143
XV. SUNDAY NIGHT IN LONDON 153
XVI. A PERSONAL REVELATION 163
XVII. ONE STEP FORWARD 168
XVIII. THE DEAR LOAF 177
XIX. THE TRAGIC WEEK 188
XX. BLACK SATURDAY 198
XXI. ENGLAND ASLEEP 208

PART II.--THE AWAKENING

I. THE FIRST DAYS 221
II. ANCIENT LIGHTS 228
III. THE RETURN TO LONDON 237
IV. THE CONFERENCE 243
V. MY OWN PART 257
VI. PREPARATIONS 262
VII. THE SWORD OF THE LORD 271
VIII. THE PREACHERS 291
IX. THE CITIZENS 301
X. SMALL FIGURES ON A GREAT STAGE 312
XI. THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE 317
XII. BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER 330
XIII. ONE SUMMER MORNING 338
XIV. "FOR GOD, OUR RACE, AND DUTY" 343
XV. "SINGLE HEART AND SINGLE SWORD" 352
XVI. HANDS ACROSS THE SEA 360
XVII. THE PENALTY 366
XVIII. THE PEACE 374
XIX. THE GREAT ALLIANCE 383
XX. PEACE HATH HER VICTORIES 389

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE
"I SAW THAT QUEEN OF ANCIENT BRITONS AT
THE HEAD OF HER WILD, SHAGGY LEGIONS" _Frontispiece_

THE ROARING CITY 40

"RIVERS USHERED IN MISS CONSTANCE GREY" 114

"I WAS ON MY KNEES AND KISSING THE NERVELESS HAND" 212

PART I

THE DESCENT

Non his juventus orta parentibus infecit aequor sanguine
Punico.--HORACE.

THE MESSAGE

I

IN THE MAKING

"Such as I am, sir--no great subject for a boaster, I admit--you see
in me a product of my time, sir, and of very worthy parents, I
assure you."--EZEKIEL JOY.

As a very small lad, at home in Tarn Regis, I had but one close chum,
George Stairs, and he went off with his father to Canada, while I was
away for my first term at Elstree School. Then came Rugby, where I had
several friends, but the chief of them was Leslie Wheeler. Just why we
should have been close friends I cannot say, but I fanc