ght was closing about him. The trees were full now of strange
shadows. All the things about him became strange and unfamiliar with
that subtle queerness one feels oftenest in dreams. "O God! I carn'
stand this," he said, and crept back from the rocks to the grass and
crouched down, and suddenly wild sorrow for the death of Kurt, Kurt the
brave, Kurt the kindly, came to his help and he broke from whimpering to
weeping. He ceased to crouch; he sprawled upon the grass and clenched an
impotent fist.

"This war," he cried, "this blarsted foolery of a war.

"O Kurt! Lieutenant Kurt!

"I done," he said, "I done. I've 'ad all I want, and more than I
want. The world's all rot, and there ain't no sense in it. The night's
coming.... If 'E comes after me--'E can't come after me--'E can't!...

"If 'E comes after me, I'll fro' myself into the water."...

Presently he was talking again in a low undertone.

"There ain't nothing to be afraid of reely. It's jest imagination. Poor
old Kurt--he thought it would happen. Prevision like. 'E never gave me
that letter or tole me who the lady was. It's like what 'e said--people
tore away from everything they belonged to--everywhere. Exactly like
what 'e said.... 'Ere I am cast away--thousands of miles from Edna or
Grubb or any of my lot--like a plant tore up by the roots.... And every
war's been like this, only I 'adn't the sense to understand it. Always.
All sorts of 'oles and corners chaps 'ave died in. And people 'adn't the
sense to understand, 'adn't the sense to feel it and stop it. Thought
war was fine. My Gawd!...

"Dear old Edna. She was a fair bit of all right--she was. That time we
'ad a boat at Kingston....

"I bet--I'll see 'er again yet. Won't be my fault if I don't."...

4

Suddenly, on the very verge of this heroic resolution, Bert became
rigid with terror. Something was creeping towards him through the
grass. Something was creeping and halting and creeping again towards him
through the dim dark grass. The night was electrical with horror. For a
time everything was still. Bert ceased to breathe. It could not be. No,
it was too small!

It advanced suddenly upon him with a rush, with a little meawling cry
and tail erect. It rubbed its head against him and purred. It was a
tiny, skinny little kitten.

"Gaw, Pussy! 'ow you frightened me!" said Bert, with drops of
perspiration on his brow.

5

He sat with his back to a tree stump all that night, holding the kitten
in