Page 24 - A Hero of Liége

Gazette containing a mangled version of Sir Edward Grey's speech in the
House of Commons on the previous day. When he had finished packing, he

sat down with the paper at the open window of his room. Having risen
early, he was rather tired, and the heat of the afternoon soon sent him to

sleep.

He was wakened by voices near at hand. There was no one but himself in

the room; after a moment's confusion of senses he realised that the sounds
came up from the balcony beneath his window. It was reached from the

drawing-room, and since it was shaded by a light awning, someone had
evidently gone there for the sake of fresh air.

The awning concealed the speakers from Kenneth's view, but in a few
moments he recognised Hellwig's voice. The other speaker was a man and a

stranger. Kenneth at first paid no attention to them; Hellwig had many
acquaintances, and was fond of entertaining them. But presently he caught
a sentence that made him suddenly alert.

"The bridge has been mined."

It was the stranger speaking, in German. Kenneth rose silently from his
chair, and leant out of the window, so that he should not miss a word.

"The train can be fired at any moment, thanks to our forethought in

tunnelling between the mill-house and the bridge."

"That is well," said Hellwig, in the tone of a superior commending the

report brought him by a subordinate. "Get back as quickly as you can, and
tell them to be ready to act instantly on receipt of a marconigram."

"The stations are closed to private messages," remarked the visitor.

"Yes: but mine will get through. What news have you?"

"When I left yesterday the Belgians were becoming alive to their danger.
They are mobilising feverishly. The forts at Liege are fully manned. But