With this she lifted her coal-hammer and brought it down with all her force on the KAISER'S head. Involuntarily I flinched; it was a terrible blow.

Several Generals, their iron crosses jingling, rushed forward and seized Millie, uttering guttural sounds of horror and indignation. But the KAISER stood unmoved—yes, unmoved. Millie gaped at him. He ordered his satellites to release her and, as they reluctantly did so, Millie nodded her head at them.

"You leave me where I'm to! He can take up his own part," she told them.

The KAISER addressed her sternly.

"Presumptuous woman," he said, "it is not written that you shall be the cause of my death. There is something much higher in store for me. You deserve worse than death at my hands; but since you are from England I will squeeze from you all the information I require and bend you to my uses."

All this was obviously wasted on Millie, who heard nothing. Having waited politely until his lips stopped moving in speech, she again cracked him on the head with the coal-hammer.

The KAISER ignored this uncivil retort and spoke again.

"You shall go back to your matchless country and tell them there that we have plenty of matches in Germany; that we have kept on good terms with Stockholm, and our matches are made in Sweden. We have all we need to kindle every fire in hell. Now are you convinced that you are beaten?"

He was interrupted by another blow from the coal-hammer, which made him bite his tongue, for Millie was becoming exasperated and put all her strength into the stroke. The KAISER stepped back.

"Poor fool! You are wasting your strength, even as HAIG wastes his in blow after blow on the Western front."

But even as he uttered the lying boast he tottered and fell back unconscious into the arms of LITTLE WILLIE.

The Generals and Statesmen gathered round their stricken master, gabbling purest Prussian.

Millie appeared satisfied at last, although the CROWN PRINCE had scarcely glanced at her, for she was not his type. She took advantage of the commotion to procure two boxes of matches which had been thrown carelessly on the table. These she bestowed mysteriously beneath her overall.

"He deserved it too!" she muttered contentedly as she hobbled to the door; "and I don't believe so much about all his matches either. You can only get two boxes at a time even here." With this reflection she unostentatiously departed.

Again that familiar knock....

I was back in my little sitting-room in Cornwall and Millie entered with my candle, which she put down on the table rather noisily. I gave her the usual grin and nod of acknowledgment, and she wished me good-night and went.

In the tray of the candlestick there was a box of matches. I picked it up and turned it over curiously. Could my dream have been true? Or was it only a coincidence that in blatant red letters on that match-box were the words:—

"MADE IN SWEDEN."

"Spokane (Washington), Monday.

"Troops raided the I.W.W. headquarters and arrested James Rowan (leader) and 2½ others on the eve of threatened disturbances."—Toowoomba Gazette (Australia).

Unfortunately in such cases half-measures are rarely successful.

Sub (to A.P.M., who has severely censured him for being without gloves, wearing collar of wrong colour, etc.). "OH, BY THE BY, SIR, HOW DO YOU LIKE THE WAY I DO MY HAIR?"

"THE AUTUMN MEETING of the WISBECH LOCAL PEACE ASSOCIATION will be held on WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28th, 1917.

"Being full moon, a good attendance is expected."—Isle of Ely Advertiser.