past the age limit. The exceptional feature in his
very common case was that he happened to be the
only son of a distinguished soldier.

"_I_ should certainly enlist if I were he," continued
Miss Forsyth thoughtfully. "He wouldn't have long
to wait for promotion from the ranks."

"His father would never forgive him!"

"The England of today is a different England
from the England of yesterday," observed Miss
Forsyth drily; and as the other stared at her, genuinely
astonished by the strange words, "Don't you agree
that that is so, Mary?"

"No, I can't say that I do." Mrs. Otway spoke
with greater decision than was her wont. Miss
Forsyth was far too fond of setting the world to rights.

"Ah! well, I think it is. And I only wish I was a
young man instead of an old woman! I'm sorry for
every Englishman who is too old to take up arms in
this just cause. What must be Major Guthrie's feelings
today! How he must regret having left the
Army to please his selfish old mother! It's the more
hard on him as he always believed this war would
come. He really _knows_ Germany."

"Major Guthrie only knows _military_ Germany,"
said Mrs. Otway slowly.

"It's only what you call military Germany which
counts today," observed Miss Forsyth quickly; and
then, seeing that her friend looked hurt, and even,
what she so very seldom was, angry too, she held out
her hand with the words: "And now I must be
moving on, for before going to the cathedral I have to
see Mrs. Haworth for a minute. By the way, I hear
that the Dean intends to give a little address about

[[12]]

p011 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p012w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p013

v?