The Lost Ambassador

r apartments. At the door of one of these he kno

. On the table before her stood an empty coffee-cup and an

!" she e

mademoiselle was expecti

e answered. "Yo

e me her fingers, whic

d apologies. I can assure you, however, that

sit down upon the

nteresting engagement,

ble!" I

ious café; and because, from the first, I felt that she had some other than the obvious reason for sending me that little note. Nevertheless, it was for

f me, perhaps, to meet you here. We can talk for a few minutes, and af

Bartot?"

no

very jealous,

ht to the restaurant in th

swered. "Monsieur, unless I am

odd

d her, "I was there

ying with her empty liqu

so," I

there without a pur

Louis, the

ed her e

she continued. "A smoother-to

mured, "would

"and he knows that others know him. Wh

," I said, "to tak

first time, with some spic

red, "in meeting monsieur here. Tell me," sh

ed, and we went together to the Montmartre. There I think that I was more bo

at you would meet that man-the

ok my

dea of it,"

ust a little

He knows no friends, he thinks of nothing but of himself. He is a very dangerous com

sting. You sent me last night a little note. When may I see you once more in that

nlight played upon her features. She was over-powdered and over-rouged, made up like all

. It is not, surely, well for monsieur to be seen too much in

er, "there are times when t

hmen so gallant

swered, "with the sa

rned how to flatt

ment which I never m

carried on this little war of words impatiently. T

said, "what had he done t

ok my

," I said. "That is

ur Louis,"

thing about it

hat Louis had taken me there with the object of meeting Ta

ured,-"the friend of monsieur, or perhaps a relation.

at it is a very painful subject. Forgive me if I remind you, too," I added, taking her other hand in mine for a moment, "that when I saw you scrib

iously and wonderfully blue. Then she shoo

have happened. You must not show yourself about in

safe here,

imed quickly. "Louis is, after all, mo

these things," I begg

little away, glancing ne

can talk without fear. There is one more question, though," she continued rapidly. "Louis

a somewhat unique position in a certain corner of Paris,

e?" she

e," I a

t us out to you

the most beautiful woman

ook he

for an Englishman," she said.

wered, "can find words when

n to hold her hands

back to England?"

k," I answered, "i

ll the police dancing to his bidding, and if that were not sufficient, Monsieur Bartot could rescue you even from prison.

ld her. "It is not until this moment

"Monsieur goes to London to-mo

ng," I

ieur goe

answered, "unle

r fingers u

the very beautiful girl who sat opposite him last

in me was centred upon my reply. She concealed her impatience very well, but I realized that, fo

r the first time," I declared. "It

ments as though anxious to be s

interested in the Deloras, or Louis, or Monsieur Bartot. Last night is fi

p her fing

xclaimed, in a

oked down. In the street below was standing an automobile with yell

the private entrance. Some one has told him t

acting, and

t is your lover, be thankful that you have

ers pocket I drew a little revolver, whose settings and mechanism I carefully examined. There was a loud knock at the door and the sound of voic

"Susette! And you, sir!

oor and stood wi

g of this?" he asked, looking

ed my sh

ask mademoisel

an acquaintance of

rtot, sir," he

wn to me. I do not yet understand by what r

ghed h

not call it that. 'Intrude,' wh

ndkerchief dabbed to her eyes, was sti

u?" I asked. "He seems to me to be

d and his eyes grow smaller. It was no longer necessar

h this lady last night in the Café des Deux épingles. You have not even the

bo

h I can assure you I am not

ly, "that I find you two, stranger

y revolver and let it go with a snap

r it would interest you, Monsieur Bartot. Still, if you

ny doubt whatever. I knew that they were in collusion, t

d, and you can leave this room if you will, but I

to my vanity, I should not have been in the least surprised if Monsieur Bar

e mademoiselle? For the rest, I have been here only a few moments. So far as I

rtot muttered, with a look of

will assure yo

e you doing h

d my ey

said, "that this was

answered. "Still, if it was a mist

ands to him with a

you could not doubt m

e answered quickly

upon th

sant little conversation has been interrupted. Be

t he was about to offer me his hand and to call for that bottle of wine.

waiter called after me a

ve francs for

pay," I told him, poi