"Oh, James, do try and get leave for me to see her
tonight -- even for only a moment."

She turned to the other man; somehow she felt that
she had a better chance there. "I have been in great
trouble lately," she said, in a low tone, "and but for
Anna Bauer I don't know how I should have got
through it. That is why I feel I _must_ go to her now
in her trouble."

"We'll see what can be done," said Mr. Reynolds
kindly. "It may be easier to arrange for you to see
her tonight than it would be tomorrow, after she has
been charged."

When they reached the Market Place they saw that
there were a good many idlers still standing about near
the steps leading up to the now closed door of the
Council House.

"You had better wait down here while I go and see
about it," said James Hayley quickly. He did not like
the thought of Rose standing among the sort of people
who were lingering, like noisome flies round a honey-
pot, under the great portico.

And when he had left them standing together in
the great space under the stars, Rose turned to the
stranger with whom she somehow felt in closer sympathy
than with her own cousin.

"What makes you think our old servant was a----"
she broke off. She could not bear to use the word
"spy."

"I'll tell you," he said slowly, "what has convinced
me. But keep this for the present to yourself, Mrs.
Blake, for I have said nothing of it to Mr. Hayley.
Quite at the beginning of the War, it was arranged that

[[362]]

p361 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p362w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p363

v?