'What England needs is to realize that God lives, and to turn to Him in faith and humility. Just so long as we remain in a state of religious indifference, just so long will the war continue; and just so soon as we give our lives to Him, and put our trust in Him, just so soon will victory be seen. God has other ways of speaking than by big guns. God spoke, and lo, all the pomp of the Czars became the byword of children! God will speak again, and all the vain glory of the Kaiser will become as the fairy stories of the past!' I know that what I have written gives no true idea of Edgecumbe's message. The words I have set down give but faint suggestions of the outpourings of a heart charged with a mighty purpose. For he spoke like a man inspired, and he lifted the whole audience to a higher level of thought, and life, and purpose. People who had listened with a bored expression on their faces during the other speeches, were moved by his burning words. Club loungers who had been cynical and unbelieving half an hour before, now felt the reality of an unseen Power. Then came the climax to all that had gone before. No sooner had Edgecumbe sat down than the chairman rose again. 'You wonder perhaps,' he said, 'who it is that has been speaking to us. You know by his uniform that he is a soldier, and you know he is a brave man by the decoration on his tunic, but few I expect know, as I have just learnt, that this is Major Edgecumbe, the story of whose glorious career is given in to-day's newspapers.' If the meeting was greatly moved before, it now became frenzied in its enthusiasm. Cheer after cheer rose, while the great audience rose to its feet. All realized that he spoke not as a theorist and a dreamer, but as a man who had again and again offered his life for the country he loved, and the cause in which he believed--a man, not only great in courage, but skilful in war, and wise in counsel. When the excitement had somewhat ceased, an old clergyman, who had been sitting at the back of the platform, came to the front. 'Let us pray,' he said, and a great hush rested on every one, while he led the multitude in prayer. When the meeting finally broke up, the General who had spoken earlier in the evening came and shook Edgecumbe by the hand. 'This meeting is worth more to win the war than an army corps,' he said. CHAPTER XXXIII THE LIFTED CURTAIN The following morning the papers contained lengthy reports of the meeting, and spoke in no sparing terms of the influence of Edgecumbe's words on the great crowd. He appeared to be depressed, however. 'It may be only a passing sensation,' he said. 'Still, I couldn't help doing what I did.' We had barely finished breakfast when a telegram was brought to me, 'Come at once and bring your friend. Wire time I may expect you.--BOLIVICK.' 'There,' I said, passing it to Edgecumbe, 'there's dispatch for you.'