did so the German drew his revolver and
shot him through the heart.[1]

What happened to the German after that I will not try to relate. Why
am I describing this, and why have I mentioned this incident? Only
that our people at home may realise what heroes our lads are; what they
have to face in order to save our country, and what kind of an enemy
they have to deal with. I am describing it to try if possible to raise
a blush of shame on the faces of those shirkers at home who are a
disgrace to the name of Englishman.

Tom passed through this ordeal without a scratch, and by and by when
his company was relieved, and he returned to a place of safety, the
whole episode seemed but a ghastly dream. And yet it caused a great
change to Tom's life. If he had been asked to describe it he would not
have been able to do so; it was something subtle, elusive; but the
change was there. He felt as though he had a new conception of life;
and he realised its tremendousness as he had never realised it before.

He was by no means given to philosophising, but two things impressed
him. One was the tremendous amount of heroism that lay latent in the
commonplace lads who had come out with him. He knew many of them
before they joined the Army; knew them just as they were. Humdrum
workaday boys who did not seem capable of anything like heroism; but
the war had brought out new qualities, fine qualities. He saw how
those men were willing to sacrifice themselves for others; saw them
doing all sorts of glorious deeds. One fellow impressed him
tremendously. He himself was wounded, but not badly, for he could
easily have crawled to a place of safety; and yet he remained with a
comrade, holding his head on his knees and ministering to him as
tenderly as a woman, in a spot where life could not be valued at a
pin's purchase. Deeds like that are common at the Front.

The other thing which impressed him was the tremendous power of
religion. Before he went up to the firing line he had heard one
officer say to another, "I wish the chaplains could be allowed to go up
to the front line of trenches. You see, when men have no religion to
support them, the constant bombardment and danger make them jumpy."
Tom realised what this meant after the action I have just described.
He himself felt that he needed a Power greater than his own, to steady
him.

Tom had just heard that he was to go on duty at the front trench again,
when passing along by t