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p to the German。 〃You are a slanderous liar。〃 He flung his glass of water full into Schaefer's face； sprang quickly to his feet； and as the German rose； swung with his open hand and struck hard upon the German's face； first on one cheek and then on the other。
With a roar Schaefer flung himself at him； but Larry in a cold fury was waiting for him。 With a stiff； full…armed blow； which carried the whole weight of his body； he caught him on the chin。 The professor was lifted clear over his chair。 Crashing back upon the floor； he lay there still。
〃Good boy； Larry；〃 shouted Dean。 〃Great God！ You did something that time。〃
Silent； white； cold； rigid； Larry stood waiting。 More than any of them he was amazed at what he had done。 Some friends of the Professor rushed toward them。
〃Stand clear； gentlemen；〃 said Raeder。 〃We are perfectly able to handle this。 This man offered my friend a deadly insult。 My friend simply anticipated what I myself would gladly have done。 Let me say this to you； gentlemen； for some time he and those of his kind have made themselves offensive。 Every man is entitled to his opinion； but I have made up my mind that if any German insults my friends the Allies in my presence； I shall treat him as this man has been treated。〃
There was no more of it。 Schaefer's friends after reviving him led him off。 As they passed out of the dining hall Larry and his friends were held up by a score or more of men who crowded around him with warm thanks and congratulations。 The affair was kept out of the press； but the news of it spread to the limits of clubland。 The following day Raeder thought it best that they should lunch again together at the University Club。 The great dining…room was full。 As Raeder and his company entered there was first a silence； then a quick hum of voices； and finally applause； which grew in volume till it broke into a ringing cheer。 There was no longer any doubt as to where the sympathy of the men of the University Club； at least； lay in this world conflict。
Two days later a telegram was placed upon Larry's desk。 Opening it； he read； 〃Word just received Jack Romayne killed in action。〃 Larry carried the telegram quietly into the inner office and laid it upon his chief's desk。
〃I can stand this no longer； sir；〃 he said in a quiet voice。 〃I wish you to release me。 I must return to Canada。 I am going to the war。〃
〃Very well； my boy；〃 said Mr。 Wakeham。 〃I know you have thought it over。 I feel you could not do otherwise。 I； too； have been thinking； and I wish to say that your place will await you here and your salary will go on so long as you are at the war。 No！ not a word！ There is not much we Americans can do as yet； but I shall count it a privilege as an American sympathising with the Allies in their great cause to do this much at least。 And you need not worry about that coal mine。 Dean has been telling me about it。 We will see it through。〃
CHAPTER XXIV
THE MAJOR AND THE MAJOR'S WIFE
When Larry went to take farewell of the Wakehams he found Rowena with Hugo Raeder in the drawing…room。
〃You are glad to leave us；〃 said Rowena； in a tone of reproach。
〃No；〃 said Larry； 〃sorry。 You have been too good to me。〃
〃You are glad to go to war？〃
〃No； I hate the war。 I am not a soldier； but； thank God； I see my duty； and I am going to have a go at it。〃
〃Right you are；〃 said Hugo。 〃What else could any man do when his country is at war？〃
〃But I hate to go；〃 said Larry； 〃and I hate this business of saying good…bye。 You have all been so good to me。〃
〃It was easy；〃 said Rowena。 〃Do you know I was on the way to fall in love with you？ Hugo here and Jane saved me。 Oh； I mean it；〃 she added； flushing as she laughed。
〃Jane！〃 exclaimed Larry。
〃Yes； Jane。 Oh； you men are so stupid；〃 said Rowena。 〃And Hugo helped me out； too；〃 she added； with a shy glance at him。
Larry looked from one to the other； then rushed to Hugo。 〃Oh； you lucky beggar！ You two lucky beggars！ Oh； joy； glory； triumph！ Could anything be finer in the wide world？〃 cried Larry； giving a hand to each。
〃And； Larry； don't be a fool；〃 said Rowena。 〃Try to understand your dear； foolish heart； and don't break your own or any one's else。〃
Larry gazed at her in astonishment and then at Hugo； who nodded wisely at him。
〃She is quite right； Larry。 I want to see that young lady Jane。 She must be quite unique。 I owe her something。〃
〃Good…bye； then；〃 said Larry。 〃I have already seen your mother。 Good…bye； you dear things。 God give you everything good。 He has already given you almost the best。〃
〃Good…bye； you dear boy；〃 said Rowena。 〃I have wanted to kiss you many a time； but didn't dare。 But nowyou are going to the war〃 there was a little break in her voice〃where men die。 Good…bye； Larry； dear boy； good…bye。〃 She put her arms about him。 〃And don't keep Jane waiting；〃 she whispered in his ear。
〃If I were a German； Larry；〃 said Hugo； giving him both hands； 〃I would kiss you too； old boy； but being plain American； I can only say good luck。 God bless you。〃
〃You will find Elfie in her room；〃 said Rowena。 〃She refuses to say good…bye where any one can see her。 She is not going to weep。 Soldiers' women do not weep； she says。 Poor kid！〃
Larry found Elfie in her room； with high lights as of fever on her cheeks and eyes glittering。
〃I am not going to cry；〃 she said between her teeth。 〃You need not be afraid； Larry。 I am going to be like the Canadian women。〃
Larry took the child in his arms； every muscle and every nerve in her slight body taut as a fiddle…string。 He smoothed her hair gently and began to talk quietly with her。
〃What good times we have had！〃 he said。 〃I remember well the very first night I saw you。 Do you？〃
〃Oh；〃 she breathed； 〃don't speak of it； or I can't hold in。〃
〃Elfie；〃 said Larry； 〃our Canadian women when they are seeing their men off at the station do not cry； they smile and wave their hands。 That is； many of them do。 But in their own rooms； like this； they cry as much as they like。〃
〃Oh； Larry； Larry；〃 cried the child； flinging herself upon him。 〃Let me cry； then。 I can't hold in any longer。〃
〃Neither can I； little girl。 See； Elfie； there is no use trying not to； and I am not ashamed of it； either；〃 said Larry。
The pent…up emotion broke forth in a storm of sobbing and tears that shook the slight body as the tempest shakes the sapling。 Larry； holding her in his arms； talked to her about the good days they had had together。
〃And isn't it fine to think that we have those forever； and； whenever we want to； we can bring them back again？ And I want you to remember； Elfie； that when I was very lonely and homesick here you were the one that helped me most。〃
〃And you； Larry； oh； what you did for me！〃 said the child。 〃I was so sick and miserable and bad and cross and hateful。〃
〃That was just because you were not fit；〃 said Larry。 〃But now you are fit and fine and strong and patient； and you will always be so。 Remember it is a soldier's duty to keep fit。〃 Elfie nodded。 〃And I want you to send me socks and a lot of things when I get over there。 I shall write you all about it； and you will write me。 Won't you？〃 Again Elfie nodded。
〃I am glad you let me cry；〃 she said。 〃I was so hot and sore here；〃 and she laid her hands upon her throat。 〃And I am glad you cried too； Larry； and I won't cry before people； you know。〃
〃That is right。 There are going to be too many sad people about for us to go crying and making them feel worse；〃 said Larry。
〃But I will say good…bye here； Larry。 I could go to the train； but then I might not quite smile。〃
But when the train pulled out that night the last face that Larry saw of all his warm…hearted American friends was that of the little girl； who stood alone at the end of the platform； waving both her hands wildly over her head； her pale face effulgent with a glorious smile； through which the tears ran unheeded down her cheeks like rain on a sunny day。 And on Larry's face； as he turned away； there was the same gleam of sunshine and of rain。
〃This farewell business is something too fierce；〃 he said to himself savagely； thinking with a sinking heart of the little group at Wolf Willow in the West to whom he must say farewell； and of the one he must leave behind in Winnipeg。 〃How do these women send their husbands off and their sons？ God knows； it is beyond me。〃
Throughout the train journey to Calgary his mind was chiefly occupied with the thought of the parting that awaited him。 But when he reached his destination he found himself so overwhelmed with the rush of preparation and with the strenuous daily grind of training that he had no time nor energy left for anything but his work。 A change； too； was coming swiftly over the heart of Canada and over his own heart。 The tales of Belgian atrocities； at first rejected as impossible； but afterwards confirmed by the Bryce Commission and by many private letters； kindled in Canadian hearts a passion of furious longing to wipe from the face of the earth a system that produced such horrors。 Women who； with instincts native of their kind； had at the first sought how they might with honour keep back their men fro