She had enjoyed the party herself , after all , for she had foregathered with a Charlottetown acquaintance who , being a stranger and much older than most of the guests , felt himself rather out of it , and had been glad to fall in with this clever girl who could talk of world doings and outside events with the zest and vigour of a man . In the pleasure of his society she had forgotten some of her misgivings of the day . Now they suddenly returned to her . What news did Jack Elliott bring ? Lines from an old poem flashed unbidden into her mind -- `` there was a sound of revelry by night '' -- `` Hush ! Hark ! A deep sound strikes like a rising knell '' -- why should she think of that now ? Why did n't Jack Elliott speak -- if he had anything to tell ? Why did he just stand there , glowering importantly ? `` Ask him -- ask him , '' she said feverishly to Allan Daly . But somebody else had already asked him . The room grew very silent all at once . Outside the fiddler had stopped for a rest and there was silence there too . Afar off they heard the low moan of the gulf -- the presage of a storm already on its way up the Atlantic . A girl 's laugh drifted up from the rocks and died away as if frightened out of existence by the sudden stillness . `` England declared war on Germany today , '' said Jack Elliott slowly . `` The news came by wire just as I left town . '' `` God help us , '' whispered Gertrude Oliver under her breath . `` My dream -- my dream ! The first wave has broken . ''
She looked XXXXX Allan Daly and tried to smile .
Outside after at by from into of off than to