Could he stand work at all, not only in a physical sense, but in application of mind?
He began to worry about that.
Some one hailed Lane, and he turned to recognize an old acquaintance--Matt Jones.

They walked along the street together, meeting other men who knew Lane, some of whom greeted him heartily.
Then, during an ensuing hour, he went into familiar stores and the postoffice, the hotel and finally the Bradford Inn, meeting many people whom he had known well.

The sum of all their greetings left him in cold amaze.

At length Lane grasped the subtle import--that people were tired of any one or anything which reminded them of the war.

He tried to drive that thought from lodgment in his mind.