should she think of that now? Why didn't Jack Elliott speak--if he had
anything to tell? Why did he just stand there, glowering importantly?

"Ask him--ask him," she said feverishly to Allan Daly. But somebody
else had already asked him. The room grew very silent all at once.
Outside the fiddler had stopped for a rest and there was silence there
too. Afar off they heard the low moan of the gulf--the presage of a
storm already on its way up the Atlantic. A girl's laugh drifted up from
the rocks and died away as if frightened out of existence by the sudden
stillness.

"England declared war on Germany today," said Jack Elliott slowly. "The
news came by wire just as I left town."

"God help us," whispered Gertrude Oliver under her breath. "My dream--
my dream! The first wave has broken." She looked at Allan Daly and tried
to smile.

"Is this Armageddon?" she asked.

"I am afraid so," he said gravely.

A chorus of exclamations had arisen round them--light surprise and idle
interest for the most part. Few there realized the import of the message
--fewer still realized that it meant anything to them. Before long the
dancing was on again and the hum of pleasure was as loud as ever.
Gertrude and Allan Daly talked the news over in low, troubled tones.
Walter Blythe had turned pale and left the room. Outside he met Jem,
hurrying up the rock steps.