to all appearances cozily established
for a tete-a-tete meal, stopped in his tracks and fastened on me the
hard, appraising scrutiny that a policeman might turn on a hitherto
respectable acquaintance discovered in converse with some notorious
crook. For an instant he seemed disposed to buttonhole me and
remonstrate. Then he shrugged his stocky shoulders, the gesture
indicating that one can't save a fool from his folly, and established
himself at a near-by table, from which coign of vantage he kept us under
steady watch.

Given such an audience, my outward mien must be impeccable.

"There is something," I admitted cautiously, "that I want to say to you.
But I wish you would eat something first. People are watching us," I
added beneath my breath as the soup appeared.

She took a sip under protest, and then replaced her spoon and sat with
fingers twisting her gloves and eyes fixed smolderingly on mine. I
shifted furtively in my seat. This was a charming experience. I was
being, from my point of view, almost quixotically generous; yet with one
glance she could make me feel like a bully and a brute.

"I am sure," I stumbled, fumbling desperately with my serviette, "that
you came over without realizing what war conditions are. Strangers
aren't wanted just now. Travel is dangerous for women. You may think me
all kinds of a presumptuous idiot,--I shan't blame you,--but I am going
to urge you most strongly to go home."

Whatever she had looked for, obviously it was not that.

"Mr. Bayne," she exclaimed, regarding me wonderingly, "what do you
mean?"

"Just this, Miss Falconer," I answered with almost Teutonic
ruthlessness. Confound it! I couldn't sit here forever bullying her;
sheer desperation lent me strength. "The _Espagne_ sails from Bordeaux
on Saturday, I see by the Herald, and if I were you, I should most
certainly be on board. In fact, if you lose the chance, I am sure you'll
regret it later. The French police authorities are--er--very inquisitive
about foreigners; and if you stop in France in these anxious times, I
think it likely that they may--well--"

She drew a quick, hard breath as I trailed off into silence. Her eyes,
darkened, horrified, were gazing full into mine.

"You wouldn't tell them about me! You couldn't be so cruel!" The words
came almost fiercely, yet with a sound like a stifled sob.

By its sheer preposterousness the speech left me dumb a moment, and then
gave me back the self-possession I h