rotection. You conclude I am her lover."

The officer's face altered gravely, but he said nothing.

Barres leaned forward in his chair and laid a hand on his comrade's
shoulder:

"Renoux, do you trust me, personally?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Then I shall trust you. Because there is nothing you can
tell me about Nihla Quellen that I do not already know--nothing
concerning her _dossier_ in your secret archives, nothing in regard to
the evidence against her and the testimony of the Count d'Eblis. And
that clears the ground between you and me."

If Renoux was surprised he scarcely showed it.

Barres said:

"As long as you know that she is under my protection, I want you to
come to my place and talk to her. I don't ask you to accept my
judgment in regard to her; I merely wish you to listen to what she has
to say, and then come to your own conclusions. Will you do this?"

For a few moments Renoux sat quite still, his clear, intelligent eyes
fixed on the smoking tip of his cigar. Without raising them he said
slowly:

"As we understand it, Nihla Quellen has been a spy from the very
beginning. Our information is clear, concise, logical. We know her
history. She was the mistress of Prince Cyril, then of Ferez, then of
d'Eblis--perhaps of the American banker, Gerhardt, also. She came
directly from the German Embassy at Constantinople to Paris, on
Gerhardt's yacht, the _Mirage_, and under his protection and the
protection of Comte Alexandre d'Eblis.

"Ferez was of the party. And that companionship of conspirators never
was dissolved as long as Nihla Quellen remained in Europe."

"That Nihla Quellen has ever been the mistress of any man is
singularly untrue," said Barres coolly. "Your Government has to do
with a chaste woman; and it doesn't even know that much!"

Renoux regarded him curiously:

"You have seen her dance?" he enquired gravely.

"Often. And, Renoux, you are too much a man of the world to be
surprised at the unexpected. There _are_ white blackbirds."

"Yes, there are."

"Nihla Quellen is one."

"My friend, I desire to believe it if it would be agreeable to you."

"I know, Renoux; I believe in your good-will. Also, I believe in your
honesty and intelligence. And so I do not ask you to accept my word
for what I tell you. Only remember that I am absolutely certain
concerning my belief in Nihla Quellen.... I have no doubt that you
think I am in love with her.... I can't answer you. All Europe was in
l