James Owen Hannay

“ About a fortnight after the boys first went on guard Mrs. Mimms complained to the vicar that she had found one of them concealed under the dining-room table while she was at luncheon. She said that she did not like the feeling that she might kick a boy every time she stretched her leg while she was at meals. The vicar, of course, promised to speak to the boy. ”

“ Mimms is a most estimable lady.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” said Hankly. “Those boys have been watching her lately, and there are several things which look suspicious.”
I suppose the vicar and I showed our surprise. Hankly went on to explain.
“She gives the boys peaches and grapes,” he said. “and cakes and meringues. Now I put it to you—the apples of course I understand. I might give a boy an apple myself, but I put it to you, vicar, would anybody give boys like that hothouse grapes and peaches unless—well, unless there was something to conceal. It’s not a natural thing to do.” ”

“ Mimms got—was a letter from Lord Manby’s solicitor pointing out that the agreement under which she had taken the Manor House did not allow of her getting rid of the furniture or using the place in any way except as an ordinary dwelling.
I thought that Lord Manby was a little unsympathetic, and that the War Office might very well have replied to our telegram, but the Colonel took quite a different line. He said that Mrs. Mimms was an interfering old woman who deserved to be snubbed. ”

“ We all hoped that after this set-back she would be a little subdued and allow us to manage our own war in our own way.
For a time she kept tolerably quiet. She contented herself with making shirts and subscribing to various funds like any ordinary woman. ”