"This is to warn you that you are being watched. A friend of England is keeping an eye on you, not ostentatiously, but none the less very closely. Dismiss the German woman who has already been too long in your employment. England can take no risks."
Mrs. Otway had come home, after a long afternoon of visiting, and found this anonymous letter waiting for her. On the envelope her name and address were inscribed in large capitals.
She stared down at the dictatorial message--written of course in a disguised hand--with mingled disgust and amusement. Then, suddenly, she made up her mind to show it to Miss Forsyth before burning it.
Tired though she was, she left the house again, and slowly walked round to see her old friend.
Miss Forsyth smiled over it, but she also frowned, and she frowned more than she smiled when Mrs. Otway exclaimed, "Did you ever see such an extraordinary thing?"
"It is not so extraordinary as you think, Mary! I must honestly tell you that in my opinion the writer of this anonymous letter is right in believing that there is a good deal of spying and of conveying valuable information to the enemy."
She waited a moment, and then went on, deliberately: "I suppose you are quite sure of your old Anna, my dear? Used she not to be in very close touch with Berlin? Has she broken all that off since the War began?"
"Indeed she has!" cried Mrs. Otway eagerly. She was surprised at the turn the conversation had taken. Was it conceivable that Miss Forsyth must be numbered henceforth among the spy maniacs of whom she knew there were a good many in Witanbury? "She made every kind of effort early in the War--for the matter of that I did what I could to help her--to get into touch with her relations there, for she was very anxious and miserable about them. But she failed--absolutely failed!"
"And how about her German friends in England? I suppose she has German friends?"
"To the best of my belief, she hasn't a single German acquaintance!" exclaimed Anna's mistress confidently. "She used to know those unfortunate Fröhlings rather well, but, as I daresay you know, they left Witanbury quite early in the War--in fact during the first week of war. And she certainly hasn't heard from them. I asked her if she had, some time ago. Dear Miss Forsyth, do believe me when I say that, apart from her very German appearance, and her funny way of talking, my poor old Anna is to all intents and purposes an Englishwoman. Why, she has lived in England twenty-two years!"