are yourself, my friend," he said. "We descend in a few minutes."

Dominey glanced out of the window.

"But where are we?" he enquired.

"Within five minutes of our destination."

"But there is not a house in sight," Dominey remarked wonderingly.

"You will be received on board His Majesty's private train," Seaman
announced. "The Kaiser, with his staff, is making one of his military
tours. We are honoured by being permitted to travel back with him as far
as the Belgian frontier."

They had come to a standstill now. A bearded and uniformed official
threw open the door of their compartment, and they stepped on to the
narrow wooden platform of a small station which seemed to have been
recently built of fresh pine planks. The train, immediately they had
alighted, passed on. Their journey was over.

A brief conversation was carried on between Seaman and the official,
during which Dominey took curious note of his surroundings. Around the
station, half hidden in some places by the trees and shrubs, was drawn
a complete cordon of soldiers, who seemed to have recently disembarked
from a military train which stood upon a siding. In the middle of it was
a solitary saloon carriage, painted black, with much gold ornamentation,
and having emblazoned upon the central panel the royal arms of Germany.
Seaman, when he had finished his conversation, took Dominey by the arm
and led him across the line towards it. An officer received them at the
steps and bowed punctiliously to Dominey, at whom he gazed with much
interest.

"His Majesty will receive you at once," he announced. "Follow me."

They boarded the train and passed along a richly carpeted corridor.
Their guide paused and pointed to a small retiring-room, where several
men were seated.

"Herr Seaman will find friends there," he said. "His Imperial Majesty
will receive him for a few minutes later. The Baron Von Ragastein will
come this way."

Dominey was ushered now into the main saloon. His guide motioned him to
remain near the entrance, and, himself advancing a few paces, stood at
the salute before a seated figure who was bending over a map, which a
stern-faced man in the uniform of a general had unrolled before him. The
Kaiser glanced up at the sound of footsteps and whispered something in
the general's ear. The latter clicked his heels together and retired.
The Kaiser beckoned Dominey to advance.

"The Baron Von Ragastein, your Majesty," the young officer murmured.