Pardon my momentary abstraction," she said softly; "I was pursuing a
train of thought--"

"And you didn't overtake it," he remarked.

"I can never overtake it. I haven't the requisite speed. Did you ever
miss your two greatest opportunities, Marston?"

"I've missed my greatest," Marston replied instantly. "Oh--it was out of
my class, so I never started."

"It may have been a mistake, my friend," she observed; "one never can
tell until he's tried it--and failed. I mightn't have missed had I gone
on another schedule. However, the past is to profit by, and to forget
if we can't remember it pleasantly. So let us return to the business in
hand, Marston; it's a rattling business and a fascinating, and at it you
and I are not to be altogether despised," throwing him a bewitching
smile.

"Don't!" he exclaimed. "I'm not stone."

"Forgive me, my friend!" putting out her hand to him.

Marston simply bowed, "I think it wiser to refrain," he said gently, and
bowed again. "By all means let us to the business in hand."

He understood her nature better than she thought. The sympathy in her
was, for the moment, real enough, but it was only for the moment; the
love of admiration was the controlling note--what she sought and what
she played for. She felt the sympathy while it lasted, but it was the
effect as to herself, the selfish effect, that inspired the sensation.
When a beautiful woman stoops to sympathy, it is rare indeed that she
does not thereby arouse admiration for herself. Madeline Spencer may
have been cold and shrewd and selfish and calculating, yet with it all
she was warm-hearted; but the warm heart never got away with the cool
head--unless it was with that head's permission and for its benefit. She
played men--and men played her--but the man that had won was not yet to
be found. Two only of those whom she tried had failed to succumb to her
fascinating alluringness--and these two she had loved, and still did
both love and hate.

"Returning then to the code-book and the letter," said she. "How about
the latter; have you found Carpenter susceptible to persuasion?"

"To persuasion, no; to exchange, yes. Our agreement is that if I provide
the key-word, he will provide the letter in question. At ten o'clock
this morning the trick is to be turned."

"And if the translation concerns the United States, he simply would turn
the key upon you and hold you prisoner until the matter is cleared up."

"One must take some ris