ds and manner must have meant.

She considered that he had been too careless of Bianca and perhaps
thought her affection something which he could possess or lay aside at
his own convenience. But if Carlo were angered at this idea, he also
realized that there was a certain truth in Sonya's impression. However,
in the future he meant to be more appreciative of Bianca's affection,
and kinder to the young girl for whom he felt a brotherly affection.

CHAPTER XIX

_A Warning_

SOONER than he had hoped Major Hersey had an opportunity for a talk
alone with Nora Jamison.

The passing days had wrought no change in his impression that there was
something of a suspicious nature taking place in the German household in
which he was billeted, a something which was extremely disquieting.
Nevertheless, so far he really had no tangible evidence which made it
possible for him to go to one of his superior officers. Unless he had
some foundation in fact for his suspicion, it would scarcely be fair or
just to involve the members of the Liedermann family in unnecessary
notoriety and espionage. He must therefore watch and wait until he had
discovered some justification for what at present was merely a vague
idea.

However, there was nothing to prevent his suggesting to a girl,
particularly one who was an American Red Cross nurse, that she try to
avoid any appearance of intimacy or even friendliness with a German
family, who might later be involved in a serious difficulty with the
United States military forces in command of the occupied city of
Coblenz.

Three days after reaching this decision, Major James Hersey was leaving
the Liedermann house one afternoon just as Nora Jamison was in the act
of entering it. Their meeting took place as Major Hersey was about to
open the tall iron gate which led into the yard. Indeed he stood aside
in order to allow Nora Jamison to enter.

Their acquaintance was a slight one, so that it is possible Nora Jamison
may have been surprised to hear the young officer say to her in a
hurried and confused fashion.

"Miss Jamison, I must speak to you for a few moments. Will you meet me
in an hour under the big linden tree in the park where Freia and
Gretchen tell me you are in the habit of playing with them? I am sorry
to trouble you but I have what seems to me an important reason for
wishing to talk to you."

In return, after studying the young officer's face for a moment with her
large grey eyes