The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-09-22
CHAPTER VI-contlnued.

you do talk like a German" b,
told Streetman after he had blown Ou
a cloud of smoke.
That is a matter Of opinion" tn,
other replied stiffly.
eyes, | think he talks like a Ger
man, too" GeOrgy Wagstaff chimet
in. "But as we know he isn't one
does it really matter? Go on
gentlemen! Arguew Sir Georges
daughter was having the time of hel
young life.
Here's one thing I'd Ike to know,
Guy put in-"where on earth is al
The blooming money to come fromT
my dear boy, there's nothing sc
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 1t was hard
iy proper that the men should monopo-
liZe all the conversation.
II can't believe there will really be
4 war-a great war" she announced.
Think what it would mean-ab bsolute
Darbarism! And this is the twentieth
century"
1T would put us back a hundred
years" Sir George declared wearlly.
He both realized and dreaded the hor-
Tors that he knew must inevitably at
tend such titanic struggle as seemed
imminent
'It's too horrible to think Of" Ethel
Wllloughby exclaimed with something
approaching a shudder. at doesn't
seem real that we're sitting here quite
calmly talking over even the possibll-
tty of such thing
"And this won't be a war like other
wars" the American pointed out.
~'There'll be no personal heroes-no
charges up San Juan hill-no bands
playing or flags flying. It's going to
be cold, deadly thing of mathemat-
zcs and mOblllzations, 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 Wagstaf inquired
thOughtfuly, as If the dearth of males
that threatened the world were a ca
lamity almost too great to face. "Not
that really care so much about that
she added, with an insin-
uatlng glance at Guy Falconer, who
always dogged her footsteps, "for men
bore me-"
Thanks" Guy remarked. If Georgy
had fault "a possibility he was sell
dom willing to admit, even to HIMSELF
he felt that 1t consisted of a caustic
tongue. And occasionally the thought
of living with her, facing her across
the breakfast table, for instance, put |
a vague fear into him. Up to the pres
ent time, however, he had always sue
ceeded in Kidding himself of such mis-
givings.
tAnd who do you think is going to
win, Mr.. Brown" Sir George put the
question abruptly. He, as we'll as
perceived that their some
what bizarre guest from the other side
II the Atlantic had gathered unto him
ielf surprising fund Of information
Turing his short stay In their midst.
Before Charlie Brown could reply,
he spy Streetman threw himself into
he conversational gap.
"I'm sure from what Mr.. Brown has
aid he agrees with me that the Ger
mans have the best chance" he inter-
'osed.
Mr.. Brown himself merely smiled at
he interruption. He may have
hought Streetman a cad-a lobster,
e would probably have termed him.