for?"

He turned towards her. "Well, but do understand, Mabel. If you think I
was a fool rushing in like that, as you call it. Do understand. It's a
Government scheme. It's binding. It isn't a joke."

"No, but I think they make it a joke, and I can't think why you can't
see the funny side of it. I think giving you two and eightpence like
that--a man in your position--is too lovely for words."

He took the coins from his pocket, and jerked them on the table before
her. "Here, pay the butcher with it."

IX

But as he reached the door, his face working, the tremendous and
magnificent thought struck into his realisation again. "I'm in the Army!
By gad, I'm in the Army. I don't care what happens now." He strode back,
smiling, and took up the money. "No, I'm dashed if I can let it go!" He
went out jingling it and turned into the kitchen. "I say, High, Low, I'm
in the Army! I've got in. I'll be off soon. Look at my badge!"

They chorused, "Well, there now!"

He said delightedly, "Pretty good, eh? Isn't it fine! Look at
this--that's my pay. Two and eightpence!"

The chorus, "Oh, if ever!"

High Jinks said, "That armlet, sir, that's too loose. It don't half show
down on your elbow, sir. You want it up here."

"Yes, that's the place. Won't it stay?"

"I'll put a safety pin in, sir; and then to-night shift the buttons.
That's what it wants."

"Yes, do, High. That's fine."

He held out his arm and the two girls pinned to advantage the splendid
sign of his splendid triumph.

"There, sir. Now it shows. And won't we be proud of you, just, in khaki
and all!"

He laughed delightedly. "I'm jolly proud of myself, I tell you! Now,
then, Thumbs, I don't want bayonets in me yet!"

Glorious! Glorious! And what would not Nona say!

CHAPTER IX

I

Life, when it takes so giant a hand in its puppet show as to upturn a
cauldron of world war upon the puppets, may be imagined biting its
fingers in some chagrin at the little result in particular instances. As
vegetation beneath snow, so individual development beneath universal
calamity. Nature persists; individual life persists. The snow melts, the
calamity passes; the green things spring again, the individual lives are
but approached more nearly to their several destinations.

Sabre was called up in his Derby Class within eight weeks of his
enrolment,--at the end of February, 1916. He was nearly two years in the
war; but his ultimate encounter with life awaited hi