ehind
Marmaduke, without success. The Woman was glaring right at him.

"Well, well, now, Sarah," said the peaceable Mr. Holmes, "what is it?
Has anything gone wrong in town?"

"Gone wrong? Well I should rather say so! Something that'll make yous
folks buy another pound or so o' starch, when I tell you."

"Milk gone down?" guessed Marmaduke innocently. The Woman transferred
the glare that belonged to her nephew upon his companions in
wrong-doing.

"It couldn't go any lower than it is," she affirmed sternly, "but it's
likely to go up, yes, and everything else, now! No, sir, there's goin'
to be a war, that's what there is. They're fightin' right this minute
over in Germany. The news about it was telegraphed up from Toronto to
Algonquin and everybody says England'll be in it, first thing."

A small ripple of amusement broke over the still, smoky surface of the
the veranda. The Woman was always bringing home startling news and
this was only one of many wild rumours.

"I knew somethin' dreadful would happen if you went to town again
to-day," muttered Trooper from his sanctuary behind the coal-oil
barrel. "No wonder there's a war."

"Well, well, now, I declare, is that true," exclaimed Mr. Holmes,
comfortably. "There's always trouble in them Balkans. I suppose
Germany has got to have her hand in it too. Them Balkans, now," he
continued with the splendid deliberation of one who was an authority on
international affairs, "them Balkans," he lit his pipe and gave a
couple of puffs, "they're nothing but a hot-bed of dissension and
intrigue." And having settled Eastern Europe to every one's
satisfaction, he threw away his match and smoked complacently.

"This ain't no Balkan affair, let me tell you that," cried The Woman,
rather chagrined at the lack of excitement. "This is going to be a
terrible war. It'll be a reg'lar Army Geddin, and after that the end
of the world. Folks was a sayin' that in town to-day; it's prophesied
in the Bible; you can ask any of the ministers and they'll tell you.
Here, Tom, come down here and crank up this machine o' mine, I can't
hang round here no longer doin' nothin', war or no war."

Very gladly Trooper sprang down and gave the crank a whirl that set the
car roaring away up the hill, speeded by a wave of his arms. The
veranda settled down after the disturbance to talk about the weather
and politics again. But Trooper was interested in the news his Aunt
had brought. He ha