_She has herself admitted that she concealed in her house French and English soldiers, as well as Belgians of military age, all desirous of proceeding to the front._ _She has also admitted having furnished these soldiers with the money necessary for their journey to France, and having facilitated their departure from Belgium by providing them with guides, who enabled them to cross the Dutch frontier secretly._ _Miss Cavell’s defence is in the hands of the advocate Braun, who, I may add, is already in touch with the competent German authorities. In view of the fact that the Department of the Governor-General_, as a matter of principle, _does not allow accused persons to have any interviews whatever, I much regret my inability to procure for Mr. de Leval permission to visit Miss Cavell as long as she is in solitary confinement._ Mr. Braun was a lawyer at the Brussels Appeal Court. As soon as the American Legation received the intimation that he had been appointed as the lawyer, Mr. de Leval wrote, asking him to come to the Legation. Mr. Braun came as requested “a few days later.” The time was now drawing close when the trial was to come on. Three weeks had already been wasted since the American Embassy in London first took the matter up, and nearly seven weeks had gone by since the arrest. But when at last it appeared as though something was about to be done, another excuse was produced. Mr. Braun’s news was that although he had been asked to defend Miss Cavell by personal friends of hers, he could not do so “owing to unforeseen circumstances.” Mr. Braun stated that he had seen another Belgian lawyer, Mr. Kirschen, who had agreed to undertake the defence. Another delay, while Mr. de Leval got into touch with Mr. Kirschen. At last there was to be an opportunity to obtain some details of the accusation. What had Miss Cavell admitted? asked the American counsel. What were the documents upon which the charge was based? What estimate had the lawyer formed of the prospects of an acquittal? To the astonishment of Mr. de Leval, the lawyer replied that under German military rules he was not allowed to see his client before the trial began. The prosecution had every opportunity of preparing its case. The judges were fully informed of every circumstance that might bias them against the prisoner. But the poor lonely woman in prison could not even see her counsel in private, and all the documents were withheld from his inspection. [Illustration: _Photo Copyright_] [_Farringdon Photo Company._ NURSE CAVELL WHEN A CHILD, WITH HER MOTHER AND ELDER SISTER.] [Illustration: [_Daily Mirror Photograph._ THE RECTORY, SWARDESTON, WHERE NURSE CAVELL WAS BORN.] In these circumstances Mr. de Leval decided that he would attend the trial himself. Unfortunately, he did not persist in this decision.