that the presence of the Baron was urgent and
asked the man to go for him; they turned over the motor to him and he
mounted on the box beside Eugene. They reached the little variety
theater there in the Rue d'Arenberg. The German functionary went in and
found the Baron, who said he could not come before the piece was over.

[Sidenote: The sad wait for der Lancken.]

All this while Villalobar, Gibson and de Leval were in the salon at the
Ministry, the room of which I have spoken so often as the yellow salon,
because of the satin upholstery of its Louis XVI. furniture of white
lacquer--that bright, almost laughing little salon, all done in the
gayest, lightest tones, where so many little dramas were played. All
three of them were deeply moved and very anxious--the eternal contrast,
as de Leval said, between things and sentiments. Lancken entered at
last, very much surprised to find them; he was accompanied by Count
Harrach and by the young Baron von Falkenhausen.

"What is it, gentlemen?" he said. "Has something serious happened?"

They told him why they were there, and Lancken, raising his hands, said:

"_Impossible!_"

[Sidenote: Der Lancken believes the rumor false.]

He had vaguely heard that afternoon of a condemnation for spying, but he
did not know that it had anything to do with the case of Miss Cavell,
and in any event it was impossible that they would put a woman to death
that night.

"Who has given you this information? Because, to come and disturb me at
such an hour you must have actual information," he said.

De Leval replied: "Without doubt I consider it so, but I must refuse to
tell you from whom I received the information. Besides, what difference
does it make? If the information is true, our presence at this hour is
justified; if it is not true, I am ready to take the consequences of my
mistake."

The Baron grew irritated.

"What," he said, "is it on the hint of mere rumor that you come and
disturb me at such an hour, me and these gentlemen? No, no, gentlemen,
this news can not be true. Orders are never executed with such
precipitation, especially when a woman is concerned. Come and see me
to-morrow. Besides, how do you think that at this hour I can obtain any
information? The Governor-General must certainly be sleeping."

Gibson, or one of them, suggested to him that a very simple way of
finding out would be to telephone to the prison.

"Quite right," said he. "I had not thought of that."