rs. Head here knows, does
she, about my----?"

And then at once between Alfred Head's teeth came the angry command, in
her own language, to speak German.

She went on eagerly, fluently now: "You will understand, Mr. Head, that
I cannot behave wrongly to my dear nephew Willi's superior. I have been
wondering to-night whether I could hand the affair over to you. After
all, a hundred marks a year are not to be despised in these times. You
yourself say that after the War the money will be made up----" she
looked at him expectantly.

He said rather quickly to his wife, "Look here, Polly! Never mind
this--it's business you wouldn't understand!" And his wife shrugged her
shoulders. She didn't care what the old woman was saying to Alfred. She
supposed it was something about the War--the War of which she was so
heartily sick, and which had brought them, personally, such bad luck.

"It is difficult to decide such a thing in a hurry," said Alfred Head
slowly.

"But it will have to be decided in a hurry," said Anna firmly. "What is
to happen if to-morrow Mrs. Otway comes and tells me that I am to go
away to London, to Louisa? English people are very funny, as you know
well, Herr Hegner!" In her excitement she forgot his new name, and he
winced a little when he heard the old appellation, but he did not rebuke
her, and she went on: "Willi told me, and so did the gentleman, that on
_no_ account must I move that which was confided to me."

"Attend to me, Frau Bauer!" he said imperiously. "This matter is perhaps
more important than even you know, especially at such a time as this."

"Ach, yes!" she said. "I have often said that to myself. Willi's friend
may be interned by now in one of those horrible camps--it is indeed a
difficult question!"

"I do not say I shall be able to do it, but I will make a big effort to
have the whole business settled for you to-morrow morning. What do you
say to that?"

"Splendid!" she exclaimed. "You are in truth a good friend to poor old
Anna Bauer!"

"I wish to be," he said. "And you understand, do you not, Frau Bauer,
that under no conceivable circumstances are you to bring me into the
affair? Have I your word--your oath--on that?"

"Certainly," she said soberly. "You have my word, my oath, on it."

"You see it does not do for me to be mixed up with any Germans," he went
on quickly. "I am an Englishman now--as this gratifying Address truly
says----" he waited a moment. "What would be the b