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They were stout young men of the middle thirties, clean-shaven and

ruddy They had served their country in the late War, and had made

many sacrifices to the common cause One had worn uniform and one had

not Joe had occupied some mysterious office which per of the insignia of captain, but

had forbidden him to leave his native land The other had earned a

little decoration with a very big title as a buyer of boots for Allied

nations Both had subscribed largely to War Stock, and a reminder of

their devotion to the cause of liberty was placed to their credit every

half-year

But for these, ith its horrific incidents, its late hours, its

berths could not

be had for love or money, its food cards and stateedy so poignant as to

overshadow that breathless terrifying moment when peace had come and

found the firo stea stock which had lived

light-headedly in the airy spaces, falling deflated on the floor of the

house

The Fairy Line was not a large line It was, in truth, a sht have been purchased for two hundred thousand pounds, and

nearly was To-day it ht be acquired for one hundred and fifty

thousand pounds, and yet it wasn't