nd and was living with
her Japanese cousins. What he had thought to be a lover's quarrel, he
now recognised to be the shipwreck of two lives. With a kindly word he
might have prevented this disaster.

He drove straight to the Fujinami mansion, at the risk of being late
for the Requiem Mass. He found two evil-eyed hooligans posted at the
gate, who stopped his rickshaw, and, informing him that none of the
Fujinami family were at home, seemed prepared to resist his entry with
force.

During the reception of the Austrian Embassy which followed the
Mass, an incident occurred which altered the whole set of the young
diplomat's thoughts, and, most surprisingly, sent him posting down
to the Imperial Hotel to find Geoffrey Harrington, as one who has
discovered a treasure and must share it with his friend.

The big Englishman was contemplating a whisky-and-soda in the hall of
the hotel. It was by no means the first of its series. He gazed dully
at Reggie.

"Thought you were at Chuzenji," he said thickly.

"I had to come down for the special service for the Archduke Franz
Ferdinand," said Reggie, excitedly. "They gave us a regular wake,
champagne by the gallon! Several of the _corps diplomatique_ became
inspired! They saw visions and made prophesyings. Von Falkenturm, the
German military attache, was shouting out, 'We've got to fight. We're
going to fight! We don't care who we fight! Russia, France, England:
yes, the whole lot of them!' The man was drunk, of course; but, after,
all, _in vino veritas_. The rest of the square-heads were getting very
rattled, and at last they succeeded in suppressing Falkenturm. But, I
tell you, Geoffrey, it's coming at last; it's really coming!"

"What's coming?"

"Why, the Great War. Thank God, it's coming!"

"Why thank God?"

"Because we've all become too artificial and beastly. We want
exterminating, and to start afresh. We shall escape at last from women
and drawing-rooms and silly gossip. We shall become men. It will give
us all something to do and something to think about."

"Yes," echoed Geoffrey, "I wish I could get something to do."

"You'll get it all right. I wish I were a soldier. Are you going to
stop in Japan much longer?"

"No--going next week--going home."

"Look here, I'll put in my resignation right away, and I'll come along
with you."

"No, thanks," said Geoffrey, "rather not."

In his excitement Reggie had failed to observe the chilliness of his
friend's deme