“And they were quite all right?” asked Mrs Dare. “Quite all right, and as happy as young people ought to be. They were hastening down to Montreux----” “And why haven’t they got here?” asked Mrs Dare. “Well, you see, it was no easy matter even for me, and I had made up my mind to get through at any sacrifice,” and he stroked, with a suggestion of regret, the remnant of the flowing beard that had had to go. “I made my way across country to St Nazaire and got across from there. But it was no easy matter, I assure you.--And, besides, they had plans of their own--great plans. They were hastening to Montreux to get married----” “To get married?” echoed Mrs Dare, while the Colonel greeted the news with a shout of, “Well done, Ray! Da-ash it, that boy’s got brains in him. I knew he had good taste,” and he turned and grasped Mrs Dare’s hands and shook them heartily. “But why could they not wait till they got home?” asked Mrs Dare. “Well--I think they felt it not quite proper to be wandering about together like that, you know. And there is no knowing how long they may be detained out there.” “Why didn’t you bring them along with you?” asked the Colonel. “I had booked a seat in the diligence to Brigue, and it proved to be the very last seat--and I fear the last diligence. The driver told me they would probably stop next day, as all the horses were wanted by the military at Thun. It may be weeks before you see them, and I’m afraid there are many others in the same predicament. Ray particularly asked me to ask you to send him out some more money to Poste Restante, Montreux. But I’m afraid you’ll have difficulty in doing so.” “I’ll see the bank first thing in the morning. They’ll manage it somehow. And what opinion did you form of things generally over there, Doctor?” “I had small chance of hearing anything. I’ve heard a great deal more since I reached home.” “You were in Italy, you say. Well, what’s Italy going to do? She’s an important factor in the case.” “Undoubtedly!”--with a sagacious nodding of the ponderous head. “A very important factor.... What she will ultimately decide it is impossible to say. She is not anxious for war, that is pretty certain. She is poor, you see, and somewhat exhausted. If she had been going in of necessity, as a member of the Triplice, she would have declared herself before this. It depends, I should say, on whether the others can force her in.” “Not a volunteer, eh! And maybe at best an unwilling conscript. I should say she’d be well advised to keep out of it.” “If she can.... Ah, here are the young ladies!”--as Honor and Vic came in with looks that demanded tea. “Goodness!--” gasped Vic. “Gracious!--” continued Honor, and they both ended on a most emphatic “Me!” and stood staring at him with faces full of amazement. “The voice is the voice of Jacob but the face is as the face of--who is it, Vic?” “Mephistopheles.... What on earth are you playing at, Doctor?”