"Perhaps he will; he'll be a fighter, and it looks to me as though there'll be a burst up before long."
"Certain sure I do; there'll be no peace anywhere until the Germans are licked."
"I understood we were better friends than ever with Germany," she replied.
"Some folks will tell you that, but don't you believe them, Miss Berkeley. They're a nasty spying lot, I'd trust none of 'em," said Abel.
"I hope you are wrong, war is a terrible thing," she said.
"So it is in a way, but we've been asleep too long, it won't do us any harm to be roused up," said Abel. "There's a man staying at my place I have my doubts about," he said mysteriously.
"He goes by the name of Carl Meason, but he's a German, I'm sure of it, and he's a spy," said Abel.
"What would a German spy find to do in Little Trent?"
"That's more than I can tell; probably he's spying out the land."
"Not a bad-looking chap, talks well, but there's something suspicious about him.
"No; speaks English as well as I do," said Abel.
Eve smiled: Abel's English was at times a trifle weird.
"Then I'm sure he's not a German if he speaks as well as you, Abel," she said.
"Not at all; I am sure you speak very well."
"If he's not a German he's a spy of some sort I'm certain. He's always looking at maps, drawing plans, making notes and figuring up things. It's my belief he's hit on Little Trent by chance and came to my place because it's quiet and out of the way. There's something wrong with him; if he's not German he's in the pay of somebody connected with 'em. I'd bet my last bob he's a spy of some sort, and I'll keep my eye on him," said Abel.
When Abel went into the Inn he found a map spread on the table in the room occupied by Carl Meason. He glanced at it and saw small pins stuck in various places where lines were printed. Putting on his glasses he saw these were road lines and noticed most of them in which the pins were sticking ran from the coast inland; he had no time for further observation, as Meason entered the room.
"Rather a good map, is it not?" asked the man.
"Should think so; I don't know much about maps," said Abel. "What's all these pins for?"
"I am a surveyor. I am going through some of the roads on this map; I shall have to inspect them shortly. I came here to do my work quietly. I daresay you wondered what I was at Little Trent for?" said Carl.