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stepped； or seemed to step up to the man and whispered； or seemed
to whisper； in his ear。
I do not know what tongue or what spirit speech he used； or
what he said； but the bloated…faced brute turned pale。 Yes； he
drew sick with fear。
〃I think there are spirits in this place；〃 he said with a
German oath。 〃I could have sworn that something told me that I
was going to die。 Mount！〃
The Uhlans mounted and began to ride away。
〃Watch；〃 said Oro。
As he spoke out of a dark cloud appeared an aeroplane。 Its
pilot saw the band of Germans beneath and dropped a bomb。 The aim
was good； for the missile exploded in the midst of them； causing
a great cloud of dust from which arose the screams of men and
horses。
〃Come and see；〃 said Oro。
We were there。 Out of the cloud of dust appeared one man
galloping furiously。 He was a young fellow who； as I noted； had
turned his head away and hidden his eyes with his hand when the
horror was done yonder。 All the others were dead except the
officer who had worked the deed。 He was still living； but both
his hands and one of his feet had been blown away。 Presently he
died； screaming to God for mercy。
We passed on and came to a barn with wide doors that swung a
little in the wind； causing the rusted hinges to scream like a
creature in pain。 On each of these doors hung a dead man
crucified。 The hat of one of them lay upon the ground； and I knew
from the shape of it that he was a Colonial soldier。
〃Did you not tell me；〃 said Oro after surveying them； 〃that
these Germans are of your Christian faith？〃
〃Yes； and the Name of God is always on their ruler's lips。〃
〃Ah！〃 he said； 〃I am glad that I worship Fate。 Bastin the
priest need trouble me no more。〃
〃There is something behind Fate；〃 I said； quoting Bastin
himself。
〃Perhaps。 So indeed I have always held； but after much study I
cannot understand the manner of its working。 Fate is enough for
me。〃
We went on and came to a flat country that was lined with
ditches； all of them full of men； Germans on one side； English
and French upon the other。 A terrible bombardment shook the
earth； the shells raining upon the ditches。 Presently that from
the English guns ceased and out of the trenches in front of them
thousands of men were vomited； who ran forward through a hail of
fire in which scores and hundreds fell； across an open piece of
ground that was pitted with shell craters。 They came to barbed
wire defenses； or what remained of them； cut the wire with
nippers and pulled up the posts。 Then through the gaps they
surged in； shouting and hurling hand grenades。 They reached the
German trenches； they leapt into them and from those holes arose
a hellish din。 Pistols were fired and everywhere bayonets
flashed。
Behind them rushed a horde of little； dark…skinned men； Indians
who carried great knives in their hands。 Those leapt over the
first trench and running on with wild yells； dived into the
second； those who were left of them； and there began hacking with
their knives at the defenders and the soldiers who worked the
spitting maxim guns。 In twenty minutes it was over； those lines
of trenches were taken； and once more from either side the guns
began to boom。
〃War again；〃 said Oro； 〃clean； honest war； such as the god I
call Fate decrees for man。 I have seen enough。 Now I would visit
those whom you call Turks。 I understand they have another worship
and perhaps they are nobler than these Christians。〃
We came to a hilly country which I recognised as Armenia； for
once I travelled there； and stopped on an seashore。 Here were the
Turks in thousands。 They were engaged in driving before them mobs
of men； women and children in countless numbers。 On and on they
drove them till they reached the shore。 There they massacred them
with bayonets； with bullets； or by drowning。 I remember a
dreadful scene of a poor woman standing up to her waist in the
water。 Three children were clinging to herbut I cannot go on；
really I cannot go on。 In the end a Turk waded out and bayoneted
her while she strove to protect the last living child with her
poor body whence it sprang。
〃These； I understand；〃 said Oro； pointing to the Turkish
soldiers； 〃worship a prophet who they say is the voice of God。〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered； 〃and therefore they massacre these who are
Christians because they worship God without a prophet。〃
〃And what do the Christians massacre each other for？〃
〃Power and the wealth and territories that are power。 That is；
the King of the Germans wishes to rule the world； but the other
Nations do not desire his dominion。 Therefore they fight for
Liberty and Justice。〃
〃As it was； so it is and shall be；〃 remarked Oro； 〃only with
this difference。 In the old world some were wise； but here〃 and
he stopped； his eyes fixed upon the Armenian woman struggling in
her death agony while the murderer drowned her child； then added：
〃Let us go。〃
Our road ran across the sea。 On it we saw a ship so large that
it attracted Oro's attention； and for once he expressed
astonishment。
〃In my day；〃 he said； 〃we had no vessels of this greatness in
the world。 I wish to look upon it。〃
We landed on the deck of the ship； or rather the floating
palace； and examined her。 She carried many passengers； some
English； some American； and I pointed out to Oro the differences
between the two peoples。 These were not； he remarked； very wide
except that the American women wore more jewels； also that some
of the American men； to whom we listened as they conversed； spoke
of the greatness of their country； whereas the Englishmen； if
they said anything concerning it； belittled their country。
Presently； on the surface of the sea at a little distance
appeared something strange； a small and ominous object like a can
on the top of a pole。 A voice cried out 〃Submarine！〃 and everyone
near rushed to look。
〃If those Germans try any of their monkey tricks on us； I guess
the United States will give them hell；〃 said another voice near
by。
Then from the direction of the pole with the tin can on the top
of it； came something which caused a disturbance in the smooth
water and bubbles to rise in its wake。
〃A torpedo！〃 cried some。
〃Shut your mouth；〃 said the voice。 〃Who dare torpedo a vessel
full of the citizens of the United States？〃
Next came a booming crash and a flood of upthrown water； in the
wash of which that speaker was carried away into the deep。 Then
horror！ horror！ horror！ indescribable； as the mighty vessel went
wallowing to her doom。 Boats launched； boats overset； boats
dragged under by her rush through the water which could not be
stayed。 Maddened men and women running to and fro； their eyes
starting from their heads； clasping children； fastening lifebelts
over their costly gowns； or appearing from their cabins； their
hands filled with jewels that they sought to save。 Orders cried
from high places by stern…faced officers doing their duty to the
last。 And a little way off that thin pole with a tin can on the
top of it watching its work。
Then the plunge of the enormous ship into the deep； its huge
screws still whirling in the air and the boom of the bursting
boilers。 Lastly everything gone save a few boats floating on the
quiet sea and around them dots that were the heads of struggling
human beings。
〃Let us go home；〃 said Oro。 〃I grow tired of this war of your
Christian peoples。 It is no better than that of the barbarian
nations of the early world。 Indeed it is worse； since then we
worshipped Fate and but a few of us had wisdom。 Now you all claim
wisdom and declare that you worship a God of Mercy。〃
With these words still ringing in my ears I woke up upon the
Island of Orofena； filled with terror at the horrible
possibilities of nightmare。
What else could it be？ There was the brown and ancient cone of
the extinct volcano。 There were the tall palms of the main island
and the lake glittering in the sunlight between。 There was Bastin
conducting a kind of Sunday school of Orofenans upon the point of
the Rock of Offerings； as now he had obtained the leave of Oro to
do。 There was the mouth of the cave； and issuing from it Bickley；
who by help of one of the hurricane lamps had been making an
examination of the buried remains of what he supposed to be
flying machines。 Without doubt it was nightmare； and I would say
nothing to them about it for fear of mockery。
Yet two nights later Oro came again and after the usual
preliminaries； said：
〃Humphrey； this night we will visit that mighty American
nation； of which you have told me so much； and the other Neutral
Countries。
＇At this point there is a gap in Mr。 Arbuthnot's M。S。； so Oro's
reflections on the Neutral Nations； if any； remain unrecorded。 It
continues：＇
On our homeward way we passed over Austr