"Once more, good luck. Do your duty manfully and fearlessly. Regards to young Barrington. I made a point of seeing his father the other day, and he is with me in my view of the step you two have taken. Needless to say, my Mediterranean trip is off. There is other work even for an old buffer such as I am. "Your affectionate father, "THOMAS EVEREST." "The pater's a brick," declared Kenneth, after he had finished wading through his other correspondence; then, observing that Rollo was still scanning his budget, he made his way across to the motor-cycles. In his excitement he had forgotten to turn off the petrol tap of his mount, and had just remembered the fact. On the way back he ran across Major Résimont, whom he had not seen since the night of the evacuation of Liége. The Major greeted him warmly, congratulated him upon gaining his stripes, and asked him how he had fared. "I have, unfortunately, bad news," said the Major sadly. "It would be well to keep the information to yourself: the Liége forts have fallen, and General Leman is a prisoner." "I thought they could hold out for months," Kenneth blurted out, his sense of discretion overcome by the suddenness of the news. "We all thought so," rejoined Major Résimont quietly. "But those huge German guns, they cracked the cupolas like nutshells, and killed or wounded every man in the forts." "The French are here, though," announced Kenneth. "We came in touch with them this morning." "I know," said the Belgian. "They have already succeeded in taking Dinant. We have certain hopes in the French." "And the British troops are in Belgium." The Major shook his head. "See, sir," persisted Kenneth, producing the copy of the paper he had purchased in Brussels. "I have already seen it," said Major Résimont; "it is only a rumour. It is, moreover, false; there is not a single English regiment in Belgium. Your country is, I fear, too late to save Brussels from the invaders." CHAPTER XIII Separated Major Résimont's sentiments were shared by the majority of his deep-thinking compatriots. The great faith in the prompt action of Great Britain in sending a strong Expeditionary Force to Belgium had received a severe set-back. Even yet the promised aid might be forthcoming--but it would be too late to spare the greater portion of the country, including the capital, from invasion. When the Major stated that the Belgians had "certain hopes" in the French, he spoke with a justifiable sense of caution. He realized that the object of throwing French troops into Belgium was not to stay the threatened occupation of Brussels, but to avoid, if possible, the disastrous results of the presence of a German army on French soil. In short, Belgium was once more to be made the battle-ground between French and German troops, provided the fortresses on the borders of Alsace-Lorraine were strong enough to hold back the invaders in this quarter.