consider that this advice should come from some one in more direct
authority over you, but I assure you I only mean to be friendly. I have
no real evidence for my statement, but I am under the impression that
certain members of Colonel Liedermann's family are still extremely
hostile to their conquerors. Moreover, you yourself realize that as the
terms of peace are delayed there is not merely a sense of irritation
and discontent with the present German government, but attempts are
being made both secretly and openly to overthrow it. I have mentioned my
suspicion to no one except you, Miss Jamison, which of course shows my
confidence in you, but it has occurred to me as a possibility that
Colonel Liedermann, or his invalid son, may be less reconciled to
existing conditions in Germany than they prefer to pretend. Later, if a
discovery of this character should be made, I would regret to have any
one of our American Red Cross nurses drawn into such an uncomfortable
situation."

Annoyed with his own confused method of stating a situation, Major
Jimmie Hersey paused, coloring in his usual annoying fashion, as if he
were a tongue-tied boy.

Yet his companion was looking at him without any suggestion of offense,
and rather as if she too were pondering some important matter.

"Thank you for your advice, Major Hersey," she replied the next moment.
"Now I am going to ask you to trust me. I have a reason for going to
the Liedermann house and I must go there perhaps several times within
the next few days. Afterwards I may be able to explain to you my reason.
Will you trust me and not report my actions to any one for the present?"

With Nora Jamison's eyes facing his directly, although against his own
judgment, there was nothing the young officer felt able to do but agree
to her request. Yet it was out of order and it appeared to him that Nora
Jamison was being vague and mysterious. It were wiser if she attended
strictly to her Red Cross nursing. Surely some one of the other Red
Cross nurses had told him that this Miss Jamison was not inclined to be
especially intimate with any of them.

That same afternoon after several hours of indoor work, making out a
report for his superior officer, Major James Hersey felt that he was
rewarded for the day's duties by an afternoon ride with the Countess
Charlotta.

As they had no other chaperon for their ride, Miss Susan Pringle had
consented to accompany them, rather to Major Jimmie's cons