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ss　men　who　are　down　here　at　the　Lake。〃

〃Oh；　can't　you　leave　business　even　while　you　are　here？　　You　really　ought　to　forget　business　during　your　holidays；　Mr。　Murray。〃

〃I　mean　in　relation　to　the　war；〃　said　Mr。　Murray。

〃Good　gracious；　what　can　they　possibly　do　about　the　war　down　here？　But　if　you　want　to　see　them　they　will　all　be　with　us　to…night。　　So　you　had　better　come　along。　　But　we　shall　have　to　hurry；　Lloyd；　I　have　a　lot　of　things　to　do　and　a　lot　of　people　to　feed。　　We　have　got　to　live；　haven't　we？〃　she　added　as　the　launch　got　under　way。

〃Got　to　live；〃　said　Mr。　McPherson　after　they　had　gone。　　〃Ah；　even　that　necessity　has　been　changed。　　The　necessity　for　living；　which　I　am　afraid　most　of　us　have　considered　to　be　of　first　importance；　has　suddenly　given　place　to　another　necessity。〃

〃And　that？〃　said　Mr。　Murray。

〃The　necessity　not　to　live；　but　to　do　our　duty。　　Life　has　become　all　at　once　a　very　simple　thing。〃

〃Well；　we　have　got　to　keep　going　in　the　meantime　at　any　rate；〃　said　Mr。　Murray。

〃Going；　yes；　but　going　where？〃　said　Mr。　McPherson。　　〃All　roads　now；　for　us；　lead　to　one　spot。〃

〃And　that　spot？〃　said　Mr。　Murray。

〃The　battlefield。〃

〃Why；　Mr。　McPherson；　we　must　not　lose　our　heads；　we　must　keep　sane　and　reasonable。　　Eh；　Doctor？〃

〃I　confess　that　this　thing　has　completely　stunned　me；〃　said　Dr。　Brown。　　〃You　see　I　could　not　believe；　I　would　not　believe　that　war　was　possible　in　our　day。　　I　would　not　believe　you；　Mr。　McPherson。　I　thought　you　had　gone　mad　on　this　German　scare。　　But　you　were　right。　　My　God；　I　can't　get　my　bearings　yet；　we　are　really　at　war！〃

〃God　grant　that　Canada　may　see　its　duty　clearly；〃　said　Mr。　McPherson。　〃God　make　us　strong　to　bear　His　will。〃

They　hurried　back　to　their　island；　each　busy　with　his　thoughts；　seeking　to　readjust　life　to　this　new　and　horrible　environment。

Mrs。　Murray　met　them　at　the　dock。　　〃You　are　back；　Dr。　Brown；〃　she　cried。　　〃Did　you　forget　something？　　We　are　glad　to　see　you　at　any　rate。〃　　Then　noticing　the　men's　faces；　she　said；　〃What　is　the　matter；　James？　　Is　there　anything　wrong？〃

〃We　bring　terrible　news；　Mother；〃　he　said。　　〃We　are　at　war。〃

Mrs。　Murray's'　mind；　like　her　husband's；　moved　swiftly。　　She　was　a　life　partner　in　the　fullest　sense。　　In　business　as　in　the　home　she　shared　his　plans　and　purposes。　　〃What　about　the　block；　James？〃　she　asked。

〃I　wired　Eastwood；〃　he　replied；　〃to　stop　that。〃

〃What　is　it；　Mother？〃　inquired　Isabel；　who　stood　upon　the　dock　clinging　to　her　mother's　dress；　and　who　saw　in　the　grave；　faces　about　her　signs　of　disaster。

〃Hush；　dear；〃　said　her　mother。　　〃Nothing　that　you　can　understand。〃　She　would　keep　from　her　children　this　horror　as　long　as　she　could。

At　lunch　in　the　midst　of　the　most　animated　conversation　the　talk　would　die　out；　and　all　would　be　busy　fitting　their　lives　to　war。　Like　waves　ever　deepening　in　volume　and　increasing　in　force；　the　appalling　thought　of　war　beat　upon　their　minds。　　After　lunch　they　sat　together　in　the　screened　veranda　talking　quietly　together　of　the　issues；　the　consequences　to　them　and　to　their　community；　to　their　country；　and　to　the　world　at　large；　of　this　thing　that　had　befallen　them。　　They　made　the　amazing　discovery　that　they　were　almost　entirely　ignorant　of　everything　that　had　to　do　with　war；　even　the　relative　military　strength　of　the　belligerent　nations。　One　thing　like　a　solid　back　wall　of　rock　gave　them　a　sense　of　securitythe　British　Navy　was　still　supreme。

〃Let's　see；　did　they　cut　down　the　Navy　estimates　during　the　last　Parliament？　　I　know　they　were　always　talking　of　reduction；〃　inquired　Mr。　Murray。

〃I　am　afraid　I　know　nothing　about　it；〃　said　Dr。　Brown。　　〃Last　week　I　would　have　told　you　'I　hope　so'；　to…day　I　profoundly　hope　not。　Jane；　you　ought　to　know　about　this。　　Jane　is　the　war　champion　in　our　family；〃　he　added　with　a　smile。

〃No；　there　has　been　no　reduction；　Winston　Churchill　has　carried　on　his　programme。　　He　wanted　to　halt　the　building　programme；　you　remember；　but　the　Germans　would　not　agree。　　So　I　think　the　Navy　is　quite　up　to　the　mark。　　But；　of　course；〃　she　added；　〃the　German　Navy　is　very　strong　too。〃

〃Ah；　I　believe　you　are　right；　Jane；〃　said　Dr。　Brown。　　〃How　completely　we　were　all　hoodwinked。　　I　cannot　believe　that　we　are　actually　at　war。　　Our　friend　Romayne　was　right。　　By　the　way；　what　about　Romayne；　Jane？〃

〃Who　is　he？〃　inquired　Mr。　Murray。

〃Romayne？〃　said　Dr。　Brown。　　〃Oh；　he's　a　great　friend　of　ours　in　the　West。　　He　married　a　sister　of　young　Gwynne；　you　know。　　He　was　an　attache　of　the　British　Embassy　in　Berlin；　and　was；　as　we　thought；　quite　mad　on　the　subject　of　preparation　for　war。　　He　and　Jane　hit　it　off　tremendously　last　autumn　when　we　were　visiting　the　Gwynnes。　Was　he　not　an　officer　in　the　Guards　or　something；　Jane？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Jane；　fear　leaping　into　her　eyes。　　〃Oh；　Papa；　do　you　think　he　will　have　to　go？　　Surely　he　would　not。〃

〃What？　　Go　back　to　England？〃　said　Dr。　Brown。　　〃I　hardly　think　so。　I　do　not　know；　but　perhaps　he　may。〃

〃Oh；　Papa！〃　exclaimed　Jane；　the　quick　tears　in　her　eyes。　　〃Think　of　his　wife　and　little　baby！〃

〃My　God！〃　exclaimed　Dr。　Brown。　　〃It　is　war　that　is　upon　us。〃

A　fresh　wave　of　horror　deeper　than　any　before　swept　their　souls。　〃Surely　he　won't　need　to　go；〃　he　said　after　a　pause。

〃But　his　regiment　will　be　going；〃　said　Jane；　whose　face　had　become　very　pale　and　whose　eyes　were　wide　with　horror。　　〃His　regiment　will　be　going　and；〃　she　added；　〃he　will　go　too。〃　　The　tears　were　quietly　running　down　her　face。　　She　knew　Jack　Romayne　and　she　had　the　courage　to　accept　the　truth　which　as　yet　her　father　put　from　his　mind。

Dumb　they　sat；　unschooled　in　language　fitted　to　deal　with　the　tides　of　emotion　that　surged　round　this　new　and　overwhelming　fact　of　war。　Where　next　would　this　dread　thing　strike？

〃Canada　will　doubtless　send　some　troops；〃　said　Dr。　Brown。　　〃We　sent　to　South　Africa；　let　me　see；　was　it　five　thousand？〃

〃More；　I　think；　Papa；〃　said　Jane。

〃We　will　send　twice　or　three　times　that　number　this　time；〃　said　Mr。　Murray。

And　again　silence　fell　upon　them。　　They　were　each　busy　with　the　question　who　would　go。　　Swiftly　their　minds　ran　over　the　homes　of　their　friends　and　acquaintances。

〃Well；　Doctor；〃　said　Mr。　Murray；　with　a　great　effort　at　a　laugh；　〃you　can't　send　your　boy　at　any　rate。〃

〃No；〃　said　Dr。　Brown。　　〃But　if　my　girl　had　been　a　boy；　I　fear　I　could　not　hold　her。　　Eh；　Jane？〃　　But　Jane　only　smiled　a　very　doubtful　smile　in　answer。

〃We　may　all　have　to　go；　Doctor；〃　said　Mr。　Murray。　　〃If　the　war　lasts　long　enough。〃

〃Nonsense；　James；〃　said　his　wife　with　a　quick　glance　at　her　two　little　girls。　　Her　boy　was　fifteen。　　Thank　God；　she　would　not　have　to　face　the　question　of　his　duty　in　regard　to　war。　　〃They　would　not　be　taking　old　men　like　you；　James；〃　she　added。

Mr。　Murray　laughed　at　her。　　〃Well；　hardly；　I　suppose；　my　dear；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　rather　guess　we　won't　be　allowed　to　share　the　glory　this　time；　Doctor。〃

Dr。　Brown　sat　silent　for　a　few　moments；　then　said　quietly；　〃The　young　fellows；　of　course；　will　get　the　first　chance。〃

〃Oh；　let's　not　talk　about　it；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Come；　Jane；　let's　go　exploring。〃

Jane　rose。

〃And　me；　too；〃　cried　Isabel。

〃And　me；〃　cried　Helen。

Ethel　hesitated。　　〃Let　them　come；　Ethel；〃　said　Jane。　　〃We　shall　go　slowly。〃

An　exploration　of　the　island　was　always　a　thing　of　unmixed　and　varied　delight。　　There　were　something　over　twenty…five　acres　of　wooded　hills　running　up　to　bare　rocks；　ravines　deep　in　shrub　and　ferns；　and　lower　levels　thick　with　underbrush　and　heavy　timber。　Every　step　of　the　way　new　treasures　disclosed　themselves；　ferns　and　grasses；　shrubs　and　vines；　and　everywhere　the　wood　flowers；　shy　and　sweet。　　Everywhere；　too；　on　fallen　logs；　on　the　grey　rocks；　and　on　the　lower　ground　where　the　aromatic　balsams　and　pines　stood　silent　and　thick；　were　mosses；　mosses　of　all　hues　and　depths。　　In　the　sunlit　open　spaces　gorgeous　butterflies　and　gleaming　dragon　flies　fluttered　and　darted；　bees　hummed；　and　birds　sang　and　twittered。　There　the　children's　voices　were　mingled　in　cheery　shouts　and　laughter　with　the　other　happy　sounds　that　filled　the　glades。　　But　when　they　came　to　the　dark　pines；　solemn　and　silent　except　when　the　wind　moved　in　their　tasselled　tops　with　mysterious；　mournful　whispering；　the　children　hushed　their　voices　and　walked　softly　upon　the　deep　moss。

〃It　is　like　being　in　church；〃　said　Helen；　her　little　soul　exquisitely　sensitive　to　the　mystic；　fragrant　silences　and　glooms　that　haunted　the　pine　grove。

On　a　sloping　hillside　under　the　pines　they　lay　upon　the　mossy　bed；　the　children　listening　for　the　things　that　lived　in　these　shadowy　depths。

〃They　are　all　looking　at　us；〃　said　Isabel　in　a　voice　of　awed　mystery。　　〃Lots　and　lots　of　eyes　are　just　looking；　looking；　and　looking。〃

〃Why；　Isabel；　you　give　me　the　creeps；〃　laughed　Jane。　　〃Whisht！　They'll　hear　you；〃　said　Isabel；　darting　swift　glances　among　the　trees。

〃The　dear　things；〃　said　Jane。　　〃They　would　love　to　play　with　you　if　they　only　knew　how。〃　　This　was　quite　a　new　idea　to　the　children。　Hitherto　the　shy　things　had　been　more　associated　with　fear　than　with　play。　　〃They　would　love　to　play　tag　with　you；〃　continued　Jane；　〃round　these　trees；　if　you　could　only　coax　them　out。　　They　are　so　shy。〃

Stealthily　the