nly France but also the United States Government was represented by a
secret agent among the personnel.

"We try to learn what goes on among the boches," he said carelessly.
"They try the same game. But, Barres, they are singularly stupid at
such things--not adroit, merely clumsy and brutal. The Hun cannot
camouflage his native ferocity. He reveals himself.

"And in that respect it is fortunate for civilisation that it is
dealing with barbarians. Their cunning is of the swinish sort. Their
stench ultimately discovers them. You are discovering it for
yourselves; you detected Dernberg; you already sniff Von Papen,
Boy-ed, Bernstorff. All over the world the nauseous effluvia from the
vast Teutonic hog-pen is being detected and recognised. And
civilisation is taking sanitary measures to abate the nuisance.... And
your country, too, will one day send out a sanitary brigade to help
clean up the world, just as you now supply our details with the
necessary chlorides and antiseptics."

Barres laughed:

"You are very picturesque," he said. "And I'll tell you one thing, if
we don't join the sanitary corps now operating, I shall go out with a
bottle of chloride myself."

They entered Dragon Court a few moments later. Nobody was at the desk,
it being late.

"To-morrow," said Barres, as they ascended the stairs, "my friends,
Miss Soane, Miss Dunois, and Mr. Westmore are to be our guests
at Foreland Farms. You didn't know that, did you?" he added
sarcastically.

"Oh, yes," replied Renoux, much amused. "Miss Dunois, as you call her,
sent her trunks away this evening."

Barres, surprised and annoyed, halted on the landing:

"Your people didn't interfere, I hope."

"No. There was nothing in them of interest to us," said Renoux
naively. "I sent a report when I sent on to Washington the papers
which you secured for us."

Barres paused before his studio door, key in hand. They could hear the
gramophone going inside. He said:

"I don't have to ask you to be fair, Renoux, because the man who is
unfair to others swindles himself, and you are too decent, too
intelligent to do that. I am going to present you to Thessalie Dunois,
which happens to be her real name, and I am going to tell her in your
presence who you are. Then I shall leave you alone with her."

He fitted his latchkey and opened the door.

Westmore was trying fancy dancing with Dulcie on one side, and
Thessalie on the other--the latter evidently directing operati