"This is a little different," he began.
She interrupted him.
"But the law of the Grays is that homes should be left undisturbed, isn't it? At least, it is the law of civilization. I believe you profess, too, to protect property, do you not?"
"Why, yes!" he agreed. He wished that he could get a little respite from the steady fire of her eyes. It was embarrassing and as confusing as the white light of an impracticable logic.
"In that case, please place a guard around our house lest some more of your soldiers get out of control," she went on.
"I can do that, yes," he said. "But we are to make this a staff headquarters and must start at once to put the house in readiness."
"General Westerling's headquarters?" she inquired.
He parried the question with a frown. Staff-officers never give information. They receive information and transmit orders.
"I know General Westerling. You will tell him that my mother, Mrs. Galland, and our maid and myself are very tired from the entertainment he has given us, unasked, and we need sleep to-night. So you will leave us until morning and that door, sir, is the one out into the grounds."
The staff-officer bowed and went out by that door, glad to get away from Marta's eyes. His inspection of the premises with a view to plans for staff accommodation could wait. Westerling would not be here for two days at least.