"Ma, I've enlisted," he had said to her diffidently.

There was a short silence.

"The Lord's will be done, Henry," she had finally replied, and had then continued to milk the brindle cow.
When he had stood in the doorway with his soldier's clothes on his back, and with the light of excitement and expectancy in his eyes almost defeating the glow of regret for the home bonds, he had seen two tears leaving their trails on his mother's scarred cheeks.
Still, she had disappointed him by saying nothing whatever about returning with his shield or on it.

He had privately primed himself for a beautiful scene.

He had prepared certain sentences which he thought could be used with touching effect.