and exalted to military importance.
That Sunday afternoon the whole town pretermitted its afternoon nap
and flocked up past the Warren to view the camp. As Miss Oliver
observed, "It was an object-lesson: it brought home some of the
realities of war to you."

"_Some_," agreed Mrs Polsue. "If I was you, dear, I wouldn' gush
over such things, but rather pray the Lord against sendin' too many
of 'em. It wouldn' altogether surprise me," she added darkly, "if
the after-consequences of this was worse than any Revival Meetin'."

The O.C. had very wisely let it be known that, though in future it
would be necessary to draw lines about his encampment, station
guards, and allow entrance only by written permit, on this first day
the public were welcome to roam among the tents and satisfy their
curiosity. His company might be stationed here for some months to
come, and he wished to start on neighbourly terms. He had been told,
moreover, that Polpier as a recruiting-ground was virgin soil.
His sappers were instructed, therefore, to make every one welcome,
and especially any likely-looking young men who asked questions or
otherwise showed an interest.

Curiously enough--and strangely, unless you know Polpier and
West-country people--it was the likely-looking young men who hung
back and showed least interest that afternoon. A few of them who had
sweethearts were jealous, perhaps: it is not pleasant when the girl
you love suddenly abstracts from you the Sunday attention on which
you have come to count and transfers it enthusiastically--even if
generally--to a number of young strangers, artlessly surrendering to
a certain glamour in them because they are doing what never occurred
to you.

But in the main these young men hung back just because they were
interested; because, being interested, they were shy. This camp
spoke, or should speak, to _them_: its business, its proper meaning,
could only be for _them_. They could not lay full account with the
feeling. But these old men conning the gear and shaking heads so
wisely--these middle-aged Sabbath couples pacing around and hanging
on heel to wonder how the soldiers packed themselves at night into
quarters so narrow, or advancing and peering among utensils of
cookery--most of all the young women giggling while they wondered at
this, that, or the' other,--all were impertinent to the scene.
Whatever War signified, it was a mystery for men, and for young men.

The crowd thinned