Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-25

people! But, common or not tonight all was
England! Well, he must 90 indoors.
Silence weighed on Soames that night and
all next day. He read that chap Greys"
speech and waited for what he felt would never
come-an answer to the ultimat.Im sent. The
Germans had tasted Of force and would never
60 back on their invasion of Belgium In the
afternoon he could neither bear his own gloom
nor the excitement Of Annette and he took o
train to town. He sat down late, at the Con-
noisseurs' Club, to dine. When he had finished
q meal which seemed to stick in his gizzard
he went downstairs. From the window he
could see st. James street and the people
eddying down 1t toward the center of the
countrys life. He sat there practically alone.
At IL. they said, the uitimatum would expire.
He got up and moved into the harl. All there
was of connoisseur In the club gathered
round the tape-some half dozen members, none
OF whom he knew. Soames stood q little apart.
Somebody turned and spoke to him. A shrink
ing from his fellows. always accumulated in
Soames' emotional moments, sent q shiver down
his spine. He couldn't stay here and have
chaps babbling. Answering CURLY, he got his
hat and went out. In the crowd he'd be alone.
And he moved with it down Pail Mall toward
whitehall. Thicker every moment. it was
curious blend OF stiffness and excitement. Down
Lockspur street into Whitehall he was swept till
at the mouth Of Downing street the crowd
became solitity itself and there was no moving.
Ten minutes to the hourl Impervious by ma
ture and by training 10 mob emotion, Soames
yet was emotionalized. Here was something
that was not mere mob Notwithstanding
made ND of Individual feelings stronger than
impulse-sometl.ng 10 which noise was but
embroidery. There was plenty Of noise, rumor-
oOs and strident now and again, but it didn't
seem 10 belong to the faces-didnt seem to suit
them any more than It suited the stars that
winked and waited An sorts and conditions of
men and women. and he check by jowl with
them, like sartines In q bcx-and he didn't
mind
Civilians they were. peaceful folk-not
soldier or o sailor IN the lott They had begun
10 sing God Save the Kingl" His lips moved:
he could not hear himself and that consoled
him
He axed his eyes on big Ben. The hands OF
the clock czept with incredible slowness. Two
minutes more and the thing would begin-the
Tgningi What would come Of 1t? He couldn't
ten, he didn't know. A bad Business o mad
business-once IN, You couldn't get out-you
had to hold Onto the death-te the deathi
The faces were turned one way now under the
street lights white faces from whose open
mouths still came that song; and then-Boom!
The clock had struck, and cheering rose Queer
thing 10 cheer for! "Hoora-a-ayi" The Thing
had started! -.
LIE returned 10 Mapaedurham and Fqeur's
greeting. end the peace OF the river,
soothed him, 90 that he lunched with o certain
appetite On the verandah, afterward. Annette
came in. she Was flushed and had q ball Of
wool In her hand
"WeN," he said, over the top Of the paper,
'.are yeu satisfied now?"
She came across to him.
Put your paper down, Soames and let me
kiss you"
What for?" said Soames.
Because you have not deserted my country.
I am proud Of England"
That's new" said Soames. She was
weight, and smelled Of verbena; 'T don't know
what we can do" he added, except at sea-"
''Oh! It IS everything. We have not our backs
on the wall any more; we have our backs on
you"
You certainly have" said Soaines; not that
It WAS unpleasant
Annette rose. She stood, slightly TRANSPORTED.