of us realize what our soldiers have
suffered for us!"

"And they're so patient and cheerful!" added Veronica. "In my opinion
they prove their heroism as much by the way they bear their ruined
lives afterwards as by their deeds in the trenches. It has shown what
stuff British folk are made of. And you get such surprises. Often a
boy whom you've known, and always thought weak and selfish and silly,
will turn out to have any amount of grit in him. There's one in
particular--a friend of ours. He cared for nothing before except
amusing himself--the kind of boy who's always getting into debt and
doing foolish things. Well, he's utterly changed; he's not like the
same fellow. I think the war will have made a great difference to many
of our men."

"And to our women too, I hope," said Miss Beasley, who, unnoticed by
Veronica, had joined the group. "It would be a poor thing for the
country if only the men came purified out of this time of trouble. 'A
nation rises no higher than its women!' And now is Woman's great
opportunity. I think she is taking it. She is showing by her work in
hospitals, in canteens, on the land, in offices, or in public service,
how she can put her shoulder to the wheel and help in her country's
hour of need. I believe this war will have broken down many foolish
old traditions and customs, and that people will be ready afterwards
to live more simple, natural lives than they did before. The
school-girls of to-day are the women of to-morrow, and it is on you
that the nation will rely in years to come. Don't ever forget that!
Try to prove it practically!"

Miss Beasley seldom "preached" to the girls, but when she spoke, her
few quiet words generally had their effect. Hermie and Linda in
especial turned them over in their minds. As the result of their
mistress's last remark, they made a suggestion to their
fellow-monitresses.

"Some of us are leaving this term, and at any rate in a few years we
shall all have left, and be scattered about in various places.
Wouldn't it be nice to make a kind of League, and undertake that every
girl who has belonged to this school will do her very best to help the
world? It should be a 'Marlowe Grange' pledge, and we'd bind ourselves
to keep it. If a whole school makes up its mind to a thing, it ought
to have some effect, and it would be splendid to feel that our school
had been an inspiration, and helped to build up a new and better
nation after the war. There are only t