lifting his hat most courteously to the young woman, M. Lemaire
stepped over to the other car. The Russian woman spoke in some tongue,
the like of which Benson had never heard before. It was Arabic, a
language that both of these spies understood perfectly. What she
said was:

"The boy is yours. Do what you can with him. I admit that I have
failed. I have no hope of being able to do anything with him."

M. Lemaire's eyebrows contracted briefly, in a slight frown. Then,
forcing a pleasant look to his face, the Frenchman asked, in a tone
easy enough with courtesy:

"Captain Benson, will you step out and talk with me a few moments? I
have much to say."

"I can listen," nodded Jack, looking steadily, shrewdly into the eyes
of this male spy. "At the same time, sir, this whole proceeding,
meeting, request and all are so unusual that I think you cannot do
better than to give me a frank explanation of what this all means."

"Means?" murmured the Frenchman, as though not comprehending.

"Yes," retorted Captain Jack Benson, disdaining to beat about the bush
for an instant. "If you pretend that you do not understand me, sir, I
shall feel obliged to have a poor idea of either your honesty or your
intelligence."

"Are you trying to insult me?" asked the Frenchman, a warning flash in
his eyes.

"Not at all," Jack answered, unhesitatingly. "I am asking you for a
direct statement. Why am I brought here in this fashion? What is
wanted of me?"

The young captain was now paying no attention to Mlle. Nadiboff. She,
finding herself not needed in the talk, had slipped out at the other
side of the car, and was now strolling slowly some yards away.

"Won't you step out, Captain Benson, so we an walk and talk this matter
over?" again insisted the Frenchman.

"Then you have something to say that you don't think quite proper for
the chauffeur to hear?" demanded Benson, almost mockingly.

"Oh, our good Gaston is all right," laughed the Frenchman, nodding at
the chauffeur.

"The chauffeur, then, is one of the crowd--all spies," flashed through
Jack's vengeful mind. "I might have guessed it. And this crowd have
me a long way from my friends."

"You are not afraid to step down to the ground, Captain Benson?" asked
the male spy, half mockingly.

"Afraid?" flushed Jack, springing down to the ground and confronting
M. Lemaire. "No; I am not afraid of a regiment like you!"

"I begin to imagine that you are a brave youn