The Germans, _par excellence_ the scientists of Europe, were out to win the war by frightfulness, just as thousands of years ago the Chinese won their wars by assuming horrible disguises and pulling ugly faces to bring bad luck upon their superstitious enemies. The Great War Lord of Germany, in order to save his throne and substantiate his title of All-Highest, had set loose his sorry dogs of depravity, degeneracy, and desolation. And he had planted in our island a clever and unscrupulous crew, headed by Ortmann, whose mission was, if possible, to wreck the Ship of State of Great Britain. The air-pilot listened to the conversation in amazement. He realised then how Ella had exercised a shrewder watchfulness than he had ever done, although he had believed himself so clever. Therefore, when she whispered, "Let's get away, dear, or we may be discovered," he obeyed her, and crawled off over the strip of gravel to the grass, after which both made their way back to the footpath. "Well?" asked the popular actress, as they strode along hand in hand to where they had left the car. "What's your opinion now--eh? Haven't you been convinced?" "Yes, darling. I can now see quite plainly that there is a plot on foot which, if we are patriots, you and I, we must scotch, at all hazards." "I agree entirely, Seymour," was the girl's instant reply. "I tried to warn you a month ago, but you were not convinced. To-day you are convinced--are you not? I am acting only for my dear dead mother's country, for, strictly speaking, being the daughter of a German, I am an alien enemy." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ About two o'clock one morning, about a week later, the dark figure of a man in a shabby serge suit and golf-cap, treading noiselessly in rubber-shoes, crossed Hammersmith Bridge in the direction of Barnes and, passing along that wide open thoroughfare, paused for a moment outside the house of the Dutch pastor, Mr Drost. Then, finding himself unobserved, he slipped into the front garden and, bending, concealed himself in some bushes. He had waited there for ten minutes or so, watching the dark, silent house, when, slowly and noiselessly, the front door opened, and next moment Kennedy and Ella were face to face. The latter wore a pretty pale-blue dressing-gown, for she had just risen from bed, she having spent the last two days at her father's house. With a warning finger upon her lips, and with a small flash-lamp in her hand, she led her lover up three flights of stairs to the door of that locked room, which she silently opened with her duplicate key. "Father and the man Hans Rozelaar have been at work here nearly all day," she whispered, when at last they halted before the long deal table upon which stood Drost's chemical apparatus. Kennedy's shrewd eyes were quick to notice what was in progress in secret.