pet of War, and they
awakened. In my life have I seen nothing so marvellous. No broken spell
of enchantment in an Arabian tale when dead warriors spring into life
was ever more instant and complete. They arose in their full vigour;
the colour came back to their cheeks and the purpose into their eyes.
They laughed once more. Their days were filled with work and
cheerfulness. In November Sir Anthony was elected Mayor. Being a
practical, hard-headed little man, loved and respected by everybody, he
drove a hitherto contentious Town Council into paths of high patriotism
like a flock of sheep. And no less energy did Lady Fenimore exhibit in
the sphere of her own activities.

A few days after the tidings came of Oswald's death, Sir Anthony was
riding through the town and pulled up before Perkins' the fishmonger's.
Perkins emerged from his shop and crossed the pavement.

"I hear you've had bad news."

"Yes, indeed, Sir Anthony."

"I'm sorry. He was a fine fellow. So was my boy. We're in the same
boat, Perkins."

Perkins assented. "It sort of knocks one's life to bits, doesn't it?"
said he. "We've nothing left."

"We have our country."

"Our country isn't our only son," said the other dully.

"No. She's our mother," said Sir Anthony.

"Isn't that a kind of abstraction?"

"Abstraction!" cried Sir Anthony, indignantly. "You must be imbibing
the notions of that poisonous beast Gedge."

Gedge was a smug, socialistic, pacifist builder who did not hold with
war--and with this one least of all, which he maintained was being
waged for the exclusive benefit of the capitalist classes. In the eyes
of the stalwarts of Wellingsford, he was a horrible fellow, capable of
any stratagem or treason.

Perkins flushed. "I've always voted conservative, like my father before
me, Sir Anthony, and like yourself I've given my boy to my country.
I've no dealings with unpatriotic people like Gedge, as you know very
well."

"Of course I do," cried Sir Anthony. "And that's why I ask you what the
devil you mean by calling England an abstraction. For us, she's the
only thing in the world. We're elderly chaps, you and I, Perkins, and
the only thing we can do to help her is to keep our heads high. If
people like you and me crumple up, the British Empire will crumple up."

"That's quite true," said Perkins.

Sir Anthony bent down and held out his hand.

"It's damned hard lines for us, and for the women. But we must keep our
end up. It's doi