of things straight in
the face should have something for himself--to himself. If it's only a
heavenly hour now and then. Before things stop. There's such a lot of
life--and such a lot to live for--forever if one could. And a smash--or
a crash--or a thrust--and it's over! Sometimes I can hardly get hold of
it."

He shook his head as he rose and stood upright, drawing his splendid
young body erect.

"It's only fair," he said. "A chap's so strong and--and ready for
living. Everything's surging through one's mind and body. One can't go
out without having _something_--of one's own. You'll come, won't
you--just because there's no time? I--I want to keep looking into your
eyes."

"I want you to look into them," said Robin. "I'll come."

He stood still a moment looking at her just as she wanted him to look.
Then after a few more words he bent low and kissed her hands and then
stood straight again and saluted and went away.

CHAPTER IV

There was one facet of the great stone of War upon which many strange
things were written. They were not the things most discussed or
considered. They were results--not causes. But for the stress of mental,
spiritual and physical tempest-of-being the colossal background of storm
created, many of them might never have happened; but the consequences of
their occurrence were to touch close, search deep, and reach far into
the unknown picture of the World the great War might leave in fragments
which could only be readjusted by centuries of time.

The interested habit of observation of, and reflection on, her kind
which knew no indifferences, in the mind of the Duchess of Darte,
awakened by stages to the existence of this facet and to the moment of
the writings thereupon.

"It would seem almost as if Nature--Fate--had meant to give a new
impulse to the race--to rouse human creatures to new moods, to thrust
them into places where they see new things. Men and women are being
dragged out of their self-absorbed corners and stirred up and shaken.
Emotions are being roused in people who haven't known what a real
emotion was. Middle-aged husbands and wives who had sunk into
comfortable acceptance of each other and their boys and girls are being
dragged out of bed, as it were, and wakened up and made to stand on
their feet and face unbelievable possibilities. If you have boys old
enough to be soldiers and girls old enough to be victims--your life
makes a sort of _volte face_ and everyday,