go
to the door and ask them what they mean by making this noise at this
time of night with me ill and all!"

I got into the wardrobe and Monica shut me in. I heard the bedroom door
open, then voices. I waited patiently for five minutes, then the
wardrobe door opened again.

"Come out, Des," said Monica, "and thank Mary Prendergast for her
cleverness."

"What did they say?" I asked.

"That reception clerk was along. He was most apologetic--they know me
here, you see. He told me how a fellow had made a desperate attack upon
a gentleman on the floor below and had got away. They thought he must be
hiding somewhere in the hotel. I told him I'd been sitting here for an
hour chatting with Miss Prendergast and that we hadn't heard a sound.
They went away then!"

"You won't catch any Deutschers fooling Mary Prendergast," said the
jovial lady in the bed; "but, children, what next?"

Monica spoke--quite calmly. She was always perfectly self-possessed.

"My brother is stopping with me in our apartment in the
Bendler-Strasse," she said. "You remember Gerry, Des--he got all smashed
up flying, you know, and is practically a cripple. He's been so much
better here that I've been trying to get an attendant to look after him,
to dress him and so on, but we couldn't find anybody; men are so scarce
nowadays! You could come home with me, Des, and take this man's place
for a day or two ... I'm afraid it couldn't be longer, for one would
have to register you with the police--every one has to be registered,
you know--and I suppose you have no papers that are any good--now."

"You are too kind, Monica," I answered, "but you risk too much and I
can't accept."

"It's no risk for a day or two," she said. "I am a person of consequence
in official Germany, you know, with my husband A.D.C. to Marshal von
Mackensen: and I can always say I forgot to send in your papers. If they
come down upon me afterwards I should say I meant to register you but
had to discharge you suddenly ... for drink!"

"But how can I get away from here?" I objected.

"I guess we can fix that too," she replied. "My car is coming for me at
two--it must be that now--I have been at a dance downstairs--one of the
Radolin girls is getting married to-morrow--it was so deadly dull I ran
up here and woke up Mary Prendergast to talk. You shall be my chauffeur!
I know you drive a car! You ought to be able to manage mine ... it's a
Mercedes."

"I can drive any old car," I sa