was
in Vienna the day Austria-Hungary declared war upon Servia, thus setting
the torch that lighted the general conflagration. Returning westward, he
reached Munich the day Germany declared war upon Russia. He remained in
Germany nearly a month, having witnessed in turn the Austrian and German
mobilizations, and then arrived in England in time to see the gathering
of the British Empire's armed hosts.

He was also, upon his return, in Quebec when the greatest colony of the
British was rallying to their support. Such an experience at such an
extraordinary crisis makes ineffaceable impressions, and through his
characters, the author has striven his best to reproduce them in these
three romances.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I. THE SISTINE MADONNA
CHAPTER II. THE THUNDERBOLT
CHAPTER III. THE REFUGE
CHAPTER IV. THE THRILLING ESCAPE
CHAPTER V. THE FIGHT IN THE BLUE
CHAPTER VI. ABOVE THE STORM
CHAPTER VII. THE ZEPPELIN
CHAPTER VIII. THE FRENCH DEFENSE
CHAPTER IX. THE RIDE OF THREE
CHAPTER X. THE DRAGONS OF THE AIR
CHAPTER XI. THE ARMORED CAR
CHAPTER XII. THE ABANDONED CHATEAU
CHAPTER XIII. ON THE ROOF
CHAPTER XIV. THE GERMAN HOST
CHAPTER XV. THE GIANT GUN

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"Their careering machine made but a single target while they could fire
into the pursuing mass."

"A second shot came presently from the forty-two centimeter."

"Overhead the aeroplanes swooped lower and lower, like gigantic birds."

"A vast red whirlwind in which the faces of men shone and steel
glittered."

THE GUNS OF EUROPE

CHAPTER I

THE SISTINE MADONNA

John turned a little to the left, going nearer to the window, where he
could gain a better view of the Madonna, which he had heard so often was
the most famous picture in the world. He was no technical judge of
painting--he was far too young for such knowledge--but he always
considered the effect of the whole upon himself, and he was satisfied
with that method, feeling perhaps that he gained more from it than if he
had been able to tear the master-work to pieces, merely in order to see
how Raphael had made it.

"Note well, John, that this is the Sistine Madonna," began William Anson
in his didactic, tutorial tone. "Observe the wonderful expression upon
the face of the Holy Mother. Look now at the cherubs gazing up into the
blue vault, in which the Madonna like an angel is poised. Behold the
sublime artist's mastery of every detail. The