"I never realised how very German your maid is,"
he observed suddenly. "It made me feel quite uncomfortable
while we were talking at dinner! Do
you intend to keep her?"

"Yes, of course I do." Mrs. Otway felt hurt and
angry. "I shouldn't dream of sending her away!
Anna has lived in England over twenty years, and her
only child is married to an Englishman." She waited
a moment, and as he said nothing, she went on: "My
good old Anna is devoted to England, though of
course she loves her Fatherland too."

"I should have thought the two loves quite incompatible
at the present time," he objected drily.

Mrs. Otway flushed in the half darkness. _"I_ find
them quite compatible, James," she exclaimed. "Of
course I'm sorry that the military party should triumph
in Germany -- that, we all must feel, and probably many
Germans do too. But, after all, you may hate the
sin and love the sinner!"

"Will you feel the same when Germans have killed
Englishmen?" he asked idly. He was watching the
door through which Rose had vanished a few moments
ago, longing with a restrained, controlled longing
for her return.

As a matter of fact he himself had never had any
feeling of dislike of the Germans; on the contrary,
he had struck up an acquaintance which had almost
become friendship with one of the younger members
of the German Embassy. And suddenly Mrs. Otway
remembered it.

"Why, you yourself," she cried, "you yourself,
James, have a German friend -- I mean that young

[[127]]

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v?