Except on exeat days she saw little of Dona, and discussing matters with
that rather stolid little person was not a very exhilarating
performance. In her dilemma she turned to Chrissie. The two had shared
the secret of the Observatory window, and Chrissie, one of the most
enthusiastic members of their patriotic society, would surely understand
and sympathize where Winifrede might laugh or scold. Marjorie felt that
she had lately rather neglected her chum. Their squabbles had caused
frequent coolnesses, and each had been going her own way. She now made
an opportunity to walk with Chrissie down the dingle, and confided to
her the whole story of her doubts. Her chum listened very attentively.

"It looks queer!" she commented. "Yes, more than queer! I always set
Miss Norton down as a pro-German. Those foreign letters ought to be
investigated. I wish I could get hold of some of them. It's our duty to
look after this, Marjorie. You're patriotic? Well, so am I. We may be
able to render a great service to our country if we can track down a
spy. We'll set all our energies to work."

"What are we going to do?" asked Marjorie, much impressed.

"Leave it to me, and I'll think out a plan of campaign. These things
are a battle of brains. She's clever, and we've got to outwit her. Who
were those foreigners she was talking to in the hotel, I should like to
know?"

"That was just what I thought."

"For a beginning we must try to draw her out. Oh, don't ask her
questions about her German sympathies, that's too clumsy! She'd see
through that in a moment. Let's work the conversation round to military
matters and munitions, and get the girls to tell all they've heard of
news from the front, and watch whether Norty isn't just snapping it up."

"Wouldn't that be letting her get to know too much?"

"Well, one's obliged to risk something. If you're over-cautious you
never get anything done."

"Yes, I suppose you're right. We'll try on Sunday evening after supper.
She always comes into the sitting-room for a chat with us then."

Chrissie seemed to have taken up the matter with the greatest keenness.
She was evidently in dead earnest about it. Marjorie was agreeably
surprised, and on the strength of this mutual confidence her old
affection for her chum revived. Once more they went about the school arm
in arm, sat next to each other at tea, and wrote each other private
little notes. St. Elgiva's smiled again, but the girls by this time w