"Splendid!" she exclaimed. "You are in truth a
good friend to poor old Anna Bauer!"

"I wish to be," he said. "And you understand, do
you not, Frau Bauer, that under no conceivable circumstances
are you to bring me into the affair? Have
I your word -- your oath -- on that?"

"Certainly," she said soberly. "You have my word,
my oath, on it."

"You see it does not do for me to be mixed up
with any Germans," he went on quickly. "I am an
Englishman now -- as this gratifying Address truly
says----" he waited a moment. "What would be the
best time for the person who will come to call?"

Anna hesitated. "I don't know," she said helplessly.
"The marriage is to be at twelve, and before
then there will be a great deal of coming and going
at the Trellis House."

"Is it necessary for you to attend the bridal?" he
asked.

Anna shook her head. "No," she said, "I do not
think so; I shall not be missed." There was a tone of
bitterness in her voice.

"Then the best thing will be for your visitor to come
during the marriage ceremony. That marriage will
draw away all the busybodies. And it is not as if
your visitor need stay long----"

"Not more than a very few minutes," she said
eagerly, and then, "Will it be the same gentleman who
came three years ago?"

"Oh, no; it will be someone quite different. He
will come in a motor, and I expect a Boy Scout will
be with him."

[[300]]

p299 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p300w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p301

v?