This seemed simple and inevitable through
all the blustering and bragging. England--America--did not appear to
cut any figure. They had no armies, hence they were negligible.

When the company got down to the Mecklenburg salad, the clamorous
German expatiated about it at length as he began his bustling
preparations for its manufacture.

"One of the great points of my salad is plenty of pepper." With a
flourish he grabbed the little pepper box to suit the action to the
words, and nothing came out. It was empty.

"Waiter, waiter, bring some pepper, you stupid _Kerl_. Don't you
know enough to set the table properly?"

Another pepper receptacle was brought, but it would not work. It was
stopped up.

"Gott im Himmel! waiter, you idiot, bring some _pepper_ and be quick
about it." And the swaggerer began abusing him, the inn and
inferentially men who would not wager in a social little card game.
The servitor raced in, mad and muttering, and banged down a big can
of the much desired condiment. At last, Gott sei Dank! there was
pepper by the wholesale. The salad proceeded on its troubled course.

"You like our Germany--yes?" was inserted. Kirtley assured the three
that he had had a pleasant year.

"Our Germany is a great country," explained the tall Teuton in a
high, cracked voice. "And after the war it will be a much greater
country." He was flushed with drink like the other two. The Germans
lifted their glasses again to Der Tag, and Gard, their guest, joined
in half-heartedly. There was this time an ugly firmness showing in
the demonstration that he did not fancy. He was frankly
uncomfortable. His companions did not like it because he drank
sparingly in spite of all the vehement urging.

The salad proved to be a wonderful dish, hot and strong, fit for the
iron stomach of a "blond beast." It not only bit but was
provocative. In the growing conviviality the subject leaped from
salad to cards. The winner took out his money. He began shaking it
in Gard's eyes, insisting once more on wagering it that his American
friend could not pick the card. With the _demi-tasses_ and cigars he
ordered the deck and table. He started the game, having locked out
the blockhead of a waiter and dropped the key into his own pocket.

Gard would not play. His ire was rising. The small German declared
himself mistreated. He jumped up from the table and burst out in a
tirade against shoddy Americans. This brought each man to his feet.
The deal