at your master desires peace above all things," he said.
"Let me see what our intelligence department has to say. Since the day
of my accession to the throne you have concentrated within twenty
miles of my frontier nearly thirty thousand men. Day by day this work
of moving up troops has been going on. Last week trains were running
all night to Bekal with war material and arms. What does this mean,
Effenden Pascha?"

The Turk was dumfounded. The King's gaze was keen and close. He
visibly faltered.

"Your Majesty's intelligence department has magnified a few harmless
movements of troops," he said. "We have internal troubles in the
northern provinces which require strong garrisons."

"But not thirty thousand men, Effenden Pascha," the King said.

The Turk bowed.

"With your permission," he said, "I will now go and lay before the
Sultan, my master, your explanation of the Bekal incident."

"We shall ourselves," the King answered, "be requiring an explanation
of that unprovoked attack upon our territory."

The Turk bowed and withdrew. The three men were left alone.

"The situation is fairly clear, I think," the King said. "Turkey is to
be Russia's catspaw--we are to be the chestnuts. One great point is in
our favour. The onus of an unprovoked invasion must rest with Turkey.
Brand will see the facts correctly stated in the English and American
papers. We had better send to the barracks at once, Reist, for the
General, and hold a council of war."

There followed an hour's anxious consultation. Then the King, without
any attendant, as was his custom, left the Palace by the side
entrance, and amidst the respectful salutations of the passers by
walked across to the villa which Mr. Van Decht had rented. Mr. Van
Decht and Sara were sitting in the garden. He accepted the chair they
offered him, and lit a cigar mechanically.

"Mr. Van Decht," he said, abruptly, "I regret exceedingly that I have
encouraged you to make investments in my country. I did it for the
best. It was for the advantage of my people, and I hoped for yours. I
told you of the one risk. I fear that it has come to pass."

Mr. Van Decht was unmoved. Sara turned upon him breathlessly.

"Do you mean war?" she exclaimed.

He nodded.

"It seems that our great neighbours," he said, "resent our
independence. Our chief enemy is Russia. In pursuance, I am convinced,
of a secret understanding with her, Turkey is on the point of
declaring war upon us."

"The