"Just ordinary people?"

"Just ordinary people," he responded quietly. A few minutes later
as they entered their own street he said:

"I suppose I had better tell my wife about this to-night. I don't
know--it will be in the morning papers; but I think I had better
break it to her to-night."

"She will have to know--sometime--of course----"

Halting at the foot of the stoop he turned and peered through his
glasses at his sister-in-law.

"I don't want Stephen to start any nonsense about going."

"Going where?" she asked innocently.

He hesitated: "I don't want to hear any talk from him about
enlisting. That is what I mean. Your influence counts with him
more deeply than you know. Remember that."

"Steve--_enlist_!" she repeated blankly.

She could not yet comprehend what all this had to do with people
she personally knew--with her own kin.

"He must not enlist, of course," she said curtly. "There are
plenty of soldiers--there will be plenty, of course. I----"