e out of woman's province. But there! English ladies were
like that.

Many a time had Anna laughed aloud over the antics of the Suffragettes.
About a month ago the boy who brought the meat had given her a long
account of a riot--it had been a very little one--provoked by one such
lady madwoman in the market-place of Witanbury itself. In wise masculine
Germany the lady's relatives (for, strange to say, the Suffragette in
question had been a high-born lady) would have put her in the only
proper place for her, an idiot asylum.

Anna had been genuinely shocked and distressed on learning that her
beloved nursling, Miss Rose, secretly rather sympathised with this mad
female wish for a vote. Why, in Germany only some of the _men_ had
votes, and yet Germany was the most glorious, prosperous, and
much-to-be-feared nation in the world. "Church, Kitchen, and
Children"--that should be, and in the Fatherland still was, every true
woman's motto and province.

Anna's mind came back with a sudden jerk to this morning's surprising,
almost incredible news. Since her two ladies had gone out, she had
opened the newspapers on her kitchen table and read the words for
herself--"England Declares War on Germany." But how could England do
such a thing, when England had no Army? True, she had ships--but then so
now had Germany!

During that blissful holiday in Berlin, Anna had been persuaded to join
the German Navy League. She had not meant to keep up her subscription,
small though it was, after her return to England, but rather to her
disgust she had found that one of the few Germans she knew in Witanbury
represented the League, and that her name had been sent to him as that
of a new member. Twice he had called at the tradesmen's entrance to the
Trellis House, and had demanded the sum of one shilling from her.

To-day Anna remembered with satisfaction those payments she had grudged.
Thanks to her patriotism, and that of millions like her, Germany had now
a splendid fleet with which to withstand her enemies. She wondered if
that fleet (for which she had helped to pay) would ensure the safe
delivery of parcels and letters. Probably yes.

With a relieved look on her face, the old woman dropped the curtains,
and went back to the table and to her knitting.

* * * * *

Suddenly, with what seemed uncanny suddenness, the telephone bell rang
in the hall.

Now Anna had never got used to the telephone. She had not