journeys, each taking one. That will make the business
less long."

He followed her through the kitchen, the scullery,
and so into her bedroom.

There were two corded tin boxes, as well as a number
of other packages, standing ready for removal.

"Surely I have not to take all this away?" he exclaimed.
"I thought there were only four small parcels!"

Anna smiled. "Most of it my luggage is," she said.
"These yours are----" she pointed to four peculiar-shaped
packages, which might have been old-fashioned
bandboxes. They were done up in grey paper, the kind
grocers use, and stoutly corded. Through each cord
was fixed a small strong, iron handle. "They very
heavy are," observed Anna thoughtfully.

And the man muttered something -- it sounded like
an oath. "I think you had better leave the moving of
them to me," he said. "Stand aside, will you?"

He took up two of them; then once more uttered an
exclamation, and let them gently down again. "I shall
have to take one at a time," he said. "I'm not an over-
strong man, Mrs. Bauer, and as you seem to have managed
to move them, no doubt you can help me with
this one."

Anna, perhaps because her nerves were somewhat on
edge today, resented the stranger's manner. It was
so short, so rude, and he had such a funny accent. Yet
she felt sure, in spite of the excellent German she had
overheard him speak to Mr. Head, that he was not a
fellow-countryman of hers. Then, suddenly, looking
at his queerly trimmed beard, she told herself that he
might be an American. Alfred Head had lived for a

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p311 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p312w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p313

v?