"Why, yu'm a Devon man, Tom, better take county regiment. An't they gude enough for yu?" Shaking his head he answered: "Royal Marines." Was it the glamour of the words or the Royal Marine he had once seen, that moved him to wish to join that outlandish corps? Who shall say? There was the wish, immovable; they took him to the recruiting station for the Royal Marines. Stretching up his short, square body, and blowing out his cheeks to increase his height, he was put before the reading board. His eyes were splendid; little that passed in hedgerows or the heaven, in woods or on the hillsides, could escape them. They asked him to read the print. Staring, he answered: "L." "No, my lad, you're guessing." "L." The farmer plucked at the recruiting officer's sleeve, his face was twitching, and he whispered hoarsely: "'E don' know 'is alphabet." The officer turned and contemplated that short square figure with the browned face so reminiscent of a withered baby, and the little blue eyes staring out under the dusty forelock. Then he grunted, and going up to him, laid a hand on his shoulder. "_Your_ heart's all right, my lad, but you can't pass." The little cowman looked at him, turned, and went straight out. An hour later he sat again beside the farmer on the way home, staring before him and jolting up and down. "They won't get me," he said suddenly: "I can fight, but I'se not goin'." A fire of resentment seemed to have been lit within him. That evening he ate his tea, and next day settled down again among his beasts. But whenever, now, the war was mentioned, he would look up with his puckered smile which seemed to have in it a resentful amusement, and say: "They a'nt got me yet." His dumb sacrifice passing their comprehension, had been rejected--or so it seemed to him He could not understand that they had spared him. Why! He was as good as they! His pride was hurt. No! They should not get him now! 1916. VIII THE PEACE MEETING Colin Wilderton, coming from the West on his way to the Peace Meeting, fell in with John Rudstock, coming from the North, and they walked on together. After they had commented on the news from Russia and the inflation of money, Rudstock said abruptly: "We shall have a queer meeting, I expect." "God knows!" answered Wilderton.