“Belgium! Think of it! I’d no idea she had it in her. One has come to associate Belgium so with Congo atrocities and purely material things that anything heroic in her surprises one.” “Heroic is the word. She’s holding the fort while Britain and France and Russia get ready. It may be that she is saving Europe from Pan-Germanism.” “Splendid! I take off my hat to her. Good thing old Leopold’s not in the saddle! The new man must be a good sort.” “He must be.... Then to-morrow, Mr. Luard. Shall we say at eleven? And I hope, my dear,”--to Lois,--“it will make for your happiness.” “Oh, it will,” she assured him. “And it is very very good of you.” When Ray and Lois came down to their dinner-supper, that first night, in the common-room of their unpretentious pension, they found a numerous company already busily at work, and were somewhat taken aback by their looks,--burly, moustached and bearded men in blouses and dungarees, with an odour and look of trains and engines about them;--loud of voice, disputatious indeed, and oblivious of manners. Lois shrank a little at sight and sound of them. But their hostess directed them to a small table apart, covered with a red-and-white-check cover, over which she spread a table cloth and even provided them with napkins. For seats they had high stools without backs. “It feels like a music-lesson,” whispered Lois,--and--“I hope it will be more satisfying,” murmured Ray. “I’m hungry,” and watched the black-a-vises critically out of the corners of his eyes. They toned down for a moment when the strangers entered, and passed remarks sotto voce between themselves, but in a minute or two were in full blast again. “They look like brigands,” murmured Lois. “They won’t murder us in our beds, will they?” “The fact of our being here will prove that we’re not worth it, I should say.” “I shall barricade my door all the same ... if I can. There’s not overmuch to barricade with.” “They’re probably quite decent fellows,--railway-men from the look of them, and they’re generally a good sort.” And they proved entirely so and never gave them any trouble whatever, beyond the noise of their arguments, which was at all times tremendous and more than once looked like ending in blows. Most of them drifted back to work when their meal was over. With the two or three who remained over their cigarettes, Ray got into conversation on the war and picked up some interesting bits of information.