Ruth put the same question to Mr. Trupp whom she met on her way home to the Moot. "They will if they're made to," the doctor answered, and as he saw the young woman's face fall, he added more sympathetically, "They're trying to do something locally. I don't know what'll come of it. Keep in touch with Mrs. Trupp. She'll let you know. I believe there's to be a meeting at the Town Hall." He rolled on, grumbling and grousing to himself. Call ourselves a civilised country, and leave the women and children to take their luck! Chaos--as usual! ... Chaos backed and justified by cant! ... Would cant organise Society? ... Would cant feed the women and children? ... Would cant take the place of Scientific Method? ... Ruth went home with her eleven shillings and sixpence and an aching heart, to find that little Alice had already arranged her brood in their bibs around the tea-table, and was only waiting for mother to come and tilt the kettle which she might not touch. The other fledgelings hammered noisily on the table with their spoons. "My dears," she said, as she went round the table, kissing the rosy faces uplifted to hers. "What is it, Mum?" asked little Alice, who had something of her mother's quick sympathy and power of intuition. "Is daddy shotted at the war?" "Not yet, my pretty," her mother answered. "It's only nothing you can understand. Now help me get the tea." Next day brought a lawyer's letter giving her notice to quit. That evening Ruth took the letter up to the Manor-house. The maid told her Mr. and Mrs. Trupp had just started off to a meeting at the Town Hall. "Something to do with the women and children, I believe," she added. "Prince o Wales's Fund or something." Ruth turned down the steps disconsolate. Just then she saw Joe Burt getting off the motor-bus opposite the _Star_. She had not seen him since he had come up on the evening of Ern's departure to give her the latest news of her husband. Now he came striding towards her, blowing into her life with the vigour of Kingsley's wild Nor'-easter. At the moment the politician was on top--she noted it with thankful heart. "Coom on, ma lass!" he said. "You're the very one I'm after. We want you. We want em all. You got to coom along o me to this meeting." "But I aren't got my hat, Joe!" pleaded Ruth, amused yet deprecating. The engineer would take no excuses. "Your children are worth more'n your hat, I reck'n," he said. "Coom on!--Coom on!--No time to be lost!" And in a moment she was walking briskly at his side down the hill up which he had just come. The strength, the resolution, the certainty of her companion swept all her clouds away and renewed her faith. She told him of the notice she had received.