ppy reunion, and in the end,
M. Webster forgave me for the theft of the little box. Of our plans we
said nothing, except that M. Vard was journeying back with me to Paris,
and we were aboard the _Lusitania_ when she sailed next morning. We
arrived at Liverpool last night, and here we are!"

Lepine's face was shining with a great enthusiasm.

"Permit me to congratulate you, sir," he said. "It was finely done. I
realise that the more deeply because I myself was completely baffled;
and yet it should have occurred to me that the Captain of the _Ottilie_
might wish to deceive me. My theory was, however, that the tickets had
been purchased to throw me off the scent. M. Vard had, of course, as I
supposed, sought refuge in Germany. Even yet I do not understand why he
should have gone to America."

The remark was, in a way, addressed to the inventor, but he had fallen
into revery and paid no heed to it.

"He is often like that," said Crochard, in rapid French. "I suspect that
something is wrong here," and he touched his forehead. "The trip to
America was, as I understand it, a matter of sentiment with him. He
insisted that this great treaty, which was to bring about world-wide
peace and the brotherhood of man, should be signed on American soil."

"He is really in earnest about that treaty?" asked Delcasse. "He is not
a mercenary?"

"Mercenary? Far from it, sir. Why, M. Delcasse, he was asked to choose
his own reward, and he refused. He is utterly in earnest--he asks
nothing for himself. And I believe his idea practicable. I hope that
you will consider it carefully, sir. The Emperor refused because of his
conditions. One was the reconstitution of Poland--he is himself a Pole.
The other was the restoration of Alsace-Lorraine to France. Pachmann did
at last agree to give up Poland--and to make him King of it, if he
chose!--but the other condition was too much for him. Besides, he
thought the game was in his hands--he saw his Emperor ruler of the
world! Permit me to outline for you the plan of this remarkable man."

And clearly but briefly, Crochard laid before the astonished Minister
the plan for world-wide disarmament, for universal peace, for the
freeing of subject peoples, for the restoration of conquered territory,
and for the gradual establishment of representative government, to the
exclusion of all hereditary rulers, great and small.

"And I see no reason," Crochard concluded, "why France should hesitate
to give her