d
not want to know the contents of the letter; he was doing this favour
for Davidson. He understood that it was to be entirely _sub rosa_ and
that nothing must ever transpire as to it. Therefore he was prepared to
forget the entire episode the moment it was over; the epochal meetings
with her he would not forget, nor would he permit her to forget him if
constant devotion and assiduous attention were of avail. To which she
had made a most demurely fitting answer, and the conversation thereafter
grew exceedingly confidential. Oh, they were getting on very well indeed
when the Rataplan was reached. And they were still progressing very
well--in a discreetly informal way.

The entrance of Mrs. Clephane and Harleston was unexpected to Mrs.
Spencer; Carpenter was a stranger to her and she had thought nothing of
him; but when he spoke to Harleston, and seemed to know Mrs. Clephane,
she put him on the list of the enemy. She kept him there when Snodgrass
told her his name and position in the Diplomatic Service and that it
was reputed there was no cipher too difficult for him to solve.

"We would better be very circumspect," she said low. "I think that these
two men are here to watch us; they know that I'm in the Secret Service,
of Germany, and they're naturally suspicious of me."

"Carpenter was here when we came in," Snodgrass remarked. "He was
sitting in the lobby. However, if you prefer, I'll let my mail go until
evening."

"We can decide when we're through luncheon," she replied. "Haste is of
vital importance, my instructions say. I had hoped to get away on the
midnight train for New York, and to sail tomorrow for England."

"I had hoped to do the same!" he whispered.

"Really?" she asked.

"More than really! May I?" leaning forward.

"If you care to, Captain Snodgrass. It will be very pleasant to have you
on board."

"And afterward?"

"You may not care for the afterward," she murmured.

"I'll risk it!" he exclaimed. "We'll sail tomorrow."

"And the letter?" she asked.

"I'll get it for you--or have it along!"

"What about the consideration?"

"Hang the consideration. I'll pay it myself, if need be."

"No, no, my friend!" she laughed. "I'm not worth so much, nor anything
near it. And even though I were, I'd not permit the wasteful
extravagance."

She might have added that she had no objection whatever to his wasteful
extravagance, in fact, she would rather encourage it, if she were its
object. Only that