mpled paper from her apron pocket. I smoothed it out and
read:

"_Je viens de recevior ma feuille. Je pars de suite. Je prends les
deux francs sur la cheminee. Jean._" (I've just received my notice. Am
leaving at once. Have taken the two francs that are on the mantel.
Jean.)

I cannot say what an impression that brief but heroic note made upon me.
In my mind it has always stood as characteristic of that wonderful
national resolution to do one's duty, and to make the least possible
fuss about it.

At tea-time the male contingent of the house-party was decidedly
restless.

"Let's go up to Paris and see what's going on."

"There's no use doing that. Elizabeth Gauthier went this morning and
will be back in an hour with all the news. It's too late to go to town,
anyway!"

"Well, if things don't look better to-morrow I've got to go. My
military book is somewhere in my desk at home and it's best to have it
_en regle_ in case of necessity," said Delorme.

"Mine's at home, too," echoed our friend Boutiteron.

"We'll all go to-morrow, and make a day of it," decided H.

Just then the silhouette of the three officers on bicycles passed up the
road.

"Let's go out and ask them what's up," suggested someone.

"Pooh! Do you think they know anything more than we do? And if they do
know something, they wouldn't tell _you!_ Don't make a fool of
yourself, Hugues!"

Presently Elizabeth Gauthier arrived, placid and cool as though
everything were normal. "Paris is calm; calm as Paris always is in
August."

"But the papers? Your husband? What does he say?"

"There are no extras--Leon doesn't seem over-alarmed, though as captain
in the reserves he would have to leave within an hour after any
declaration of hostilities. He has a special mission to perform. But
he's certain of coming down by the five o'clock train to-morrow."

We went in to dinner but conversation lagged. Each one seemed
preoccupied and no one minded the long silences. We were so quiet that
the Angelus ringing at Charly, some four miles away, roused us with
something of a shock.

Saturday morning, August 1st, the carryall rolled up to the station for
the early train. All made a general rush for the papers which had just
arrived and all of us were equally horrified when a glance showed the
headline-Jaures, the Great Socialist Leader, Assassinated. Decidedly
the plot thickened and naturally we all jumped to the same conclusion--a
politica