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 alarm her, Claude—and I never advocate alarming a woman.'

I paused. Instantly I realized the weight of such an argument, for Roseye was, after all, a dainty and highly-strung little person, who might worry herself over the mystery far too much.

'Yes, Teddy,' I said somewhat reluctantly. 'I quite agree. At present we'd best leave matters as they are, and keep our own counsel.'

Hardly were those words out of my mouth when we saw my well-beloved, with face flushed in glad welcome, coming across to us. She had evidently arrived in her car, and already put on her air-kit, for, it being a fine afternoon, she intended to make a flight.

The Zeppelin raid upon London had set the whole aircraft world agog. Every one at Hendon and Brooklands was full of it, most men criticizing the air-services, of course, and declaring vaguely that 'something must really be done.'

It was so very easy to make such a declaration. Old men in their easy-chairs in the London club-windows were saying that very same thing, but nobody could, with truth, point out any real effective remedy against what certain Hide-the-Truth newspapers described as 'the German gas-bags.'

A lot of people were about the aerodrome that afternoon, and Teddy went off to test his engine, while Roseye, drawing on her thick gloves, mounted into her machine which her mechanic had brought out for her.

'I shall run over to Aylesbury and back,' she told me. 'I know the railway-line. Shall you go up?'