"Berlin!" he exclaimed. "What's up there?"
"War; it will break out before long."
"Who is your informant?"
Fraser handed him the letter.
"Read that," he said.
Alan did so.
"By Jove!" he exclaimed. "This looks serious. Can you rely upon it?"
"Yes," said Fraser, with a characteristic snap of his firm lips.
Alan put the letter down and a gloomy look settled on his face.
"War," he said, "and I'll be out of it, confound the thing! I'm sorry
I don't hold a commission."