The Last Shot

esterling had seen marching through the park, had no thought except the prospect of the joyous lassitude of resting muscles and of lo

neighbors of the same blood and language. At length they had united with their neighbors who had in turn united with other neighbors, forming the present nation of the Grays, which vented its fighting spirit against other nations. Each generation must send forth its valorou

p travel and better living. Every private of the five millions was a scholar compared to the old baron; he had a broader horizon than the first Galland. In the name of de

the sons of a farmer, a barber, a butcher, an army officer, a day-laborer, a judge, a b

d my tour is up!" c

ths more

u're co

, two, three, f

son shouted above the chorus, "you old f

more of iron spoons and tin cups and army shoes and army fare

t have to get up any earlier than I do at home, and I d

cksmith's son. "It's a

thoughtfully, and smiled gratefully over a fate that had b

be we shall be going to war,

look unconcerned. But let's have the opinion of an international expert, of the great and only philosopher, guide, companion, and friend. Wha

. Slight but wiry of physique, he had light hair, a freckled and rather nondescript nose, large brown eyes, and a broad, sensitive mouth. Nature had not attempte

Hugo! Ou

lines of the mask were dra

right down my spine, as I did when I was a little boy

face expressed dumb incomprehension. He alone was standing. Being t

astounding, and Hugo was as manifestly in earnest as if

" asked Hugo, in

y not!" decl

lled?" asked Hugo, wi

l get me!" answered Eugene, thr

e bark might get you in the wood. However, if you are sure that you are in no danger, why, you don't count. But let's take a cen

ed, not at him, but at the quizz

rapnel, early in the campaign or late, à la ca

sentence, though Hugo's

on the stage!" so

Hugo replied. "But I've another question," he pursued. "Do you think

give in. They alwa

onable to make war over the Bodlapoo

e swamp, and some black pol

our flag!" exclaimed t

y say. We were the aggre

r flag!" s

put up their flag on our ter

t. "Hugo, I don't like to hear you talk that way," he added, shaking his head sadly. Such view

e he's gettin

s ac

leton!" The judge's son gave Euge

was the heavier for it, he had carried the rifle and pack of Peter Kinderling, a valet's pasty-faced little son "Peterkin," as he was called, was the stupid of Company B. Being generally inoffensive, the butt of t

to joke about the flag That

on the other side of the bench from Eugene. He was heavily built,

strong men of the company agreed on any subject. But he

only an excuse," said the manufacturer's son. "We sh

about it. Emotion as an international quantity is de

l policy!" mused Hugo sotto voce, as if

cturer's son struck his fist in the palm of

o their fifty, while our territory is only a little larger than t

army for two years could take a vow not to marry," he said. "We could reduce the output, as your father's factory does when the m

of the hilarity that ensued. "Hugo Mallin solves the whol

ke themselves for sociological experts shall not deter me

eak

he fount of

you produ

sm, and give an impetus to industry. An army of five millions on our side against the Browns' three mi

, just as they always have" E

l be mush for our bayonets!"

he corners of his mouth in profound contemplation that was actually mo

oo, he would not have been funny. His faint, look of s

you're

e a sc

of breath, but nobody would be killed." He had to wait on another laugh before he could continue. It takes little to amuse men in garrison if one knows how. "I don't want to be killed, and why should I want t

e ancient enemy! The faces around were

's son. "You didn't have to, being an only son. Talk that stuff to your

ond of Hugo. He spoke in the even voice of his vast go

m. I don't know. But it wouldn't prove that I wasn't if I fought you any

n the army for? That's a fair question, isn't it?

e too far," said the army

an playing about the corners of his lips. The smile spread. For the first time he was laughing, wh

ips, Eugene, but I shouldn't have known you. Now we all know one another by eating the same food, wearing the same clothes, marching side by side, and submitting to another kind of discipline than that of our officers-the discipline of close

about from one garrison to another is a good c

ed in our glances," Hugo continued. "Haven't we got something that we couldn't get otherwise? Doesn't it thrill you now when w

yes,

's son on the shoulder; laborer's son and doctor's son l

ducation and the spirit of comradeship still further. Instead of two sets of autumn man[oe]uvres, one on either side of t

one. Only the slow Eugene Aronson was blank and puzzled. But directly h

at it takes a minute to

to be solemn-and, presto, there

were twitchi

r's son. "Oh, you've had us all going th

her extravagance from the entertai

ng!" he announced. "We are going

and cautioning the men not to overturn the tables and benches. Even the banker's and the manufacturer's sons, w

back and forth with the fellows on the

ergeant. "Will you never stop

ed Hugo dryly. "It