no--she was
not obliged to tell him anything of the sort. If she did, he might want
to go away and come back another time. Then everything would have to be
begun over again.

"The parcels all ready are," she said. "Shall I them bring?"

"No, no! I will come with you. We will make two 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 to-day, 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 long
time in America, and this probably was one of his American friends.

After they had taken out two of the parcels and placed them at the back
of the motor, Anna suddenly bethought herself of what Alfred Head had
said to her. "Give me, please," she said, "the money which to me since
January 1st owing has been. Fifty shillings--two pound ten it is."

"I know nothing of that," said the man curtly. "I have had no
instructions to pay you any money, Mrs. Bauer."

Anna felt a rush of anger come over her. She was not afraid of this
weasel-faced little man. "Then the other two parcels take away you will
not," she excla