Her opponent appeared to be having enough trouble with his legs, without taking any added cares upon himself in the way of refutations. But the marvellous Dora had calculated the length of her statement with such nicety that the chairman announced “Four minutes,” almost upon the instant of her final syllable; and all faces turned once more to the upholder of the affirmative. “Refutation and conclusion by the affirmative,” said the chairman. “Mr. R. Milholland. Two minutes.” Therewith, Ramsey coughed as long as he could cough, and when he felt that no more should be done in this way, he wiped his face--again an act of necessity--and quaveringly began: “Gentlemen and ladies, or ladies and gentlemen, in making the refutation of my opponent, I feel that--I feel that hardly anything more ought to be said.” He paused, looked helplessly at his uncontrollable legs, and resumed: “I am supposed to make the reputa--the refutation of my opponent, and I feel that I ought to say quite a good deal more. In the first place, I feel that the invasion has taken place. I am supposed--anyhow I got a postal card that I am supposed to be here to-night. Well, in talking over this matter with a couple of seniors, they told me I was supposed to claim this invasion was mor'ly and legally all right. Well--” Here, by some chance, the recollection of a word of Dora's flickered into his chaotic mind, and he had a brighter moment. “My opponent said she proved all war is wrong--or something like that, anyhow. She said she proved it was wrong to fight, no matter what. Well, if she wasn't a girl, anybody that wanted to get her into a fight could prob'ly do it.” He did not add that he would like to be the person to make the experiment (if Dora weren't a girl), nor did the thought enter his mind until an hour or so later. “Well,” he added, “I suppose there is little more to be said.” He was so right, in regard to his own performance, at least, that, thereupon drying up utterly, he proceeded to stand, a speechless figure in the midst of a multitudinous silence, for an eternity lasting forty-five seconds. He made a racking effort, and at the end of this epoch found words again. “In making my argument in this debate, I would state that--” “Two minutes!” said the chairman. “Refutation by the negative. Miss D. Yocum. Two minutes.” “I waive them,” said Dora, primly. “I submit that the affirmative has not refuted the argument of the negative.” “Very well.” With his gavel the chairman sharply tapped the desk before him, “The question is now before the house. 'Resolved, that Germany is both morally and legally justified in her invasion of Belgium.' All those in favour of the--”