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Under Fire: Bu RICHARD PARKER Rased oo the ditmt of ROI COOPER MEGRUB Author of "Under Cow" nd co-athof of "It Pui to Advertise" Ouprrttfbt, Witt, 'I Maeaulaf Ounpan:. SYNOPSIS. 4 Georgy Wagstaff, daughter of Sir George, of the British admiralty, h.nts a liaison between her governeas. Ethe Wlllougliby, and Henry Streetman. Ethe denies U. Henry Streetman culls on Ethel and while waiting for her talks to Brows tor. Sir Geoige's butler, who Is a Ge'man upv. about his failure to get at admiralty papers In Sir George's possession. He phones to Gorman secret service neau ouarieis. Streetman, the German spy, ana Roeder (alias Brewster, the butler) are discussing the possibility of war. when Kthel appears tie tries to force her to get from Sir George knowledge of t-he sailing orders to the British fleet. Though she believes him a French Instead of a iter man spy, she refuses until he threatens her. She begs him to announce their se cret marriage, as Georgy is suspicious, but he puts her off. At tea Georgy and Iter lover. Guy Falconer, tease Sir George, and Streetman makes an awkward at tempt to talk politics. Streetman, the German spy. Sir George Wagstaff. British naval official. Ethel Willoughby, -secret wife of Streetman, ad others are haying tea ot the Wagsstaff home. The party is discussing a play. Charlie Brown, news paper man of New York, entertains the tea party with his views on tha threat ened war In Europe. If vou recall your history les sons, you'll remember the hard time the North had to get enough soldiers during the Civil war, and how finally conscrip tion was adopted. You know, too, that the English have had te use conscription to get enough nwn In the present conflict. Pa triotism is a queer thing with most of us. We wave flags and enjoy Fourth of July oratory, but many of us are inclined to 6hy at real sacrifice. An Inter esting discussion of the subject comes up in this Installment. An English tea party at the home of Sir George Wagstaff of the British ad miralty. Includes Charlie Brown, American newspaper reporter, and streetman, a Herman spy. ins group is discussing a possible European war. , CHAPTER VI Continued. "You do talk like a German," he told Streetmau after be had blown out a cloud of smoke. "That Is a matter of opiulon." the other replied stiffly. "Yes, I think he talks like a Ger mau. too," Georgy Wagstaff chimed In. "But as we know he Isn't one, docs It really matter? . . . Go ou, gentlemen! Argue!" Sir George's 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," bis friend from the States replied with a calm assurance that came partly from the speaker's 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 week-end presidents ran out of money; no 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 It was." 1 Mr. Falconer felt that It was hard ly proper that the men should monopo lize all the conversation. "I can't believe there will really be wnr B great war," she announced. "Think what it would mean absolute barbarism! And this is the twentieth century." "It would put us back a hundred years." Sir George declared wearily. He both realized and dreaded the hor rors that he knew must Inevitably at tend such a titanic struggle as seemed imminent "It's too horrible to think of," Ethel Willoughby exclaimed with something approaching a shudder. "It doesn't seem real that we're sitting here quite calmly talking over even the possibil ity of such a thing.' "And this won't be a war like other! wars."- the American pointed out "There'll be no personal heroes no charges op San Juan bill no bands plsjing or flags flying. It's going t be a cold, deadly thing of mathemat ics and mobilizations, of big guns and aobmarines. of aeroplanes and ammo nitloa. of millions of little mites called ibea. who will be only little, unimpor tant cogs in the big machine. It's going to be brutal, cruel, barbarous order, conducted on the most modem scientific basis." "And afterwards whatll we do for tnenr" - Georgy wagstaff jnquiren thoughtfully, as if the dearth of males that threatened the world were a ca lamity almost too great to face. "Not that I really care so much about that personally." she added, with an Insin uating glance at Guy Falcouer. who always dogged her footsteps, "for men bore me." . . "Thanks!" Guy remarked. If Georgy had a fault (a possibility he was sel dom willing to admit, even to himself be felt that It consisted of a caustic tnncue. And occasionally the thought of living with her, facing Ber across the breakfast table, for instance, put a vague fear into him. Up to the pres ent time, however, he had always suc ceeded In rlddlug himself of "such mls clvinca. i "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 a "surprising fund of Information during his short stay In their midst Before Charlie Brown could reply, the spy Streetman threw himself Into the conversational gap. "I'm sure troca 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. But whatever his' feelings might have been, he concealed them admirably. - "Well, I'll tell you" he said, as he turned his back squarely upon Street man and faced Sir George. "When I was drinking Munich beer, I was rath er pro-German. But now that I'm switched to tea', I've sort of swung over to the allies." A burst of laughter, punctuated with cries of "Bravo!" greeted the an swer. Turning to them all again, "You see." he explained, "I like the English as individuals, and I like a lot of their general ways, too. I admire the easy-going fashion in which they do business. I commend the fact that they won't talk shop over a luncheon. I like their afternoon tea." He smiled at Miss Willoughby as he said that. "I like the fact that knights and ladles, clerks and shopgirls take their half hour off for It. I like the way they respect their own laws when they de cide to make one they decide at the same time to keep it. But, collectively, the English irritate me, because they're so blamed sure they're a little bit su perior to all the rest of the world. That's annoying, personally, but I can and I do admire it as a great racial quality that's made 'em win out a thousand times. If England goes to war, it'll take the English about a year before they realize they have a war they really are slow, you know but once they wake up to It they'll raise the deuce, and I think they'll win." Sage noddlngs of various heads and the exchange of approving glances on the part of the members of the little party or of air but Henry Streetman set a seal of appreciation upon Charlie Brown's views. "Please God. you're right!" Sir George Wagstaff cried fervently, with a show of emotion that was, for him, most unusual. "Please God, he Is!" Mrs. Falconer agreed. "I do hope so! The Germans are so aggressive!" Ethel Willoughby ob served. "And so rude!" Georgy added. She could not forget much less forgive having been shouldered off a sidewalk In Berlin by the kaiser's haughty offi cers. "Ah! But I fancy that pride In one's country Is a universal trait in every nation," her more moderate father said. "Exactly! And as Mr. Brown has pointed out, we English have a tenden cy to be somewhat superior also." As he spoke, Streetman rose. He was be coming restless under the galling of that one-sided discussion of the merits of the nations. "Well, I hope there Isn't any war!" Guy Falconer said fervently. "If there is, you can bet your boots I'm not going near it" "Guy!" Sir George turned upon him with Incredulity writ large upon his fine face. "Oh, I mean it Sir George Guy insisted shamelessly. "If it comes to war, this will be a war of millions, if there are a thousand men killed in a battle or only nine hundred and ninety-nine, what difference does It make except to the thousandth man? . . . None! Bnl if I happened to be he. It'd represent a deuce of a lot to me, and. with my luck, -I'd be the first man shot anyhow. . . . No, sir! Military service Is not compul sory In England.- thank heaven! And if there is a war, I'm going to sit home at my club and discuss very harshly the mistakes of the war office." Gay's mother regarded him with no less amazement than did Sir George. My son you're not serious?" she exclaimed, scarcely belieTing what she beard. "Of course be liT said Georgy. I oerer saw a maa who thought as mach of his own precious hide o much more than anyone else thinks of ur ir von're onlte In earnest Guy. I nra positively ashamed of you." Sir George Wagstaff told him. As a mau who was high In the councils of his country. Sir George did ludeed hear the young man's declaration with somethlug bordering upon alarm, as well as mere disapproval. If other English youths should take the same attitude as Guy's, be foresaw endless trouble for the recruiting stations. ' "If I were shot." Guy retorted. "I suppose the fact that I could say, Now, Sir George is not ashamed of me,' would ease the pain a bit? . . . No. thank youf I tell you. If worse comes to worst, I shall sail for Cuba." At that his mother approached him much as she must have when as a small boy he had been guilty of naugh tiness. She thought It high time to assert her authority. "Guy," she said, "I forbid you to talk like that." "Oh. uow, mother" he remon-. strated. "1 think heV spoofing." Charlie Brown told them, as quick to adopt a new word as he was to detect signs of shamming on Guy's part "IT war comes, I bet he'll go to the front. He's like the rest of yon English half ashamed to say what he really reels." The nilarrassed Guy faced "him sheepishly. "Oh, I say that's all swank!" be re monstrated. "'Swank!' That's a good word!' Charlie Brown exclaimed. "I'm going to take that back to America, too." And then, returning to the subject of their conversation, who was manifest ly III at ease. Mr. Brown continued. "Once you do touch Guy ou the raw of his patriotism he'd go through and go through big." "I think Mr. Brown is right," Street man declared. "It was only two months ago at tbe Rltz in Paris that I. met a young English officer. We got to chat ting. . He seemed very downvln the month some trouble over a girl; he'd been jilted, or hadn't enough money to propose, or she'd married someone else usual sort of thing, so I paid no at tention to the incident. But one night-, walking along the Champs Elysees, a man ahead of me suddenly turned aside behind one of the trees. Silhouet ted against the . moonlight I saw his hand go to his pocket, as if to draw a revolver. I ran up to him, and seized the pistol. ... It was my young English friend. I dare say the moon had gone to his head. He was quite desperate really started to struggle with me at first. We stood there for an hour talking. I'd taken quite a fancy to Mm. It seemed such a waste of good materia, for him to kill him self; but he was quite firm. Finally, I appealed to him as ou English officer in bis majesty's service. Some day his country might need him I told him and he wouldn't be there, because he was a coward a traitor. . . . That hit him. I pressed the point. And eventually he gave me his word." They had all listened . eagerly to Streetman's vivid recital "Did he keep his word?" Ethel asked. "I don't know! I've never seen him since; but he's the sort of man who would. I merely mention the Incident to show that wheu nothing else count ed, his country did. And most men are like that" Streetman added, as be patted Gny Falconer onhe back. Somehow, Guy resented the familiar ity. But he merely moved away. So far as be knew, Streetman was a de cent enough chap. But he did not rel ish being patronized by him. All at once Sir George Wagstaff no ticed for the first time thaTthe after noon light was fast fading. Looking at his watch, he rose hastily. "By Jove!" he said, "I'd no Idea It was so late. I shall have to be getting back to the admiralty." "I must be leaving, too." Streetman announced. "So must I," said Charlie Brown. "Good-by, Miss Willoughby!" "Oh, don't .you hurry off, too!" Ethe! protested. "Stay and have oue more cup of tea!" In some Inexplicable way she felt drawn toward the outspoken American. And she could not avoid the Impression that they were destined to know each other better. "I can't resist you," he said, yielding at once to her cordial urging. And he accepted another cup of tea. Sir George and Streetman were al ready at tbe door when Charlie Brown called after tbe older man: "If there's any news of your fleet for publication. Sir George, you'll letme know?" "Surely, surely!" came the good-na tured answer. And with that Sir George left them, accompanied by Streetman, to whom be offered a lift in his car. CHAPTER VII. Redmond of the Irish Guards. Charlie Brown had thanked his friend of the British admiralty. And now he said to those who still lingered there In Miss Wllloughby's sitting room Too know, I think there Is going to be news and might soon. "You listen to me." "We bave been listening with great pleasure," Mrs. Falconer informed him. "But now we must go." He sprang to bis feet "That Is a bit of a hint" be ex claimed, albeit with entire good humor. "tint uua't forget I told you I loved to talkT ' r '.! "You'll come again?" Ethel asked him. "Often, I hope!" he said heartily, as he took the hand she held out to hlna.' "Good-by, Charlie!". Guy Falconer said with a wink that the ethers did not catch. "If I don't see you before I sail, drop me a. postal My address will be lu care of the General Post Of fice, Jlavana, Cuba." . Charlie Brown smiled at him indul gently. He knew Just how serious Guy was in regard to shirking his duty. Bat Mrs. Falconer was still troubled"-by her son's apparent disaffection. "Pleab, Guy!" she pleaded. She could not bear to hear her own child brand himself as unpatriotic, if not au actual coward. "I never knew till now that you w.ere a Spartan mother." Guy told ber. "Besides, I didn't think you'd want to see your own little boy all shot to pieces." . ' They were on the -point of leaving when Sir George's butler brought the news to Miss Willoughby that Captain Redmond was calling. "Captain Redmond!" she repeated, as If the news were almost too strange for belief. "Ask him to 'come up. Brewster." At the name. Guy Falconer, turned to Ethel Joyfully. "Larry back after a whole year?" he cried. "Isn't that ripping!" "Oh, we must wait, to see -Larry!" his mother said. - - "Oh, indeed we must!" added Georgy. In another moment Captain Red mond stood before them. There was certainly no question as to his greet ing. Guy Falconer all but fell upon his neck. "Hello, good people!" the newcomer said with an all-embracing smile. He was Irish. The hint of the brogue even in those few words showed that much, had his dancing blue eyes left any chance of doubt as to his race. ' Ad miration, as well as affection, shone in tbe faces of his friends as they feasted their own eyes upon him, for the cap tain was unquestionably a tine figure of a man, in his spruce uniform of the Irish Guards. Ethel Willoughby was the last to greet him. But when the rest had released him she held out het hand to him. "Larry. I am glad to see you," she said from the bottom of her heart. He stopped short in his acknowl edgments of the others' greetings. And turning abruptly to Ethel, as if he had eyes for her alone, he exclaimed: "Sure, not as much as I am to see you!" ''And he fairly beamed his de light at seeing her once more. "When did you get back, old mau?" Guy asked, when they had. Introduced Larry and Charlie Brown. "Only this morning," Captain Red mond answered, "but I thought I'd have to come here directly to pay my respects to an old friend and I meet three old friends." Georgy Wagstaff pouted at that She was extremely fond of the dashing of ficer, and she dearly loved to banter with him. "I'm not so terribly old," she object ed "or 3o you think I've aged much?" "In a year, sure, you've grown younger. You're only a slip of a girl now; nnd you were getting to be quite a yoaug woman when I left." he told her. "it's a .whole year since you went away," Ethel Willoughby half whis pered to Redmond ashe came uearer her. "And it seems a hundred!" he de clared. Charlie Brown, catching his reply to her, knew of a certainty that he was Irish. But underneath the cap tain's fulsome remarks there often lay a sincerity that was more deeply root ed than a casual bystander might sup pose. Mr. Brown felt that he must really tear himself away from that interest ing party. "Good-by, Miss Willoughby!" he said. "Good-by, captain! I hate to bust up a reunion like this, but I've got to get back and write a piece for the paper."" Still Mrs. Falconer would not let her son's friend escape quite yet "Mr. Brown," she said, "for some reason I like you. I fancy it's because you amuse me. Why don't you dine with us? Perhaps If I ask Captain Redmond, Ethel will come." "Let's dine early," Guy said. "Don't bother to dress. We'll go to the Savoy grill and meanwhile 111 get tickets for the Talace. There's an awfully clever American girl there now." "We'll pick you up here, Ethel," bis mother added "say in half an hour. We might be able to motor to Rich mond for dinner and atlll see the show." , "Will you pick me up here, too?" Captain Redmond asked. "In half an hour!" she agreed. In the doorway Georgy Wagstaff cast a roguish glance back at ber pretty governess. 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