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y　or　slimy　treachery。　The　real　American　heart　is　with　you　now；　and　her　fighting　army　will　yet　be　at　your　side。〃

These　sentiments　were　so　unusual　in　his　environment　that　Larry　gazed　at　him　in　amazement。

〃That　is　God's　truth；〃　said　Raeder。　　〃Take　a　vote　of　the　college　men　to…day；　of　the　big　business　men；　of　the　big　newspaper　men　these　control　the　thinking　and　the　acting　of　Americaand　you　will　find；　ninety　per　cent。　of　these　pro…Ally。　　Just　be　patient　and　give　the　rest　of　us　time。　　Americans　will　not　stand　for　the　bully；〃　added　Raeder；　putting　his　hand　on　Larry's　shoulder。　　〃You　hear　me；　my　boy。　　Now　I　am　going　in　to　see　the　boss。　　He　thinks　the　same　way；　too；　but　he　does　not　say　much　out　loud。〃

New　hope　and　courage　came　into　Larry's　heart　as　he　listened　to　the　pronouncement　of　this　clear…headed；　virile　young　American。　　Oh；　if　America　would　only　say　out　loud　what　Raeder　had　been　saying；　how　it　would　tone　up　the　spirit　of　the　Allies！　　A　moral　vindication　of　their　cause　from　America　would　be　worth　many　an　army　corps。

The　morning　brought　him　another　and　unexpected　breeze　of　cheer　in　the　person　of　Dean　Wakeham　straight　from　Alberta　and　the　Lakeside　Farm。　　A　little　before　lunch　he　walked　in　upon　Larry；　who　was　driving　himself　to　his　work　that　he　might　forget。　　It　was　a　veritable　breath　from　home　for　Larry；　for　Dean　was　one　who　carried　not　only　news　but　atmosphere　as　well。　　He　was　a　great；　warm…hearted　boy；　packed　with　human　energies　of　body；　heart　and　soul。

〃Wait　till　I　say　good…morning　to　father；〃　he　said　after　he　had　shaken　hands　warmly　with　Larry。　　〃I　will　be　back　then　in　a　minute　or　two。〃

But　in　a　few　minutes　Mr。　Wakeham　appeared　and　called　Larry　to　him。　〃Come　in；　boy；　and　hear　the　news；〃　he　said。

Larry　went　in　and　found　Dean　in　the　full　tide　of　a　torrential　outpouring　of　passionate　and　enthusiastic；　at　times　incoherent；　tales　of　the　Canadians；　of　their　spirit；　of　their　sacrifice　and　devotion　in　their　hour　of　tragedy。

〃Go　on；　Dean；〃　said　Raeder；　who　was　listening　with　face　and　eyes　aglow。

〃Go　on？　　I　cannot　stop。　　Never　have　I　come　up　against　anything　like　what　is　going　on　over　there　in　Canada。　　Not　in　one　spot；　either；　but　everywhere；　not　in　one　home；　but　in　every　home；　not　in　one　class；　but　in　every　class。　　In　Calgary　during　the　recruiting　I　saw　a　mob　of　men　in　from　the　ranches；　from　the　C。　P。　R。　shops；　from　the　mines；　from　the　offices；　fighting　mad　to　get　their　names　down。　　My　God！　　I　had　to　go　away　or　I　would　have　had　mine　in　too。　　The　women；　too；　are　all　the　same。　　No　man　is　getting　under　his　wife's　skirts。　You　know　old　Mrs。　Ross；　Larry；　an　old　Scotch　woman　up　there　with　four　sons。　　Well；　her　eldest　son　could　not　wait　for　the　Canadian　contingent；　but　went　off　with　Jack　Romayne　and　joined　the　Black　Watch。　　He　was　in　that　Le　Cateau　fight。　　Oh；　why　don't　these　stupid　British　tell　the　people　something　about　that　great　fighting　retreat　from　Mons　to　the　Marne？　　Well；　at　Le　Cateau　poor　Hec　Ross　in　a　glorious　charge　got　his。　　His　Colonel　wrote　the　old　lady　about　it。　I　never　saw　such　a　letter；　there　never　was　one　like　it。　　I　motored　Mrs。　Gwynne；　your　mother；　Larry；　over　to　see　her。　　Say；　men；　to　see　those　two　women　and　to　hear　them！　　There　were　no　tears；　but　a　kind　of　exaltation。　　Your　mother；　Larry；　is　as　bad；　as　good；　I　mean；　as　any　of　them　now。　　I　heard　that　old　Scotch　woman　say　to　your　mother　in　that　Scotch　voice　of　hers；　'Misthress　Gwynne；　I　dinna　grudge　my　boy。　　I　wouldna　hae　him　back。'　　Her　youngest　son　is　off　with　the　Canadians。　　As　she　said　good…bye　to　us　I　heard　her　say　to　your　mother；　'I　hae　gi'en　twa　sons；　Misthress　Gwynne；　an'　if　they're　wanted；　there's　twa　mair。'　　My　God！　　I　found　myself　blubbering　like　a　child。　　It　sounds　all　mad　and　furious；　but　believe　me；　there　is　not　much　noise；　no　hurrahing。　　They　know　they　are　up　against　a　deadly　serious　business；　and　that　is　getting　clearer　every　minute。　Did　you　see　that　the　Government　had　offered　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　men　now；　and　more　if　wanted？　　And　all　classes　are　the　same。　　That　little　Welch　preacher　at　Wolf　WillowRhye；　his　name　is；　isn't　it？　　By　George；　you　should　hear　him　flaming　in　the　pulpit。　　He's　the　limit。　　There　won't　be　a　man　in　that　parish　will　dare　hold　back。　　He　will　just　have　to　go　to　war　or　quit　the　church。　And　it　is　the　same　all　over。　　The　churches　are　a　mighty　force　in　Canada；　you　know；　even　a　political　force。　　I　have　been　going　to　church　every　Sunday；　Father；　this　last　year。　　Believe　me；　God　is　some　real　Person　to　those　people；　and　I　want　to　tell　you　He　has　become　real　to　me　too。〃　　As　Dean　said　this　he　glanced　half　defiantly　at　his　father　as　if　expecting　a　challenge。

But　his　father　only　cleared　his　throat　and　said；　〃All　right；　my　boy。　　We　won't　do　anything　but　gladly　agree　with　you　there。　　And　God　may　come　to　be　more　real　to　us　all　before　we　are　through　with　this　thing。　　Go　on。〃

〃Let's　see；　what　was　I　talking　about？〃

〃Churches。〃

〃Yes；　in　Calgary；　on　my　way　down　this　time；　the　Archdeacon　preached　a　sermon　that　simply　sent　thrills　down　my　spine。　　In　Winnipeg　I　went　with　the　Murrays　to　church　and　heard　a　clergyman；　McPherson；　preach。　　The　soldiers　were　there。　　Great　Caesar！　　No　wonder　Winnipeg　is　sending　out　thousands　of　her　best　men。　　He　was　like　an　ancient　Hebrew　prophet；　Peter　the　Hermit　and　Billy　Sunday　all　rolled　into　one。　　Yet　there　was　no　noisy　drum　pounding　and　no　silly　flag　flapping。　　Say；　let　me　tell　you　something。　　I　said　there　was　a　battalion　of　soldiers　in　church　that　day。　　The　congregation　were　going　to　take　Holy　Communion。　　You　know　the　Scotch　way。　　They　all　sit　in　their　pews　and　you　know　they　are　fearfully　strict　about　their　Communion；　have　rules　and　regulations　and　so　on　about　it。　Well；　that　old　boy　McPherson　just　leaned　over　his　pulpit　and　told　the　boys　what　the　thing　stood　for；　that　it　was　just　like　swearing　in；　and　he　told　them　that　he　would　just　throw　the　rules　aside　and　man　to　man　would　ask　them　to　join　up　with　God。　　Say；　that　old　chap　got　my　goat。　　The　boys　just　naturally　stayed　to　Communion　and　I　stayed　too。　　I　was　not　fit；　I　know；　but　I　do　not　think　it　did　me　any　harm。〃　　At　this　point　the　boy's　voice　broke　up　and　there　was　silence　for　some　moments　in　the　office。　　Larry　had　his　face　covered　with　his　hands　to　hide　the　tears　that　were　streaming　down。　　Dean's　father　was　openly　wiping　his　eyes；　Raeder　looking　stern　and　straight　in　front　of　him。

〃Father；〃　said　Dean　suddenly；　〃I　want　to　give　you　warning　right　now。　　If　it　ever　comes　that　Canada　is　in　need　of　men；　I　am　not　going　to　hold　back。　　I　could　not　do　it　and　stay　in　the　country。　　I　am　an　American；　heart；　body　and　soul；　but　I　would　count　myself　meaner　than　a　polecat　if　I　declined　to　line　up　with　that　bunch　of　Canadians。〃

〃Think　well；　my　boy；〃　said　his　father。　　〃Think　well。　　I　have　only　one　son；　but　I　will　never　stand　between　you　and　your　duty　or　your　honour。　　Now　we　go　to　lunch。　　Where　shall　we　go？〃

〃With　me；　at　the　University　Club；　all　of　you；〃　said　Raeder。

〃No；　with　me；〃　said　Mr。　Wakeham。　　〃I　will　put　up　the　fatted　calf；　for　this　my　son　is　home　again。　　Eh；　my　boy？〃

During　the　lunch　hour　try　as　they　would　they　could　not　get　away　from　the　war。　　Dean　was　so　completely　obsessed　with　the　subject　that　he　could　not　divert　his　mind　to　anything　else　for　any　length　of　time。

〃I　cannot　help　it；〃　he　said　at　length。　　〃All　my　switches　run　the　same　way。〃

They　had　almost　finished　when　Professor　Schaefer　came　into　the　dining　hall；　spied　them　and　hastened　over　to　them。

〃Here's　this　German　beast；〃　said　Dean。

〃Steady；　Dean。　　We　do　business　with　him；〃　said　his　father。

〃All　right；　Father；〃　replied　the　boy。

The　Professor　drew　in　a　chair　and　sat　down。　　He　only　wanted　a　light　lunch　and　if　they　would　allow　him　he　would　break　in　just　where　they　were。　　He　was　full　of　excitement　over　the　German　successes　on　sea　and　on　land。

〃On　land？〃　said　Raeder。　　〃Well；　I　should　not　radiate　too　freely　about　their　land　successes。　　What　about　the　Marne？〃

〃The　Marne！〃　said　Schaefer　in　hot　contempt。　　〃The　Marnestrategy　strategy；　my　dear　sir。　　But　wait。　　Wait　a　few　days。　　If　we　could　only　get　that　boasted　British　navy　to　venture　out　from　their　holes；　then　the　war　would　be　over。　　Mark　what　happens　in　the　Pacific。　Scientific　gunnery；　three　salvos；　two　hundred　minutes　from　the　first　gun。　　It　is　all　over。　　Two　British　ships　sunk　to　the　bottom。　That　is　the　German　way。　　They　would　force　war　upon　Germany。　　Now　they　have　it。　　In　spite　of　all　the　Kaiser's　peace　efforts；　they　drove　Germany　into　the　war。〃

〃The　Kaiser！〃　exclaimed　Larry；　unable　any　longer　to　contain　his　fury。　　〃The　Kaiser's　peace　efforts！　　The　only　efforts　that　the　Kaiser　has　made　for　the　last　few　years　are　efforts　to　bully　Europe　into　submission　to　his　will。　　The　great　peace…maker　of　Europe　of　this　and　of　the　last　century　was　not　the　Kaiser；　but　King　Edward　VII。　　All　the　world　knows　that。〃

〃King　Edward　VII！〃　sputtered　Schaefer　in　a　fury　of　contempt。　　〃King　Edward　VII　a　peacemaker！　　A　！〃　calling　him　a　vile　name。　　〃And　his　son　is　like　him！〃

The　foul　word　was　like　a　flame　to　powder　with　Larry。　　His　hand　closed　upon　his　glass　of　water。　　〃You　are　a　liar；〃　he　said；　leaning　over　and　thrusting　his　face　close　up　to　the　German。　　〃You　are　a　slanderous　liar。〃　　He　flung　his　glass　of　water　full　into　Schaefer's　fac