--My God!"

He broke off suddenly, pursuing another train of thought. He leaned
forward.

"Look here," he said, "we'll talk about the fate of that communication
later. What about Miss Abbeway?"

"Miss Abbeway," Julian told him, "was in imminent danger last night of
arrest as a spy. Against my principles and all my convictions, I have
done my best to protect her against the consequences of her ridiculous
and inexcusable conduct. I don't know anything about your association,
Furley, but I consider you a lot of rotters to allow a girl to take on a
job like this."

Furley's eyes flashed in sympathy.

"It was a cowardly action, Julian," he agreed. "I'm hot with shame when
I think of it. But don't, for heaven's sake, think I had anything to
do with the affair! We have a secret service branch which arranges for
those things. It's that skunk Fenn who's responsible. Damn him!"

"Nicholas Fenn, the pacifist!" Julian exclaimed. "So you take vermin
like that into your councils!"

"You can't call him too hard a name for me at this moment," Furley
muttered.

"Nicholas Fenn," Julian repeated, with a new light in his eyes. "Why,
the cable I censored was to him! So he's the arch traitor!"

"Nicholas Fenn is in it;" Furley admitted, "although I deny that there's
any treason whatever in the affair."

"Don't talk nonsense!" Julian replied. "What about your German
hairdresser who was shot this morning?"

"It was a mistake to make use of him," Furley confessed. "Fenn has
deceived us all as to the method of our communications. But listen,
Julian. You'll be able to get Miss Abbeway out of this?"

"If I don't," Julian replied, "I shall be in it myself, for I've lied
myself black in the face already."

"You're a man, for all the starch in you, Julian," Furley declared. "If
anything were to happen to that girl, I'd wring Fenn's neck."

"I think she's safe for the present," Julian pronounced. "You see, she
isn't in possession of the incriminating document. I took it from her
when she was in danger of arrest."

"What are you going to do with it?"

"You can't have much doubt about that," was the composed reply. "I shall
go to town to-morrow and hand it over to the proper authorities."

Julian rose to his feet as he spoke. Furley looked at him helplessly.

"How in heaven's name, man," he groaned, "shall I be able to make you
see the truth!"

A touch of the winter sunlight was upon Julian's face which, curiously
enough, at tha