n Terry grew interested in this work. "If we can keep this up,
they'll be having us lecture to all the girls' schools and colleges--how
about that?" he suggested to us. "Don't know as I'd object to being an
Authority to such audiences."

They did, in fact, urge us to give public lectures later, but not to the
hearers or with the purpose we expected.

What they were doing with us was like--like--well, say like Napoleon
extracting military information from a few illiterate peasants. They
knew just what to ask, and just what use to make of it; they had
mechanical appliances for disseminating information almost equal to ours
at home; and by the time we were led forth to lecture, our audiences
had thoroughly mastered a well-arranged digest of all we had previously
given to our teachers, and were prepared with such notes and questions
as might have intimidated a university professor.

They were not audiences of girls, either. It was some time before we
were allowed to meet the young women.

"Do you mind telling what you intend to do with us?" Terry burst
forth one day, facing the calm and friendly Moadine with that funny
half-blustering air of his. At first he used to storm and flourish quite
a good deal, but nothing seemed to amuse them more; they would gather
around and watch him as if it was an exhibition, politely, but with
evident interest. So he learned to check himself, and was almost
reasonable in his bearing--but not quite.

She announced smoothly and evenly: "Not in the least. I thought it was
quite plain. We are trying to learn of you all we can, and to teach you
what you are willing to learn of our country."

"Is that all?" he insisted.

She smiled a quiet enigmatic smile. "That depends."

"Depends on what?"

"Mainly on yourselves," she replied.

"Why do you keep us shut up so closely?"

"Because we do not feel quite safe in allowing you at large where there
are so many young women."

Terry was really pleased at that. He had thought as much, inwardly; but
he pushed the question. "Why should you be afraid? We are gentlemen."

She smiled that little smile again, and asked: "Are 'gentlemen' always
safe?"

"You surely do not think that any of us," he said it with a good deal of
emphasis on the "us," "would hurt your young girls?"

"Oh no," she said quickly, in real surprise. "The danger is quite the
other way. They might hurt you. If, by any accident, you did harm any
one of us, you would have to