s office. "Doctor," he said, "I
want to marry Jane."

"Good heavens, when did this strike you?"

"This evening. I want to marry her right away."

"Right away? When?"

"Right away, before I go. To-night, to-morrow."

"Are you mad? You cannot do things like that, you know. Marry Jane! Do
you know what you are asking?"

"Yes, Doctor, I know. But I have just seen Helen Brookes. She is
perfectly amazing, perfectly fine in her courage and all that, and she
told me about Scuddy's death without a tear. But, Doctor, there was a
point at which she broke all up. Do you know when? When she told me of
her chief regret, and that was that she and Scuddy had not been married.
They both wanted to be married, but her parents were unwilling. Now she
regrets it and she will always regret it. Doctor, I see it very clearly.
I believe it is better that we should be married. Who knows what will
come? So many of the chaps do not come back. You are going out too, I am
going out. Doctor, I feel that it is best that we should be married."

"And what does Jane think about it?" enquired the Doctor, gazing at
Larry in a bewildered manner.

"Jane! Good Lord! I don't know. I never asked her!" Larry stood gaping
at the Doctor.

"Well, upon my word, you are a cool one!"

"I never thought of it, Doctor," said Larry.

"Never thought of it? Are you playing with me, boy?" said the Doctor
sternly.

"I will go and see her," said Larry, and he dashed from the room. But
as he entered the study, dinner was announced, and Larry's question
perforce must wait.

Never was a meal so long-drawn-out and so tedious. The Colonel and Jane
were full of conversation. They discussed the news from the West, the
mine and its prospects, the Lakeside Farm and its people, the Colonel's
own family, the boys who had enlisted and those who were left behind,
the war spirit of Canada, its women and their work and their heroism
(here the Colonel talked softly), the war and its prospects. The Colonel
was a brilliant conversationalist when he exerted himself, and he
told of the way of the war in England, of the awakening of the British
people, of the rush to the recruiting offices, of the women's response.
He had tales, too, of the British Expeditionary Force which he had
received in private letters, of its glorious work in the Great Retreat
and afterwards. Jane had to tell of her father's new Unit, now almost
complete, of Mr. Murray's new battalion, now in barracks, of t