ning paper declared the next morning. "The last and gigantic effort
of German 'frightfulness' has come and passed. London was visited before
dawn this morning by a fleet of sixteen Zeppelins and forty aeroplanes.
Seven of these former monsters lie stranded and wrecked in various parts
of the city, two are known to have collapsed in Essex, and another is
reported to have come to grief in Norfolk. Of the aeroplanes, nineteen
were shot down, and of the rest so far no news has been heard. The
damage to life and property, great though it may seem, is much less than
was expected. Such losses as we have sustained we shall bear with pride
and fortitude. We stand now more closely than ever in touch with our
gallant allies. We, too, bear the marks of battle in the heart of our
country."

Thomson paused to finish his breakfast, and abandoning the leading
article turned to a more particular account.

"The loss of life," the journal went on to say, "although regrettable,
is, so far as accounts have reached us, not large. There are thirty-one
civilians killed, a hundred and two have been admitted into hospitals,
and, curiously enough, only one person bearing arms has suffered.
We regret deeply to announce the death of a very distinguished young
officer, Captain Ronald Granet, a nephew of Sir Alfred Anselman. A bomb
passed through the roof of his house in Sackville Street, completely
shattering the apartment in which he was sitting. His servant perished
with him. The other occupants of the building were, fortunately for
them, away for the night."

The paper slipped from Thomson's fingers. He looked through the windows
of his room, across the Thames. Exactly opposite to him a fallen chimney
and four blackened walls, still smouldering, were there to remind him
of the great tragedy. He looked down at the paper again. There was no
mistake. It was the judgment of a higher Court than his!

He made his way down to the War Office at a little before ten o'clock.
The streets were crowded with people and there were throngs surrounding
each of the places where bombs had been dropped. Towards the Pall Mall
Arch the people were standing in thousands, trying to get near the wreck
of the huge Zeppelin, which completely blocked all the traffic through
St. James's Park. Thomson paused for a moment at the top of Trafalgar
Square and looked around him. The words of the newspaper were indeed
true. London had her scars, yet there was nothing in the face