that she wondered that it had not occurred to her before.

"Father, from this moment I must again become Sister Marie. Send some one to warn Léonie, and then inform the Kommandantur that Valèrie de just returned from England, has unexpectedly been attacked by her old malady, and has died suddenly from heart failure. Here are my papers to show them, and every one in Lille will vouch for it that the corpse is that of the real Valèrie. Unless they send some one from Antwerp or Lörrach who knows me well, the Germans cannot possibly find out what has actually happened, provided the doctor is loyal to us, and we surely can trust him."

She spoke in the exalté manner of one inspired, and in view of her confidence a decision was soon taken. "Le Curé" himself went out into the road, and hailed the first man he saw, who naturally was the watcher, and asked him to go at once to the Kommandantur to inform the authorities that a visitor had died suddenly. The man was evidently loath loath to go, but when he heard the name and was shown her passes, he wasted no further time but set off as hard as he could go, taking the papers with him.

Meantime, within the convent the corpse was being rapidly dressed in Adrienne's clothes, and removed to one of the reception rooms, whilst the doctor and Léonie, who had

been summoned, were duly primed as to what they were to say.

When the German officials arrived an hour later, they found the faithful servant kneeling beside the body of her dead mistress, weeping with an abandonment of grief too deep to be simulated, and the evidence which they laboriously wrote down as to the sudden seizure and heart failure, following on the long and trying journey, was so conclusive as to admit of no doubt. In suitable terms they expressed their regret, but directed that the funeral should not take place until permission was given. Then they went away, and drew up an elaborate report, which duly reached "La Dame Blonde" the following evening.

Perhaps she ought to have sent one of her jackals to view the body, but she did not do so, for she was on rather delicate ground in the matter. She had no objection to suborning an agent from another Service, provided that there was no chance of being found out. But now that the girl was dead, the less interest she appeared to take in her the better, and in her reply to Lille she made it quite clear that, so far as she was concerned, they could bury her at once-and she did not mention Lörrach.

Unfortunately, as an afterthought and some days later, it occurred to her that she might cover up up her shady

actions more artistically and at the same time acquire merit, so she wrote a full account of Adrienne's arrival to the gentleman at Lörrach, stating that she had given her permission to stop a few days at Lille to see her people, pending the receipt of orders from him. If he would communicate his instructions to the Kommandantur there, they would be delivered to her. She herself was very glad to have been able to help her brother-inarms, though in future it would be safer to let her know beforehand when he proposed to send people into her area; he could rely on her, &c.-all of which the recipient no doubt appreciated at its proper value; but he took early steps to get into touch with the brightest jewel in his collection, the charming and invaluable L. 139.

Being, however, a man who prided himself on his know ledge of French psychology, he decided to give the lady in the case a pleasant surprise, his line of argument being that she had been away amongst her own people for some time, and might well have formed a new attachment. It would obviously be wise to give her a short refresher course of her old German lover, so as to renew her enthusiasm for the cause of the Fatherland. Need

less to say, he had never seen the individual in question!

The result of his endeavours was that the "Town Major," in the squalid village to which he had been relegated in disgrace, one morning received an official envelope, informing him that he was granted ten days' leave to proceed to Lille to meet a lady named Valèrie de, who was waiting for him there. His expenses would be paid by the German Intelligence through the Kommandantur, where further instructions were awaiting him.

The elderly roué was tickled to death at the idea of the German Staff arranging a rendezvous for him, and in his comments on the subject, he can claim to have forestalled our most successful recruiting poster-" See the world, and get paid for doing it." congratulated himself on not having denied the acquaintance of the fair unknown, when he had been taxed with it on a previous occasion; and the fact that he had not the faintest idea, who the lady was, did not in the least disturb him. It merely confirmed his own opinion that he was irresistible to the fair sex-with a few annoying exceptions such as that insolent minx at "X" (meaning Adrienne); curse her!

THIS day my husband did talk to me for my good, a thing I hate, and always makes me want to do the contrary, for which God forgive me. Amongst other things, said that now we be come to such high estate I must hold myself aloft and not be seen abroad in such low company, by which I know he do mean my dear Peg Woffat. He likes her not because she is ugly and hath a splay foot; but her heart is of gold, and she hath a fishkettle twice as big as mine that I can have when I will, and now we do give such great dinners it serveth me well. Also she is a devout woman, and wise, and I do set store by her counsel and company. And her husband is a very fine man, though common.

This day my husband to his office, and I to Peg Woffat, consulting with her about my old taffeta petticoat, whether to put new lace on it or no. I did tell her something of my husband's talk about our changed condition, and she have put in my mind that I ought to have a waiting-maid of mine own, to take about with me as all the fine ladies do: saying that a willing, good, plain girl of some breeding (but

not too much) would save me more trouble than she would make in the house, and would give me much pleasure and dignity, the which I will bring my husband to if I can.

July 13th, 1660.-This day my husband did show me bis new patent as Clerk of the Acts of the Navy, a beautiful great parchment all signed and sealed, whereby he is sure of his post. We are to have an Officiall Residence at the Navy Office, and the Head of that Office is His Royal Highness the Duke of York, Lord High Admirall and present heir to the Crown. So if my husband can win favour no advancement is too great for him to hope for. He hath already the title of Esquire, and many who were formerly much above us in station do now come to him cap in hand, hoping for advancement.

This day my husband did bring home the Life of Lord Bacon of Verulam,' Lord Chancellor of England in the days of our King's grandfather, James I. of blessed memory, and did read aloud to me of his trial in Westminster Hall; which set us seriously to thinking how easily a man may slip

from just and honourable receiving of presents in consideration of services rendered to the depths of bribery and corruption, from which the good God preserve us! I did promise my husband most faithfully never to receive any gift from any person whatsoever without having first his full knowledge and consent. Therewith I did, to tease him, make great confession of a present I did lately receive from a sailorman through W. Hewer; and did beat about the bush for long, seeming afraid to tell him of how great value it was, or from whom it might have come, till at last, he grow. ing really angry, I did let him know it was but a pill for me to give our monkey next time he fall sick. They be pills that all sailor-men have by them, so he did tell me, and give one to a small monkey like ours, two to a large one, and three to a man, but to the cabin-boys one or two according to their age and size; and they do bring a store of them as oft as they do go to the East Indies, from which place they do come. The which when my husband had understood, he rebuked me, saying, I should have got three from the sailor-man, in sort that he could have tried the remedy himself, doubting not that it would bring him much comfort.

Up very early this day to go with my husband in the Navy Barge to Woolwich, with Lady Batten and her maid, I

very vext to be so humble with no woman to attend me. But the poor wench was so afeard, the wind being very high and the water rough, that what with weeping and moaning, and crying out that we should all be drowned, and being very sick, Lady Batten poor wretch in much the same case, comforting themselves with strong waters, and breaking of a bottle of Hungary water that cost 10s., I very thankful not to have brought another like encumbrance. At Woolwich my husband did carry himself with great dignity, so that indeed I scarcely knew him. But after dinner he did escape from me, and under pretext that my lady had need of me, did arrange for me to sleep with her at Woolwich, he returning to London. In the evening played cards. My lady, her maid being gone sick to bed, did seem to expect me to attend upon her, though not asking it openly, and I refrained, as befits my present position. I do hear that in the reign of our King's grandfather the Clerk of the Acts was knighted, and my husband being very high spoken of on all sides, the same may likely befall him, for the which I must be prepared.

My dear husband, husband, poor wretch, hath made a fresh set of vows against over-much drinking, going to Plays, and other diversions. He do renew them every half year, with