are　a　cool　one！〃
  〃I　never　thought　of　it；　Doctor；〃　said　Larry。
  〃Never　thought　of　it？　　Are　you　playing　with　me；　boy？〃　said　the　Doctor　sternly。
  〃I　will　go　and　see　her；〃　said　Larry；　and　he　dashed　from　the　room。　But　as　he　entered　the　study；　dinner　was　announced；　and　Larry's　question　perforce　must　wait。
  Never　was　a　meal　so　long…drawn…out　and　so　tedious。　　The　Colonel　and　Jane　were　full　of　conversation。　　They　discussed　the　news　from　the　West；　the　mine　and　its　prospects；　the　Lakeside　Farm　and　its　people；　the　Colonel's　own　family；　the　boys　who　had　enlisted　and　those　who　were　left　behind；　the　war　spirit　of　Canada；　its　women　and　their　work　and　their　heroism　（here　the　Colonel　talked　softly）；　the　war　and　its　prospects。　　The　Colonel　was　a　brilliant　conversationalist　when　he　exerted　himself；　and　he　told　of　the　way　of　the　war　in　England；　of　the　awakening　of　the　British　people；　of　the　rush　to　the　recruiting　offices；　of　the　women's　response。　　He　had　tales；　too；　of　the　British　Expeditionary　Force　which　he　had　received　in　private　letters；　of　its　glorious　work　in　the　Great　Retreat　and　afterwards。　Jane　had　to　tell　of　her　father's　new　Unit；　now　almost　complete；　of　Mr。　Murray's　new　battalion；　now　in　barracks；　of　the　Patriotic　Fund　and　how　splendidly　it　was　mounting　up　into　the　hundreds　of　thousands；　and　of　the　Women's　War　Association；　of　which　she　was　Secretary；　and　of　the　Young　Women's　War　Organisation；　of　which　she　was　President；　and　all　with　such　animation；　with　such　radiant　smiles；　with　such　flashing　eyes；　such　keen　swift　play　of　thought　and　wit　that　Larry　could　hardly　believe　his　eyes　and　ears；　so　immense　was　the　change　that　had　taken　place　in　Jane　during　these　ten　months。　　He　could　hardly　believe；　as　he　glanced　across　the　table　at　her　vivid　face；　that　this　brilliant；　quick…witted；　radiant　girl　was　the　quiet；　demure　Jane　of　his　college　days；　his　good　comrade；　his　chum；　whom　he　had　been　inclined　to　patronise。　　What　was　this　that　had　come　to　her？　　What　had　released　those　powers　of　mind　and　soul　which　he　could　now　recognise　as　being　her　own；　but　which　he　had　never　seen　in　action。　　As　in　a　flash　it　came　to　him　that　this　mighty　change　was　due　to　the　terribly　energising　touch　of　War。　　The　development　which　in　normal　times　would　have　required　years　to　accomplish；　under　the　quickening　impulse　of　this　mighty　force　which　in　a　day　was　brought　to　bear　upon　the　life　of　Canada；　this　development　became　a　thing　of　weeks　and　months　only。　　War　had　poured　its　potent　energies　through　her　soul　and　her　soul　had　responded　in　a　new　and　marvellous　efflorescence。　　Almost　over　night　as　it　were　the　flower　of　an　exquisite　womanhood；　strong；　tender；　sweet；　beautiful；　had　burst　into　bloom。　　Her　very　face　was　changed。　The　activities　with　which　her　days　and　nights　were　filled　had　quickened　all　her　vital　forces　so　that　the　very　texture　and　colour　of　her　skin　radiated　the　bloom　of　vigorous　mental　and　physical　health。　　Yet　withal　there　remained　the　same　quick；　wise　sympathy；　quicker；　wiser　than　before　war's　poignant　sorrows　had　disciplined　her　heart；　the　same　far…seeing　vision　that　anticipated　problems　and　planned　for　their　solution；　the　same　proud　sense　of　honour　that　scorned　things　mean　and　gave　quick　approval　to　things　high。　　As　he　listened　Larry　felt　himself　small　and　poor　in　comparison　with　her。　More　than　that　he　had　the　sense　of　being　excluded　from　her　life。　The　war　and　its　activities；　its　stern　claims；　its　catastrophic　events　had　taken　possession　of　the　girl's　whole　soul。　　Was　there　a　place　for　him　in　this　new；　grand　scheme　of　life？　　A　new　and　terrible　master　had　come　into　the　lordship　of　her　heart。　　Had　love　yielded　its　high　place？　　To　that　question　Larry　was　determined　to　have　an　answer　to…night。　　To…morrow　he　was　off　to　the　Front。　　The　growing　fury　of　the　war；　its　appalling　losses；　made　it　increasingly　doubtful　that　he　should　ever　see　her　face　again。　　What　her　answer　would　be　he　could　not　surely　say。　　But　to…night　he　would　have　it　from　her。　　If　〃yes〃　there　was　time　to…morrow　to　be　married；　if　〃no〃　then　the　more　gladly　he　would　go　to　the　war。
  After　dinner　the　Doctor　and　the　Colonel　took　their　way　to　the　study　to　smoke　and　talk　over　matters　connected　with　military　organisation；　in　regard　to　which　the　Doctor　confessed　himself　to　be　woefully　ignorant。　　Jane　led　Larry　into　the　library；　where　a　bright　fire　was　burning。
  〃Awfully　jolly；　this　fire。　　We'll　do　without　the　lights；〃　said　Larry；　touching　the　switch　and　drawing　their　chairs　forward　to　the　fire；　wondering　the　while　how　he　should　get　himself　to　the　point　of　courage　necessary　to　his　purpose。　　Had　it　been　a　few　months　ago　how　easy　it　would　have　been。　　He　could　see　himself　with　easy　camaraderie　put　his　arm　about　Jane　with　never　a　quiver　of　voice　or　shiver　of　soul；　and　say　to　her；　〃Jane；　you　dear；　dear　thing；　won't　you　marry　me？〃　　But　at　that　time　he　had　neither　desire　nor　purpose。　Now　by　some　damnable　perversity　of　things；　when　heart　and　soul　were　sick　with　the　longing　for　her；　and　his　purpose　set　to　have　her；　he　found　himself　nerveless　and　shaking　like　a　silly　girl。　　He　pushed　his　chair　back　so　that；　unaware　to　her；　his　eyes　could　rest　upon　her　face；　and　planned　his　approach。　　He　would　begin　by　speaking　of　Helen；　of　her　courage；　of　her　great　loss；　then　of　her　supreme　regret；　at　which　point　he　would　make　his　plea。　　But　Jane　would　give　him　no　help　at　all。　　Silent　she　sat　looking　into　the　fire；　all　the　vivacity　and　brilliance　of　the　past　hour　gone；　and　in　its　place　a　gentle；　pensive　sadness。　　The　firelight　fell　on　her　face；　so　changed　from　what　it　had　been　in　those　pre…war　days；　now　so　long　ago；　yet　so　familiar　and　so　dear。　　To…morrow　at　this　hour　he　would　be　far　down　the　line　with　his　battalion；　off　for　the　war。　　What　lay　beyond　that　who　could　say？　　If　she　should　refuse〃God　help　me　then；〃　he　groaned　aloud；　unthinking。
  〃What　is　it；　Larry？〃　she　said；　turning　her　face　quickly　toward　him。
  〃I　was　just　thinking；　Jane；　that　to…morrow　Ithat　is〃　　He　paused　abruptly。
  〃Oh；　Larry；　I　know；　I　know。〃　　Her　hands　went　quickly　to　her　breast。　In　her　eyes　he　saw　a　look　of　pain　so　acute；　so　pitiful；　that　he　forgot　all　his　plan　of　approach。
  〃Jane；〃　he　cried　in　a　voice　sharp　with　the　intensity　of　his　feeling。
  In　an　instant　they　were　both　on　their　feet　and　facing　each　other。
  〃Jane；　dear；　dear　Jane；　I　love　you　so；　and　I　want　you　so。〃　　He　stretched　out　his　arms　to　take　her。
  Startled；　her　face　gone　deadly　pale；　she　put　out　her　hands　against　his　breast；　pushing　him　away　from　her。
  〃Larry！〃　she　said。　　〃Larry；　what　are　you　saying？〃
  〃Oh；　Jane；　I　am　saying　I　love　you；　with　all　my　heart　and　soul；　I　love　you　and　I　want　you；　Jane。　　Don't　you　love　me　a　bit；　even　a　little　bit？〃
  Slowly　her　arms　dropped　to　her　side。　　〃You　love　me；　Larry？〃　she　whispered。　　Her　eyes　began　to　glow　like　stars　in　a　pool　of　water；　deep　and　lustrous；　her　lips　to　quiver。　　〃You　love　me；　Larry；　and　you　want　me　toto〃
  〃Yes；　Jane；　I　want　you　to　be　my　wife。〃
  〃Your　wife；　Larry？〃　she　whispered；　coming　a　little　closer　to　him。　〃Oh；　Larry；〃　she　laid　her　hands　upon　his　breast；　〃I　love　you　so；　and　I　have　loved　you　so　long。〃　　The　lustrous　eyes　were　misty；　but　they　looked　steadily　into　his。
  〃Dear　heart；　dear　love；〃　he　said；　drawing　her　close　to　him　and　still　gazing　into　her　eyes。
  She　wound　her　arms　about　his　neck　and　with　lips　slightly　parted　lifted　her　face　to　his。
  〃Jane；　Jane；　you　wonderful　girl；〃　he　said；　and　kissed　the　parted　lips；　while　about　them　heaven　opened　and　took　them　to　its　bosom。
  When　they　had　come　back　to　earth　Larry　suddenly　recalled　his　conversation　with　her　father。　　〃Jane；〃　he　said；　〃when　shall　we　be　married？　　I　must　tell　your　father。〃
  〃Married？〃　said　Jane　in　a　voice　of　despair。　　〃Not　till　you　return；　Larry。〃　　Then　she　clung　to　him　trembling。　　〃Oh；　why　were　you　so　slow；　Larry？　　Why　did　you　delay　so　long？〃
  〃Slow？〃　cried　Larry。　　〃Well；　we　can　make　up　for　it　now。〃　　He　looked　at　his　watch。　　〃It's　nine　o'clock；　Jane。　　We　can　be　married　to…　night。〃
  〃Nonsense；　you　silly　boy！〃
  〃Then　to…morrow　we　shall　be　married；　I　swear。　　We　won't　make　Helen's　mistake。〃　　And　he　told　her　of　Helen　Brookes's　supreme　regret。　　〃We　won't　make　that　mistake；　Jane。　　To…morrow！　　To…morrow！　To…morrow　it　will　be！〃
  〃But；　Larry；　listen。　　Papa〃
  〃Your　father　will　agree。〃
  〃And　my　clothes？〃
  〃Clothes？　　You　don't　need　any。　　What　you　have　on　will　do。〃
  〃This　old　thing？〃
  〃Perfectly　lovely；　perfectly　splendid。　　Never　will　you　wear　anything　so　lovely　as　this。〃
  〃And　then；　Larry；　what　should　I　do？　　Where　would　I　go？　　You　are　going　off。〃
  〃And　you　will　come　with　me。〃
  But　Jane's　wise　hea