4. The German colonies to be restored.

5. The conquered parts of Mesopotamia to remain under the protection of
the British Government.

6. Poland to be declared an independent kingdom.

7. Trieste and certain portions of the Adriatic seaboard to be ceded to
Italy.

8. A world committee to be at once elected for the purpose of working
out a scheme of international disarmament.

"We must remember," Miles Furley pointed out, "that the present
Government is practically pledged not to enter into peace negotiations
with a Hohenzollern."

"That, I contend," the Bishop observed, "is a declaration which should
never have been made. Whatever may be our own feelings with regard to
the government of Germany, the Kaiser has held the nation together and
is at the present moment its responsible head. If he has had the good
sense to yield to the demands of his people, as is proved by this
document, then it is very certain that the declaration must be
forgotten. I have reason to believe, however, that even if the
negotiations have been commenced in the name of the Kaiser, an immediate
change is likely to take place in the constitution of Germany."

"Germany's new form of government, I understand," Fenn intervened, "will
be modelled upon our own, which, after the abolition of the House of
Lords, and the abnegation of the King's prerogative, will be as near the
ideal democracy as is possible. That change will be in itself our most
potent guarantee against all future wars. No democracy ever encouraged
bloodshed. It is, to my mind, a clearly proved fact that all wars are
the result of court intrigue. There will be no more of that. The passing
of monarchical rule in Germany will mean the doom of all autocracies."

There was a little sympathetic murmur. Julian, to whom Catherine had
been whispering, next asked a question.

"I suppose," he said, "that no doubt can be cast upon the authenticity
of the three signatures attached to this document?"

"That's been in my own mind, Mr. Fiske--leastwise, Mr. Orden," Phineas
Cross, the Northumbrian, remarked, from the other side of the table.
"They're up to any mortal dodge, these Germans. Are we to accept it as
beyond all doubt that this document is entirely genuine?"

"How can we do otherwise?" Fenn demanded. "Freistner, who is responsible
for it, has been in unofficial correspondence with us since the
commencement of the war. We know his handwriting, we know his character,
we've had a h