Part 18 (1/2)

Sam opened the envelope and, with apparent carelessness, stuck it over the fireplace.

”About that back rent,” he said; ”I have cabled for money, and as soon--”

”I know,” said Mrs. Wroxton. ”I read the cable.” She was reading the card of invitation also. ”There's no hurry, sir,” protested Mrs.

Wroxton. ”Any of my young gentlemen who is made welcome at Deptford House is made welcome here!”

”Credit, Mrs. Wroxton,” observed Sam, ”is better than cash. If you have only cash you spend it and nothing remains. But with credit you can continue indefinitely to-to-”

”So you can!” exclaimed Mrs. Wroxton enthusiastically. ”Stay as long as you like, Mr. Lowell.”

At Pavoni's Sam found Forsythe already seated and, with evident interest, observing the scene of gayety before him. The place was new to Sam, and after the darkness and snow of the streets it appeared both cheerful and resplendent. It was brilliantly lighted; a ceiling of gay panels picked out with gold, and red plush sofas, backed against walls hung with mirrors and faced by rows of marble-topped tables, gave it an air of the Continent.

Sam surrendered his hat and coat to the waiter. The hat was a soft Alpine one of green felt. The waiter hung it where Sam could see it, on one of many hooks that encircled a gilded pillar.

After two courses had been served Forsythe said:

”I hope you don't object to this place. I had a special reason for wis.h.i.+ng to be here on this particular night. I wanted to be in at the death!”

”Whose death?” asked Sam. ”Is the dinner as bad as that?”

Forsythe leaned back against the mirror behind them and, bringing his shoulder close to Sam's, spoke in a whisper.

”As you know,” he said, ”to-day the delegates sign the Treaty of London. It still must receive the signatures of the Sultan and the three kings; and they will sign it. But until they do, what the terms of the treaty are no one can find out.”

”I'll bet the Times finds out!” said Sam.

”That's it!” returned Forsythe. ”Hertz, the man who is supposed to be selling the secrets of the conference to the Times, dines here.

To-night is his last chance. If to-night he can slip the Times a copy of the Treaty of London without being caught, and the Times has the courage to publish it, it will be the biggest newspaper sensation of modern times; and it will either cause a financial panic all over Europe--or prevent one. The man they suspect is facing us. Don't look now, but in a minute you will see him sitting alone at a table on the right of the middle pillar. The people at the tables nearest him--even the women--are detectives. His waiter is in the employ of Scotland Yard. The maitre d'hotel, whom you will see always hovering round his table, is a police agent lent by Bulgaria. For the Allies are even more anxious to stop the leak than we are. We are interested only as their hosts; with them it is a matter of national life or death. A week ago one of our own inspectors tipped me off to what is going on, and every night since then I've dined here, hoping to see something suspicious.”

”Have you?” asked Sam.

”Only this,” whispered Forsythe--”on four different nights I've recognized men I know are on the staff of the Times, and on the other nights men I don't know may have been here. But after all that proves nothing, for this place is a resort of newspaper writers and editors--and the Times men's being here may have been only a coincidence.”

”And Hertz?” asked Sam--”what does he do?”

The Englishman exclaimed with irritation.

”Just what you see him doing now!” he protested. ”He eats his dinner!

Look at him!” he commanded. ”Of all in the room he's the least concerned.”

Sam looked and saw the suspected Adolf Hertz dangling a ma.s.s of macaroni on the end of his fork. Sam watched him until it disappeared.

”Maybe that's a signal!” suggested Sam. ”Maybe everything he does is part of a cipher code! He gives the signals and the Times men read them and write them down.”

”A man would have a fine chance to write anything down in this room!”

said Forsythe.

”But maybe,” persisted Sam, ”when he makes those strange movements with his lips he is talking to a confederate who can read the lip language.

The confederate writes it down at the office and--”

”Fantastic and extremely improbable!” commented Forsythe. ”But, nevertheless, the fact remains, the fellow does communicate with some one from the Times; and the police are positive he does it here and that he is doing it now!”