The Kingdom of the Blind

t?" Geraldine asked her fiance, as they st

ted. "Have I really given you

irl n

," she confessed. "You are never particu

ansfigured his face. He l

people, Geraldin

grimace but a moment afterw

ishman who is going to save the country. He is a keen soldier, clever, modest, and a

tion. He was full of high spirits and humour, debonair, with all the obvious claims to popularity. Thomson, on the other hand, although good-looking, even distinguished in his way, was almost too slim and pale. His face was more the face of a scholar than of one interested in or anxious to

point of view," Major Thomso

esn't seem to mind talking about the war. You others will scarcely say a word of what you have seen or of what is being done out there. I like to be told things by p

ighting until the whole show is over. It may be a fine enough panorama when an attack is actually taking pl

shivered f

rk seems to me so horribly gruesome. Come along, you know you are going to t

places. "I don't know whether you will find it amusing, though. W

or a moment. Then s

ised that this is your chance to escape a ceremony and a reception,

added, dropping his voice a little, "because you are lo

d at him

ease," she

re to be absolutely sure of the thing he w

s the table to where Granet had become the centre of a little babble of animated conversation. Geraldine av

y serious, Hugh

, isn't it?" he replied. "At any

on, who was watching her closely, fancied that she accepted almost eagerly the opportunity of diversion. It was

" Thomson reminded her

d down at

u are really in e

tendencies are rather the other way. I really mean it,

at I would rather wait. Look at mother's eye, roving around

ion. He proceeded to give his prospective son-in-law a detailed lecture concerning the mismanagement of the field hospitals at the front, and having disposed of that subject, he opened a broadside attack upon

you can deal with submarines at all. The beggars can stay under the water as long as they like, they just pop up and show the

miled in a somewha

ill which the Germans have

ne danger the greatest to which this country has yet been exposed. No one but a nation o

lthough some of them have behaved rather decently. There's one thing," he added, sippi

ack, my artillery well posted, my reserves in position, the enemy not too strongly entrenc

alph Conyers, however, his cigar in the

bows of a forty-knot destroyer cutting the sea into diamonds, decks cleared for action

d you do then?

fternoon," the other replied, smiling. "We're

se and pushed

sure, all of you, that you will take n

Captain Granet, who were talking no more of submarines, however, but of the last

playing bridge? The Mulliners are going on, and mother does miss

et was chatting with some other guests. Young

dine," he assented, "but I want

rang up about something and he is talking to the

homson promised, "I wo

an and Thomson. Geraldine, with Olive Moreton and Captain Granet, found a sofa in a remote corner of the room

peak to you," Ge

little bridge-table

ght on shore for heaven knows how long and I am going to take Olive off to see my photo

on the couch, talking in low voices. Once Thomson, when he was dummy, cros

but he and Olive have gone off somewhere. By-the-bye, Hugh," she went on cur

ance, was it?" he answered, smiling. "My

ce from the other side of t

bber was over a few minutes later and the little party

the morning room and have a whisky and sod

t empty. He passed on into the smoking-room and found all four of the young people gathered around the table. They were so absorbed that they did not even notice his entrance. Ralph, with

labours, "this scheme, properly worked out, can keep a channel route such as the Folkestone

Thomson interrupted

nearer and his hand fell upon the paper. There was a queer

I don't think even to your dearest friend, not to the girl you are going to marry, to me,

ace was expressionless, the girls

n soldier and one of the best, doing all he can for us on land but a bit worried about our submarine dan

and I wouldn't do it. It isn't a personal risk you're running, or a personal secret you'

His arm fell upon the

We'll know all about it when the history of the war's written. There's always the thousand to one chanc

s silence. Geraldin

oo far? It's so fearfully interesting for us when Ralph's at sea, and we w

Major Thomson," Olive grumbled. "We

I think, Ralph, you had better

his face was a little sulky. He took

imed, "I should call your interference damned cheek! After all, you know, y

e others' faces their sympathy with the young

aid simply. "Good

to the front hall, waited for a moment and then accepted his coat a

eraldine?"

n turn

king-room, Lady Conyers,