_THE TOY-SHOP_The Man was leaving his own front door. On the steps he paused andlooked sombrely back. The white pillars of the facade rose before him instately fashion. They reminded him of the care he was evading for themoment, and he sighed. Though he shut his eyes determinedly, he knewthat another grim building just beyond, the usual end of his journeying,demanded him, and he sighed again. This time there was something morethan weariness in the sound.From around the corner of the house, which almost hid from view thewhite tents of the Home Guard, ran a child. He was bright-faced, andmagnificent in a miniature officer's uniform."Oh, papa-day!" he cried. "Never mind the curtains for my stage. You arealways too busy now to see my plays, anyway--!" He interrupted himselfto fling this in petulantly: "But get lots of soldiers--and one companyof cavalry. I can't get him surrounded without two more companies--andsix cannon!"