is master said gently. "You must let those who have thought
this matter out come to a decision upon it. Beyond a certain point, the
manhood of the world must be conserved."

"That sounds just like fine talk to me, sir, and no more; the sort of
stuff that's printed in articles and that no one takes much stock of.
Words were plain enough when we started out to fight this war. We were
going to crush the German military spirit and not leave off fighting
until we'd done it. There was nothing said then about conserving
millions of men. It was to be fought out to the end, whatever it cost."

"And you were once a pacifist!"

"Pacifist!" the man repeated passionately. "Every human being with
common sense was a pacifist when the war started."

"But the war was forced upon us," Julian reminded him. "You can't deny
that."

"No one wishes to, sir. It was forced upon us all right, but who made
it necessary? Why, our rotten government for the last twenty years!
Our politicians, Mr. Julian, that are prating now of peace before their
job's done! Do you think that if we'd paid our insurance like men and
been prepared, this war would ever have come? Not it! We asked for
trouble, and we got it in the neck. If we make peace now, we'll be a
German colony in twenty years, thanks to Mr. Stenson and you and the
rest of them. A man can be a pacifist all right until his head has been
punched. Afterwards, there's another name for him. Is there anything
more I can get you to-night before I leave, sir?"

"Nothing, thanks. I'm sorry about Fred."

Julian, conscious of an intense weariness, undressed and went to bed
very soon after the man's departure. He was already in his first doze
when he awoke suddenly with a start. He sat up and listened. The sound
which had disturbed him was repeated,--a quiet but insistent ringing of
the front-door bell. He glanced at his watch. It was barely midnight,
but unusually late for a visitor. Once more the bell rang, and this time
he remembered that Robert slept out, and that he was alone in the flat.
He thrust his feet into slippers, wrapped his dressing gown around him,
and made his way to the front door.

Julian's only idea had been that this might be some messenger from the
Council. To his amazement he found himself confronted by Catherine.

"Close the door," she begged. "Come into your sitting room."

She pushed past him and he obeyed, still dumb with surprise and the
shock of his sudden awakening. Cat