The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.

There were only three courses, and Mr.Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.

Nor was he only in the Volunteers; he was actually in training to some extent, and the war had at any rate done him good.

His wife was not dressed for dinner either; she had just come in from a war committee of some sort.

A solitary maid waited on them, and they had already given up fires in the dining-room.
Not that Mr.Lessing's income had appreciably diminished, but, quite honestly, he and his were out to win the war.