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am。

〃Don't　be　disgusting；〃　said　Hugo　Raeder。　　〃Apart　from　the　legal　difficulty　the　chief　difficulty　about　that　scheme　would　be　that　whatever　the　German　wife　might　have　to　say　to　such　an　arrangement；　no　American　wife　would　tolerate　it　for　an　instant。〃

〃I　was　merely　joking；　of　course；〃　said　Schaefer。

〃But；　Professor　Schaefer；　suppose　war　should　come　between　Germany　and　America；〃　said　Larry。

〃War　between　Germany　and　Americathe　thing　is　preposterous　nonsense；　not　to　be　considered　among　the　possibilities！〃

〃But　as　a　mere　hypothesis　for　the　sake　of　argument；　what　would　your　position　be？〃　persisted　Larry。

Professor　Schaefer　was　visibly　annoyed。　　〃I　say　the　hypothesis　is　nonsense　and　unthinkable；〃　he　cried。

〃Come　on；　Schaefer；　you　can't　escape　it　like　that；　you　know；〃　said　Hugo　Raeder。　　〃By　that　law　of　yours；　where　would　your　allegiance　be　should　war　arise？　　I　am　asking　what　actually　would　be　your　standing。　　Would　you　be　a　German　citizen　or　an　American　citizen？〃

〃The　possibility　does　not　exist；〃　said　Professor　Schaefer。

〃Quite　impossible；〃　exclaimed　Meyer。

〃Well；　what　of　other　countries　then？〃　said　Hugo；　pursuing　the　subject　with　a　wicked　delight。　　His　sturdy　Americanism　resented　this　bigamous　citizenship。　　〃What　of　France　or　Britain？〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Professor　Schaefer　with　a　sharpening　of　his　tone。　　〃That　is　quite　easy。〃

〃You　would　be　a　German；　eh？〃　said　Raeder。

〃You　ask　me；〃　exclaimed　Professor　Schaefer；　〃you　ask　me　as　between　Germany　and　France；　or　between　Germany　and　Britain？　　I　reply；〃　he　exclaimed　with　a　dramatic　flourish　of　his　hand；　〃I　am　a　worshipper　of　the　life…giving　sun；　not　of　the　dead　moon；　I　follow　the　dawn；　not　the　dying　day。〃

But　this　was　too　much　for　Larry。　　〃Without　discussing　which　is　the　sun　and　which　is　the　moon；　about　which　we　might　naturally　differ；　Professor　Schaefer；　I　want　to　be　quite　clear　upon　one　point。　　Do　I　understand　you　to　say　that　if　you　were；　say　a　naturalised　citizen　of　Canada；　having　sworn　allegiance　to　our　Government；　enjoying　the　full　rights　and　privileges　of　our　citizenship；　you　at　the　same　time　would　be　free　to　consider　yourself　a　citizen　of　Germany；　and　in　case　of　war　with　Britain；　you　would　feel　in　duty　bound　to　support　Germany？　　And　is　it　that　which　the　Delbruck　Law　is　deliberately　drawn；　to　permit　you　to　do？〃

〃Well　put；　Larry！〃　exclaimed　Hugo　Raeder；　to　whom　the　German's　attitude　was　detestable。

Professor　Schaefer's　lips　curled　in　an　unpleasant　smile。　　〃Canada；　Canadian　citizenship！　　My　dear　young　man；　pardon！　　Allow　me　to　ask　you　a　question。　　If　Britain　were　at　war　with　Germany；　do　you　think　it　at　all　likely　that　Canada　would　allow　herself　to　become　involved　in　a　European　war？　　Canada　is　a　proud；　young；　virile　nation。　　Would　she　be　likely　to　link　her　fortunes　with　those　of　a　decadent　power？　Excuse　me　a　moment；〃　checking　Larry's　impetuous　reply　with　his　hand。　　〃Believe　me；　we　know　something　about　these　things。　　We　make　it　our　business　to　know。　　You　acknowledge　that　we　know　something　about　your　mines；　let　me　assure　you　that　there　is　nothing　about　your　country　that　we　do　not　know。　　Nothing。　　Nothing。　　We　know　the　feeling　in　Canada。　　Where　would　Canada　be　in　such　a　war？　　Not　with　Germany；　I　would　not　say　that。　　But　would　she　stand　with　England？〃

Larry　sprang　to　his　feet。　　〃Where　would　Canada　be？　　Let　me　tell　you；　Professor　Schaefer；〃　shaking　his　finger　in　the　professor's　face。　　〃To　her　last　man　and　her　last　dollar　Canada　would　be　with　the　Empire。〃

〃Hear；　hear！〃　shouted　Hugo　Raeder。

The　professor　looked　incredulous。　　〃And　yet；〃　he　said　with　a　sneer；　〃one…half　of　your　people　voted　for　Reciprocity　with　the　United　States。〃

〃Reciprocity！　　And　yet　you　say　you　know　Canada；〃　exclaimed　Larry　in　a　tone　of　disgust。　　〃Do　you　know；　sir；　what　defeated　Reciprocity　with　this　country？　　Not　hostility　to　the　United　States；　there　is　nothing　but　the　kindliest　feeling　among　Canadians　for　Americans。　But　I　will　tell　you　what　defeated　Reciprocity。　　It　was　what　we　might　call　the　ultra　loyal　spirit　of　the　Canadian　people　toward　the　Empire。　　The　Canadians　were　Empire　mad。　　The　bare　suggestion　of　the　possibility　of　any　peril　to　the　Empire　bond　made　them　throw　out　Sir　Wilfrid　Laurier　and　the　Liberal　Party。　　That；　of　course；　with　other　subordinate　causes。〃

〃I　fancy　our　Mr。　Taft　helped　a　bit；〃　said　Hugo　Raeder。

〃Undoubtedly　Mr。　Taft's　unfortunate　remarks　were　worked　to　the　limit　by　the　Conservative　Party。　　But　all　I　say　is　that　any　suggestion；　I　will　not　say　of　disloyalty；　but　even　of　indifference；　to　the　Empire　of　Canada　is　simply　nonsense。〃

At　this　point　a　servant　brought　in　a　telegram　and　handed　it　to　Mr。　Wakeham。　　〃Excuse　me；　my　dear；〃　he　said　to　his　wife；　opened　the　wire；　read　it；　and　passed　it　to　Hugo　Raeder。　　〃From　your　chief；　Hugo。〃

〃Much　in　that；　do　you　think；　sir？〃　inquired　Hugo；　passing　the　telegram　back　to　him。

〃Oh；　a　little　flurry　in　the　market　possibly；〃　said　Mr。　Wakeham。　〃What　do　you　think　about　that；　Schaefer？〃　Mr。　Wakeham　continued；　handing　him　the　wire。

Professor　Schaefer　glanced　at　the　telegram。　　〃My　God！〃　he　exclaimed；　springing　to　his　feet。　　〃It　is　come；　it　is　come　at　last！〃　　He　spoke　hurriedly　in　German　to　his　friend；　Meyer；　and　handed　him　the　telegram。

Meyer　read　it。　　〃God　in　heaven！〃　he　cried。　　〃It　is　here！〃　　In　intense　excitement　he　poured　forth　a　torrent　of　interrogations　in　German；　receiving　animated　replies　from　Professor　Schaefer。　　Then　grasping　the　professor's　hand　in　both　of　his；　he　shook　it　with　wild　enthusiasm。

〃At　last！〃　he　cried。　　〃At　last！　　Thank　God；　our　day　has　come！〃

Completely　ignoring　the　rest　of　the　company；　the　two　Germans　carried　on　a　rapid　and　passionate　conversation　in　their　own　tongue　with　excited　gesticulations；　which　the　professor　concluded　by　turning　to　his　hostess　and　saying；　〃Mrs。　Wakeham；　you　will　excuse　us。　　Mr。　Wakeham；　you　can　send　us　to　town　at　once？〃

By　this　time　the　whole　company　were　upon　their　feet　gazing　with　amazement　upon　the　two　excited　Germans。

〃But　what　is　it？〃　cried　Mrs。　Wakeham。　　〃What　has　happened？　　Is　there　anything　wrong？　　What　is　it；　Professor　Schaefer？　　What　is　your　wire　about；　Garrison？〃

〃Oh；　nothing　at　all；　my　dear；　to　get　excited　about。　　My　financial　agent　wires　me　that　the　Press　will　announce　to…morrow　that　Austria　has　presented　an　ultimatum　to　Servia　demanding　an　answer　within　forty…eight　hours。〃

〃Oh；　is　that　all；〃　she　said　in　a　tone　of　vast　relief。　　〃What　a　start　you　all　gave　me。　　An　ultimatum　to　Servia？　　What　is　it　all　about？〃

〃Why；　you　remember；　my　dear；　the　murder　of　the　Archduke　Ferdinand　about　three　weeks　ago？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　remember。　　I　had　quite　forgotten　it。　　Poor　thing；　how　terrible　it　was！　　Didn't　they　get　the　murderer？　　It　seems　to　me　they　caught　him。〃

〃You　will　excuse　us；　Mrs。　Wakeham；〃　said　Professor　Schaefer；　approaching　her。　　〃We　deeply　regret　leaving　this　pleasant　party　and　your　hospitable　home；　but　it　is　imperative　that　we　go。〃

〃But；　my　dear　Professor　Schaefer；　to…night？〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Wakeham。

〃Why；　Schaefer；　what's　the　rush？　　Are　you　caught　in　the　market？〃　said　Wakeham　with　a　little　laugh。　　〃You　cannot　do　anything　to…night　at　any　rate；　you　know。　　We　will　have　you　in　early　to…morrow　morning。〃

〃No；　no；　to…night；　now；　immediately！〃　shouted　Meyer　in　uncontrollable　excitement。

〃But　why　all　the　excitement；　Schaefer？〃　said　Hugo　Raeder；　smiling　at　him。　　〃Austria　has　presented　an　ultimatum　to　Serviawhat　about　it？〃

〃What　about　it？　　Oh；　you　Americans；　you　are　so　provincial。　　Did　you　read　the　ultimatum？　　Do　you　know　what　it　means？　　It　means　war！〃

〃War！〃　cried　Meyer。　　〃War　at　last！　　Thank　God！　　Tonight　must　we　in　New　York　become。〃

Shaking　hands　hurriedly　with　Mrs。　Wakeham；　and　with　a　curt　bow　to　the　rest　of　the　company；　Meyer　hurriedly　left　the　room；　followed　by　Professor　Schaefer　and　Mr。　Wakeham。

〃Aren't　they　funny！〃　said　Rowena。　　〃They　get　so　excited　about　nothing。〃

〃Well；　it　is　hardly　nothing；〃　said　Hugo　Raeder。　　〃Any　European　war　is　full　of　all　sorts　of　possibilities。　　You　cannot　throw　matches　about　in　a　powder　magazine　without　some　degree　of　danger。〃

〃May　I　read　the　ultimatum？〃　said　Larry　to　Mrs。　Wakeham；　who　held　the　telegram　in　her　hand。

〃Pretty　stiff　ultimatum；〃　said　Hugo　Raeder。　　〃Read　it　out；　Larry。〃

〃Servia　will　have　to　eat　dirt；〃　said　Larry　when　he　had　finished。　〃Listen　to　this：　　She　must　'accept　the　collaboration　in　Servia　of　representatives　of　the　Austro…Hungarian　Government　for　the　consideration　of　the　subversive　movements　directed　against　the　Territorial　integrity　of　the　Monarchy。'　　'Accept　collaboration'　of　the　representatives　of　the　Austro…hungarian　Government　in　this　purely　internal　business；　mind　you。　　And　listen　to　this：　'Delegates　of　the　Austro…Hungarian　Government　will　take　part　in　the　investigation　relating　thereto。'　　Austrian　lawyers　and　probably　judges　investigating　Servian　subjects　in　Servia？　　Why；　the　thing　is　impossible。〃

〃It　is　quite　evident；〃　said　Hugo　Raeder；　〃that　Austria　means　war。〃

〃Poor　little　Servia；　she　will　soon　be　eaten　up；〃　said　Rowena。　　〃She　must　be　bankrupt　from　her　last　war。〃

〃But　why　all　this　excitement　on　the　part　of　our　German　friends？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Wakeham。　　〃What　has　Germany　to　do　with　Austria　and　Servia？〃

At　this　point　Professor　Schaefer　and　his　friend