The one thing to which man had applied the principles of Christianity. Above all things required of the soldier was self-forgetfulness, self-sacrifice. The place of suffering became the place of honour. The forlorn hope a privilege to be contended for. To the soldier, alone among men, love thy neighbour as thyself--nay, better than thyself--was inculcated not as a meaningless formula, but as a sacred duty necessary to the very existence of the Regiment. When war broke out in a land, the teachings of Christ were immediately recognized to be the only sensible guide to conduct. At the time, Anthony’s suggestion had seemed monstrous to her; that he should ask her to give up riches, accept poverty, that he should put a vague impersonal love of humanity above his natural affection for her children and herself! But if it had been England and not God that he had been thinking of--if, at any moment during the war, it had seemed to him that the welfare of England demanded this, or even greater sacrifice, she would have approved. The very people whose ridicule she was now dreading would have applauded. Who had suggested to the young recruit that he should think of his wife and children before his country, that his first duty was to provide for them, to see to it that they had their comforts, their luxuries: and then--and not till then--to think of England? She had regarded his determination to go down into the smoky dismal town, to live his life there among common people, as foolish, fantastic. He could have helped the poor of Millsborough better by keeping his possessions, showering down upon them benefits and blessings. He could have been of more help to God, powerful and rich, a leader among men. As a struggling solicitor in Bruton Square of what use could he be? Had she thought like that, during the war, of the men who had given money but who had shirked the mud and blood of the trenches--of the shouters who had pointed out to others the gate of service? Neither rich nor poor, neither great nor simple--only comrades. Would it ever be won, the war to end war--man’s victory over himself. The pall of smoke above the distant town had merged into the night. In its place there gleamed a dull red glow, as of a pillar of fire. She turned and faced herself in the great Cheval glass with its frame of gilded cupids. She was still young--in the fulness of her life and beauty; the years with their promise of power and pleasure still opening out before her. And suddenly it came to her that this was the Great Adventure of the World, calling to the brave and hopeful to follow, heedless, where God’s trumpet led. Somewhere--perhaps near, perhaps far--there lay the Promised Land. It might be theirs’ to find it--at least to see it from afar. If not--! Their feet should help to mark the road. Yes, she too would give up her possessions; put fear behind her. Together, hand in hand, they would go forward, joyously. THE END