He had shown forethought in bringing with him a selection of illustrated newspapers.

This saved time and trouble in the matter of making the situation clear.

The knowledge which conveyed itself to Maggy and Jock produced the effect of making them even more silent than usual if such a condition were possible.

They stared fixedly and listened with respect but beyond a rare "Hech!" they had no opinion to express.

It became plain that the war was more than a mere rumour-- The lads who had been blown to bits or bayoneted! The widows and orphans that were left! Some of the youngest of the lads had lost their senses and married young things only to go off to the ill place folk called "The Front" and leave them widows in a few days' or weeks' time.