stress confidently. "She used to know those
unfortunate Froehlings rather well, but, as I daresay you know, they left
Witanbury quite early in the War--in fact during the first week of war.
And she certainly hasn't heard from them. I asked her if she had, some
time ago. Dear Miss Forsyth, do believe me when I say that, apart from
her very German appearance, and her funny way of talking, my poor old
Anna is to all intents and purposes an Englishwoman. Why, she has lived
in England twenty-two years!"

There came a very curious, dubious, hesitating expression on Miss
Forsyth's face. "I daresay that what you say is true," she said at last.
"But even so, if I were you, Mary, I should show her that letter. She
may be in touch with some of her own people--I mean in all innocence. It
would be very disagreeable for you if such turned out to be the case. I
happen to know that Witanbury is believed to be--well, what shall I call
it?--a spy centre for this part of England. I don't know that it's so
much the city, as the neighbourhood. You see, we're not so very far away
from one of the beaches which it is thought the Germans, if they did try
a landing, would choose as a good place."

Mrs. Otway's extreme astonishment showed in her face.

"You know I never gossip, Mary, so you may take what I say as being
true. But I beg you to keep it to yourself. Don't even tell Rose, or the
Dean. My information does not come from anyone here, in Witanbury. It
comes from London."

* * * * *

Straws show the way the wind is blowing. The anonymous letter sent to
the Trellis House was one straw; another was the revelation made to Mrs.
Otway by Miss Forsyth.

The wind indicated by these two small straws suddenly developed, on the
25th of March, into a hurricane. Luckily it was not a hurricane which
affected Mrs. Otway or her good old Anna at all directly, but it upset
them both, in their several ways, very much indeed, for it took the
extraordinary shape of a violent attack by a mob armed with pickaxes and
crowbars on certain so-called Germans--for they were all
naturalised--and their property.

A very successful recruiting meeting had been held in the Market Place.
At this meeting the local worthies had been present in force. Thus, on
the platform which had been erected in front of the Council House, the
Lord Lieutenant of the County, supported by many religious dignitaries,
headed by the Dean, had made an excel