which she had looked at one figure in that vanished
throng. It had been the figure of a woman dressed
in the deep mourning of a German widow, the severity
of the costume lightened only by the beautiful Orders
pinned on the breast.

At the time she, the girl of that far-off day, had
only just come back from Germany, and the Imperial
tragedy, which had as central figure one so noble and
so selfless, had moved her eager young heart very
deeply. She remembered how hurt she had felt at
hearing her cousin mutter to his wife, "I'm sorry she
is here. She oughtn't to have come to this kind of
thing. Royalties, especially foreign Royalties, should
have no politics." And with what satisfaction she
had heard Mrs. Hayley's spirited rejoinder: "What
nonsense! She hasn't come because it's political, but
because it's English. She loves England, and everything
to do with England!"

The vision faded, and she walked forward into the
strangely changed room.

"Can I speak to Mrs. Vereker?" she asked, timidly
addressing one of the ladies nearest the door. Yet it
was with unacknowledged relief that she received the
answer: "I'm so sorry, but Mrs. Vereker isn't here.
She left early this afternoon. Is there anything I
can do for you? Do you want to make inquiries
about a prisoner?"

And then, as Mrs. Otway said, "Yes," the speaker
went on quickly, "I think I shall do just as well if
you will kindly give me the particulars. Let us come
over here and sit down; then we shan't be disturbed."

Mrs. Otway looked up gratefully into the kind face
of the woman speaking to her. It was a comfort to

[[219]]

p218 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p219w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p220

v?