can tell? The
papers this morning were bad. This conference at The Hague is still
unexplained. France's attitude in the matter is especially mysterious."

"I am a strong supporter of Lord Roberts," Lord Saxthorpe said, "and I
believe in the vital necessity of some scheme for national service. At
the same time, I find it hard to believe that a successful invasion of
this country is within the bounds of possibility."

"I quite agree with you, Lord Saxthorpe," Mr. Fentolin declared
smoothly. "All the same, this Hague Conference is a most mysterious
affair. The papers this morning are ominously silent about the fleet.
From the tangle of messages we have picked up, I should say, without a
doubt, that some form of mobilisation is going on in the North Sea. If
Lady Saxthorpe thinks it warm enough, shall we take our coffee upon the
terrace?"

"The terrace, by all means," her ladyship assented, rising from her
place. "What a wonderful man you are, Mr. Fentolin, with your wireless
telegraphy, and your telegraph office in the house, and telephones. Does
it really amuse you to be so modern?"

"To a certain extent, yes," Mr. Fentolin sighed, as he guided his chair
along the hall. "When my misfortune first came, I used to speculate a
good deal upon the Stock Exchange. That was really the reason I went in
for all these modern appliances."

"And now?" she asked. "What use do you make of them now?"

Mr. Fentolin smiled quietly. He looked out sea-ward, beyond the
sky-line, from whence had come to him, through the clouds, that tangle
of messages.

"I like to feel," he said, "that the turning wheel of life is not
altogether out of earshot. I like to dabble just a little in the
knowledge of these things."

Lord Saxthorpe came strolling up to them.

"You won't forget to telephone about this guest of yours?" he asked
fussily.

"It is already done," Mr. Fentolin assured him. "My dear sister, why so
silent?"

Mrs. Fentolin turned slowly towards him. She, too, had been standing
with her eyes fixed upon the distant sea-line. Her face seemed
suddenly to have aged, her forced vivacity to have departed. Her little
Pomeranian rubbed against her feet in vain. Yet at the sound of Mr.
Fentolin's voice, she seemed to come back to herself as though by magic.

"I was looking where you were looking," she declared lightly, "just
trying to see a little way beyond. So silly, isn't it? Chow-Chow, you
bad little dog, come and you shall have your