stead of that, he had only exclaimed, at frequent intervals,
that this war would ruin them. He really
did believe it, too, for he had even said it in his sleep.

Why, they were made of money. Polly had the
best of reasons for knowing _that._ They didn't owe a
penny to anybody, excepting to the builder. And no
one could have acted better than that builder had done.
He had hurried round the very first thing on Wednesday
to tell them not to worry. In fact, even Manfred,
who seldom had a good word for anybody, agreed
that Mr. Smith had behaved very handsomely.

People were now beginning to walk across the
Market Place, and rather more were going to evening
service in the Cathedral than usual.

Polly didn't want any one to look up and see she
had been crying. So she retreated a little way into
the room. Then she went over and poured some
water from the queer-shaped jug into the narrow, deep
basin, which was so unlike a nice big wide English
basin. After that she washed her face, and dabbed
her eyes with eau-de-Cologne.

Manfred, who was so economical about most things,
and who even grudged her spending more than a certain
sum on necessary household cleaning implements,
was very fond of scent, and he had quite a row of
scent-bottles and pomades on his side of the washhand-
stand....

While Polly was dabbing her eyes and face she
looked meditatively at the big safe in the corner.

With that safe was connected her one real bit of
deceit. Manfred thought she didn't know what was
in the safe, but as a matter of fact she knew what was
safely put away there as well as he did. Amazing to

[[133]]

p132 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p133w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p134

v?