its authority over the entire vast area of British North America, and the colonial tone, on this old and irritating question, was again none of the weakest. The Home Government, even when hardly approving colonial inflexibility, felt disposed, at this particular conjuncture, to show that a colony's quarrel was their own, seeing that certain Cassandras had been predicting that the empire was to be gradually sundered for want of a thorough political union. The Imperial Government would therefore take this good opportunity of practically showing them that they were mistaken. But in despatching, for this special purpose, a full imperial regiment, to be stationed on the Dominion frontier, the susceptibilities of the United States were carefully guarded by explanatory assurances that nothing beyond this imperial formality was meant. The States accepted the assurances, but at the same time despatched a like full regiment of their own to meet the other at the frontier. This move and counter-move did not tend to mend matters, and there was free talk on both sides of even immediate levies in the rear to support each regiment.
The two regiments at length hove in sight of each other. Each had marched forward because the other was marching, and each by calculated pace to meet the other at the frontier. When within speaking distance, both sides instinctively and simultaneously halted, each ready for battle, and each grimly surveying the other. It seemed as though the slightest impetuosity or indiscretion would precipitate mortal international combat. There had been, indeed, strict injunctions to either side not to begin an attack. But this was not known until afterwards.
