r."

"He is no longer in Flushing. He has left for Antwerp with the Minister
for War and the chief of the General Staff; I am told he has matters of
importance to arrange with the chief of the French General Staff."

"Have you heard anything more definite as to the nature of these
matters?"

"Only that the question of further mobilisation is to be discussed.
Apparently, however, the six army corps, which we now have on a war
footing, are thought to be enough on our side. We are not waging war by
land; why then should the burden of a further mobilisation be imposed
upon the people?"

"Certainly, the sacrifices entailed by this war are enormous without
that; trade and industry are completely ruined."

"The only gainer by this universal conflagration is America. Since the
war broke out, the United States has supplied England with everything
she used to get from the Continent."

"Well, it will all come right in the end. Now, as there seems nothing
urgent for me to do here, it is time I went to Antwerp."

. . . . . . .

Eberhard Amelungen was unable to conceal his confusion, when an officer
in the uniform of the Prussian General Staff appeared at the door of his
private office.

Amelungen was a man about sixty years of age, a typical specimen of a
substantial, respectable merchant.

"I am somewhat surprised, sir," he said in measured tones. "What can I
do for you?"

Heideck introduced himself, and without wasting words told him the
reason of his visit.

"I have reason to believe, Herr Amelungen, that you hold in your hands
some, if not all, of the chief meshes of a widespread net of espionage.
And I think it would be to your interest to tell me the whole truth of
your own accord. We know so much already that presumably it will be of
little use to you to have recourse to lies."

Amelungen played with his penholder, but his hands trembled visibly, and
words failed him. His face had turned ashy pale, and Heideck could not
help feeling sorry for him.

"I regret that my duty obliges me to proceed against you," he continued.
"I can easily understand your motives. You are a Netherlander and a
patriot, and, as perhaps you do not quite understand the political
situation, the occupation of your country by a foreign power appears to
you an act of violence, which fills you with anger and hatred against
us. Therefore I think I may promise you that you will be treated as
leniently as possible, if you make my task easy b