Ambrose Lavendale, Diplomat

ys to any solitary passenger, and at Boulogne she was hurried from the gangway of the steamer back on to the dock and into an evil-looking, four-fu

ounced. 'We have an invalided General on board, but we've tucked

'It is delightful that I am able to come acros

door of the cabin. 'You'll ring the bell for anything you want, though. Pars

raving for air, stood half-way up the companion-way, looking into the blackness. Here and there, a star seemed to reel across the face of the sky and more than once a cloud of spray swept over her head. Unhesitatingly, as though driven by some superhuman hand, they ploughed their way through the black wall of space to their destination. After

or you, Miss de Freyne. I'm afraid

ly anxious to come quickly. Do you know if

the General,' he told her. 'T

aluted, and Suzanne stepped on to the rain-sod

reyne?' he

es

r General Matravers. I have had ins

ful!' she exclaimed.

handed her into an ordinary first-class c

eral Matravers,' he explained. 'Will you h

aning upon a stick, came up the platform, followed by two junior officers. He was shown at once into the saloon and a little murmur of animated conversation arose. Five minutes later the t

top towards that closed door of dark red mahogany with its brass handle. She threw the paper down, walked to the end of the carriage and back again. She must be going mad, she told herself. The only occupant of that saloon was a wounded soldier of great distinction, a General whose deeds in the earlier stages of the war had made history. He was alone there without even an A.D.C., and in any case the door was probably locked. What cause of uneasiness for her could there be in his proximity? She fought against her fit of nerves valiantly, but she found herself tearing the paper into small pieces, crumbling the remains of her roll between

want?' she as

ed mecha

vers,' he announced

hy she should have been afraid of him she could not tell, yet she felt as though sh

,' he repeated. 'You ha

d. 'We have all read of your

ously dried up, his eyes were hard, his features grim and b

ngly. 'You've never been to

answered, watch

e of the earth by the screeching of the shells and the roar and the clash of the guns, and they seemed to be always nearer.... Every foot of g

been terrible,

sly opening and closing the in

uptly. 'Medals enough here, you see, for a fi

ng to which he paid

at-but we don't mention names-my headquarters last week. It was the night before our advance. You read about that. I won't mention the name of the plac

ivision did splendi

ds were shaking now by his side; he seem

e was tall and dark, with a thin, black moustache, long, narrow eyes, a scar on his right cheek, sallow, and with a queer habit of swinging his left arm. He brought me some intelligible, perfectly coherent verbal instructions, asked a few questions as to my plans for the next day, gave me a personal message from the French General commanding the d

exclaimed, shrin

not wholl

h and half Engli

le. They can fight too, and they can tell Germans when they see them. That is why I am going home-

ench and half English-mostly French. I am in the service of the Fre

have been a German in here when I heard some one movin

xamined it. He opened the breech an

ook?' sh

ch they sat was half down. She calmly threw it

he expostulated. 'I was very fond of that rev

When you get to London you will eas

ok his

I've left my army behind. I am sent hom

She knew that the dangerous moment, i

work to be done in

gh the carriage windows; his

d come, and the red fires came spitting from our flanks just when we

resently, to her joy, she saw a carpet of lights on ei

d. 'We shall be at Charing Cross in a few minutes

awn sigh of relief. It was a strange little episode, another of the little adventures which gave colour to her life. She leaned out of the window and saw the last of him as they drew up. He wa

*

at Ranelagh with Lavendale. She leaned back in he

,' she asked, 'what

ing, I fancy, will provide me with work, but until then there is nothing for m

no

ide us with a sensation,' she remark

ion of the people was that they wanted peace very bad

t of his attitude towards her that he

aris yesterday,' she told him. 'I travelled up f

n't he one of the British Gen

old me the whole story on the way up. Afterwards he brought

h did you do?

she replied. 'He wasn't in

estly, 'I think it's quite time you

ughed

usted agent'-she glanced around for a moment and lowered her vo

. 'It's all very well for us men to take a ris

ked him

rop of blood in my body, every part of myself, my soul, even, belongs to my

e with her, the finality o

his spirit,' he said, 'that F

down the steps on to the terrace was a little group of soldiers in staff uniform. One of them, in the centre of th

they?'

being entertained down here to dinner to-night by some officials from the War Office. The

them is a foreign

ged his

out it,' he said. 'I don't suppose an

intensity. He was tall, he had a slight black moustache, his eyes were long and narrow, there was a scar on his right cheek. He was the very p

his name,'

at her w

my d

she repeated. 'Please he

se at

best,' he

lled backwards and forwards along the terrace. In about fiv

he announced in triumph. 'His name

and, standing under the shadow of the trees, she leaned forward. The man whom she had been watchi

sted. 'Come with me at o

ssed through the house and

as he took his place

she declared. 'Drive up towards

ive, over Hammersmith B

ub somewhere?' she asked.

nswered. 'We can manag

utside the door of the B

re for half a mome

nd ran lightly up the steps. He

ed,-'17 Belgrave Square is the town addres

r destination. Suzanne stood under the stone portic

am,' was his prompt reply to Suzanne's inquir

zanne explained,

y has told me,' the man replied a little w

vers in?' Suza

ps you would like to leave your name an

been crossing the hall, paused. S

she announced, 'Can I

ward and the butler

important business with your husband. I know he is ill-I came

rain?' Lady Matravers asked. 'He spoke o

r voice a little. 'Your husband told me some curious things last night. It is in connection with one of t

tick, came into the hall. He was looking very white and shaken,

ched to my saloon,' he remarked, 'the young lady, my dear,' he add

led Suzanne back into the room from which she herself had issued. The General fol

lad indeed to meet you. He has told me such very nice things about you. The doctor's orders are that he is not to be disturbed on any

eneral,' she added, turning towards him, 'do you mind describing to me once more the man who came

al's face

e was tall, soldierly, dark, sallow, black moustache, narrow eyes, black hair cut shor

ng a very silly mistake, but there is a man over here now attached to the French Military Mission. He is being entertained to-night at Ran

anner. He was perfectly calm, a little eager

to be found

me,' Suzanne promised,

The General pushed her aside. His

ed, turning to his wife and kissing her upon the forehead, 'this is not a matter in which you must interfere. If the young lady is

him,' Suzanne whisper

edged his introduction to Lavendale with a stiff salute. They started off at once. For

present moment. We can go down there and you can see from the open doorway of

I stroll round the place and glance in at the dining-room. If your suspicions are, as you suggest, ill-founded, no harm will be done. If they are t

ken until they had turned in at the avenue and pulled up in front of the clubhouse. The

the way, young l

arently unmoved, walked with measured tread, a commanding and dignified figure. A couple of young soldiers stood up as he passed, and he accepted their salute genially. Then he passed into the dining-room. Almost immediately in front of him, at the table usually reserved for the golfers' luncheon, the dinner-party was proceeding, and on the right-hand side of the host sat the distinguished Frenchman. He was facing the door and he glanced up at the entr

quiry. It was only when he was recognized that a little interested murmur stole around the room. He wa

ere as an emissary from our French allies, is an impostor, a German and a spy. He cost me, a few weeks ago, the lives of t

eeping the wineglasses from in front of him-stone dead. The General watched his victim without emotion. He even leaned forward to make sure that the wounds were mortal. Then he walked deliberately out

*

ven many of those who had been present found themselves wondering whether that lightning tragedy had not been a nightmare of the brain. To Suzanne de Freyne, however, it remained always one of the tense moments of her life. The Gene

ady,' he said. 'That was