know she had a key of the safe -- for that's what she
says -- well, that'll help her, of course."

"But there's nothing _in_ the safe," Head objected,
quickly, "nothing of what might be called an incriminating
nature, Mr. Watkins. Only business letters
and papers, and all of them sent me before the War."

The other man looked at him, and hesitated. He
had gone quite as far as old friendship allowed.
"That's as may be," he said cautiously. "I know nothing
of all that. They've been sealed up, and are going
off to London. What caused you to be arrested, Mr.
Head -- this much I may tell you -- is information which
was telephoned down to that London gentleman half
an hour ago. But it was just an accident that the key
Mrs. Head had hidden away was found so quickly --
just a bit of bad luck for her, if I may say so."

"Then I suppose I shan't be allowed to see Polly?"
There was a tone of extreme dejection in the voice.

"Well, we'll see about that! I'll see what I can do
for you. You're not to be charged till tomorrow
morning. Then you'll be charged along with that man --
the man who came to the Trellis House this morning.
He's been found too. He went straight to those Pollits --
you follow my meaning? Mrs. Pollit is the
daughter of that old German woman. I never could
abide _her!_ Often and often I said to my missis, as I
see her go crawling about, 'There's a German as is
taking away a good job from an English woman.' So
she was. Well, I must now tell them where to take
you. And I'm afraid you'll have to be stripped and
searched -- that's the order in these kind of cases."

Alfred Head nodded. "I don't mind," he said

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p351 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p352w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p353

v?