s, by falsehood and deceit. It's a
world of rapine still. It is only the methods which have changed--and
changed for the worse."

Brand nodded slowly.

"Listen," he said. "My chief has had an interview with one of our
Cabinet Ministers. He has listened to all he had to say, and I believe
that the state of affairs here will be fairly represented to the
English Government. But, to be frank, I am afraid there will be no
intervention from England. She may sympathize, but she will not deem
her interests sufficiently involved to interfere."

"Have you any idea," Ughtred asked, "when there will be any movement
on the part of Turkey, and what the _casus belli_ will be?"

"The blow may be struck at any moment," Brand answered. "I am afraid
my warning comes too late to afford you time for preparations."

The King smiled.

"I am not a child, my dear Brand," he said. "Sooner or later I felt
that the thing must come, and instinct seemed to tell me from what
quarter. I will let you into a secret, my friend. If the Turks raid my
three frontier villages they may possibly find themselves a little
surprised."

A smile illumined Brand's serious face.

"You'll make a fight for it, then?" he asked, eagerly.

Ughtred rose up. His eyes were lit with inward fire, and in his tone
there trembled a note of splendid passion.

"A fight for it! Ay, we shall fight in such a way, my friend, that all
Europe shall hide her face, and feel the shame of the carnage and
misery for which her miserable selfishness is responsible. There is
one thing about my people, Brand, which is divine, and, thank God, it
is in my own blood, too, notwithstanding my years of exile. We love
our country, our hills and mountains, our corn-fields and vineyards,
our villages and our queer old towns. It's a wonderful love, Brand,
and I don't believe you highly-civilized people in your rich,
smoke-stained Western countries know what it means. I tell you it's a
passion here. We Thetians love our country as we love our womenkind.
The footstep of the invader is seduction--when it comes there will be
lit such a fire of passionate hate from the Balkans to the northern
frontier that only death or victory will quench. You will see them
come to arms, Brand, these children of mine, whom God protect, young
and old, boys and their grandfathers! A fight for it, did you say? I
promise you, man, that if this blow falls, and we are conquered, you
shall come here afterwards, and you s