ve against three!"

For the Grays were barbarians to her and the Browns a people of a
superior civilization, a superior aristocracy, a superior professional
and farming and laboring class. There was nothing about the Browns to
Mrs. Galland that was not superior. War, that ancient popular test of
superiority in art, civilization, morals, scholarship, the grace of
woman and the manliness of man, had proved her point in the high court,
permitting of no appeal.

One man alone against the tide--rather, the man who has seen a tide
rise at his orders now finding all its sweep against him--Westerling,
accustomed to have millions of men move at his command, found himself,
one man out of the millions, still and helpless while they moved of
their own impulses.

As news of positions lost came in, he could only grimly repeat, "Hold!
Tell them to hold!" fruitlessly, like adjurations to the wind to cease
blowing. The bell of the long distance kept ringing unheeded, until at
last his aide came to say that the premier must speak either to him or
to the vice-chief. Westerling staggered to his feet and with lurching
steps went into the closet. There he sank down on the chair in a heap,
staring at the telephone mouthpiece. Again the bell rang. Clenching his
hands in a rocking effort, he was able to stiffen his spine once more as
he took down the receiver. To admit defeat to the premier--no, he was
not ready for that yet.

"The truth is out!" said the premier without any break in his voice and
with the fatalism of one who never allows himself to blink a fact.
"Telegraphers at the front who got out of touch with the staff were
still in touch with the capital. Once the reports began to come, they
poured in--decimation of the attacking column, panic and retreat in
other portions of the line--chaos!"

"It's a lie!" Westerling declared vehemently.

"The news has reached the press," the premier proceeded. "Editions are
already in the streets."

"What! Where is your censorship?" gasped Westerling.

"It is helpless, a straw protesting against a current," the premier
replied. "A censorship goes back to physical force, as every law does in
the end--to the police and the army; and all, these days, finally to
public opinion. After weeks of secrecy, of reported successes, when
nobody really knew what was happening, this sudden disillusioning
announcement of the truth has sent the public mad."

"It is your business to control the public!" comp