All for a Scrap of Paper A Romance of the Present War

ha

hy, you were in the O

Not going

ery pale, but he

s half a million men. It's said he'll need a million before long

I me

t w

couldn't make

ou could," and there

ze's

, and had not heard the conversation, but the half-dozen young me

"you can't mean it! You are joking. Have-have you read the papers? Have

e read ev

know that the

fellow-man? If I have a quarrel with a man, and I murder him, I am guilty of the most terrible deed a man can be guilty of. If I did it, I should be branded with the mark of Cain, and you would shudder at the mention of

llow, named Poldhu, who had arranged to leav

ow

a hangman a murderer, for hanging a devil? Is a judge a

g to funk it?" There was somethin

going to

towards the others, "the climate's not he

at the front door, and a bevy of girls appeared in their light summer dresses. A few seconds later the girls and boys were ta

say, "I'm not going

mistake somewhere

n what did

the others were among the best products of English public schools, and although they had their failings, each had his code of honour which is generally held sacred by the class to which he belonged. All of them, too, had been reared in a military atmosphere. Most of them, I imagine, would, with a certain amount of reservation, drink to the old toa

word of honour, and to crush a Power, which they had no doubt meant to rob England of her glory, and conquer her. Beyond that they troubled little. Neither of them understood much about the cause

re you

here he was completely hidden. He felt as tho

y thrilled as he heard it. Yes, Nancy would unde

o speak cheerfully, but

which he had never heard before. "What Di

pite of her pallor, and the peculiar light in he

ked, feeling ashamed of himself for a

ave offered themselves for t

he cried eagerly. "Let

led for volunteers. He has asked for half a million men, so that we may stand by our word

You know what we said to each ot

," she interrupted impatiently. "I want to kno

nt on each cheek, and her eyes burned like fire. Bob knew that she would not be satisfied with su

. "That is I'm going to carry out the

. She was angry beyond words,

e not going to play tennis for a little while.

ou do not wish m

ou would enjoy coming

e sentence, but hurried

r. He remembered her telling him about her eldest brother who had been killed in the Boer War, and how it had darkened her home, and added years to her father's life. She had encouraged him in th

war, and he blamed the Czar as much as he blamed the Kaiser. No doubt Germany had broken treaties. It was wrong for her to invade Luxemburg, and then to send her ultimatum to Belgium, after

t

ry, the untold horror which were entailed. He saw hordes of men fighting like devils; realised the lust for blood which was ever the concomitant of war. Besides, they settled nothing. Wars always bred wars, one always sowed the seeds of another. When this bloody welter came to an end, what

and country, not for aggrandisement, nor gain of any sort, but out of desire to keep England's plighted word, to maintain her honour unsullied, and defend the weak, he felt that he must cast everything aside, and offer himself for the fray. But then he had called himself a Christian, he believed in the tea

was a foolish thing, an impossible dream, and all our profession of it so much empty can

Christ and His words. Humanly speaking, the most potent influence in his life was his dead father. Bob, although he had never been inside a Friends' Meeting House, and was not in any way regarded as a member of their community, was one at heart. Either Christ's teaching must be

had said nothing to any one, he had decided upon the course of his life. Thus it was, wh

ined that his decision would separate them. Yes, that was what it m

s. They saw the way of duty clearly, and were going to follow it, while he mu

nce would no longer be tolerated. Even his friend, Dick Tres

the evening as the Admiral asked me," he reflected; "I

age, where he had left his car; on his way he came

Bob, we be in

id we are

y 'ear younger. I'd

e, To

us off the faace of the globe. I d' 'ear that the Kaiser ev got eight millyen sodgers. Every able-bodied man 'ave bin trained for a sodger, jist to carry out that ould Kaiser's plans. A cantin' old 'ippycrit, tha's wot 'ee es. Bu

want to enter into an argument wit

He was glad for this. He did not want to explain to her why he had come home so early. He felt he

ins, she could not understand his feelings. To her it was the duty, the sacred duty, of every healthy young Englishman to defend his country, and none but shirkers, cowards, would stay behind. Therefore, if he stood by his p

t the theory of war as right, and death on the battlefield, especially in such a cause, would be glorious. He was young too, and his blood ran warm. What nobler cause could there be than to defend a small people, and to cru

st few days had learnt his secret, and had not discouraged him from visiting the house, while Nancy had hinted

a woman-principle, conscience, faith. Could he sacrifice these? Could he trample on the

d his teaching, remembered that to him the true man was he who sacrificed everything to principle, to conscience. He looked around among th

akers, for they shall b

o

a tooth. But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil, but whosoeve

ristians just as we were; Germany was the home of the Reformation, the home of religious liberty. Was it not Luther who, s

o do aught against his own conscience. Her

ycotted, scorned, held up to derision, he coul

Na

ht of it made him groan in agony; but he mu

though he dreaded her coming, he ste

it had been the common talk at

ulous. "Bob, the thought of it is terrible; but you'l

nly boy, fear for his safety, and what she believed her duty to her countr

not going

crush France and Belgium, and finally conquer a

as si

ngs out to let you go, but you must. I know; you are thinki

and Bob nodded toward

was a Quake

y low. "That was why he hated war, and denoun

, true Englishman

Bob; and his voice sound

hat of

what o

she feels,

t bear any more just now; and it's

the house. The next day he was in misery. Again and again he reviewed the situation, but he could not change. He could not offer himself to be a legalised

g, after a long, lonely walk, his mothe

he had read it. "He wants me to go up there

ourse," said the

te for me to get there in time for di

's ri

ad heart. He dreaded what he felt sure was coming, and his heart beat wil