ntertainment was over Larry and his mother slowly took the
trail homewards, declining many offers of a lift from their friends
in cars and carriages. It was the Harvest Moon. Upon the folds of
the rolling prairie, upon the round tops of the hills, upon the broad
valleys, and upon the far-away peaks in the west the white light lay
thick and soft like a mantle. Above the white-mantled world the concave
of the sky hung blue and deep and pricked out with pale star points.
About the world the night had thrown her mystic jewelled robes of white
and blue, making a holy shrine, a very temple of peace for God and man.
For some minutes they walked together in silence, after they had bidden
good-night to the last of their friends.

"What a world it is, Mother!" said Larry, gazing about him at the beauty
of the night.

"Yes, but alas, alas, that God's own children should spoil all this
glory with hatred and strife! This very night in the unhappy Balkan
States men are killing each other. It is too sad and too terrible to
think of. Oh, if men would be content only to do justly by each other."

"Those people of the Balkan States are semi-barbarians," said Larry,
"and therefore war between them is to be expected; but I cannot
get myself to believe in the possibility of war between Christians,
civilised nations to-day. But, Mother, for the first time in my life,
listening to those two men, Romayne and Switzer, I had a feeling that
war might be possible. Switzer seemed so eager for it, and so sure
about it, didn't he? And Romayne, too, seemed ready to fight. But then
I always remember that military men and military nations are for ever
talking war."

"That is quite true, my dear," said his mother. "I too find it difficult
to believe that war is possible in spite of what we have heard to-night.
Our Friends at Home do not believe that war is imminent. They tell me
that the feeling between Germany and Britain is steadily improving."

"And yet two years ago, Mother, in connection with the Agadir incident
war might have happened any minute."

"That is true," replied his mother, "but every year of peace makes
war less likely. The Friends are working and praying for a better
understanding between these nations, and they are very confident that
these peace delegations that are exchanging visits are doing a great
deal for peace. Your Uncle Matthew, who has had a great deal to do with
them, is very hopeful that a few years of peace will carr