, Lessingham," Sir Henry begged.
"You see, we have found a modern version of Cinderella's slipper. The
hat which fell from the Zeppelin on to Dutchman's Common fits our friend
like a glove. I never thought the Germans made such good hats, did you,
Griffiths?"

"I always thought they imported their felt hats," Captain Griffiths
acknowledged. "Is that really the one with the German name inside, which
Miss Nora brought home?"

"This is the genuine article," Lessingham assented, taking it from
his head and passing it on to the newcomer. "Notwithstanding the name
inside, I should still believe that it was an English hat. It feels too
comfortable for anything else."

The Commandant took the hat to a lamp and examined it carefully. He drew
out the lining and looked all the way round. Suddenly he gave vent to a
little exclamation.

"Here are the owner's initials," he declared, "rather faint but still
distinguishable,--B. M. Hm! There's no doubt about its being a German
hat."

"B. M.," Sir Henry muttered, looking over his shoulder. "How very
interesting! B. M.," he repeated, turning to Philippa, who had
recommenced her knitting. "Is it my fancy, or is there something a
little familiar about that?"

"I am sure that I have no idea," Philippa replied. "It conveys nothing
to me."

There was a brief but apparently pointless silence. Philippa's needles
flashed through her wool with easy regularity. Lessingham appeared to be
sharing the mild curiosity which the others showed concerning the hat.
Sir Henry was standing with knitted brows, in the obvious attitude of a
man seeking to remember something.

"B. M.," he murmured softly to himself. "There was some one I've known
or heard of in England--What's that, Mills?"

"Your dinner is served, sir," Mills, who had made a silent entrance,
announced.

Sir Henry apparently thought no more of the hat or its possible owner.
He threw it upon a neighbouring table, and his face expressed a new
interest in life.

"Jove, I'm ravenous!" he confessed. "You'll excuse me, won't you? Mills,
see that these gentlemen have cigars and cigarettes--in the billiard
room, I should think. You'll find the young people there. I'll come in
and have a game of pills later."

The two young soldiers, with Captain Griffiths, followed Sir Henry at
once from the room. Lessingham, however, lingered. He stood with his
hands behind him, looking at the closed door.

"Are you going to stay and talk nonsense wi