hear what he's got to say about the war. You told me this morning
he was sound in the faith.'

'I said no such thing,' said Mr Amos. 'As ye ken well, Tam
Norie, I don't judge soundness on that matter as you judge it. I'm
for the war myself, subject to certain conditions that I've often
stated. I know nothing of Mr Brand's opinions, except that he's a
good democrat, which is more than I can say of some o' your
friends.'

'Hear to Andra,' laughed Mr Norie. 'He's thinkin' the inspector
in the Socialist State would be a waur kind of awristocrat then the
Duke of Buccleuch. Weel, there's maybe something in that. But
about the war he's wrong. Ye ken my views, boys. This war was
made by the cawpitalists, and it has been fought by the workers,
and it's the workers that maun have the ending of it. That day's
comin' very near. There are those that want to spin it out till
Labour is that weak it can be pit in chains for the rest o' time.
That's the manoeuvre we're out to prevent. We've got to beat the
Germans, but it's the workers that has the right to judge when the
enemy's beaten and not the cawpitalists. What do you say, Mr Brand?'

Mr Norie had obviously pinned his colours to the fence, but he
gave me the chance I had been looking for. I let them have my
views with a vengeance, and these views were that for the sake of
democracy the war must be ended. I flatter myself I put my case
well, for I had got up every rotten argument and I borrowed
largely from Launcelot Wake's armoury. But I didn't put it too
well, for I had a very exact notion of the impression I wanted to
produce. I must seem to be honest and in earnest, just a bit of a