newspaper, and now and then read extracts
aloud. It was an English newspaper, of course, and I laughed once or
twice at its items. He smiled too, but he did not seem much given to
laughter. And all the while I took stock of my new acquaintance very
carefully.

In appearance Adolph Tiel was just as he had been described to me, and
very much as my imagination had filled in the picture: a man tall,
though not very tall, clean-shaved, rather thin, decidedly English in
his general aspect, distinctly good-looking, with hair beginning to
turn grey, and cleverness marked clearly in his face. What I had not
been quite prepared for was his air of good-breeding and authority.
Not that there was any real reason why these qualities should have been
absent, but as a naval officer of a country whose military services
have pretty strong prejudices, I had scarcely expected to find in a
secret-service agent quite this air.

Also what I had heard of Tiel had prepared me to meet a gentleman in
whom cleverness was more conspicuous than dignity. Even those who
professed to know something about him had admitted that he was a bit of
a mystery. He was said to come either from Alsace or Lorraine, and to
be of mixed parentage and the most cosmopolitan experience. One story
had it that he served at one period of his very diverse career in the
navy of a certain South American State, and this story I very soon came
to the conclusion was correct, for he showed a considerable knowledge
of naval affairs. Even when he professed ignorance of certain points,
I was inclined to suspect he was simply trying to throw doubt upon the
reports which he supposed I had heard, for rumour also said that he had
quitted the service of his adopted country under circumstances which
reflected more credit on his brains than his honesty.

In fact, my informants were agreed that Herr Tiel's brains were very
remarkable indeed, and that his nerve and address were equal to his
ability. He was undoubtedly very completely in the confidence of my
own Government, and I could mention at least two rather serious mishaps
that had befallen England which were credited to him by people who
certainly ought to have known the facts.

Looking at him attentively as he sat before the fire studying 'The
Scotsman' (the latest paper to be obtained in those parts), I thought
to myself that here was a man I should a very great deal sooner have on
my side than against me. If ever I had