The Firefly of France

I achieved a ghastl

and think for a moment, don't take it for a confession. Any innocent

dramatically in the salon of this ship. Or perhaps the end had not yet arrived, I thought ironically. By a slight effort of imagination I could conjure up a scene of the sort rende

one long. That part of it was too absurd. There must be a dozen ways out of it. Come! The fact that so strange an experience had befall

ef, the descent by the fire-escape, the girl's calm denial, turning us from the suspected floor. Yes, the girl! Heavens, what a blind dolt

ant was remarking. I pulled mysel

ou are about this thing. I never set eyes upon those papers until this evening. Why, man alive, I insiste

iteness was ill omened. "The papers were in you

eeks ago when my man packed the trunk. That I can swear to, for I glanced through the letters before hand

d it go with you?" qu

my apartment house; but when I landed and found h

w, of course, that it was a nest of agents, a sort of rendezvous for hyphenates, an

it. Now, here's what befell me there." I recounted my adventure

hotel over my sudden departure, his relief when I entered the booths, his corresponding horror when, emerging, I took the elevator for my room, puzzled me no

ing in Miss Esme Falconer's name. I said non-committally that a lady had occupied the room wher

th impassivity. "Is that all, Mr. B

all you insatiable. I've told you enough to satisf

a German management a German agent entered your room, opened your trun

ged gloomily as I sat staring at th

ars. I was disgusted with the episode, more disgusted yet with my own role. Why was I lying, why makin

ed my sh

n gone when they arrived, the manager and the detective would have shanghaied me, or the house doctor drugged me with a hypodermic till the fellow could get away. Let's end all this

We warn you sometimes, and then you grin and say that it's hysteria. But by and by you'll change your minds, as we did, and know the German secret

inquired blankly, "t

accepted; but then, as a general thing I don't suddenly discover that

ing to sail for Naples; you are an American on your way to help the Allies; it's ten to one that nobody will suspect you and that your baggage will go through untouched. What does he do? He has the papers slipped into your wallet. Then he sends a cable to som

hey should weave such circles. Why not let o

miled a faint, c

y're not wrong in thinking so. If they can send their documents by an inno

ch me. You found those infernal things nestling among my coat

u'll remember that I have only your word that all this happened or that you are really an American or even that this passport is yours and that your

ked up

y door. But first, you'll send a sheaf of marconigrams for me in both directions. You're welcome to read them, of course, before they go. Then when we get to Naples, my friend, Mr. Herriott, will meet the steamer. He is

e last word significantly, and I thanked heaven for Dunny and the for

will be a statement from the friend who dined with me at the St. Ives. There will be the declaration of the policeman who saw the German climb down the fire-escape and bolt in

aptain consulted a momen

if you please. They shall be sent. And I say, Mr. Bayne,-I hope you drive that ambu

my feast by the light of my one sad candle, not thinking of what I saw, or of the various calls for help I had been dispatching, or of the sailor grimly mounting guard outside my door. I was remembering a girl, a girl with ruddy hair and a wil