"Well--now tell them to go away. They are ugly and they annoy me." "What does she say?" asked the officer. Stewart was certain that at least one of them knew English, so he judged it best to translate literally. "She wants to know what is the matter," he answered. "She asks me to tell you to go away--that you annoy her." The officer smiled grimly. "She does not understand German?" "Not a word," lied Stewart, glibly. "What is her name?" "Mary." "Her maiden name?" "Mary Agnes Fleming," answered Stewart, repeating the first name that occurred to him, and thanking his stars the next instant that the officer could scarcely be acquainted with the lesser lights of English fiction. "Is that correct?" asked the officer, suddenly turning upon her. Stewart's heart gave a leap of fear; but after a stare at the officer, she turned to her companion. "Was he speaking to me, Tommy?" she asked; and it was only by a heroic effort that Stewart choked back the sudden snort of laughter that rose in his throat. "Yes," he managed to answer; "he wants to know your maiden name." "Why should he wish to know that?" "I give it up; but you'd better tell him." "My maiden name was Mary Agnes Fleming," she said, looking at the officer with evident disapprobation. "Though what concern it is of yours I cannot see." "What does she say?" demanded the officer, and again Stewart translated literally. The officer stood staring intently at both of them, till the lady, with a flash of indignation, turned her back. "Really, Tommy," she said, over her shoulder, "if you do not at once get rid of this brute, I shall never speak to you again!" "He is a policeman, dear," Stewart explained, "and imagines that he is doing his duty. I suppose they _do_ have to be careful in war-time. We must be patient." "I will look at her passport," said the German, suddenly, and held out his hand. "My passport is for both of us," Stewart explained. "Those words 'accompanied by his wife,' make it inclusive." The officer went out into the light again and examined the words with minute attention. "I find no description of her," he said, coming back. "There is none," assented Stewart, impatiently; "but there is a description of me, as you see. The passport adds that I am accompanied by my wife. I tell you that this lady is my wife. That is sufficient." The officer glanced at his companions uncertainly. Then he slowly folded up the passport and handed it back. "When do you depart from Aachen?" he asked. "By the first train for Brussels. I am told that it will arrive in about half an hour." "Very well," said the other. "I regret if I have seemed insistent, but the fact that the lady did not arrive with you appeared to us singular. I will report your explanation to my chief," and he turned on his heel and stalked away, followed by his men. Stewart drew a deep breath. "Well," he began, when he was stopped by a sharp tap from his companion's foot.