Guthrie had come through in a list of wounded prisoners
supplied to the Geneva Red Cross. There was
no clue as to where he was, or as to his condition, and
Mr. Allen ended with the words: "I am trying to get
in touch with the American Embassy in Berlin. I am
told that it is the best, in fact the only, medium for
getting authentic news of wounded prisoners."

"The gracious lady sees that I was right. Never
did I believe the Major to be dead! Officers are always
behind their soldiers. They are in the safe place."
Such were the words, uttered of course in German,
with which Anna greeted the great news.

As Mrs. Otway turned away, and silently left the
kitchen, the old woman shook her head with an impatient
gesture. Why make all that fuss over the fact
that Major Guthrie was a prisoner in Germany? Anna
could imagine no happier fate just now than that of
being in the Fatherland -- even as a prisoner. She
could remember the generous way in which the French
prisoners, or at least some of them, had been treated
in 1870. Why, the then Crown Princess -- she who
was later known as "the Englishwoman" -- had always
visited those wards containing the French prisoners
first, before she went and saw the German wounded.
Anna could remember very clearly the angry remarks
which had been provoked by that royal lady's action,
as also by her strange notion that the wounded required
plenty of fresh air.

Some time ago Anna had seen in an English paper,
in fact it had been pointed out to her by Mrs. Otway
herself, that the German Government had had to restrain
the daughters and wives of the Fatherland from
over-kindness to the French.

[[205]]

p204 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p205w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p206

v?