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　dominance　in　the　business　world　of　Winnipeg。　　〃There's　really　nothing　we　can　do。　　It　seems　to　me　that　we　must　keep　our　heads　and　as　far　as　possible　prevent　undue　excitement　and　guard　against　panic。〃

〃Perhaps　you　are　right；　Mr。　Rushbrooke。　　The　thought　in　my　mind　was　that　we　ought　to　get　a　meeting　together　in　Winnipeg　soon。　　But　everybody　is　away。　　A　great　many　are　here　at　the　Lake；　it　seemed　a　good　opportunity　to　make　some　preliminary　arrangement。〃

〃My　dear　Mr。　Murray；〃　said　Mrs。　Rushbrooke；　〃I　cannot　help　feeling　that　you　take　this　too　seriously；　besides　there　can　hardly　be　need　for　such　precipitate　action。　　Of　course；　we　are　at　war；　and　Canada　will　do　her　part；　but　to　introduce　such　a　horrible　theme　in　a　company　of　young　people　seems　to　me　to　be　somehow　out　of　place。〃

〃Very　well；　Mrs。　Rushbrooke；　if　you　say　so。　　I　have　no　desire　to　intrude；〃　said　Mr。　Murray。

〃But；　Mr。　Rushbrooke；　the　thing　has　to　be　faced；〃　interposed　Mr。　McPherson。　　〃We　cannot　shut　our　eyes　to　the　fact　of　war；　and　this　is　the　supreme　fact　in　our　national　life　to…day。　　Everything　else　is　secondary。〃

〃Oh；　I　do　not　agree　with　you；　Mr。　McPherson；〃　said　Mrs。　Rushbrooke；　taking　the　word　out　of　her　husband's　mouth。　　〃Of　course　war　is　terrible　and　all　that；　but　men　must　do　their　work。　　The　Doctor　here　must　continue　to　look　after　his　sick；　Mr。　Murray　has　his　business；　you　must　care　for　your　congregation。〃

〃I　do　not　know　about　that；　Mrs。　Rushbrooke；〃　said　the　minister。　　〃I　do　not　know　about　that　at　all。〃

〃Why；　Mr。　McPherson；　you　surprise　me！　　Must　not　my　husband　attend　to　his　business；　must　not　the　Doctor　look　after　his　patients？〃

A　number　of　men　had　gathered　about　during　the　course　of　the　conversation。　　〃No；〃　said　Mr。　McPherson；　his　voice　ringing　out　in　decided　tones。　　〃There　is　only　one　'must'　for　us　now；　and　that　is　War。　　For　the　Empire；　for　every　man；　woman；　and　child　in　Canada；　the　first　thing；　and　by　comparison　the　only　thing；　is　War。〃

That　dread　word　rang　out　sharp；　insistent；　penetrating　through　the　quiet　hum　of　voices　rising　from　the　groups　about　the　fire。　　By　this　time　a　very　considerable　number　of　men　present　had　joined　themselves　to　the　group　about　the　speakers。

〃Well；　Mr。　Murray；〃　said　Mr。　Rushbrooke；　with　a　laugh；　〃it　seems　to　me　that　we　cannot　help　it　very　well。　　If　you　wish　to　discourse　upon　the　war；　you　have　your　audience　and　you　have　my　permission。〃

〃It　is　not　my　intention　to　discourse　upon　the　war；　Mr。　Rushbrooke；　but　with　your　permission　I　will　just　tell　our　friends　here　how　my　mind　has　worked　since　learning　this　terrible　news　this　morning。　　My　first　impulse　was　to　take　the　first　train　to　Winnipeg；　for　I　know　that　it　will　be　necessary　for　me　to　readjust　my　business　to　the　new　conditions　created　by　war。　　My　second　thought　was　that　there　were　others　like　me；　that；　in　fact；　the　whole　business　public　of　Winnipeg　would　be　similarly　affected。　　I　felt　the　need　of　counsel　so　that　I　should　make　no　mistake　that　would　imperil　the　interests　of　others。　　I　accepted　Mrs。　Rushbrooke's　invitation　to　come　to…　night　in　the　hope　of　meeting　with　a　number　of　the　business　men　of　Winnipeg。　　The　more　I　think　of　it　the　more　terrible　this　thing　becomes。　　The　ordinary　conditions　of　business　are　gone。　　We　shall　all　need　to　readjust　ourselves　in　every　department　of　life。　　It　seems　to　me　that　we　must　stand　together　and　meet　this　calamity　as　best　we　can；　wisely；　fairly　and　fearlessly。　　The　main　point　to　be　considered　is；　should　we　not　have　a　general　meeting　of　the　business　men　of　Winnipeg；　and　if　so；　when？〃

Mr。　Murray's　words　were　received　in　deep　silence；　and　for　a　time　no　one　made　reply。　　Then　Mr。　Rushbrooke　made　answer。

〃We　all　feel　the　importance　of　what　Mr。　Murray　has　said。　　Personally；　though；　I　am　of　the　opinion　that　we　should　avoid　all　unnecessary　excitement　and　everything　approaching　panic。　　The　war　will　doubtless　be　a　short　one。　　Germany；　after　long　preparation；　has　decided　to　challenge　Great　Britain's　power。　　Still；　Britain　is　ready　for　her。　She　has　accepted　the　challenge；　and　though　her　army　is　not　great；　she　is　yet　not　unprepared。　　Between　the　enemy　and　Britain's　shores　there　lies　that　mighty；　invisible　and　invincible　line　of　defence；　the　British　navy。　　With　the　French　armies　on　the　one　side　and　the　Russian　on　the　other；　Germany　can　not　last。　　In　these　days；　with　the　terrible　engines　of　destruction　that　science　has　produced；　wars　will　be　short　and　sharp。　　Germany　will　get　her　medicine　and　I　hope　it　will　do　her　good。〃

If　Mr。　Rushbrooke　expected　his　somewhat　flamboyant　speech　to　awaken　enthusiastic　approval；　he　must　have　been　disappointed。　　His　words　were　received　in　grave　silence。　　The　fact　of　war　was　far　too　unfamiliar　and　too　overwhelming　to　make　it　easy　for　them　to　compass　it　in　their　thoughts　or　to　deal　in　any　adequate　way　with　its　possible　issues。

After　some　moments　of　silence　the　minister　spoke。　　〃I　wish　I　could　agree　with　Mr。　Rushbrooke；〃　he　said。　　〃But　I　cannot。　　My　study　of　this　question　has　impressed　me　with　the　overwhelming　might　of　Germany's　military　power。　　The　war　may　be　short　and　sharp；　and　that　is　what　Germany　is　counting　upon。　　But　if　it　be　short　and　sharp；　the　issue　will　be　a　German　victory。　　The　French　army　is　not　fully　prepared；　I　understand。　　Russia　is　an　untrained　and　unwieldy　mass。　There　is；　of　course；　the　British　navy；　and　with　all　my　heart　I　thank　God　that　our　fleet　appears　to　be　fit　for　service。　　But　with　regard　even　to　our　navy　we　ought　to　remember　that　it　is　as　yet　untried　in　modern　warfare。　　I　confess　I　cannot　share　Mr。　Rushbrooke's　optimistic　views　as　to　the　war。　　But　whether　he　be　right　or　I；　one　thing　stands　out　clear　in　my　mindthat　we　should　prepare　ourselves　to　do　our　duty。　　At　whatever　cost　to　our　country　or　to　ourselves；　as　individuals；　this　duty　is　laid　upon　us。　　It　is　the　first；　the　immediate；　the　all…absorbing　duty　of　every　man；　woman　and　child　in　Canada　to　make　war。　　God　help　us　not　to　shrink。〃

〃How　many　in　this　company　will　be　in　Winnipeg　this　week；　say　to…　morrow？〃　inquired　Mr。　Murray。　　The　hand　of　every　business　man　in　the　company　went　up。　　〃Then　suppose　we　call　a　meeting　at　my　office　immediately　upon　the　arrival　of　the　train。〃　　And　to　this　they　agreed。

The　Rushbrooke　bonfire　was　an　annual　event　and　ever　the　most　notable　of　all　its　kind　during　the　holiday　season　at　the　Lake。　This　year　the　preparations　for　the　festive　gathering　had　exceeded　those　of　previous　years；　and　Mrs。　Rushbrooke's　expectations　of　a　brilliantly　successful　function　were　proportionately　high。　　But　she　had　not　counted　upon　War。　　And　so　it　came　that　ever　as　the　applause　following　song　or　story　died　down；　the　Spectre　drew　near；　and　upon　even　the　most　light…hearted　of　the　company　a　strange　quiet　would　fall；　and　they　would　find　themselves　staring　into　the　fire　forgetful　of　all　about　them；　thinking　of　what　might　be。　　They　would　have　broken　up　early　but　Mrs。　Rushbrooke　strenuously　resisted　any　such　attempt。　　But　the　sense　of　the　impending　horror　chilled　the　gaiety　of　the　evening　and　halted　the　rush　of　the　fun　till　the　hostess　gave　up　in　despair　and　no　longer　opposed　the　departure　of　her　guests。

〃Mr。　McPherson；〃　she　said；　as　that　gentleman　came　to　bid　her　good…　night；　〃I　am　quite　cross　with　you。　　You　made　us　all　feel　so　blue　and　serious　that　you　quite　spoiled　our　bonfire。〃

〃I　wish　it　were　only　I　that　had　spoiled　it；　Mrs。　Rushbrooke；〃　said　Mr。　McPherson　gravely。　　〃But　even　your　graceful　hospitality　to…　night；　which　has　never　been　excelled　even　by　yourself　at　the　Lake　of　the　Woods；　could　not　make　us　forget；　and　God　forgive　us　if　we　do　forget。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　McPherson；〃　persisted　Mrs。　Rushbrooke；　in　a　voice　that　strove　to　be　gaily　reproachful；　〃we　must　not　become　pessimistic。　We　must　be　cheerful　even　if　we　are　at　war。〃

〃Thank　you　for　that　word；〃　said　the　minister　solemnly。　　〃It　is　a　true　word　and　a　right　word；　and　it　is　a　word　we　shall　need　to　remember　more　and　more。〃

〃The　man　would　drive　me　mad；〃　said　Mrs。　Rushbrooke　to　Mr。　Murray　as　they　watched　the　boats　away。　　〃I　am　more　than　thankful　that　he　is　not　my　clergyman。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　said　her　husband；　who　stood　near　her　and　shared　her　feelings　of　disappointment。　　〃It　seems　to　me　he　takes　things　far　too　seriously。〃

〃I　wonder；〃　said　Dr。　Brown；　who　stood　with　Mr。　Murray　preparatory　to　taking　his　departure。　　〃I　wonder　if　we　know　just　how　serious　this　thing　is。　　I　frankly　confess；　Mr。　Rushbrooke；　that　my　mind　has　been　in　an　appalling　condition　of　chaos　this　afternoon；　and　every　hour　the　thing　grows　more　terrible　as　I　think　of　it。　　But　as　you　say；　we　must　cheer　up。〃

〃Surely　we　must；〃　replied　Rushbrooke　impatiently。　　〃I　am　convinced　this　war　will　soon　be　over。　　In　three　months　the　British　navy　together　with　the　armies　of　their　allies　will　wind　this　thing　up。〃

Through　a　wonder　world　of　moonlit　waterways　and　dark；　mysterious　channels；　around　peninsulas　and　between　islands；　across　an　open　traverse　and　down　a　little　bay；　they　took　their　course　until　Jim　had　them　safely　landed　at　their　own　dock　again。　　The　magic　beauty　of　the　white　light　upon　wooded　island　and　gleaming　lake　held　them　in　its　spell　for　some　minutes　after　they　had　landed　till　Mrs。　Murray　came　down　from　the　bungalow　to　meet　them。

〃Safe　back　again；〃　she　cried　with　an　all　too　evident　effort　to　be　cheery。