the length of the frontier.  Along their range the Browns have a series of fortresses commanding natural openings for our attack.  These are almost impregnable.  But there are pregnable points between them.  Here, our method will be the same that the Japanese followed and that they learned from European armies.  We shall concentrate in masses and throw in wave after wave of attack until we have gained the positions we desire.  Once we have a tenable foothold on the crest of the range the Brown army must fall back and the rest will be a matter of skilful pursuit.”

The premier, as he listened, rolled the paper-knife over and over, regarding its polished sides, which were like Westerling’s manner of facile statement of a programme certain of fulfilment.

“We can win, then?  We can go to their capital, or far enough to force a great indemnity, the annexation of one of their provinces, perhaps, and the taking over of their African colonies, which we can develop so much better than they?”

Westerling took care to show none of the eagerness which had set his pulses humming.

“To their capital!” he declared decisively.  “Nothing less.  For that I have planned.”

“And the cost in lives?”

“Five or six hundred thousand casualties, which means about a hundred thousand killed.”

“Ghastly!  The population of a good-sized city!” exclaimed the premier.

“A small percentage out of five million soldiers; a smaller out of eighty million population,” Westerling returned.

“And how long do you think the war would last?  How long the strain on our finances, the suspense to the markets?”

“About a month.  We shall go swiftly.  The completeness of modern preparation must make a war of to-day brief between two great powers.  We must win with a rush, giving the defenders no breathing spell, pouring masses after masses upon the critical positions.”

“How long will it take to mobilize?”

“Less than a week after the railroads are put entirely at our service, with three preceding days of scattered movements,” answered Westerling.  “Deliberate mobilizations are all right for a diplomatic threat that creates a furore in the newspapers and a depression in the stock-market, but which is not to be carried out.  When you mean war, all speed and the war fever at white heat.”

“Therefore, there would be little time for the public to hoard money or to provoke a panic.  The government, knowing precisely what was before it, could take severe preventive measures.”

“But I may say that we should strike before mobilization is complete.  A day will be required to take the La Tir tangent and other outlying positions.  The 128th and other regiments who will do this work are already at the front.  They were chosen because they came from distant provinces and we can count on their patriotic fervor for brilliant and speedy action, with resulting general enthusiasm for the whole army, which will be up in time for the assault on the Browns’ permanent defences.”