ome.
Our shelter from the stormy blast
And our eternal home."

"We all come back to God in these days of soul-sifting," said Gertrude
to John Meredith. "There have been many days in the past when I didn't
believe in God--not as God--only as the impersonal Great First Cause of
the scientists. I believe in Him now--I have to--there's nothing else
to fall back on but God--humbly, starkly, unconditionally."

"'Our help in ages past'--'the same yesterday, to-day and for ever,'"
said the minister gently. "When we forget God--He remembers us."

There was no crowd at the Glen Station the next morning to see Walter
off. It was becoming a commonplace for a khaki clad boy to board that
early morning train after his last leave. Besides his own, only the
Manse folk were there, and Mary Vance. Mary had sent her Miller off the
week before, with a determined grin, and now considered herself
entitled to give expert opinion on how such partings should be
conducted.

"The main thing is to smile and act as if nothing was happening," she
informed the Ingleside group. "The boys all hate the sob act like
poison. Miller told me I wasn't to come near the station if I couldn't
keep from bawling. So I got through with my crying beforehand, and at
the last I said to him, 'Good luck, Miller, and if you come back you'll
find I haven't changed any, and if you don't come back I'll always be
proud you went, and in any case don't fall in love with a French girl.'
Miller swore he wouldn't, but you never can tell about those
fascinating foreign hussies. Anyhow, the last sight he had of me I was
smiling to my limit. Gee, all the rest of the day my face felt as if it
had been starched and ironed into a smile."

In spite of Mary's advice and example Mrs. Blythe, who had sent Jem off
with a smile, could not quite manage one for Walter. But at least no
one cried. Dog Monday came out of his lair in the shipping-shed and sat
down close to Walter, thumping his tail vigorously on the boards of the
platform whenever Walter spoke to him, and looking up with confident
eyes, as if to say, "I know you'll find Jem and bring him back to me."

"So long, old fellow," said Carl Meredith cheerfully, when the
good-byes had to be said. "Tell them over there to keep their spirits
up--I am coming along presently."

"Me too," said Shirley laconically, proffering a brown paw. Susan heard
him and her face turned very grey.

Una shook hands quietly, looking at him wi