The doctor said mournfully that he might lend me the card, but that in that case it would be his painful duty to put up a different card for me on the next day. There seemed to be nothing more to say. I was about to go when a face which I recognised emerged from the gloom. It had a shirt underneath it and then legs. The face began to grin at me. "Hallo," said a voice. "Hallo, Rogers," I said; "_you_ enlisting? I thought you couldn't get leave." Rogers is in the Civil Service, and his work is supposed to be important. "Well, I haven't exactly got leave--yet," he said awkwardly. "The fact is, I just came here to ask about a commission for a friend, and while I was here I--er--suddenly decided to risk it. You know Madingley, by the way, don't you?" "I used to think so," I said. But now I see that there is more in Madingley than I thought. His job in this war is simple--and exactly suited to himself. By arrangement with the War Office he sends likely recruits to make enquiries for him--and the sergeant does the rest. A. A. M. * * * * * "S. C.--1. The brussels-sprouts will do no harm to the apple trees."--_Morning Post._ All very well, but we know what these Belgians are. As likely as not they have been plotting for years with the French beans to spring upon their inoffensive neighbours. * * * * * [Illustration: IN THE SEARCHLIGHT. _Mabel_ (_with a brother in the Anti-aircraft Corps_). "MOTHER, THEY THINK SHE'S A ZEPPELIN."] * * * * * THE SACRIFICE. SCENE: _At the "Plough and Horses."_ "I be mortal sorry for that poor George--cut up as ever I see a man at thought of it." "Tenderest-hearted fellow in these 'ere parts, and a true friend to all dumb animals." "She be more 'n an animal to 'im. 'Aving no chick nor child, you may say as she's companioned 'im these many months." "'E 'ave right to be proud of 'er too. Never did I see a more 'andsome sow--an' I've seen a many." "She's been a right good sow to 'e." "An' now 'e be nigh 'eart-broken 'long of these unnatural orders. For stuck ev'ry blessed pig 'as got to be should they Germans get anywheres within ten miles of us." "I see 'im now as 'e was when 'e first got wind of it--fair struck all of a 'eap, 'e were. 'I ain't got no objection to burning ricks,' 'e says, 'for ricks ain't got 'uman ways to 'em, same as my old sow. But kill my old sow,' 'e says, 'that's asking of me more 'n I can do.'" "'Tain't a question of asking, either. Them's our orders, set out in black and white." "Somebody says that to George--and a cold-blooded word it seemed to me, considering 'is depth o' trouble." "What did the old chap say to that?" "'Orders?' 'e says; 'ain't this a free country? An' you come between me an' my old sow with orders!' 'e says."