doing; it is informed every day concerning
Bernstorff's dirty activities; the details of the Mexican and Japanese
affairs are familiar to Mr. Lansing; all that happens aboard the
_Geier_, the interned German liners--all that occurs in German
consulates, commercial offices, business houses, clubs, cafes,
saloons, is no secret to your Government.

"Yet, nothing has been done, nothing is being done except to continue
to collect data of the most monstrous and stupendous conspiracy that
ever threatened a free nation! I repeat that nothing is being done; no
preparation is being made to face the hurricane which has been looming
for two years and more, growing ever blacker over your horizon. All
the world can see the lightning playing behind those storm clouds.

"And, my God!--not an umbrella! Not an order for overshoes and
raincoats!... I am not, perhaps, in error when I suggest that the
Administration is an--unusual one."

Barres nodded slowly.

Renoux said:

"I am sorry. The reckoning will be heavy."

"I know."

"Yes, you know. Your great politician, Mr. Roosevelt, knows; your
great Admiral, Mahan, knew; your great General, Wood, knows. Also,
perhaps some million or more sane, clear thinking American citizens
know." He made a hopeless gesture. "It is a pity, Barres, my
friend.... Well--it is, of course, the affair of your people to
decide.... We French can only wait.... But we have never doubted your
ultimate decision.... Lafayette did not live in vain. Yorktown was not
merely a battle. Your Washington lighted a torch for your people and
for ours to hold aloft eternally. Even the rain of blood drenching our
Revolution could not extinguish it. It still burned at Gravelotte, at
Metz, at Sedan. It burned above the smoke and dust of the Commune. It
burned at the Marne. It still burns, mon ami."

"Yes."

"Alors----" He sat silent for a few moments, his gaze intent on the
starry obscurity outdoors. Then, slow and pleasantly:

"The particular mess, the cooking of which interests my Government,
the English Government, and yours, is now on the point of boiling
over. It's this Irish stew I speak of. Poor devils--they must be
crazy, every one of them, to do what they are already beginning to
do.... You remember the papers which you secured?"

"Yes."

"Well, what we did last night at Grogan's has prematurely dumped the
fat into the fire. They know they've been robbed; they know that their
plans are in our hands. Do you