lock, hurry to the
Gare Porte-Neuve, and, after hastily swallowing a liqueur of brandy in
the buffet, depart for Langres.

Thence he had travelled to Nancy, where he had taken up quarters at the
Grand Hotel in the Place Stanislas, and had there remained for two days
in order to rest.

He would not have idled those autumn days away so lazily, even though he
so urgently required rest after that rapid travelling, had he but known
that the person who occupied the next room to his--that middle-aged
commercial traveller--an entirely inoffensive person who possessed a red
beard, and who had given the name of Jules Dequanter, and his nationality
as Belgian, native of Liege--was none other than Gustav Heureux, the man
who had been recalled from New York by the evasive doctor of Pimlico.

And further, Fetherston, notwithstanding his acuteness in observation,
was in blissful ignorance, as he strolled back from the station at
Commercy, up the old-world street, that a short distance behind him,
carefully watching all his movements, was the man Joseph Blot
himself--the man known in dingy Pimlico as Dr. Weirmarsh.

CHAPTER X

IF ANYONE KNEW

SIR HUGH ELCOMBE spent a most interesting and instructive day within the
Fortress of Haudiomont. He really did not want to go. The visit bored
him. The world was at peace, and there was no incentive to espionage as
there had been in pre-war days.

General Henri Molon, the commandant, greeted him cordially and himself
showed him over a portion of the post-war defences which were kept such a
strict secret from everyone. The general did not, however, show his
distinguished guest everything. Such things as the new anti-aircraft gun,
the exact disposition of the huge mines placed in the valley between
there and Rozellier, so that at a given signal both road and railway
tracks could be destroyed, he did not point out. There were other matters
to which the smart, grey-haired, old French general deemed it unwise to
refer, even though his visitor might be a high official of a friendly
Power.

Sir Hugh noticed all this and smiled inwardly. He wandered about the
bomb-proof case-mates hewn out of the solid rock, caring nothing for the
number and calibre of the guns, their armoured protection, or the
chart-like diagrams upon the walls, ranges and the like.

"What a glorious evening!" Paul was saying as, at sunset, they set their
faces towards the valley beyond which lay shattered Germany. Th