n't you like the war, then?" Josie asked the salesman.

"Like it?" the eyes half opened with a flash. "Who likes war, then?
Does humanity, which bears the burden? For me--myself--I'll say war is
a good thing, but I won't tell you why or how I profit by it; I'll only
say war is a curse to humanity and if I had the power I'd stop it
tomorrow--to-day--this very hour! And, at that, I'd lose by it."

His voice shook with a passion almost uncontrollable. He half rose from
his chair, with clinched fists. But, suddenly remembering himself, or
reading the expression on the girl's face, he sank back again, passed
his hand over his face and forced another bland, unmirthful smile.

"I'd hate to be the man who commits his country to war," he said in
mild, regretful tones.

But here, Kasker, who had been frowning darkly on the suspender man,
broke in.

"See here, Abe; I don't allow that kind of talk in my store," he
growled.

"You? You're like me; you hate the war, Jake."

"I did once, Abe, but I don't now. I ain't got time to hate it. It's
here, and I can't help it. We're in the war and we're going ahead to
win it, 'cause there ain't no hope in backing down. Stop it? Why, man,
we _can't_ stop it. It's like a man who is pushed off a high bank into
a river; he's got to swim to a landing on the other side, or
else--sink. We Americans ain't goin' to sink, Abe Kauffman; we'll swim
over, and land safe. It's got to be; so it will be."

"All right. I said, didn't I, that it won't hurt my pocket? But it
hurts my heart." (Josie was amazed that he claimed a heart.) "But it's
funny to hear _you_ talk for the war, Jake, when you always hated it."

"Well, I've quit kickin' till we're out of the woods. I'm an American,
Abe, and the American flag is flying in France. If our boys can't hold
it in the face of the enemy, Jake Kasker will go do it himself!"

Kauffman stood up, casting a glance of scorn on his customer.

"You talk like a fool, Jake; you talk like you was talking for the
papers--not honest, but as if someone had scared you."

"Yes; it's the fellows like you that scare me," retorted the clothing
merchant. "Ev'ry time you curse the war you're keeping us from winning
the war as quick as we ought to; you're tripping the soldiers, the
government, the President--the whole machine. I'll admit I don't _like_
the war, but I'm _for_ it, just the same. Can you figure that out, Abe
Kauffman? Once I had more sense than you have, but now