Ambrose Lavendale, Diplomat

in gold watch and replaced

pairs of gloves for me, I think. Shall I go in and see

re in the foyer of the Ritz Hotel, and

' she declared. 'I had mad

ssionable,' Lave

her head p

u whom I wish

ale sighed. 'I am afraid that to-night, how

lanced at him triumphantly. Lavendale looked over his shoulder. Mr.

oves,' Suzanne murmu

two guests in the most

thought it best to go and see that no mistake had been made about my table. I should like, if I may,

ty made their way in to dinner. They were ushered to a small round table in the best quarter of the room, a table lavishly arranged with flowers and flanked with a cou

ly, 'that the men of your country, Mr.

arked, blinking slightly, '

hing not altogether human. His very insignificance compelled a certain amount of notice; conferred upon him, perhaps, an air of distinctiveness if not of distinction. He was Kessner, the multi-millionaire, probably over to secure contracts from the Government. The aroma of wealth hovered around his table. The te

hance, expect me to break my appointmen

about it,' Suz

and I will tell you which is the

ne la

ht that you would c

bow

' he went on, indicating Lavendale, 'who appears to have partly discarded his diplomatic career for an excursion into the secret service of his country, I am a German-American. He follows me to Germany. He knows that I have a conference with th

eries of the course which was being served. Neither Suzanne nor Lavendale found it easy to continue their meal unmoved. Their eyes were fixed upon

is only one little fly in the ointment. A private intimation has already been given through our ambassador in Washington to the American Government, that unless America at once

athless silence. Then La

nouncement has already

sh to dispirit you. Yours was, without doubt, an excellent stroke of work, and I, the poor victim, am compelled to droop a diminished head. Yet I offer you this explanation so that you can see the reason why I am able to accept

n epic little meeting, this. I can assure you all that I consider it an im

d, setting his glass down empty, 'is now

lied. 'The fame of Mr. Cour

emed disturbed. He recovered hims

logist. Disgusted with the coarse tendencies of crime as practised in more modern cities he abandoned that profession to become wha

Lavendale remarked dryly, 'must

sideways parting of the lips, an index of thoughts travelling backwards along a road lined with grotes

fterwards, if it meets with your approval, I have a

es and abstracted manner, brought in a note. Mr. Kessner opened it, read it carefully and tore it into small pieces. He rose, a few minutes late

lancing at the scraps of paper which he had left upon the coffee table, 'try and put those fragments together

ater for the impulse which prompted his answ

together to know the source

g Suzanne's coat. 'There are a good many millions of people in London, are the

d carelessly. 'I won't take your money, but

tionless. His lips were a little parted, he seemed almost paralysed. When he turned slowly around there was

hi,' Kessner repe

e was already bitterly regr

e exclaimed. 'The

d differently throughout the rest of the evening's entertainment. He seemed somehow to have lost his air of ha

ther better, young ma

Suzanne gripped Lavendale by t

nded. 'Why did you guess Niko? Wh

ko happened to be the writ

him through the semi-dar

d you possibl

smi

ined. 'I noticed the perfume directly

y-softly at first

ancer. He is, I believe, a little afraid of you. And that other m

bserved, 'it has given me

Embassy early on the following morning,

m Washington?

d, 'except that they added a code word they don't often make u

Berlin has given Washington to understand that unless she changes her attitude toward the Allies

Washburn confessed, 'have passed.

tle grimly, yet with s

h promises to be even more interesting,' he went

rn knitted

ch to blame. We have never before raised the cry 'America for the Americans only,' and it's too late to do it now. And the fact of it is

w named Komashi in my line of business, seems to be very busy ju

rlin to get a personal report about the prisoners' camps there. Then we get enough

e took u

ou later,'

e soldiers lying about in long chairs, a few of them entertaining guests. Behind him was the long row of huts built by the Admiralty. A troop of soldiers swung along the broad road, a loudly playing band heralded the approach of a little

afternoon with Baron Niko Komashi in a quiet street near St. James's Square. Niko

ternoon!

n!' the other

utes' conversation with

rplexed but

' he answered a

ched him alon

nd,' he said. 'Come into the sitting-room there for a few mom

n indicated. In a few moments they were seated in the comfortable parlour of

'how goes it wit

nothing but mild wond

y what I do for mine. You are intensely patriotic. So am I. You realize the need for a certain amount of diplomatic insight i

le's lips as though they would read upon them even the unuttered word

ecause you believe that I am one of those who could bear your country ill-will. That is where you are wrong. That is where there is a clou

lie between us,' Niko observed

d as our own sons. What we have to contend with, and you, is local feeling. The only sentiment that exists against Japan in my country is that local feeling, and the people who have sh

, his eyes were filled with won

u have gained can have come but from one source, so I will speak thus far. The sword of Japan shall be drawn in defence of her honour, and for no other cause. Th

made to Kessner?' La

gently raise

tleman-Mr. Kessn

hrugged his

e overtures to you which could not, under present circumstances, emanate from Berlin. Japan from the west, and Germany on the east, m

d a habit of ending a discussio

e or mine,' he a

d Pall Mall, he was obsessed with an idea that he was being followed. He turned rather abruptly around. A tall, broad-shouldere

'Kind of forgotten me, perhaps? My name's Courla

Lavendale acknowledged. 'V

step with his companion,

d, 'from the placing of a loan to the ordering of a dinner. He isn't much use at eating

e had no objection whatever

re altogether that way. As a matter of fact, I can tell you, Mr. Lavendale, that people are dead wrong. At the present moment-I wouldn

observed, in a tone as col

. They were passing the Carlton and

ocktail,' h

nion. Policy, however, intervened. He accepted the invitation and followed Courla

re others besides you who have misunderstood him som

returning to Americ

ourlander replied. 'He is a trifle nervous

a minute. Mr. Courlander was leaning back in his chair, American from tip to toe. He wore a dark grey suit of some smooth material. His square-toed boots, the little flag in his button

sort,' h

avendale's glass, which was

hed your first one

replied, placing it upon the tray and

d by his drooping eyebrows, there was an air of fierce though latent questioning. Th

vendale went on. 'We shall meet again,

hat. 'I am generally to be found round about the Mila

drove to his rooms. As he changed his clothes, he glanced through his

r Fr

. I shall be in from seven

he entrance door of Suzanne's suite at half-past seven. She admitted him herself and ushered him

round, 'with a carte de visite! You see

t them with a frown

em out of the window,

e laughed. 'Listen. You

. 'They ask me about once in

you about that man Cou

el

rder?-that it was only through Mr. Kessner's influence that he was taken out of Sing-Sing? He was a police-sergeant and his name was Drayton. They say that there were several cases against him of having m

ut of the window with his hands in his

w Courlander tried to doctor a cocktail I

she ex

sed me to go in and have a cocktail. I happened to cross the room to speak to Willoughby and on the way glanced into the mirror. I saw Courlander's hand suddenly flash over my glass. It was so quic

that serenity which as yet he had never s

ase promise that you wil

ew York,' he

s a professional murderer. He has no feeling, no mercy, and he is

hrugged his

law. I am not afraid of Courlander. There is nothing he could try which I am not prepared for

d him frankly. 'You will b

ice so

eyne-Suzanne-why don't you like it

little towards the window, her eyes had lost t

a little about me, by any

e turned around and he saw tha

e!' he

ing very sweet about her little gesture,

a traitress when I even let myself think of such things now that my country is in such agony, when everything tha

ngers to his lip

promised, turnin

moment. 'There! Now you must go to your dinner. You look very nice, and I am sure you will sit next som

red with him the hospitality of the Ambassador-a few diplomats, a professor from Harvard University and his wife, two other distinguished Americans, with a sprinkling of their English connections. He sat next a distant relative of his own, an Am

nything of Mr. K

made a lit

n't exactly hit it off. I heard a rumour the ot

a cigar in the library before he left. It was shortly after one o'clock

Street,' Laven

ers through the window. It was easy enough to wriggle out, to descend and allow the vehicle to proceed to its destination, wherever that might be, without its passenger, but the love of adventure was upon him. He set his teeth, sank back once more in his corner, half closed his eyes. To all appearance he might have been a tired diner-out prematurely asleep. As a matter of fact, every nerve and sense was keenly on the alert, and his right fingers were locked around the butt of a small revolver. Without protest or comment, he saw himself conducted by a roundabout way into a maze of quiet streets. Then, with a little thrill of anticipation, he saw a man who had been loitering near an entry turn and follow the vehicle, which at his coming had slackened speed. The man was wearing some sort o

other fellow. Drive me to the Milan Hotel. You know th

revolver into the man's neck. The

or I'll shoot you where you sit! Remember

cross Leicester Square, passed up the Strand and drew up at the Milan. Lavendal

' he said. 'Ask the fell

own, touched a spring on the outside and the door flew open. He had pulled h

r me,' h

For a moment there was no answer. He rang it again. Then a light suddenly flashed up in the room and Mr. Kessner, fully dressed, stoo

near Sackville Street. I shouldn't wonder if his spine wasn't broken. Your sham chau

his lips. His lined yellow face seemed more

nk, young ma

is arm and Mr. Kes

dy. But I am here now to tell you this. Before I sleep, a full account of this night's adventure, instigated by you and your assassin Courlander, will be written down and deposited in a safe place. If anything ha

n his teeth. Then, as though with some

't you come in and talk

e laughe

. Let me give you a word of warning. London isn't New York. A very little of this sort of thing and you'll find t

ssner

said, 'and you've been reading a

endale descended to the str

or me, I suppose?' he

stairs, sir. I shouted after him but he to

his pocket, found a

ied, 'I think I'll w