t the
latest--France must send her ultimatum."

"What will it be?"

"God knows!" and Delcasse tugged at his ragged moustache. "If it were
not for one thing, Lepine, I should not hesitate, I should not fear war.
France is ready, and England is at least sympathetic. But there is _La
Liberte_. What if Germany can treat our other battleships as she treated
that one? Yes, and England's, too! And if our battleships, why not our
forts, our arsenals ... Lepine," and Delcasse's lips were twitching, "I
say to you frankly that, for the first time in my life, I have fear!" He
fell a moment silent, playing nervously with a paper-knife he had
snatched up from his desk. "What would you suggest?" he asked again.

And again Lepine shook his head.

"What _can_ I suggest!" he protested. "Where you have failed, what is
there I can do?"

The knife snapped in Delcasse's fingers, and he hurled the fragments to
the floor.

"There is one thing you can do," he said. "Find Crochard and bring him
to me."

Lepine arose instantly.

"I will do my best," he said, reaching for his hat. "If he is in France,
rest assured...."

There was a tap at the door, and it opened softly.

"I am not to be disturbed!" snapped the Minister, and then he stopped,
staring.

For there appeared on the threshold the immaculate figure, the charming
and yet impressive countenance, for a sight of which the great Minister
had been longing; and then his heart leaped suffocatingly, for with the
first figure was a second--a man with white hair and flaming eyes and
thin, eager face....

As Delcasse sprang to his feet, Crochard stepped forward.

"M. Delcasse," he said, "it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you
a gentleman whom I know you will be most glad to meet----Ignace Vard."

CHAPTER XXXI

THE ALLIANCE ENDS

Delcasse's nostrils were distended and his eyes were glowing like those
of a war-horse scenting battle as he invited his visitors to be seated.
Only his iron self-control, tested on I know not how many hard-fought
fields of diplomacy, enabled him to speak coherently; never had it been
strained as at that moment.

He sat down at his desk, and glanced from one face to the other.

"I am indeed glad to meet M. Vard," he said, with a calmness that was no
less than a triumph; "and to see you again, M. Crochard. I had but this
moment charged M. Lepine to bring you to me."

"Is it so serious as that?" asked Crochard, with a little smile.

"