Part 8 (1/2)

I said, ”Yes; I will arrange it”

”Oh, thank you Talk now of so else”

I said, ”Yes, in a ht use Merton

”My friend will be in our army uniform, an entirely unsuspected man

How pretty those flowers are!”

I found her chare froard to money Before we left, after dinner, I had a few -room She was free from the look of care I had observed when presented

”Good-by,” I said, as we parted, ”and be assured that you have friends”

”Oh, thank you!” sheothers in ht” I went ho of the next day I went to the rooms of our first secretary In reply to my request, he said he had two cards for the ball at e matters with the master of ceremonies I accepted one card for Merton, and went aell pleased and regretful that I found it better, as she had done, to leave this singular errand to another

Ihiarde, and told him what she expected us to do He wasfor our purpose a ed hi that he should call on ht be far on in the night I was too curious and too anxious to wait longer

It was after three in thewhen he aroused e!” he cried, ”she is a delightful and a brave woood heavens! she is in a sad scrape”

”Well, what is it? Has she robbed the Bank of France?”

”Worse I told you it was so one”

”For Heaven's sake, go on!”

”She is beautiful”

”Of course; I know that But what happened?”

”I said she was beautiful”

”Yes, twice, and you have never seen her face”

”No, but you told me so However, I went early and waited about the door until she caht It wasn't easy A half-hour later I got my chance She had been left by her last partner near a s with an old lady I said, 'It is my dance, I believe' She rose at once As we , 'Aallery and at last into a se-trees No one was near 'One moment,' she said; 'even here I a watched, but she was, I fancied, in an agony of apprehension As I mentioned my name and tried to reassure her, she let fall her black do, 'Quick, push it under that sofa!' She wore beneath it a pearl-colored silk doe!” said I, ”a woman of resources How clever that was!”

Merton went on: ”Then we sat down, I saying: 'Be cool, and don't hurry You are entirely secure' She did go on, and what a story! She said:

”'On the night before I involved Mr Greville in trouble, I went to an evening party at Count le Moyne's I was never there before, or only to call on the countess, and at that time talked a few minutes with the count They have been here hardly reat crush in the hall and on the stair As I waited to get rid of h the crowd and passed n Office He seemed to be in haste and went behind a screen and into a room on the side of the hall A little later the music up-stairs ceased I heard cries of fire People rushed down the stairway screa There was a jam in the hall and a terrible crush at the outer doors A curtain had been blown across a console and taken fire; that was all, but the alarm and confusion were dreadful Women fainted One or two men made brutal efforts to escape I have a teer There was none but what the terror of these people created I was hustled about and, with others, driven against the Chinese screen which covered the doorway of the count's office I said he had entered it--yes, I told you that As the alarrew, it must have reached him, for he came out and had to use violence to push the screen away so as to let hi, '_Mon Dieu!_' He ran along a back passageway and disappeared There were other women near, but I was so placed as to be able to slip behind the screen he had pushed away I ae in the doorway the screen was crushed against it, and I was caught Of course I was excited, but I was cool compared with the people outside I tried the door behind me and felt it open Then I saw that I was in the count's private office

On the table a la the rooht of a large paper envelop on the table I could not help seeing the largely written inscription I paused In an instant I realized that I was in an eneer as I read: ”_Foreign Office Confidential Recognition of the Confederate States Note reest at once Haste required! Drouyn de Lhuys_” I stood still For aI suppose the devil was at ood devil,' said I

”She said: 'Oh, please not to laugh It was terrible If you had lived in France these two years you would know I have been all summer in the utmost distress about my country I have been insulted and mocked because of our failures Woland acknowledging the Confederacy was al the people I met Here before me, in ation--to my country I little dreamed of its importance I did not reflect I acted on i envelop and drew e was bulky and heavy'”

”Good heavens! Merton,” said I, ”She stole it!”