had obtained his present excellent position owing to
the good offices of Mr. Hegner. Taking his friend's
wise advice, he had become naturalised a year ago.
But a nephew, who had joined him in business, had
not followed his example, and he had been one of
the young men who had been speeded off to Harwich,
through Mr. Hegner's exertions, early that
morning.

While Mrs. Hegner tried to make herself pleasant
to Mrs. Liebert, Mr. Hegner took Mr. Liebert
aside.

"I have just learnt," he said, in a quick whisper,
"that the military gentlemen here are expecting marching
orders to the Continent -- I presume to Belgium."

"That is bad," muttered the other.

But Mr. Hegner smiled. "No, no," he said, "not
bad! It might have been disagreeable if they could
have been got there last week. But by the time the
fifty thousand, even the hundred thousand, English
soldiers are in Belgium, there will be a million of our
fellows there to meet them."

"What are you going to say at this meeting?"
asked the other curiously; he used the English word,
though they still spoke German.

Mr. Hegner shrugged his shoulders. "This is not
going to be a meeting," he said laughingly. "It's
going to be a Kaffeeklatch! Those people to whom
I have to say a word I shall see by myself, in our
little parlour. I trust to you, friend Max, to make
everything go well and lively. As to measures, it is
far too early to think of any measures. So far all
goes very well with me. I have had many tokens of
sympathy and of friendship this morning. Just two

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v?