"No," said Aunt Ruth; "it will be a sacred duty, and a pleasure as well; but we shall count upon your return."
"Life is uncertain with us all," was the grave reply. With that he rose and bowed. Uncle Robert left the room with him, for he had much more to say.
"I couldn't have uttered a word," exclaimed Rob, his voice still a little tremulous. "Why, it's just like a dream! There are noble and heroic men who may go to war even for the money, though I think they are a good deal sneered at,—subs, as the boys call them; but I shall never ridicule them again,—never, although bad men may do the same thing."
"It is not quite the same," subjoined Kathie.
"No, the motive makes a great difference."
Uncle Robert returned and took his seat between the children. He appeared to be invested with a new virtue in their eyes, as if he had just escaped an imminent and deadly peril. And there is something in the simplest act of chivalry that touches one's soul.
"It was so good in Mr. Morrison to think of you," Rob said, after a while.
"Yes; going farther back, I don't know but we owe it all to Kathie. If she had not thought of our trusty and efficient gardener, we should never have known his brother. The lodge has made a charming home for them, and they feel deeply grateful."
"It is worse to go away to war than I imagined," Rob continued, gravely following out his own musings.