disabled prisoners
of war had been successful. That news, however, seemed as if it would
never come.

In one thing Mrs. Otway was fortunate. There was plenty of hard work to
do that winter in Witanbury, and, in spite of her supposed lack of
interest in the War, Mrs. Otway had a wonderful way with soldiers' wives
and mothers, so much so that in time all the more difficult cases were
handed over to her.

* * * * *

"This is to warn you that you are being watched. A friend of England is
keeping an eye on you, not ostentatiously, but none the less very
closely. Dismiss the German woman who has already been too long in your
employment. England can take no risks."

Mrs. Otway had come home, after a long afternoon of visiting, and found
this anonymous letter waiting for her. On the envelope her name and
address were inscribed in large capitals.

She stared down at the dictatorial message--written of course in a
disguised hand--with mingled disgust and amusement. Then, suddenly, she
made up her mind to show it to Miss Forsyth before burning it.

Tired though she was, she left the house again, and slowly walked round
to see her old friend.

Miss Forsyth smiled over it, but she also frowned, and she frowned more
than she smiled when Mrs. Otway exclaimed, "Did you ever see such an
extraordinary thing?"

"It is not so extraordinary as you think, Mary! I must honestly tell you
that in my opinion the writer of this anonymous letter is right in
believing that there is a good deal of spying and of conveying valuable
information to the enemy."

She waited a moment, and then went on, deliberately: "I suppose you are
quite sure of your old Anna, my dear? Used she not to be in very close
touch with Berlin? Has she broken all that off since the War began?"

"Indeed she has!" cried Mrs. Otway eagerly. She was surprised at the
turn the conversation had taken. Was it conceivable that Miss Forsyth
must be numbered henceforth among the spy maniacs of whom she knew there
were a good many in Witanbury? "She made every kind of effort early in
the War--for the matter of that I did what I could to help her--to get
into touch with her relations there, for she was very anxious and
miserable about them. But she failed--absolutely failed!"

"And how about her German friends in England? I suppose she has German
friends?"

"To the best of my belief, she hasn't a single German acquaintance!"
exclaimed Anna's mi