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

eturn home, "I shall be leav

r days she had been hoping that he would see it his duty to offer himself t

are you

rd," he

re not goin

"I am going to Ox

y. I am afraid I spoke unkindly to you the other day, and as a conseq

my father taught me," and he looked towards the fireplace, over which hung Dr. Nancarrow's picture. "Perhaps it is i

to be the first to fail, Bob? Oh, please don't think I do not dread the thought of your going to the front, and perhaps being killed

t it, it sounds so pharisaical, but my father wanted me to be a Christian, and you know what Christianity meant to him. As I have said again and again, it comes to this-either war is wrong and hellish, or Christianity is a fable.

ncarrow

he looked towards his father's picture

going to Oxfo

y father's old f

ed in your Quaker o

. "It would seem as though we had accepted a new Gospel which has taken the place of the New Testamen

red, many of whom evidently had no intention of travelling by train. A few minutes later he saw the reason for this. Admiral Tresize's motor-car was driving up, containing not only the Admiral himself, but Captain Trevanion

e Germans will be licked by that time, and you will be a Colon

y George, that idea of giving a white feather to all the shi

laim the credit for tha

gested i

for any man to shirk at such a time as this, that she thoug

, and a minute later, Nancy, half-angry and half-

o one spoke to him. He was what the people called a shirker. He would have given anything he possessed to have gone up t

irl saw him, but he might not have existed as far as she was concerned. She spoke gaily, and her face was wrea

neither spoke. They seemed to regard him as on

he is despised by it. I knew that when I made up my mind, but I never thought it would be

ted the Admiral. "There, another cheer, lads; he is going to fight for his country," and amidst wild shoutin

ts, wearing their short, absurd little gowns, made Oxford what it ordinarily is in term time. Now the streets were comparatively empty, many of the colleges had been taken by the Government in order to be made ready to receive wounded soldiers. There were no shouts of jubilation, for the news in the papers that day saddened the hearts of the people. The German army was steadily driving b

as he stood outside the door of The Mitre. "I do not believe

is only carrying out h

mighty poor plans,

a cloud of gloom hung ove

is way into the dining-room, and the waiter, whom he h

ts of the young gentlemen have. We shall send out one of the finest Companies in the British Army, from Oxford. It's grand, sir, it's grand, the way you

little table and p

emen are coming up, and I say a man isn't a man if he stays at home at a

isoned arrows shot at me. I don't care what this fellow thinks about me, an

us talk, which was becoming painful to him, "will you ring up Dr

ief to him to feel that here, at least, was one man who would understand his position. After the

ssor's old serving-man knew him well, and showe

ty to me these last few weeks; even here, in my den, I cannot get away from the stri

y," was the young fellow's reply, and then

gone by the board. Even many of my Quaker friends have got the war spirit and are no longer sane. It is true we have p

your attitud

ad for long held so strongly, and Bob listened greedily. He spoke not o

as there been in it all? What honour was there in the Boer War? What honour has there been in half the wars we have made? In the main it has all been a miserable game of grab.

ve gone into this business as carefully as I have been able. I have read everything that I can get hold of which bears on it, and I cannot close my eyes to the fact that as far as justice and righteousness go we are in the right. I have but little doubt that the Kaiser is playing his own game; he wants some of

!" cried th

ithout protest? He should be allowed to crush France, to violate his promises to Belgiu

ew months ago, we in England had only kind feelings towards the Germans. We regarded them as friends. We spoke of them as a great Protestant people. To-day, the bitterness and hatred of all England is roused against them. On every hand the Germans are being distrusted and abused. Think what this means? It has put

nces ought never to have been formed. But that does not help us forward. We have to face the situation as it is. We did sign the treaty and promise our support. There is an Entente Cordiale between us and France. On the other hand, there is very little doubt that Germany means to crush France. She means also to dominate the life of the world. War has been declar

consequences. That, it seems to me, is the position to-day. We have nothing to do with this wild war spirit. There are a few men in England, thank God, who protest against war, and it is for them to be true to the light that is within them, no matter what the result may be. Of course, we are told that

more than ever convinced that he had done right. A Christian could

of his mind which told him that the Professor was not right

, and then, instead of going back to his hotel, he wand

ther than he had intended, and presently, when he heard the sound of a clock striking midn

ar and pain. It was the cry of a woman's voice too, and, acting upon

kness. At first he could see nothing, then he heard the sound

I say, or I'l

s voice, rauc

if you like, but I won't,

ike her, but before it fell he had r

t?" cried the fellow, interlardin

hat I want," replied Bob.

t, stealthily, and then with

ed the agility and muscular force of the young athlete. But Bob's victory did not come easily. Again

, again and again, "

aggering to the ground. The man was stunned for a second, b

aid. "It wasn't my fault; if she weren't so b-

some one near by, he

Bob realised that a

vice." But Bob was too alert to be caught in this way. Believing that

p!-h

fter a severe struggle, had been able to overcome, but he knew that he w

ut the woman did not appear to heed him-she

ned as a boy did he save himself. Tripping one of them up, he was a

or the second man had again risen to hi

an's truncheon was heard, and a few minutes later, with Bo

as near by, sir,"

or woman too," wa

ed the policeman. "They are a bad lot, and I do not think the woma

s head sagely when Bob

and address, because you will be called upon as witness against them. You have helped me to put my

and was able to think calmly of what had

as supposed to be the wife of one of these men, and Bob by his

ng was a commentary on his c

ainst these men, and heard with satisfaction the M

e fellows received less than their due in the sentence that was pronounced, and Bob fe

se and spoke with great warmth of Bob's courage

hen next they met, "they are making quit

t?" ask

you played in

the dictum: 'If a man strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also,' I should have allowed the fellow to work his will without opposition. But you s

eplied the Professor, "and I admit

ommunity rests upon force. But for force that brute would perhaps have killed the woman. But for force the two fellows would have killed me, but it so happened that the police came up and

ut the war, I suppose

at fellow, and if I had been driven to extremes, I should have stopped at nothing, to keep him from harming the woman. For the moment there was no thought of love, no thought of brotherly feeling in my heart, I

said the Professor slowly.

as that fellow was acting, is not England right in going to war? We promised to

ve acted on the spirit of non-resistance? If they had, Liége would never have

see? If it were right for me to defend the woman against a brute; if I were right in knocking down that fellow; if the police were right in taking them both to the police station; if t

papers to-day?" a

es

d seen on the stricken field? Did you get at the inwardness of it all? You are

ion. Meanwhile, Germany is marching towards Paris and Lor

he words of our Lord just before He was crucified, 'My Kin

ried Bob

w," interrupted the Professor, and