"Telling's knowing," said Jane, but without smiling.

CHAPTER XV

A SUDDEN PROPOSAL

War was declared against Germany on that fateful day in August; the
blow had fallen at last, the nations of the earth were about to measure
their millions, and England was unprepared. There was no doubt about
the strength of feeling in Britain; every man was for war, with the
exception of a few cranks and peacemongers, many of them little better
than traitors to their country.

There was a call to arms; it echoed, reverberated, throughout the land;
and never was such a voluntary response by any nation. There is little
need to write about it; everybody knows how "Kitchener's chaps" rolled
up in thousands, to their everlasting honor. By their response they
showed the spirit of the nation, roused at last to a sense of horrible
danger. Throughout the land there were martial sounds--the hum of
camps, the tramp of men, the clang of horses' hoofs, the rattle of war
department wagons. Before people had time to rub their eyes and become
wide awake, an army had landed in France, eager to help gallant little
Belgium, and stop the rush of the enemy's vast hordes.

The Sherwoods were mustered in Trent Park. A noble array they made,
splendid men, well mounted and equipped, eager to get at the foe.
Captain Alan Chesney was with them, his house the headquarters of the
regiment. They had not to wait long; they were in luck's way, one of
the first cavalry regiments ordered to the front.

Alan, busy preparing for his departure, had barely a minute to spare,
but he made time to call on a few friends, and Eve Berkeley was one of
the last. He rode to The Forest in uniform, looking every inch a
soldier. He stood in the room waiting for her, his fingers drummed
impatiently on the mantelpiece; he wanted to be away, the fighting
spirit of the soldier was roused again when he put on khaki. He longed
for war--and the front.

For some years he had been a peace soldier, spending money freely,
having plenty of spare time, although he was never a laggard and loved
the drill and discipline. Now it was different; they were off to the
front, where the battle already raged furiously and danger threatened
France, as in the former war and from the same source, with many times
the strength.

Eve came in. She looked at her best. She knew he was coming and had
been thinking of him. There was danger ahead for the man she loved; it
was possible