fact. I told the Admiral so. We
had quite an argument about it, and I maintained that whatever the
circumstances, England had no occasion to be dragged in, and that it
would be criminal on the part of our statesmen if they allowed it.
Evidently Sir Edward Grey thinks the same. Of course you've seen that
he has proposed a Conference. He has suggested that Germany, France,
Italy, and Great Britain, who are not directly connected with the
quarrel, should meet, and settle it."

"Will Germany accept?"

"Of course she will," replied Bob confidently, "we shall soon hear that
the trouble is at an end."

"I hope you are right, but if the Kaiser holds the views expressed by
the Admiral's friend, I very much doubt it," was my rejoinder.

When we read that a Russian Cabinet Council was held, and regarded the
Austrian demands as an indirect challenge to Russia, and when we also
read that Austria, without giving Servia any chance for further
consideration, had declared war upon her, and seized certain of her
vessels which happened to be on the Danube, we began to fear trouble,
although even then we in St. Ia never seriously believed that England
would be directly implicated in it.

I am stating these things here, not that they are not known to every
one, but because they will help to make the story I am writing clearer
to the reader, especially when it reaches the later stages.

Later the news came to us that there was partial Russian mobilisation
along the Austrian frontier, and that as a consequence a Council was
held in Berlin. Of course we knew nothing of what was said in that
Council, but when we heard that Russia's partial mobilisation had
become general, we began to shudder at the gradual darkening of the
European sky.

As all the world knows now, Germany declared war on Russia on August 1,
and I remember meeting Bob outside the St. Ia post office that day.

"You see you were not right about Germany," I said. "Both France and
Italy accepted Sir Edward Grey's suggestion, and consented to join in a
Conference; but Germany refused. Nothing can be plainer than that. If
Germany had wanted peace, she could easily have secured it. Austria
would not have opposed her in any case, but she would not even join in
a Conference in order to secure peace."

Bob shook his head. "You know the reason Germany gave for refusing,"
he said.

"About the most arrogant, but the most characteristic possible. Fancy
saying that Au