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〃I　should　have　known　you　were　not　to　blame；　but　you　are　always　right。　　Never　once　in　all　these　years　have　you　failed　me。　　You　always　understand　a　fellow。　　Do　you　know　I　am　wondering　how　I　shall　ever　do　without　you？　　Have　you　thought；　Jane；　that　to…morrow　this　old　life　of　ours　together　will　end？〃

〃Yes；　Larry。〃　　Her　voice　was　low；　almost　a　whisper；　and　in　her　eyes　an　eager　light　shone。

〃It　just　breaks　my　heart；　Jane。　　We　have　beenwe　are　such　good　friends。　　If　we　had　only　fallen　in　love　with　each　other。But　that　would　have　spoiled　it　all。　　We　are　not　like　other　people；　we　have　been　such　chums；　Jane。〃

〃Yes；　Larry；〃　she　said　again；　but　the　eager　light　had　faded　from　her　eyes。

〃Let's　sit　a　bit；　Larry；〃　she　said。　　〃I　am　tired；　and　you　are　tired；　too；〃　she　added　quickly；　〃after　your　hard　day。〃

For　a　little　time　they　sat　in　silence　together；　both　shrinking　from　the　parting　that　they　knew　was　so　near。　　Larry　gazed　at　her；　wondering　to　himself　that　he　had　ever　thought　her　plain。　　Tonight　she　seemed　beautiful　and　very　dear　to　him。　　Next　to　his　mother；　was　her　place　in　his　heart。　　Was　this　that　he　felt　for　her　what　they　called　love？　　With　all　his　soul　he　wished　he　could　take　her　in　his　arms　and　say；　〃Jane；　I　love　you。〃　　But　still　he　knew　that　his　words　would　not　ring　true。　　More　than　that；　Jane　would　know　it　too。　Besides；　might　not　her　feeling　for　him　be　of　the　same　quality？　What　could　he　say　in　this　hour　which　he　recognised　to　be　a　crisis　in　their　lives？　　Sick　at　heart　and　oppressed　with　his　feeling　of　loneliness　and　impotence；　he　could　only　look　at　her　in　speechless　misery。　　Then　he　thought　she；　too；　was　suffering；　the　same　misery　was　filling　her　heart。　　She　looked　utterly　spent　and　weary。

〃Jane；〃　he　said　desperately。　　She　started。　　She；　too；　had　been　thinking。　　〃Scuddy　is　in　love　with　Helen；　Macleod　is　in　love　with　Ethel。　　I　wish　to　God　I　had　fallen　in　love　with　you　and　you　with　me。　　Then　we　would　have　something　to　look　forward　to。　　Do　you　know；　Jane；　I　am　like　a　boy　leaving　home？　　We　are　going　to　drift　apart。　Others　will　come　between　us。〃

〃No；　Larry；〃　cried　Jane　with　quick　vehemence。　　〃Not　that。　　You　won't　let　that　come。〃

〃Can　we　help　it；　Jane？〃　　Then　her　weariness　appealed　to　him。　　〃It　is　a　shame　to　keep　you　up。　　I　have　given　you　a　hard　day；　Jane。〃　She　shook　her　head。　　〃And　there　is　no　use　waiting。　　We　can　only　say　good…bye。〃　　He　rose　from　his　chair。　　Should　he　kiss　her；　he　asked　himself。　　He　had　had　no　hesitation　in　kissing　Helen　an　hour　ago。　That　seemed　a　light　thing　to　him；　but　somehow　he　shrank　from　offering　to　kiss　Jane。　　If　he　could　only　say　sincerely；　〃Jane；　I　love　you；〃　then　he　could　kiss　her；　but　this　he　could　not　say　truly。　Anything　but　perfect　sincerity　he　knew　she　would　detect；　and　she　would　be　outraged　by　it。　　Yet　as　he　stood　looking　down　upon　her　pale　face；　her　wavering　smile；　her　quivering　lips；　he　was　conscious　of　a　rush　of　pity　and　of　tenderness　almost　uncontrollable。

〃Good…bye；　Jane；　God　keep　you　always；　dear；　dear　Jane。〃　　He　held　her　hands；　looking　into　the　deep　blue　eyes　that　looked　back　at　him　so　bravely。　　He　felt　that　he　was　fast　losing　his　grip　upon　himself；　and　he　must　hurry　away。

〃Good…bye；　Larry；〃　she　said　simply。

〃Good…bye；〃　he　said　again　in　a　husky　voice。　　Abruptly　he　turned　and　left　her　and　passed　out　through　the　door。

Sore；　sick　at　heart；　he　stumbled　down　the　steps。　　〃My　God；〃　he　cried；　〃what　a　fool　I　am！　　Why　didn't　I　kiss　her？　　I　might　have　done　that　at　least。〃

He　stood　looking　at　the　closed　door；　struggling　against　an　almost　irresistible　impulse　to　return　and　take　her　in　his　arms。　　Did　he　not　love　her？　　What　other　was　this　that　filled　his　heart？　　Could　he　honestly　say；　〃Jane；　I　want　you　for　my　wife〃？　　He　could　not。　Miserable　and　cursing　himself　he　went　his　way。



CHAPTER　XX

THE　GERMAN　TYPE　OF　CITIZENSHIP


Mr。　Dean　Wakeham　was　always　glad　to　have　a　decent　excuse　to　run　up　to　the　Lakeside　Farm。　　His　duties　at　the　Manor　Mine　were　not　so　pressing　that　he　could　not　on　occasion　take　leave　of　absence；　but　to　impose　himself　upon　the　Lakeside　household　as　frequently　as　he　desired　made　it　necessary　for　him　to　utilise　all　possible　excuses。　In　the　letter　which　he　held　in　his　hand　and　which　he　had　just　read　he　fancied　he　had　found　a　perfectly　good　excuse　for　a　call。　　The　letter　was　from　his　sister　Rowena　and　was　dated　May　15th；　1914。　It　was　upon　his　sister's　letters　that　he　depended　for　information　regarding　the　family　life　generally　and　about　herself　in　particular。　His　mother's　letters　were　intimate　and　personal；　reflecting；　however；　various　phases　of　her　ailments；　her　anxieties　for　each　member　of　the　family；　but　especially　for　her　only　son　now　so　far　from　her　in　that　wild　and　uncivilised　country；　but　ever　overflowing　with　tender　affection。　　Dean　always　put　down　his　mother's　letters　with　a　smile　of　gentle　pity　on　his　face。　　〃Poor；　dear　Mater；〃　he　would　say。　　〃She　is　at　rest　about　me　only　when　she　has　me　safely　tucked　up　in　my　little　bed。〃　　His　father's　letters　kept　him　in　touch　with　the　office　and；　by　an　illuminating　phrase　or　two；　with　the　questions　of　Big　Business。　　But　when　he　had　finished　Rowena's　letters　he　always　felt　as　if　he　had　been　paying　a　visit　to　his　home。　Through　her　letters　his　sister　had　the　rare　gift　of　transmitting　atmosphere。　　There　were　certain　passages　in　his　letter　just　received　which　he　felt　he　should　at　the　earliest　moment　share　with　the　Lakeside　Farm　people；　in　other　words；　with　Nora。

His　car　conveyed　him　with　all　speed　to　Lakeside　Farm　in　good　time　for　the　evening　meal。　　To　the　assembled　family　Dean　proceeded　to　read　passages　which　he　considered　of　interest　to　them。　　〃'Well；　your　Canadian　has　really　settled　down　into　his　place　in　the　office　and　into　his　own　rooms。　　It　was　all　we　could　do　to　hold　him　with　us　for　a　month；　he　is　so　fearfully　independent。　　Are　all　Canadians　like　that？　　The　Mater　would　have　been　glad　to　have　had　him　remain　a　month　longer。　　But　would　he　stay？　　He　has　a　way　with　him。　　He　has　struck　up　a　terrific　friendship　with　Hugo　Raeder。　　You　remember　the　Yale　man　who　has　come　to　Benedick；　Frame　and　Company；　father's　financial　people？　　Quite　a　presentable　young　man　he　is　of　the　best　Yale　type；　which　is　saying　something。　　Larry　and　he　have　tied　up　to　each　other　in　quite　a　touching　way。　　In　the　office；　too；　Larry　has　found　his　place。　　He　captured　old　Scread　the　very　first　day　by　working　out　some　calculations　that　had　been　allowed　to　accumulate；　using　some　method　of　his　own　which　quite　paralysed　the　old　chap。　Oh；　he　has　a　way　with　him；　that　Canadian　boy！　　Father；　too；　has　fallen　for　him。　　To　hear　him　talk　you　would　imagine　that　he　fully　intended　handing　over　ere　long　the　business　to　Larry's　care。　　The　Mater　has　adopted　him　as　well；　but　with　reservations。　　Of　course；　what　is　troubling　her　is　her　dread　of　a　Canadian　invasion　of　her　household；　especially'um　um〃　　At　this　point　Mr。　Dean　Wakeham　read　a　portion　of　the　letter　to　himself　with　slightly　heightened　colour。　　〃'While　as　for　Elfie；　he　has　captured　her；　baggage　and　bones。　　The　little　monkey　apparently　lives　only　for　him。　　While　as　for　Larry；　you　would　think　that　the　office　and　the　family　were　the　merest　side　issues　in　comparison　with　the　kid。　　All　the　same　it　is　very　beautiful　to　see　them　together。　　At　times　you　would　think　they　were　the　same　age　and　both　children。　　At　other　times　she　regards　him　with　worshipful　eyes　and　drinks　in　his　words　as　if　he　were　some　superior　being　and　she　his　equal　in　age　and　experience。　　She　has　taken　possession　of　him；　and　never　hesitates　to　carry　him　off　to　her　own　quarters；　apparently　to　his　delight。　　Oh；　he　has　a　way　with　him；　that　Canadian　boy！　　The　latest　is　that　he　has　invited　Elfie　to　stay　a　month　with　him　in　Alberta　when　he　gets　his　first　holiday。　He　has　raved　to　her　over　Polly。　　Elfie；　I　believe；　has　accepted　his　invitation　regardless　of　the　wishes　of　either　family。　　The　poor　little　soul　is　really　better；　I　believe；　for　his　companionship。　She　is　not　so　fretful　and　she　actually　takes　her　medicine　without　a　fight　and　goes　to　bed　at　decent　hours　upon　the　merest　hint　of　his　Lordship's　desire　in　the　matter。　　In　short；　he　has　the　family　quite　prostrate　before　him。　　I　alone　have　been　able　to　stand　upright　and　maintain　my　own　individuality。'〃

〃I　am　really　awfully　glad　about　the　kid；〃　said　Dean。　　〃After　all　she　really　has　rather　a　hard　time。　　She　is　so　delicate　and　needs　extra　care　and　attention；　and　that；　I　am　afraid；　has　spoiled　her　a　bit。〃

〃Why　shouldn't　the　little　girl　spend　a　few　weeks　with　us　here　this　summer；　Mr。　Wakeham？〃　said　Mrs。　Gwynne。　　〃Will　you　not　say　to　your　mother　that　we　should　take　good　care　of　her？〃

〃Oh；　Mrs。　Gwynne；　that　is　awfully　good　of　you；　but　I　am　a　little　afraid　you　would　find　her　quite　a　handful。　　As　I　have　said；　she　is　a　spoiled　little　monkey　and　not　easy　to　do　with。　　She　would　give　you　all　a　lot　of　trouble；〃　added　Dean；　looking　at　Nora。

〃Trouble？　　Not　at　all；〃　said　Nora。　　〃She　could　do　just　as　she　likes　here。　　We　would　give　her　Polly　and　let　her　roam。　　And　on　the　farm　she　would　find　a　number　of　things　to　interest　her。〃

〃It　would　be　an　awfully　good　thing　for　her；　I　know；〃　said　Dean；　vainly　trying　to　suppress　the　eagerness　in　his　tone；　〃and　if　you　are　really　sure　that　it　would　not　be　too　much　of　a　burden　I　might　w