that I knew of the finer qualities of the Germans; the frugal
simplicity, the tenderness, the proud, stiff rectitude. He and I felt
for each other, I think, something of the humorous friendliness of the
men in the opposing trenches. Chance had cast us on different sides of
the matter. But when I felt tempted to see red, to condemn the Germans
_en masse_, to chant litanies of hate, I used to go down to the
drugstore for tobacco or a mug of chocolate. Rhubarb and I would argue
it out.

But that was a hard winter for him. The growing anti-German sentiment in
the neighbourhood reduced his business considerably. Then he was worried
over Minna. Often she did not appear in the evenings, and he would
explain that she had gone to bed. I was all the more surprised to meet
her one very snowy Sunday afternoon, sloshing along the road in the
liquid mire, the little dog squattering sadly behind, her small black
paws sliding on the ice-crusted paving. "What on earth are you doing
outdoors on a day like this?" I said.

"Fritz had to go to Brooklyn, and I thought he would be angry if Lischen
didn't get her airing."

"You take my advice and go home and get into some dry clothes," I said
severely.

Soon after that I had to go away for three weeks. I was snowbound in
Massachusetts for several days; then I had to go to Montreal on urgent
business. Julia went to the city to visit her mother while I was away,
so we had no news from Kings.

We got back late one Sunday evening. The plumbing had frozen in our