he most incontestable proofs that all this
is a part of Germany's plans; that she has used these Sarajevo murders
as a pretext for causing European war, that she thinks we shall do
nothing, and that her ultimate plan is to crush England, and to
dominate the world."

Every one knows the thrill that went through England when war was
declared. The shadow of war had closed the Stock Exchange, and
paralysed business, but the declaration of war moved the nation to its
very depths.

Bob Nancarrow was at Penwennack when the call came to the young men of
England to rise and help their country in her need. Several young
people had met there for a tennis party, and Bob was among them.

"I'm going to send in my name," cried George Tresize. "I was in the
O.T.C. at Rugby."

"I shall join my regiment right away," said Dick quietly. "Trevanion's
gone. Of course you'll join, Bob?"

"No," replied Bob quietly, "I shall not join."

CHAPTER VI

"What!"

"Not going to join! Why, you were in the O.T.C. while you were at
Clifton! Not going to join!"

Bob's face was very pale, but he shook his head.

"You are joking, man! Haven't you read Kitchener's call? He wants
half a million men. It's said he'll need a million before long. You
can't stand out. No decent fellow can. You don't mean it!"

"Yes, I mean it."

"But why?"

"I'm afraid I couldn't make you understand."

"No, I don't think you could," and there was a sneer in George
Tresize's voice.

It happened at that moment that the girls had gone into the house, and
had not heard the conversation, but the half-dozen young men who were
there looked at Bob as though he were a kind of reptile.

"I say, Bob," said Dick Tresize, who had been always his close friend,
"you can't mean it! You are joking. Have--have you read the papers?
Have you read what led up to our being in it? Have you seen the white
paper?"

"Yes, I've read everything."

"Then you must know that the war is right."

"No war is right," was Bob's answer. "It's opposed to every law, human
and divine. How can a fellow who is trying to be a--a Christian," his
voice trembled as he spoke, "deliberately enlist for the purpose of
killing his fellow-man? If I have a quarrel with a man, and I murder
him, I am guilty of the most terrible deed a man _can_ be guilty of.
If I did it, I should be branded with the mark of Cain, and you would
shudder at the mention of my name. A nation is a combina