will get dearer and dearer, and many things
will cease to exist altogether. You'll find that coal will run short;
and live stock will get scarce because people won't be able to get
imported food stuffs that they depend on now. Oh, it's my idea that
there are tight times coming for the people of England. And that, of
course, means a good deal of anxiety in planning a Home for Tired
People. Tired People must be well fed and kept warm."

"Can't we do it, Daddy?" queried Norah, distressed.

"We're going to try, my girl. But I'm looking ahead. One farm comes
in with the house, you know. I think we had better get a man to run
that with us on the shares system, and we'll grow every bit of food
for the house that we can. We'll have plenty of good cows, plenty of
fowls, vegetables, fruit; we'll grow potatoes wherever we can put them
in, and we'll make thorough provision for storing food that will
keep."

"Eggs--in water glass," said Norah. "And I'll make tons of jam and
bottle tons of fruit and vegetables."

"Yes. We'll find out how to preserve lots of things that we know
nothing about now. I don't in the least imagine that if real shortage
came private people would be allowed to store food; but a house run
for a war purpose might be different. Anyhow, there's no shortage
yet, so there's no harm in beginning as soon as we can. Of course we
can't do very much before we grow things--and that won't be until next
year."

"There's marmalade," said Norah wisely. "And apple jam--and we'll dry
apples. And if the hens are good there may be eggs to save."

"Hens get discouraged in an English winter, and I'm sure I don't blame
them," said Jim, laughing. "Never mind, Nor, they'll buck up in the
spring."

"Then there's the question of labour," said Mr. Linton. "I'm inclined
to employ only men who wouldn't be conscripted: partially-disabled
soldiers or sailors who could still work, or men with other physical
drawbacks. Lots of men whose hearts are too weak to go 'over the top'
from the trenches could drive a plough quite well. Then, if
conscription does come, we shall be safe."

"I'll like to do it, too," said Norah. "It would be jolly to help
them."

"Of course, it will cut both ways," Mr. Linton said. "There should be
no difficulty in getting men of the kind--poor lads, there are plenty
of disabled ones. I'm inclined to think that the question of women
servants will be more difficult."

"Well, I can cook