rator, and managed
to focus very clearly. She first of all showed sets of bought slides,
scenes from Italy and Switzerland and photos of various regiments, and
when these were finished she turned to the slides which she and her
chums had made themselves. There were capital pictures of the school,
the cricket eleven, the hockey team, the quadrangle in the snow, the
gardening assistants, and the tennis champions. They were received with
much applause, Miss Norton in particular congratulating the amateur
photographers on their successful efforts.

"We haven't had time to do very many," said Patricia, "but I've got just
a few more here. This is a good clear one, and interesting too."

The picture which she now threw on the screen showed the road leading to
Whitecliffe, up which a contingent of German prisoners appeared,
guarded by soldiers. In the foreground was a long perambulator holding a
little boy propped up with pillows. It was an excellent photograph, for
the contingent had been caught just at the right moment as it faced the
camera; both prisoners and guards had come out with remarkable
clearness. Something impelled Marjorie to glance at Miss Norton. The
house mistress was gazing at the picture with an expression of amazed
horror in her eyes. She turned quickly to Irene, who was squatting at
her feet, and asked: "Who took that photo?"

"Marjorie Anderson took it, but I made the lantern slide from her film,"
answered Irene proudly. "We think it's quite one of the best."

"I suppose it was just a snapshot as she stood by the roadside?"

"Yes; it was a very lucky one, wasn't it?"

Marjorie, sitting close by, nudged Chrissie, but did not speak. Miss
Norton made no further remark, and Patricia put on the next slide.
Afterwards, in the corridor, Marjorie whispered excitedly to Chrissie:

"Did you notice Norty's face? She was quite upset by my photo of the
German prisoners."

"Yes, I noticed her."

"Significant, wasn't it?"

"Rather!"

"It's like the play scene in _Hamlet_. It seems to me she gave herself
away."

"She was taken unawares."

"Just as the King and Queen were. You remember how Hamlet watched them
all the time? What's happened to-night only confirms our suspicions."

"It does indeed!"

"Perhaps some of her German friends were among the prisoners and she
recognized them."

"It's possible."

"Well, it evidently gave her a great shock, and that would account for
it."

"The plot thickens!"