lady seniors, now separated from me by intervening and rapidly
increasing miles, I was rent by conflicting emotions until reason
tottered on her throne.

Anon I recovered myself, and the intellectual activity habitual to the
trained mind succeeded the coma of shock. I asked this: "When will there
be another train for the coast?" With many shrugs the landlord answered
that conditions were unsettled--as we knew; schedules were disarranged.
There might be a train to-night, to-morrow, or the day after--who could
say? Meantime he felt that it was his duty to warn us to prepare for a
visit by a joint representation of the civic and military authorities.
Rumours of the presence of spies in the employ of the Germans filled the
town. It was believed that one miscreant was even then in the place
seeking an opportunity to destroy the public buildings and the railroad
terminal with bombs or other devilish machines. Excitement was intense.
Aliens were to be put under surveillance and domiciliary search had been
ordered. It was even possible that all strangers might be arrested on
suspicion and detained for further investigation.

Arrested! Detained! His words sent a cold chill into the very marrow of
my being. Innocent of all evil intent though I was, I now recalled that
on the day before, while in mixed company, I had spoken openly--perhaps
bitterly--of the temperamental shortcomings of the French. What if my
language should be distorted, my motives misconstrued? In the present
roused and frenzied state of a proverbially excitable race the most
frightful mistakes were possible.

There was but one thing to do: I must wire our Secretary of State,
apprising him of the exact situation in Abbevilliers with particular
reference to my own plight, and strongly urging on him the advisability
of instantly ordering a fleet of American battleships to the coast of
France, there to make a demonstration in force. With me, to think has
ever been to act. I begged the landlord for pen and ink and cable blanks
and, sitting down at a convenient table, I began. However, I cannot ask
that Mr. Bryan be called to account for his failure to respond to this
particular recommendation from me, inasmuch as the cablegram was never
despatched; in fact, it was never completed, owing to a succession of
circumstances I shall next describe.

Because of an agitation that I ascribe to the intense earnestness now
dominating me I encountered some slight difficulty i