What this warlike figure was doing on the curling-rink, and why it should address him in faultless English was a mystery to the worthy Major. Then he noticed that the high snow bank behind the rink was crowned with a score of riflemen. The game was suspended, and the curlers gathered round the intruder. "Are we in the way of the fighting?" asked "Sandy" Fraser. "Not in the least," replied Trafford, with a smile: "but all the same it is my painful duty to interrupt your game." "But we don't mind war risks," objected the Scot. "So I have been told," said Trafford; "but the fact is we want to borrow your curling-stones." Mystification of the profoundest nature showed itself on the faces of the curling fraternity. "You're a humourist, sir," said Fraser at length. "Among other things, yes," agreed Trafford; "but at the present moment I'm in deadly, sober earnest. We're trying to take the Marienkastel, but Karl's men are holding the run, and unless we can dislodge them it'll be a bloody business capturing the place. I'm sorry to spoil sport, but I must annex your curling-stones in the name of Queen Gloria--you'll see why in a minute." And so saying, Trafford gave a command in German to his men. Instantly they jumped down on to the ice. "Each man take a stone and carry it up to the top of the toboggan run!" he called out. There were only sixteen stones to the twenty men, so four men were perforce inactive. The others proceeded to carry out the command with unquestioned discipline. "Man, man," expostulated "Sandy" Fraser sorrowfully, "you're spoiling a gran' match." But Major Flannel took a fiercer line of protest. "What the blazes are you doing, sir?" he spluttered, red with indignation. "This is my rink, and these stones are mine and my guests'." The four soldiers who had had no stones allotted them began to handle their rifles expectantly. Trafford, however, checked any untoward action on their part with a curt gesture and a quick-flung command. "Force is an ugly kind of argument, gentlemen," he said, turning to the two "skippers." "It grieves me exceedingly to have to appeal to it. Please do not make my position any harder. It is bad enough to spoil the sport; it would be cruel if I had to spoil the sportsmen." Slowly and dimly, but nevertheless surely, the Major began to perceive the hopelessness of arguing the rights and wrongs of the situation. He had a profound contempt for any soldiers except those of his own country, but a saving spark of common sense rescued him from the tragic folly of resistance. "I'd never built up a better 'house' in my life," he said petulantly. "We were lying 'two stones' and with another shot to play might easily have been three." "Be careful of the pink stones with the blue ribbon on the handle!" Fraser called out in exaggerated trepidation. "My mother's just sent them to me as a Christmas present from Aberdeen." A laugh followed this sally--good-humour was restored.