No railing at the Government or the war, not a fling even at the 'd----d pedant, Chicksands!' or 'The Bubbly-jocks,' as he liked to call the members of the County War Committee.

Elizabeth put a text of Aristophanes--the _Pax_--into his hands, and drew her table near to him, waiting his pleasure.

There was a lamp behind him which fell on her broad, white brow, her waiting eyes and hand, and all the friendly intelligence of her face.

The Squire began haltingly, lost his place, almost threw the book away; but she cheered him on, admired this phrase, delicately amended that, till the latent passion had gripped him, and he was soon in full swing, revelling in all the jests and topicalities of the play, where the strikers and pacifists, the profiteers, the soldiers and munition workers of two thousand odd years ago, fight and toil, prate and wrangle and scheme, as eager and as alive as their descendants of to-day.

Soon his high, tempestuous laugh rang out; Elizabeth's gentler mirth answering.