ble roof once more over her head and that of her
little Louisa.

But, as time had gone on, she had naturally resented
Mrs. Otway's peculiar rule concerning beer, and she
had so far broken it as to enjoy a jug of beer -- of
course at her own expense -- once a week. But she
had only begun doing that after Mrs. Otway had raised
her wages.

Host and guest talked on and on. Mr. Hegner
confided to Anna his coming change of name, and
he seemed pleased to know that she thought it quite
a good plan.

Then suddenly he began to cross-question her about
Mr. James Hayley. But unluckily she could tell him
very little beyond at last admitting that he was, without
doubt, in love with her young lady. There was,
however, nothing very interesting in that.

Yes, Mr. Hayley was fond of talking, but, as Anna
had said just now, he talked without saying anything,
and she was too busy to pay much heed to what he
did say. He had come to dinner yesterday, that is,
Saturday, but he had had to leave Witanbury early
this morning. The one thing Anna _did_ remember
having heard him remark, for he said it more than
once, was that up to the last moment they had all
thought, in _his_ office, that there would be no war.

"He is not the only one. I, too, believed that the
war would only come next year," observed Anna's
host ruefully.

The old woman thought these questions quite natural,
for all Germans have an insatiable curiosity concerning
what may be called the gossip side of life.

At last Manfred Hegner pushed back his chair.

[[145]]

p144 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p145w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p146

v?