The Major [41]
inferior in any particular to a woman. But we must be going. I am so glad you are home again, dear," she said, turning to Kathleen. "We shall hope to see a great deal of you. Thank you for the delightful lunch. It was so good of you to have us."
"Yes, indeed," added the young man. "You saved my life. I had just about reached the final stage of exhaustion. I, too, hope to see you again very soon and often, for you know we must finish that discussion and settle that question."
"What question is that," inquired his sister, "if I may ask?"
"Oh, the old question," said her brother, "the eternal question-- war."
"I suppose," said Nora, "Kathleen has been giving you some of her peace talk. I want you to know, Mr. Romayne, that I don't agree with her in the least, and I am quite sure you don't either."
"I am not so sure of that," replied the young man. "We have not finished it out yet. I feel confident, however, that we shall come to an agreement on it."
"I hope not," replied Nora, "for in that case you would become a pacifist, for Kathleen, just like mother, you know, is a terrible peace person. Indeed, our family is divided on that question-- Daddy and I opposed to the rest. And you know pacifists have this characteristic, that they are always ready to fight."
"Yes," said her sister. "We are always ready to fight for peace. But do not let us get into that discussion now. I shall walk with you a little way."
Arm in arm she and Mrs. Waring-Gaunt walked down the steep trail, Mr. Romayne following behind, leading the horses. As they walked together, Mrs. Waring-Gaunt talked to the girl of her brother.
"You know he was in the Diplomatic Service, went in after the South African War, and did awfully well there in the reconstruction work, was very popular with the Boers, though he had fought them in the war. He got to know their big men, and some of them are really big men. As a matter of fact, he became very fond of them and helped the Government at Home to see things from their point of view. After that he went to the Continent, was in Italy for a while and then in Germany, where, I believe, he did very good work. He saw a good deal of the men about the Kaiser. He loathed the Crown Prince, I believe, as most of our people there do. Suddenly he was recalled. He refused, of course, to talk about it, but I understand there was some sort of a row. I believe he lost his temper with some exalted personage. At any rate, he was recalled, chucked the whole service, and came out here. He felt awfully cut up about it. And now he has no faith in the German Government, says they mean war. He's awfully keen on preparation and that sort of thing. I thought I would just tell you, especially since I heard you had been discussing war with him."
As they neared the Switzer place they saw a young man standing on the little pier which jutted out into the stream with a pike-pole in his hand, keeping the logs from jambing at the turn.
"It's Ernest Switzer," cried Kathleen. "I have not seen him for ever so long. How splendidly he is looking! Hello, Ernest!" she cried, waving her hand and running forward to meet him, followed by the critical eyes of Jack Romayne.
The young man came hurrying toward her. "Kathleen!" he cried. "Is it really you?" He threw down his pole as he spoke and took her hand in both of his, the flush on his fair face spreading to the roots of his hair.
"You know Mrs. Waring-Gaunt," said Kathleen to him, for he paid no attention at all to the others. Mrs. Waring-Gaunt acknowledged Switzer's heel clicks, as also did her brother when introduced.
"You have been keeping the logs running, Ernest, I see. That is very good of you," said Kathleen.
"Yes, there was the beginning of a nice little jamb here," said Switzer. "They are running right enough now. But when did you return?" he continued, dropping into a confidential tone and turning his back upon the others. "Do you know I have not seen you for nine months?"
"Nine months?" said Kathleen. "I was away seven
"Yes, indeed," added the young man. "You saved my life. I had just about reached the final stage of exhaustion. I, too, hope to see you again very soon and often, for you know we must finish that discussion and settle that question."
"What question is that," inquired his sister, "if I may ask?"
"Oh, the old question," said her brother, "the eternal question-- war."
"I suppose," said Nora, "Kathleen has been giving you some of her peace talk. I want you to know, Mr. Romayne, that I don't agree with her in the least, and I am quite sure you don't either."
"I am not so sure of that," replied the young man. "We have not finished it out yet. I feel confident, however, that we shall come to an agreement on it."
"I hope not," replied Nora, "for in that case you would become a pacifist, for Kathleen, just like mother, you know, is a terrible peace person. Indeed, our family is divided on that question-- Daddy and I opposed to the rest. And you know pacifists have this characteristic, that they are always ready to fight."
"Yes," said her sister. "We are always ready to fight for peace. But do not let us get into that discussion now. I shall walk with you a little way."
Arm in arm she and Mrs. Waring-Gaunt walked down the steep trail, Mr. Romayne following behind, leading the horses. As they walked together, Mrs. Waring-Gaunt talked to the girl of her brother.
"You know he was in the Diplomatic Service, went in after the South African War, and did awfully well there in the reconstruction work, was very popular with the Boers, though he had fought them in the war. He got to know their big men, and some of them are really big men. As a matter of fact, he became very fond of them and helped the Government at Home to see things from their point of view. After that he went to the Continent, was in Italy for a while and then in Germany, where, I believe, he did very good work. He saw a good deal of the men about the Kaiser. He loathed the Crown Prince, I believe, as most of our people there do. Suddenly he was recalled. He refused, of course, to talk about it, but I understand there was some sort of a row. I believe he lost his temper with some exalted personage. At any rate, he was recalled, chucked the whole service, and came out here. He felt awfully cut up about it. And now he has no faith in the German Government, says they mean war. He's awfully keen on preparation and that sort of thing. I thought I would just tell you, especially since I heard you had been discussing war with him."
As they neared the Switzer place they saw a young man standing on the little pier which jutted out into the stream with a pike-pole in his hand, keeping the logs from jambing at the turn.
"It's Ernest Switzer," cried Kathleen. "I have not seen him for ever so long. How splendidly he is looking! Hello, Ernest!" she cried, waving her hand and running forward to meet him, followed by the critical eyes of Jack Romayne.
The young man came hurrying toward her. "Kathleen!" he cried. "Is it really you?" He threw down his pole as he spoke and took her hand in both of his, the flush on his fair face spreading to the roots of his hair.
"You know Mrs. Waring-Gaunt," said Kathleen to him, for he paid no attention at all to the others. Mrs. Waring-Gaunt acknowledged Switzer's heel clicks, as also did her brother when introduced.
"You have been keeping the logs running, Ernest, I see. That is very good of you," said Kathleen.
"Yes, there was the beginning of a nice little jamb here," said Switzer. "They are running right enough now. But when did you return?" he continued, dropping into a confidential tone and turning his back upon the others. "Do you know I have not seen you for nine months?"
"Nine months?" said Kathleen. "I was away seven