I fear I scarcely laughed as much as he expected at this extraordinary instance of woman's obtuseness, but he did not seem to mind. He was already filling another pipe, and having found an audience, was evidently settling down to an afternoon's conversation--or rather an afternoon's monologue, for it was quite clear he was independent of any assistance from me. I was resolved, however, not to forgo this chance of learning something more about Eileen. "You were talking about Miss Holland," I said hurriedly, before he had time to get under way again. "Oh, so I was. And that reminds me I've come here just to make some inquiries about the girl." Again his blue eyes twinkled furiously. "Why's Miss Holland like our hall clock?" he inquired. "I may mention by the way that it's always going slow." Again I gave it up. "Because you take her hand and get forward! That was one for my wife's benefit. It made her fairly sick!" "Do you mean," I demanded, "that you were actually in the habit of holding Miss--er--Holland's hand?" "Oh, no fears. I'm past that game. But Mrs Craigie is a great one for p's and q's and not being what she calls vulgar, and a joke like that is a sure draw. I get her every time with my governess riddles. Here's a good one now--Why's a pretty governess like a----" In spite of the need for caution, my impatience was fast overcoming me. "Then you have been sent by Mrs Craigie to make inquiries about Miss Holland?" I interrupted a trifle brusquely. Mr Craigie seemed at least to have the merit of not taking offence readily. "That's the idea," he agreed. "You see, it's this way: my wife's been at me ever since our governess bolted, as she calls it. Well now, what's the good in making inquiries about a thing that's happened and finished and come to an end? If it was a case of engaging another governess, that's a different story. I'd take care not to have any German spies next time!" "German spies!" I exclaimed, with I hope well-simulated horror; "you don't mean to suspect Miss Holland of that surely!" "Oh, 'German Spy' is just a kind of term nowadays for any one you don't know all about," said Mr Craigie easily. "Every one you haven't seen before is a German Spy. I spotted five myself in my own parish at the beginning of the war, and Mrs Craigie wrote straight off to the Naval Authorities and reported them all." "And were they actually spies?" I asked a trifle uncomfortably.