e to secure permission for
their residence in his home. K---- and this official were on friendly
terms, but I could not restrain a smile when the official, with a slight
trace of waspishness in his voice, enquired if it was K----'s intention
to establish a British colony in the village? I might mention that
within a stone's throw of K----'s home was a large factory where a
number of Germans were employed, which was managed by three Englishmen.
It was a highly prosperous and flourishing business and, the three
managers living in the village, it certainly did seem as if the little
place were to become colonised.

On the night of November 6th, while we were all making merry after the
evening meal, there came a peremptory knocking at the door. We looked at
one another wonderingly and our hearts fell into our boots as we heard
an ominous tramping of feet in the hall. Two police officers entered the
room and called out our names. We answered affirmatively.

"Gentlemen! You will accompany us to Cologne!" At the pronouncement we
blanched. We knew only too well what the imperative summons conveyed.
_We were under arrest!_

CHAPTER XVII

RE-IMPRISONED AT KLINGELPUTZ

My friend, being a well-known commercial man of Cologne, was acquainted
with the two gendarmes. He recognised the futility of attempting to run
against the decree of the Powers-that-Be, together with the fact that
these two officers were only doing their duty. He invited them to eat
and drink. They accepted the favour, our good spirits revived, and we
informally discussed the new situation and its portent.

The two officers, not wishing to hurt K----'s feelings more than was
absolutely necessary, and residing in the vicinity, suggested that they
should meet us at a certain point at a given time to escort us into
Cologne. The appointment being settled to mutual satisfaction they
departed and we at once busied ourselves with preparations for another
sojourn in prison, which we considered to be our certain fate. Our
hostess packed a huge reserve of dainties of all descriptions sufficient
to last us several days, by which time we fondly concluded that any
formalities demanded by the authorities would be completed, and we
should once more be allowed to go free on "passes."

We kept the appointment with the two officers who, out of respect for
our host, had discarded their uniforms for mufti. Consequently, to the
casual man in the street, we appeared to be