Ambrose Lavendale, Diplomat

himself committed came as something of a shock to him. The Personage was no

in Washington. It is stated that whilst enjoying the shelter and privileges of your association with the Embassy here, you have rendered direct aid to a B

Johnson,' Lave

ssociation with a certain member of the French Secret Service has led you, I am informed, int

t you wish me to resign

h you to reform. Remember you are an American, that's all. Now go and pay us a vis

ception rooms. He paid his respects to his Chief's wife and family and talked for a while to one of the junior secreta

e,' he said. 'I'm Anthony Silburn. Four years before

atter of fact, we are connections, aren'

ides having the advantage of a frank and engaging manner and a distinct sense of humour, was, a

a week-end with us, any time you like. I've got a real old country house in Norfolk-leased it before the war br

farewell nod. Lavendale loo

side remarked. 'I wonder what he thinks about the war. He was

thoughtfully towards the Milan Court. He sent his

'She was motoring, I think, but she had very little luggage. She hasn

of a queer little feeling of uneasiness. Suzanne never left town witho

up and speak to h

nted toward

is, sir, ju

oulder. She was a dark-visaged, melancholy-looking person

e your mistress i

ze him with some relief. She

d as to come upstair

uite. She stood on one side for him t

ess once told me that if there w

endale assented qu

pt that her journey was decided upon quite suddenly and that she had a motor ride of over a hundred miles. She expect

eflected fo

your mistress' conf

often with her life,

tand her re

natur

eadquarters of the French Secret Service in this country-

n shook

ow no names-only this. In case of the very deepest anxiety, but onl

urse and drew ou

and not in the book. I made up my mind that if Mademoi

at once,' Lave

nting to the instrument. 'My English is not goo

ask for?' Lave

d, 'and the number can only be rung up between f

or the number. There was a moment's pause.

el

moiselle de Freyne who

the voice repl

omised to communicate with her maid the next day. She has not done so. She left in a motor-car

you know, M

a little at the so

ll,' he

have told me to Major Elwell,

d the receiver an

apply to a man whom I know to be

maid advised, 'if monsie

which two men were busy writing, and an inner room. Lavendale made his inquiry and was told that Major Elwell would be back in an hour. He scribbled a note, making an appointment, and walked back to his own rooms. He let himself in, paused to

he asked. 'H

hen he gave a little start. A familiar voice, yet unfamiliar, shaking with something like fear, tremul

se! Is that you

nne,' he cried.

turmoil and confusion, a ma

Ho

and let him know from whence the call came. They believed that it was from a call office. He could gain no further information. He set down the instrument at last in despair and walked up and down the room. She was in trouble, danger. 'Hook-?' 'Hook-?' What was there

s, monsieur?' she

ll for another half-hour. Tell me, have you ever heard your mi

peated dubiously

nt on, 'Anthony Silburn-Norf

o, mon

jor Elwell was seated in his office and received him at once. There was nothing unusual about the place

asked eagerly, whe

ng small diagrams with his pencil

he remarked at last. 'Hook'-th

' Lavendale

r. Anthony Silburn?' he said meditatively. 'A very remarkable

more. Miss de Freyne has been very successful during the last few months, and there is no doubt they'd give anything they could to g

-K,' he went on meditatively. 'You see, there are about

curiously unimpressive in the carefully-dressed, imperturbab

doing instead of sitting here

rry. Have a cigarette,' he went on, offering his case. 'I think

ing I can do?' La

riend Mr. Anthony Silburn at Hookam Court. Why not motor down there to-morrow? It's

son or other, he changed his mind and remained silent. Major Elwell

e agreed, 'I'll motor

*

. The little party of guests, still in shooting clothes and lounging before the great wood fire, brought into their surroundings a vivid note of flamboyant artificiality. The high walls, with their ecclesiastically-curved frescoes, the row of family portraits, the ar

ve been. He advanced across the hall with out

exclaimed. 'I was deligh

hadn't any idea of being at a loose end s

-night, but I've room for two more guns. Now let me introduce you to those of your fellow-guests whom you don't

tively to the men. Lady Marsham, a stout, dark-haired

e a young man. One feels that he must be either an America

ch freed him from that sense of being part of a carefully concerted picture. There was something absolutely human, entirely spontaneous in his cousin's expression as she recognized him. Her fingers

delightful to see you

ed to meet her a

-day. I am afraid I didn't give him a chance to turn me down, but I meant to say, although he hasn't given me an

l. Again Lavendale had a queer fancy that there was a leaven of insincerity i

ghted. I see you people have had tea,' she went o

m yawned, lighting a cigarette. 'I sha

er end of the hall. He was dismissing the

t it on the extreme left, near the old oak. I'll take that myself, and Mr. Lavendale will

e replied, 'but I warn you that

arracombe here finds them on the slow side. We had a very good day to-day-over

ng, th

ooms,' his host continued,

irresolutely on the other side of the round

, Tony, that Ambrose wa

rt second boy who can look after you. We dine at eight. And, Lavendale, just one word,' he concluded, as he glanced around the spacious rooms into which he had ushered his guest, 'we have a so

dale remarked, 'but

ill explain that to you. We have a little

her respect the men and women were obviously fitting figures. One or two of them were even known to him by reputation. The whole atmosphere of their conversation was natural and spontaneous. And then, as he turned resolutely to continue a discussion about wild pheasants with Barracombe-Barracombe, whom he knew well to be a great scientific traveller, a man of distinction-it was then that the clim

e!' he exclaimed, takin

regard, of Suzanne's unnatural pallor, of the warning in her eyes. His rush of joy at

one told me you were

f evil, suddenly chilled him. In the background he had caught a glimpse of a pecu

d for several days,' she told him. 'I

ned all the time within earsho

added, with a little burst of enthusiasm. 'Lavendale, as it is your first evening, wi

Suzanne away. Lavendale loit

ed into the great dining-room, 'how

day,' she answered. 'She was staying befor

t I feel as though I'd come into some sort of a theatrical performance. I suppose you a

alf banter, but her reply

ed nervously. 'Sometimes I feel like

, listening to the somewhat stereotyped conversation of those strangely-assorted guests, Lavendale became slowly conscious of a new sensation, the sensation of restriction. It was hard to believe that outside lay the park; that in the morning he would be wandering about, free to come and go as he pleased; that in

telephone, Silb

as the unhesitating reply. 'You

ilburn led his young guest into a small waiting-room, comfortably furnished. On a table in the middle

hrough to Lond

ne is engaged,' the

be free p

on as we can get th

group in the hall. He found Barracombe on one side of Suzanne and h

ll right?' Sil

where,' Lavendale replied

Silburn explained. 'They are always comma

remarked, as a servant for the third or fourth t

rn sm

it, but I have promised the military here that no one else save mys

st forced into the game by her host. He wandered about the hall, gl

sir,' was the laconic

uneasily about the hall for a time an

the night,' he remarked,

o was standing

llowed to open the front door after dusk. The mi

ut from the back, then

e the house at all until m

lowly round toward

asked, 'are

ly-curtained we are everywhere. You will find double blinds in every room in the house. Yet even that has not been enough to satisfy them.

then drew a low chair up close to Suzanne. It was evident to him, watching her closely, that she was playing under great tension. More than ever he was convinced that something was wrong. With an excuse about fetching some cigare

d once more at the telephone room before he rejoi

nce of getting throug

?' Lavendale asked, wi

ich engaged,'

ndale persisted. 'Is there any number up

erred upon him by the Kaiser. Steinletter belonged to the greatest German-American banking firm in the world. Kindersley's daughter had married an Austrian prince. Suzanne had succeeded, then, in this last quest of hers, a success which, although inadvertently, he might be said to share. They had in all probability discovered the headquarters of the great Teutonic espionage system in England. How was it going to p

ubber was just over and he leaned boldly

me for a few min

as playing idly with the cards, g

o say, we all meet in the cloister room. It is a queer custo

Lavendale

minutes' serious diversion,'

the further end of the hall. He laid his

aid quietly, 'a

have always had people behind me who have known my whereabouts and who could come to the rescue, if necessary.

d then you half told me where you were, over the telephone. I think that the rest mu

out this place, which increased my suspicions. Then I met Mrs. Silburn outside the lodge gates. She was with the Colonel in command here and they stopped to speak to the officer I was with. She was delightful and

to get away?' he begged. 'Surely you coul

uisitioned by the Government. I go to that dummy telephone-the exchange is in the house, you know-and of course nothing happens.

dear,' Lavendale assured her coolly. 'Tell

rs. There are people always coming and going, all people of the same class. There is not the slightest doubt that this is the p

arked grimly, 'we seem to

'does any one know that

lied, with a suddenly inspired flash of mem

down. 'They are watching us,' she whispered. 'Ambr

ully. 'I can't look upon this as very serious

clared. 'As for the rest, I have g

lf-past ten busine

ook he

she said. 'As yet I have not been invited there, but I have an idea

bserved pleasantly, 'we are going to

s they walked his face became more serious. Lavendale had a wild idea, for a moment, of snatching Suzanne away, opening the f

ilburn explained, 'a crazy sort of place, really, but to us Americans th

rs. One by one, the guests seated themselves. Lavendale and Suzanne followed their example as indifferently as possible. Mr. Silburn sat at the head of the table, with Lady Marsham on his right and Mr. Steinletter opposite. There was a certain significance to Lavendale in the fact that his cousin was not present. A somewhat gloomy light was thrown upon the

' he murmured u

eyes. Then Mr. Silburn leaned forward in his place and tapped upon the ta

hed over the secret service of every country. So far we have carried on our great work without hindrance or suspicion. Those days I am forced to tell you, are passing. The hour of our supreme p

ent of trial she was stronger than in the indeterminate

to do her all the harm you can, to stab in the dark, to take advantage of your nationality-your American nationality-to pose as an Anglo-Saxon

faces of the little gathering. Only in Mr. Kindersley's

aced the cause of this country; doubtless,' he added, with a little satirical bow, 'for reasons upon which I will not enlarge. He has become the all

ence. Then Lady Marsham

hat the same steps be taken with

mur of approval. Only

y, 'that it is not only for our own safety-i

e from a box in the centr

,' he remarked, 'but I should just like to remind you that you are liv

lmost to the sea. The cleverest and most astute criminologists who ever breathed might track you to these doors, Lavendale, and search un

her you are in earnest or not, but whatever you might b

r the sound of an angry voice. A little ripple of terrified excitement flashed around the table. Mr.

r,' he ordere

p still in his hand, Major Elwell stood already upon the

endale shoute

ough his eye-glass and looked back at the

f all that's holy i

as as though the whole world had gone mad. Mr. Barracombe, from the opposite side of the table, had removed his spectacles from his nose and was wiping the tears from his eyes. Lady Marsham was leaning

arrival of our friend Jack Elwell. I hereby pronounce it, however, finally and irrevocably. It is this, Ambrose Lavendale-that you of

for supper. There were servants who seemed to appear like magic, with bottles and dish

laimed, 'I believ

of relief in her eyes, but a delici

d,' she admitted, 'but

but when we heard of Miss de Freyne down at the village, making inquirie

clared from the background, 'the

ecame a much gayer meal than the dinner which had preced

we haven't been quite as astute as usual. Perhaps we ar

wonderful sm

ence of the cour

nd