E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell, Project Gutenberg Beginners Projects,
Mary Meehan, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Through Lines of Steel
By CLAIR W. HAYES
AUTHOR OF "The Boy Allies On the Firing Line" "The Boy Allies With the
Cossacks" "The Boy Allies In the Trenches"
1915
"War has been declared, mother!" shouted Hal, as closely followed by hisfriend, Chester Crawford, he dashed into the great hotel in Berlin, wherethe three were stopping, and made his way through the crowd that throngedthe lobby to his mother's side.
"Yes, mother, it's true," continued Hal, seeing the look of consternationon Mrs. Paine's face. "The Kaiser has declared war upon France!"
Mrs. Paine, who had risen to her feet at her son's entrance, put her handupon the back of her chair to steady herself, and her face grew pale.
"Can it be?" she said slowly. "After all these years, can it be possiblethat millions of men will again fly at each other's throats? Is itpossible that Europe will again be turned into a battlefield?"
Overcome by her feelings, Mrs. Paine sank slowly into her chair. Hal and
Chester sprang to her side.
"It's all right, mother," cried Hal, dropping to his knees and puttinghis arm about her. "We are in no danger. No one will harm an American. Atthis crisis a citizen of the United States will not be molested."
Mrs. Paine smiled faintly.
"It was not of that I was thinking, my son," she said. "Your wordsbrought back to me the days gone by, and I pray that I shall not have togo through them again. Then, too, I was thinking of the mothers and wiveswhose hearts will be torn by the news you have just told me. But come,"and Mrs. Paine shook off her memories, "tell me all about it."
"As you know, Mrs. Paine," spoke up Chester, who up to this time hadremained silent, "Hal and I went to the American Embassy immediatelyafter dinner to-night to learn, if possible, what difficulties we werelikely to encounter in leaving Germany. Since the Kaiser's declaration ofwar against Russia all Americans have been preparing to get out of thecountry at the earliest possible moment. But now that war has beendeclared on France, we are likely to encounter many hardships."
"Is there any likelihood of our being detained?" asked Mrs. Paine inalarm. "What did the ambassador say?"
"While the ambassador anticipates no danger for foreigners, he advisesthat we leave the country immediately. He suggests that we take the earlymorning train across the Belgian frontier."
"Why go to Belgium?"
"All railroad lines leading into France have been seized by Germansoldiers. Passenger traffic has been cut off, mother," explained Hal."All trains are being used for the movement of troops."
"Yes, Mrs. Paine," continued Chester, "we shall have to go throughBelgium. Even now thousands of the Kaiser's best troops are marching uponthe French frontier, and fighting is only a question of hours."
"Very well, then," returned Mrs. Paine. "We shall go in the morning. So Iguess we would all better go upstairs and pack. Come along, boys."
While the packing is going on, it is a good time to describe the two
American lads, who will play the most import