bove them. She leaned forward. Her long, delicate hand touched his.
A splendid jewel at her throat heightened the magic of her beauty.

"Because it is my business to hate him--and make love to him at the
same time. Come, Mr. Owen, let us be frank."

For the first time in his life Owen felt himself mastered by the sheer
fascination of a woman. "What am I to do?" he said breathlessly.

"I will tell you tonight at the ball. Now you must run away."

He arose instantly, but as she stood beside him, he turned, caught her
in his arms and kissed her passionately.

She protested with a little cry and a struggle not too violent to
damage her coiffure. He drew back from her. There was something of
astonishment in his eyes--astonishment at himself.

"You are the only woman in the world who ever made me do that," he
gasped.

"Go, go," she pleaded.

"But you are angry? You break our agreement?"

"No, but I am overcome. I shall meet you tonight."

He caught her hand to his lips, and hurried from the house.

It was more than an hour after he observed her arrival at the Naval
Ball before Owen had the privilege of a greeting from Mlle. de Longeon,
and then it was only a smile as she passed him on the arm of a
distinguished looking foreign diplomat.

Owen saw that she spoke a quiet word to her escort, who turned and
looked at Owen. She beamed brightly at Owen, who smiled back at her,
and moved slowly toward the door of the conservatory into which she and
the diplomat had disappeared. He was surprised, a moment later, to see
Pauline rush by him, with a little laugh.

"Is anything the matter?" Owen called.

"Nothing you can help. Stay right where you are," she cried.

Owen laughed his understanding and moved over to where Harry and
Lucille were talking with Ensign Summers.

Meanwhile, Pauline, in the darkest recess of the conservatory was
pinning together a broken garter. As she started back to the ballroom
she was surprised to hear voices near her.

There was something about their foreign accent that roused the
ever-venturous, ever-curious interest of Pauline. She crept along a
row of palms and peered through an aperture. Mlle. de Longeon and the
diplomat were talking together as they paced the aisle of palms on the
other side. Pauline crept nearer.

Presently the voice of the diplomat became distinguishable.

"It is all arranged. The thing is to be done in Submarine B-2
tomorrow. All you have now t