were losing their sons, she claimed to be hearing from them."
"The boys, you mean."
"Of course. I didn't pay much attention myself; had no occasion to. But Fred Halley did. His boy, Arthur—a fine fellow, he was; captain of infantry—was killed going over the top. About a month afterwards, Mrs. Stanton-Fielding wrote Fred that she was in communication with Arthur. Fred—well, Fred went to see her. He came over to the club afterwards; pretty shaky. Didn't have any lunch; went right home. Had to see his wife and tell her. I don't think that I ever saw a man more—moved in my life," Luke said thoughtfully. "You couldn't convince him, if you cared to try, that he hadn't been talking with Arthur. I heard the same thing later from George Forth, who lost his son; and Vin Parding."
"Parding?" Lucas exclaimed. He knew Parding; Vin was one of the city's most prominent lawyers and had been a judge.
"After effect of war losses, of course; as abroad," Luke said; but he continued to regard his father with more deference. The early exploits of the Cullens were replete with titles and claims established on contentions which, at the time, must have seemed ridiculous; yet Lucas—and Jaccard—had established them. They were staid, accepted precedents now, printed in law books and frequently quoted in courts. Luke determined to keep an open mind as to the results of his father and Jaccard working together again.
Lucas went to his room, still thinking deeply. He found there his wife and her bed, which she had had brought from her adjoining suite and placed beside
