rough which they had gained admittance
earlier in the evening.

Mr. Hegner smoothed out his brow, and a mechanical smile came to his
lips. He was glad the old Socialist had cleared out early. It is not too
much to say that Manfred Hegner hated Froehling. He wondered who would
get the German barber's job. He knew a man, a sharp, clever fellow, who
like himself had lived for a long time in America--who was, in fact, an
American citizen, though he had been born in Hamburg--who would be the
very man for it. Perhaps now was scarcely the moment to try and get yet
another foreigner, even if only this time an American, into the
neighbourhood of the barracks.

* * * * *

The owner of the Witanbury Stores went over to the place where Anna
Bauer was sitting talking to the mother of one of Mr. Hegner's German
employes. To call that young man German is, however, wrong, for some six
weeks ago he had become naturalised. Well for him that he had done so,
otherwise he would have had now to go back to the Fatherland and fight.
His mother was the one really happy person in the gathering to-night,
for the poor woman kept thanking God and Mr. Hegner in her heart for
having saved her son from an awful fate. Treating the mother of his
shopman as if she had not been there, Mr. Hegner bent towards the other
woman.

"Frau Bauer," he said graciously, "come into our parlour for a few
moments. I should like a little chat with you."

Anna got up and followed him through the crowd. What was it Mr. Hegner
wanted to say to her? She felt slightly apprehensive. Surely he was
going to tell her that now, owing to the war, he would have to stop the
half-commission he was still giving her on Mrs. Otway's modest orders?
Her heart rose in revolt. An Englishman belonging to the type and class
of Anna Bauer would have determined "to have it out" with him, but she
knew well that she would not have the courage to say anything at all if
he did this mean thing.

To her great surprise, after she had followed him into the parlour, Mr.
Hegner turned the key in the lock.

"I have but a very little to say," he exclaimed jovially, "but, while I
say it, I do not care to be interrupted! It is more cosy so. Sit down,
Frau Bauer, sit down!"

Still surprised, and still believing that her host was going to "best"
her in some way, Anna did sit down. She fixed her light-blue,
short-sighted eyes watchfully on his face. What a pity it was th