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〃I felt it just the same when young Mr。 McKean left us；〃 she explained with apologies。 〃He had been with us five years。 He was like you； miss； so unpracticable。 I'd got used to looking after him。〃
Mary Greyson called on her in the morning； while she was still at breakfast。 She had come from seeing Francis off by an early train from Euston。 He had sent Joan a ring。
〃He is so afraid you may not be able to wear itthat it will not fit you；〃 said Mary； 〃but I told him I was sure it would。〃
Joan held our her hand for the letter。 〃I was afraid he had forgotten it；〃 she answered； with a smile。
She placed the ring on her finger and held out her hand。 〃I might have been measured for it；〃 she said。 〃I wonder how he knew。〃
〃You left a glove behind you； the first day you ever came to our house；〃 Mary explained。 〃And I kept it。〃
She was following his wishes and going down into the country。 They did not meet again until after the war。
Madge dropped in on her during the week and brought Flossie with her。 Flossie's husband； Sam； had departed for the Navy； and Niel Singleton； who had offered and been rejected for the Army； had joined a Red Cross unit。 Madge herself was taking up canteen work。 Joan rather expected Flossie to be in favour of the war； and Madge against it。 Instead of which； it turned out the other way round。 It seemed difficult to forecast opinion in this matter。
Madge thought that England； in particular； had been too much given up to luxury and pleasure。 There had been too much idleness and empty laughter： Hitchicoo dances and women undressing themselves upon the stage。 Even the working classes seemed to think of nothing else but cinemas and beer。 She dreamed of a United Kingdom purified by suffering； cleansed by tears； its people drawn together by memory of common sacrifice； class antagonism buried in the grave where Duke's son and cook's son would lie side by side： of a new… born Europe rising from the ashes of the old。 With Germany beaten； her lust of war burnt out； her hideous doctrine of Force proved to be false； the world would breathe a freer air。 Passion and hatred would fall from man's eyes。 The people would see one another and join hands。
Flossie was sceptical。 〃Why hasn't it done it before？〃 she wanted to know。 〃Good Lord！ There's been enough of it。〃
〃Why didn't we all kiss and be friends after the Napoleonic wars？〃 she demanded； 〃instead of getting up Peterloo massacres； and anti… Corn Law riots； and breaking the Duke of Wellington's windows？〃
〃All this talk of downing Militarism；〃 she continued。 〃It's like trying to do away with the other sort of disorderly house。 You don't stamp out a vice by chivying it round the corner。 When men and women have become decent there will be no more disorderly houses。 But it won't come before。 Suppose we do knock Militarism out of Germany； like we did out of France； not so very long ago？ It will only slip round the corner into Russia or Japan。 Come and settle over here； as likely as not； especially if we have a few victories and get to fancy ourselves。〃
Madge was of opinion that the world would have had enough of war。 Not armies but whole peoples would be involved this time。 The lesson would be driven home。
〃Oh； yes； we shall have had enough of it；〃 agreed Flossie； 〃by the time we've paid up。 There's no doubt of that。 What about our children？ I've just left young Frank strutting all over the house and flourishing a paper knife。 And the servants have had to bar the kitchen door to prevent his bursting in every five minutes and attacking them。 What's he going to say when I tell him； later on； that his father and myself have had all the war we want； and have decided there shall be no more？ The old folks have had their fun。 Why shouldn't I have mine？ That will be his argument。〃
〃You can't do it；〃 she concluded； 〃unless you are prepared to keep half the world's literature away from the children； scrap half your music； edit your museums and your picture galleries； bowdlerize your Old Testament and rewrite your histories。 And then you'll have to be careful for twenty…four hours a day that they never see a dog…fight。〃
Madge still held to her hope。 God would make a wind of reason to pass over the earth。 He would not smite again his people。
〃I wish poor dear Sam could have been kept out of it；〃 said Flossie。 She wiped her eyes and finished her tea。
Joan had arranged to leave on the Monday。 She ran down to see Mary Stopperton on the Saturday afternoon。 Mr。 Stopperton had died the year before； and Mary had been a little hurt； divining insincerity in the condolences offered to her by most of her friends。
〃You didn't know him； dear；〃 she had said to Joan。 〃All his faults were on the outside。〃
She did not want to talk about the war。
〃Perhaps it's wrong of me；〃 she said。 〃But it makes me so sad。 And I can do nothing。〃
She had been busy at her machine when Joan had entered； and a pile of delicate white work lay folded on a chair beside her。
〃What are you making？〃 asked Joan。
The little withered face lighted up。 〃Guess；〃 she said； as she unfolded and displayed a tiny garment。
〃I so love making them；〃 she said。 〃I say to myself； 'It will all come right。 God will send more and more of His Christ babies； till at last there will be thousands and thousands of them everywhere； and their love will change the world！'〃
Her bright eyes had caught sight of the ring upon Joan's hand。 She touched it with her little fragile fingers。
〃You will let me make one for you； dearie； won't you？〃 she said。 〃I feel sure it will be a little Christ baby。〃
Arthur was still away when she arrived home。 He had gone to Norway on business。 Her father was afraid he would find it difficult to get back。 Telegraphic communication had been stopped； and they had had no news of him。 Her father was worried。 A big Government contract had come in； while many of his best men had left to enlist。
〃I've fixed you up all right at the hospital；〃 he said。 〃It was good of you to think of coming home。 Don't go away； for a bit。〃 It was the first time he had asked anything of her。
Another fortnight passed before they heard from Arthur； and then he wrote them both from Hull。 He would be somewhere in the North Sea； mine sweeping； when they read his letters。 He had hoped to get a day or two to run across and say good…bye； but the need for men was pressing and he had not liked to plead excuses。 The boat by which he had managed to leave Bergen had gone down。 He and a few others had been picked up； but the sights that he had seen were haunting him。 He felt sure his uncle would agree that he ought to be helping； and this was work for England he could do with all his heart。 He hoped he was not leaving his uncle in the lurch； but he did not think the war would last long； and he would soon be back。
〃Dear lad；〃 said her father； 〃he would take the most dangerous work that he could find。 But I wish he hadn't been quite so impulsive。 He could have been of more use helping me with this War Office contract。 I suppose he never got my letter； telling him about it。〃
In his letter to Joan he went further。 He had received