-

He kicked at a twig that lay in his path, and recalled the wonderful
regiments that he had seen march past the Kaiser only three months ago.
Who was going to stop that mighty empire? Effeminate France? Insular,
ease-loving England?

Passing the stables, he started nervously at hearing his name spoken.

'Good-evening, Mr. Selwyn. It's pleasant out o' doors, sir.'

It was Mathews, the head-groom of the Durwents.

'Yes,' said the American, pausing, 'very pleasant.'

'It looks sort of as if we was going to 'ave some ditherin's wi' Germany,
Mr. Selwyn.'

'It does. I don't see how war can be averted now.'

'It's funny Mister Malcolm ain't 'ome yet, sir. Has 'is moberlizin'
orders came?'

'There's a War Office telegram in the house. I suppose his instructions
are in it.'

The groom shook his head and swung philosophically on his heels. He was
a broad-faced man of nearly fifty, with an honest simplicity of
countenance and manner engendered of long service where master and man
live in a relation of mutual confidence. He sucked meditatively at a
corn-cob pipe, and Selwyn, changing his mind about a cigar, produced a
case from his pocket.

'Have one, Mathews?' he asked.

'No, thank 'ee, sir. I'm a man o' easy-goin' 'abits, and likes me old
pipe and me old woman likewise, both being sim'lar and the same.'

With which profound thought he drew a long breath of smoke and sent it on
the air, to follow his philosophy to whatever place words go to.

'If Germany and us puts on the gloves,' ruminated Mathews, 'I'll be real
sorry Mas'r Dick ain't 'ere. He's a rare lad, 'e is--one o' the right
breed, and no argifyin' can prove contrariwise. I always was fond o'
Mas'r Dick, I was, since 'e was so high, and used to come in 'ere and ask
me to learn 'im how to swear proper like a groom. Ah, a fine lad 'e was;
and--criky!--'e were a lovely sight on a hoss. Mister Malcolm 'e's a
fine rider hisself, but just a little stiff to my fancy, conseckens o'
sittin' up on parade with them there Hussars o' hisn. But Mas'r Dick--he
were part o' the hoss, he were, likewise and sim'lar.'

Selwyn nodded and smoked in silence. He was rather glad to have run into
the garrulous groom. The steady stream of inelegant English helped to
ease the torture of his mind.

'Has milord said anything about the hosses, Mr. Selwyn?'

'No. What do you mean?'

'Nothing much, sir, excep' that it's just what you can expeck from a
gen'l'man l