The Red Planet

r imagination would not have remained untouched for so long a time-but in the cold silent hours of the night, like a gang of marauders. Betty did not go to bed after he had left, but sat by the

miling face to th

cted in the circumstances, I th

valiant p

ge, who before the war did all my little repairs. The chimney I

desire to have a word with me. I quieted the patriotic Hosea and drew up by the kerb. Gedge was a lean foxy-faced man with a lo

liberty I take in stopping

t," said I. "Wha

n you satisfaction th

"Quite corre

thout offence, why you've

alled them in because they're good loyal people. Higgins has joined the army, and s

t to say that,

ols to strike because this is a capitalists' war? Not when you go round the mills here, and do your best to stop you

. Why should he go and be killed or maimed for life? Will it put an extra penny in his pocket or his widow's? No. Oh!"-he checked my retort-"I know everything you would say. I see the ar

id I. "I don't

itical opinion can affect my ability now to put a new chimne

parochial squabbles in comparison with things now

er salvation lies one way. I think another. This is a free

her in a gaol or a lunatic asylum as a danger to the state, and that, having that rightful opinion, I'm justified

enjoyment. Besides being a John Bull Englishman, I

th," said he, "but your opinions cost you nothing

ase and comfort, whereas poor Bill Sykes, who has devoted all his days to burglary, has seven years' pena

sea's bridle and an evil flas

t'll knock all you great people of Wellingsford off your high horses. If you driv

-by halted wonderingly and Prettilove, the hairdresser, moved acro

e lost your temper and are talking

erman Army to Wellingsford? Was he, a modern Guy Fawkes, plotting to blow up the Town Hall while Mayor and Corporation sat in council? He was not the man to utter purely idle threats. What the dickens was he going to do? Something mean and dirty and underhand. I knew his ways, He was alway

a committee meeting; she stopped by my chair to pass the time of day. Through

, "there's Ph

has just come in

r it's true, but it sounds likely-that he said if men were such fools

," said Betty, "and P

told her of his dwindling business and of my encounter w

e that at al

do you thin

ay at the hospital, people were passing up and down the cor

up at her sharply. "Wh

n she looked down and fingered her w

or of the ward and seeing u

nk you're wan

long I had cross-questioned Betty I should have got nothing further out of her. She was a remarkably outspoken young woman. Wh

f a tyrannical doctor, confined me to the house and she came flying in, expecting to find me in ext

gain her brow darkened and her lips set stiffly-"do

him for any outbreak of parental indignation. But he ought to break out openly, while there was yet time-before any harm was done-not n

into Randall? I suppose you'

How did y

ughed

ave? But how did you come to

nd if Gedge is angry, I can to

red, lighting a cigarette. "Gedge and Randall are as thick as th

re married, become a real womanly woma

long discussions together at Gedge's house, Gedge talking anti-patriotism and Randall talking rot which he cal

Phy

ld me so. And because she's in love with a man whom she knows to be a slacker she's eaten up with shame.

e the last Committ

es

edge pays a g

," said Bet

r years difference between them!-"and so I want to protect her. The time may come when she'll need protection. She has told me things-not now-but long ago-

rightened her,' do you mean i

rk look in B

. "He's an evil

Gedge's turpitude, she would have told me of her own accord. But in our talk at

pacifists and half the Cabinet, he did not concern himself about Gedge. Young Randall Holmes's intimacy with the scou

ebody sent me a copy a few days ago. It's rot-but not actually poisonous like that he must hear from Gedge. That's the reason

lly into the army. But the country had spinal disorders. It had locomotor ataxy. The result of sloth and self-indulgence. We had the Government we deserved ... I nee

, "What," said I,

s the young beggar's shoulde

abroad except in my mayor's gown and chain, so that

f the literal significance of words-and then he laughed. Personal violence was out of the question. Why, the young beggar might summon him for assault. No; he had

't do that

hat the deuce I can d

ur colloquy was fruitless.

astidiousness. It can't be long before he discovers Gedge to be nothing

e thing he had said. Give Gedge enough rop

when I have to be dependent on Marigold for carrying me into the houses I enter; on these helpless occasions I am driven about by Mari

han worry the Fenimores or Betty or Mrs. Holmes with my aches and pains I would have hung on, like the idiot boy of Sparta with the fox, until my vitals were gnawed out-parenthetically, it has always worried me to conjecture why a boy should steal a fox, why it should have been so valuable to the owner, and to what use he put it. In the case of all my other friends I regarded myself as too much of an obvious nuisance, as it was, for me to work on th

-wooded acres. It was a fair April afternoon, all pale sunshine and tenderness. A dream of fairy green and delicate pink and

d of two figures strolling in affectionate attitude. One was that of Mrs. Boyce; the other, khaki-clad and towering above her

is not at

wept away social conventions like cobwebs, fixed her

n. I've just seen Major Bo

ed and looked a

re to say not

r Boyce is home on short leave, and they

s,

aid I. "Right

y presence he regarded as an intolerable insult. He also loved to have tea, as a pampered guest, in other folks' houses. When he got home Mrs. Marigold, as like as not, wo

ndsome, erect, elegantly dressed old lady in the late sixties, pink and white like a

town to know. If it did, I should see nothing of him, his leave is so short. That's why

nd stood up with a grimace w

say to each other. No. I won't stay"-Marigold's smile faded into woodenness-"I only turne

derful,"

arigold to s

t want to see an old crock like me." The engine rattled. "

e explained earnestly. "In reality I'm far f

oft, cheery voice, and Leonard, the fine flower of

eavy chin in the air, his bull-neck not detracting from his ph

ng in and let mother give you some tea. Nonsense!" he waved away my protest. "Marigold, st

ess that I was just a little puzzled by his exuberant welcome. And, to judge by the blank expression that flitted momentarily over her face, so was his mother. If he were so delight

llow! What has h

say 'not

ted us. Do go an

old frien

ld fossils. Tell him t

n Leonard himself came up and whisked me against my will to the tea-table. If my hypothesis were correct he had evidently changed his mind as to the desi

vivid account of the campaign. He had been through everything, the retreat from Mons, the Battle of the Aisne, the great rush north, and the

r a while, "to see you twi

triumphantly. "He is g

ve!" s

aitered leg over the other a

led at me. "I told my dear old mo

gazetted in a

re was a hitch-say through some fool of a copying clerk-and I didn't get it after all. It's only dear, silly und

ments. It is not every recommendation for honours that becomes

f my regiment got its deserts, every Jack man would walk about in a su

t him, while she handed him his cup, "is when you see a lot of murderous Germ

n; but I watched him narrowly and I saw the corners of hi

ful funk, I assure you," he r

r funks he's generally responsible for the death of goodness knows how many men. An

ns to officers

n, they get b

wn the cup, and strode to the window. The

yse them. It's just like an epileptic fit-beyond a man's control. I've known a fellow-the most reckless, hare-brained daredevil you can im

ened to hi

looked away, and then met i

n uneasy, suspicious repository of the abominable story of Vilboek's Farm could have n

an offic

he psychology of fear. Especially the sudden thing that hits a man's heart and makes him stand stock-still like a living corpse-unable to move a muscle-all his willpower out o

ess having a horror of draughts, and a cheery fire was blazing up

aid he, "you keep th

just the same with me. I remember I had to speak quite severely to Mary a week-no, to-day's Tuesday-ten days ago, a

. "When I'm excited about a

nk of the waking up. I want all the cushions and the lavender and the neat maid's caps and aprons-I said to Mary this morning when she drew my curtains: 'Stay just there and let me look at you so that I can realise I'm at home and not in my little grey trench in West Flanders'-she got red and no doubt thought me a lunatic and felt inclined to squawk-but she stayed and looked jolly

knitting in her lap and looked over at him tragically-"I quite forgot to

y his cigarette a

s it. I was wondering where the Dick

makes your skin so nice an

bvious jest on the use of

ou have any idea of what tre

e at the front. He entertained me with interesting talk for the rest of

the car and saw me

away, will you?" he

" I a

g any one

ve cheerfully to engage me in conversation. I hate to snub Marigold, excellent and