Produced by D Alexander and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) THE DAY OF WRATH A STORY OF 1914 BY LOUIS TRACY Author of "The Wings of the Morning," "Flower of the Gorse," etc., etc. NEW YORK EDWARD J. CLODE PUBLISHER COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY EDWARD J. CLODE All Rights Reserved PREFACE This book demands no explanatory word. But I do wish to assure the reader that every incident in its pages casting discredit on the invaders of Belgium is founded on actual fact. I refer those who may doubt the truth of this sweeping statement to the official records published by the Governments of Great Britain, France, and Belgium. L. T. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I THE LAVA-STREAM 1 II IN THE VORTEX 23 III FIRST BLOOD 39 IV THE TRAGEDY OF VISÉ 58 V BILLETS 75 VI THE FIGHT IN THE MILL 94 VII THE WOODMAN'S HUT 111 VIII A RESPITE 129 IX AN EXPOSITION OF GERMAN METHODS 147 X ANDENNE 166 XI A TRAMP ACROSS BELGIUM 186 XII AT THE GATES OF DEATH 206 XIII THE WOODEN HORSE OF TROY 226 XIV THE MARNE--AND AFTER 246 XV "CARRY ON!" 264 CHAPTER I THE LAVA-STREAM "For God's sake, if you are an Englishman, help me!" That cry of despair, so subdued yet piercing in its intensity, reached Arthur Dalroy as he pressed close on the heels of an all-powerful escort in Lieutenant Karl von Halwig, of the Prussian Imperial Guard, at the ticket-barrier of the Friedrich Strasse Station on the night of Monday, 3rd August 1914. An officer's uniform is a _passe-partout_ in Germany; the showy uniform of the Imperial Guard adds awe to authority. It may well be doubted if any other insignia of rank could have passed a companion in civilian attire so easily through the official cordon which barred the chief railway station at Berlin that night to all unauthorised persons.