Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-08-23
CHAPTER VI-continued.

you do talk like German" he
told Streetman after he had blown out
a cloud of smoke.
THAT is a matter of opinion" the
other replied stiffiy.
"Yes, l think he talks like a Ger
man, too" Georgy Wagstaf chimed
in. But as we know he isn't one,
does it really matter? Go on,
gentlemen! Arguer' Sir Georges
daughter was having the time of her
young life
Here's one thing I'd like to know"
Guy put in--'where on earth is all
the blooming money to come from?"
"My dear boy, there's nothing so
elastic as national credit" his friend
from the States replied with a calm
assurance that came partly from the
speakers having, at one time in his
career, conducted the financial page
for his newspaper "Why, down in that
two-by-four affair in Mexico, one of
their weekend presidents ran out of
money; so he issued an order for fifty
thousand dollars. stuck a gun in the
other gentleman's chest, and said,
That is worth fifty thousand dollars
and 1t was"
Mrs. Falconer felt that it was hard
ly proper that the men should monopo-
lie all the conversation.
II can't believe there will really be
!. war-a great war;" she announced
Think what it would mean-absolute
barbarism! And this is the twentieth
century,"
1T would put us back a hundred
years." Sir George declared YEARLY.
He both realized and dreaded the hor-
rors that he knew must inevitably at
tend such titanic struggle as seemed
imminent
''It's too horrible to think Of" Ethel
Willoughby exclaimed with something
approaching a shudder. at doesn't
seem real that we're sitting here quite
calmly talking over even tie POSSIBLE
ity of such a thing
"And this won't be war like other
wars" the American pointed out.
"There'll be no personal heroes-no
playing or flags flying. It's going to
be cold, deadly thing of mathemat-
ics and notifications, of big guns and
submarines, of aeroplanes and ammu-
milton, of millions of little mites called
men. who will be only little, unimpor-
tant cogs in the big machine. It's
going to be brutal, cruel, barbarous
murder, conducted on the most modern
scientific basis
"And afterwards what'll we do for
men?" Georgy Wagstaff inquired
thOughtfully, as II the dearth of males
lEct threatened the world were a ca
lamity almost too great to face mot
that l really care so much about that
personally" she added, with an insin-
uating glance at Guy Falconer, who
always logged her footsteps, 'for men
bore me-"
''ThanksW Guy remarked. II Georgy
had fault Ia possibility he was sell
dom willing to admit even to HIMSELF
he felt that it consisted of eaustic
tongue. And occasionally the thought
Of living with her. facing her across
the breakfast table, for instance, put
q vague fear into him. Up to the pres
ent time, however, he had always sue
eeeded in Kidding himself of such mis-
givings.
"And who do you think is going to
win, Mr.. Brown" Sir George put the
question abruptly. He, as well as
Streetman, perceived that their some
what bizarre guest from the other side
of the Atlantic had gathered unto him
self surprising fund Of information
during his short stay In their midst.
Before Charlie Brown could reply, |
The spy Streetmar threw himself into
the conversational gap.
"I'm sure from what Mr.. Brown has
said he agrees with me that the Ger
mans have the best chance" he inter
posed.
Mr. Brown himself merely smiled at
the interruption. He may have
thought Streetman a cad-a lobster, |
he would probably have termed him. |