are!" she exclaimed. "Even Mr. Robey to me says,
'Dastardly conduct!'"

"Yes, yes," said Polly hastily. "It was _dreadful!_
But look at this, Mrs. Bauer----" She held towards
Anna a large sheet of thick, fine cream-laid paper.
Across the top was typed --

@@@@"TO ALFRED HEAD,
@@@@CITY COUNCILLOR OF WITANBURY."

Then underneath, also in typewriting, the following
words:

@@@@"We the undersigned, your fellow-countrymen and fellow-citizens
@@@@of Witanbury, wish to express to you our utter
@@@@abhorrence and sense of personal shame in the dastardly
@@@@attack which was made on your house and property on
@@@@March 25, 1915. As a small token of regard we desire
@@@@to inform you that we have started a fund for compensating
@@@@you for any material loss you may have incurred which
@@@@is not covered by your plate-glass insurance."

There followed, written in ink, a considerable number
of signatures. These were headed by the Dean,
and included the names of most of the canons and
minor canons, four Dissenting ministers, and about
a hundred others belonging to all classes in and near
the cathedral city.

True, there were certain regrettable omissions, but
fortunately neither Mr. and Mrs. Head nor Anna
seemed aware of it. One such omission was that of
the Catholic priest. Great pressure had been brought
to bear on him, but perhaps because there was little
doubt that members of his congregation had been concerned
in the outrage, he had obstinately refused to

[[295]]

p294 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p295w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p296

v?