“What is it, James?” said Mrs. Murray.
Mr. Murray repeated the news to her.
“Germany at war?” she said. “I thought it was Austria and Servia. Isn't it?”
“Yes, my dear,” said Mr. Murray hastily, as if anxious to cover up his wife's display of ignorance of the European situation. “Austria has been at war with Servia for some days, but now Germany has declared war apparently upon France and Russia.”
“But what has Germany to do with it, or Russia either, or France?”
They moved off together from the docks toward the church, discussing the ominous news.
“Oh, look, Jane,” said Isabel once more. “There's Ramsay Dunn. Isn't he looking funny?”
“Pickled, I guess,” said Jim, with a glance at the young man who with puffed and sodden face was gazing with dull and stupid eyes across the lake. On catching sight of the approaching party Ramsay Dunn turned his back sharply upon them and became intensely absorbed in the launch at his side. But Jane would not have it thus.
“Ask him to come over this afternoon,” she said to Ethel. “His mother would like it.”
“Good morning, Ramsay,” said Ethel as they passed him.