without love is a poor thing,
however much brass you may have. 'Appen I can put Tom in the way of
getting on when the war's over. Ay, he's a grand lad, as you say, and
it was real plucky the way he nabbed that German spy and got the
papers. No wonder the King thinks such a lot of him."

Upon this George Lister filled his pipe slowly, and there was a look of
pride in his eyes.

As for Alice, she sobbed for very joy when she went to her room that
night. "Oh, thank God, thank God," cried her heart, "and he is coming
early in the morning too!"

"Well, mother," said Tom when he reached home, "I have made it up with
Alice Lister."

"Tha' never ses!" and Mrs. Pollard's voice was very caressing. "That's
one for Polly Powell, anyhow. She wur never thy sort, Tom--a lass wi'
a mother like that can never be ony good."

"Ay, and she's the finest lass i' Brunford, is Alice Lister," said
Ezekiel contentedly; "and is she willing to wait for thee, Tom?"

Tom laughed joyfully.

"Maybe they will make an officer of thee," said Mrs. Pollard.

"No," said Tom, "I shall never be an officer, I don't belong to that
class; perhaps I will be a sergeant, or something like that, but that's
as may be; anyhow, I'll do my bit."

When Tom's leave was up, George Lister said he had business in London,
so Alice accompanied him. Truth to tell, the business which George had
was only a secondary matter; he saw that Alice wanted to accompany her
lover as far as she could, and the business was a pretext. I also made
my way to Waterloo Station to see Tom off; that was only a few days
ago, and what I saw and heard is fresh in my memory. But however long
I may live, I shall never forget the look in Tom's eyes as he stood on
the platform with Alice by his side. A great light was burning there,
the light of love, and duty, and faith, and chastened joy.

"Don't fear, Alice," said the lad, "I will come back again all right."

"You--you are sure you will take care of yourself, Tom," and Alice's
voice was husky, although she was evidently making a great effort to be
brave.

"Ay, that I will," said Tom.

Crowds of soldiers thronged the platform, while hundreds of their
friends who came to see them off made it difficult to move; many of the
Tommies were shouting and cheering, while others found their way into
the carriages as if anxious to be quiet.

"They seem splendid fellows," said Alice, "but some of them are very
rough, aren't they?"