“Comehere，Papa！“criedPatricia。“Letuswaithere。Thereissomethingcomingupthestreet。“
“Butwhatisit？“askedDr。Templeton。“Doesanybodyknow？“
“Iguessitisastrikers’parade，sir。Iheardthattheyweretoorganiseamarch-outto-night。Itisratheraridiculousthing。“
Throughthedeepeningtwilighttheycouldseeattheheadofthecolumnandimmediatelybeforetheband，adoubleplatoonofyounggirlsdressedinwhite，underthecommandofanofficerdistinguishedfromtheothersbyherredsash，allmarchingwithabeautifulprecisiontothetapofthedrum。Astheheadofthecolumndrewopposite，PatriciatouchedVic’sarm。
“Vic！“shecried。“Look！Lookatthatgirl！ItisAnnette！“
“Myaunt！Soitis！“criedVic。“Jove！Whatapictureshemakes！
Whataswing！“
Behindthatswingingcompanyofgirlscametheband，marchingtothetappingofthedrumonly。Thenafteraspacecameafigure，pathetic，arresting，moving——awoman，obviouslyaworkman’swife，ofmiddleage，grey，workworn，andcarryingababeofafewmonthsinherarms，marchedalone。Plainlydressed，hergreyheadbare，shewalkedproudlyerectbutwithevidentsignsofweariness。Theappearanceofthatlone，weary，grey-hairedwomanandherhelplessbabestruckhardupontheheartwithitspoignantappeal，chokingmen’sthroatsandbringinghottearstowomen’seyes。Followingthatlonelyfigurecameonewhowasapparentlytheofficerincommandofthecolumn。Ashecameoppositethegate，hiseyefelluponthegroupthere。Swiftlyheturnedabout，and，likeatrumpet，hisvoicerangoutincommand:
“Ba-t-t-a-a-lion，halt！！R-r-r-i-g-h-tturn！“
Immediatelythewholecolumncametoahaltandfacedtowardthesideofthestreetwherestoodthegroupwithintheshadowofthegate。
“IamgoingtogetAnnette，“saidPatriciatoherfather，andshedartedoff，returningalmostimmediatelywiththeleaderofthegirls’squad。
“Whatdoesthismean，Annette？Whatareyoudoing？Itisagreatlark！“criedPatricia。
“Well，itisnotexactlyalark，“answeredAnnette，withaslightlaugh。“Yousee，wegirlswanttohelpouttheboys。Wearestrikers，too，youknow。Theyaskedustotakepartintheparade，andhereweare。Butit’sgotawaypastbeingalark，“shecontinued，hervoiceandfacegrowingstern。“Thereisalotofsufferingamongtheworkers。Iknowallmymoneyhasgone，“sheadded，afteramoment，withagaylaugh。
Meantime，theofficercommandingthecolumnhadspokenafewwordstotheleaderoftheband，andinresponse，tothesurpriseanddismayofthevenerableDoctor，thebandstruckupthatrollickingairassociatedwiththetime-honouredchorus，“ForHe’saJollyGoodFellow。“Thenallstoodsilent，gazingattheDoctor，who，muchembarrassed，couldonlygazebackinreturn。
“Papa，dear，“saidAdrien，whowithHughMaynardhadjoinedthematthegate，“youwillhavetospeaktothem。“
“Speaktothem，mydear？WhatintheworldcouldIsay？Ihavenothingtosaytothem。“
“Oh，butyoumust，Papa！Justthankthem。“
“Andtellthemyouareallforthem，Daddy！“addedPatriciaimpulsively。
ThentheoldDoctor，buttoninghiscoattightlyabouthimanddrawinghimselferect，said:
“Rupert，pleaserunyourcarouttotheroad。Thankyou。“
Mountingthecar，hestoodwaitingquietlytillthecheeringhaddieddownintosilence，hisbeautiful，noble，saintlyfacelitwiththefaintglowthatstillcamefromthewesternskybutmorewiththeinnerlightthatshinesfromasoulfilledwithhighfaithinGodandcompassionforman。
“Gentlemen——“hebegan。
“Ladies，too，Papa，“saidPatriciainaclearundertone。
“Ah！“correctedtheDoctor。“LadiesandGentlemen:“whilealaughrandowntheline。“Onegenerallybeginsaspeechwiththewords’Iamgladtoseeyouhere。’ThesewordsIcannotsaythisevening。Iregretmoredeeplythanyoucanunderstandtheoccasionofyourbeinghereatall。AndinthisregretIknowthatyouallshare。ButIamgladthatIcansayfrommyheartthatIfeelhonouredbyanddeeplymovedbythecomplimentyouhavejustpaidmethroughyourband。Icouldwish，indeed，thatIwasthe’jollygoodfellow’youhavesaid，butasIlookatyouIconfessIamanythingbut’jolly。’Ihavebeenintoomanyofyourhomesduringthelastthreeweekstobejolly。Thesimpletruthis，Iamdeeplysaddenedand，whateverbetherightsorwrongs，andallfair-mindedmenwillagreethattherearerightsandwrongsonbothsides，myheartgoesoutinsympathytoallwhoaresufferingandanxiousandfearfulforthefuture。Iwilltrytodomybesttobringaboutabetterunderstanding。“
“Weknowthat，sir，“shoutedavoice。“Yedoneyerbest。“
“ButsofarIandthoselabouringwithmehavefailed。Butsurely，surely，wiseandreasonablemencanfindbeforemanydaysasolutionfortheseproblems。Andnowletmebegyourleaderstobepatientalittlelonger，tobanishangryandsuspiciousfeelingsandtobewillingtofollowthelight。Iseethatmanyofyouaresoldiers。Toyoumyheartgoesoutwithaloveastrueasifyouweremyownsons，foryouwerethecomradesofmyson。LetmeappealtoyoutopreserveunbrokenthatfinespiritofcomradeshipthatmadetheCanadianArmywhatitwas。Andletmeassureyouallthat，howeverourweakanderringhumanheartsmayfailandcomeshort，thegreatheartoftheEternalFatherisunchanginginItsloveandpityforusall。Meantime，believeme，Ishallneverceasetolabourandpraythatverysoonpeacemaycometousagain。“Then，liftinghishandsoverthemwhilethemenuncovered，hesaidabriefprayer，closingwiththeapostolicblessing。
Startledattheburstofcheeringwhichfollowedshortlyaftertheconclusionoftheprayer，thebabebrokeintoloudcrying。Vainlythewearymothersoughttoquietherchild，sheherselfwell-nighexhaustedwithhermarch，beinghardlyabletostanderect。
SwiftlyAdriensprangfromthecarandranouttoher。
“Letmecarrythebabe，“shecried，takingthechildinherarms。
“Comeintothecarwithme。“
“No，“saidthewomanfiercely。“Iwillgothroughwithit。“Butevenasshespokesheswayeduponherfeet。
Withgentleinsistence，however，Adriencaughtherarmandforcedhertowardthecar。
“Iwillnotleavethem，“saidthewomanstubbornly。
“Speaktoher，Annette，“saidAdrien。“Shecannotwalk。“
“Mrs。Egan，“saidAnnette，comingtoher，“itwillbequiteallrighttogointhecar。Itwillbeallthebetter。Thinkofthefineparadeitwillmake。“
But，stillprotesting，theoldwomanhungback，crying，“Letmego！
Iwillgothrough！“
“Surething！“criedPatricia。“Wewilltakeyoualong。Where’sRupert？“
ButRupert，furiousanddisgusted，hungbackintheshadow。
“Here，Vic！“criedPatricia。“Youtakethewheel！“
“Delighted，Iamsure！“criedVic，climbingintotheseat。“Getinhere，Patsy。Allset，Colonel，“headded，salutingtotheofficerincommandoftheparade，andagainthecolumnbrokeintocheeringastheymovedofftothetapofthedrum，Rupert’selegantHudsonSixtakingaplaceimmediatelyfollowingtheband。
“AllmylifeIhavelongedforthespotlight，“murmuredVictohiscompanion，adelightedgrinonhisface。“Butonecanhavetoomuchofagoodthing。And，withWellington，IamprayingthatnightmaycomebeforeIreachthehauntsofmycomradesinarms。“
“Why，Vic，doyoucare？“criedPatricia。“NotI！AndIthinkitwasjustsplendidofAdrien！“
“Oh，topping！ButdidyouseethegentleRupert’sface？Oh，itwassimplypriceless！Fancythissacredcarleadingastrikers’
parade。“AndVic’sbodyshookwithdelightedchuckles。
“Don’tlaugh，Vic！“saidPatricia，layingherhanduponhisarm。
“Theladybehindwillseeyou。“
“Steadyitis，“saidVic。“ButIfeelasifIweretheelephantinthecircus。Isay，canweexecuteaflankmovement，ormustwegothroughtothebitterend？“
“Adrien，“saidPatricia，“doyouthinkthisnightairisgoodforthebaby？“
“Weshallgoonabityet，“saidAdrien。“Mrs。EganisverytiredandIamsurewillwanttogohomepresently。“
ButMrs。Eganwasbeginningtorecoverherstrengthand，indeed，toenjoythenewdistinctionofridinginacar，andinthishighcompany。
“No，“shesaid，“Imustgothrough。“Shehadthelookandtoneofamartyr。“Theychoseme，yousee，andImustgothrough！“
“Oh，verywell，“saidAdriencheerfully。“Weshalljustgoalong，Vic。“
Throughthemainstreetsofthetowntheparademarchedandcountermarchedtill，inasudden，theyfoundthemselvesinfrontoftheMcGinnisfoundry。Beforethegateinthehighboardfencewhichenclosedtheproperty，asmallcrowdhadgathered，whichgreetedthemarchingcolumnwithuproariouscheers。Fromthecompanyatthegateamanrushedforwardandspokeeagerlytotheofficerincommand。
“ByJove，there’sTony！“saidVic。“AndthatchapMcDonough。Whatdoesthismean？“
AfterabriefconversationwithTony，whoapparentlywaspassionatelypressinghisopinion，theofficershookhisheadandmarchedsteadilyforward。SuddenlyTony，climbinguponthefence，threwuphishandand，pointingtowardthefoundry，shoutedforththesingleword，“Scabs！“Instantlythecolumnhalted。AgainTony，inayell，utteredthesameword，“Scabs！“Fromhundredsofthroatstherewasanansweringroar，savage，bloodthirstyasfromapackofwildbeasts。Tonywavedhishandforsilence。
“Scabs！“hecriedagain。“McGinnisstrike-breakers！Theycameto-
night。Theyareinthere！“Heswunghisarmaroundandpointedtothefoundry。“Shallwegivethemawelcome？Whatdoyousay，boys？“Againandmorefiercelythanbefore，moreterriblycruel，cametheansweringroar。
“Here，thisisnoplaceforyou！“criedVic。“Let’sgetout。“Athistouchthemachineleapedforward，clearofthecrowd。
“Annette！“criedAdrien，herhandonVic’sshoulder。“Goandgether！“
Haltingthecar，Vicleapedfromthewheel，rantowherethegirls’
squadwashaltedandcaughtAnnettebythearm。
“Annette，“hesaid，“getyourgirlsawayfromherequick！Comewithus！“
ButAnnettelaughedscornfullyathim。
“Gowithyou？NotI！But，“sheaddedinabreathlessundertone，“forGod’ssake，getyourladiesandthebabyaway。Thesepeoplewon’tknowwhoyouare。Movequick！“
“Comewithus，Annette！“imploredVic。“Ifyoucome，therestwillfollow。“
“Go！Go！“criedAnnette，pushinghim。Alreadythecrowdweretearingthefencetopieceswiththeirhands，androckswerebeginningtofly。
Failingtomovethegirl，Vicsprangtothewheelagain。
“Iwillgetyouawayfromthis，anyway，“hesaid。
“ButAnnette！“criedPatricia。“Wecan’tleaveher！“
ButVicmadenoreply，andathistouchthemachineleapedforward，andnonetoosoon，foralreadymenwerecrowdingaboutthecaroneveryside。
“Wearewelloutofthat！“saidViccoolly。“AndnowIwilltakeyouallhome。Hello！They’remessingupMcGinnis’sthingsabit，“
headded，asthesoundofcrashingglasscametotheirears。
Throughthequietstreetsthecarflewlikeahuntedthing，andinaveryfewminutestheywereattheRectorydoor。
“Nofuss，now，Patricia，“saidAdrien。“wemustnotalarmMamma。
Allsteady。“
“Rightyouare！Steadyitis！“saidPatriciaspringingfromthecar。Quietlybutswiftlytheygotthewomanandthechildindoors。
“Hugh！Rupert！“saidAdrien，speakinginaquietvoice。“Vicneedsyououtthere。Thatisawildcarofyours，Rupert，“sheaddedwithalaugh。“Itfairlyflies。“Gatheringinherhandsthemen’shatsandsticks，shehurriedthemoutofthedoor。
“Cheerio！“criedVic。“AlovelywarisgoingondownattheMcGinnisplant。Getinandletusplanacampaign。First，toPoliceHeadquarters，Isuppose。“AstheyflewthroughthestreetsVicgavetheminafewwordsapictureofthesceneshehadjustwitnessed。
TheyfoundtheChiefofPoliceinhisoffice。Attheirfirstwordhewasonthemove。
“Iwasafraidofthisthingwhenthatfoolparadestarted，“hesaid。“Sergeant，sendoutthegeneralalarm！“
“Howmanymenhaveyou，Chief？“inquiredHugh。
“Abouttwenty-five，alltold。Buttheyarealloverthetown。Howmanymenaredownthere？“
“Therearefivehundred，atleast；possiblyathousand，raginglikewildbullsofBashan。“
Ashespoke，anothercarcametearingupandJackMaitlandsprangfromthewheel。
