GE BKONSON HOWARD 
 
THE LIBRARY OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 DAVIS 
 
' 
 
 Yes, I love you for these. 
 
 ( Page 84 ) 
 
NORROY, 
 
 DIPLOMATIC 
 
 AGENT 
 
 <BY 
 GEORGE BRONSON-HOfTAIUD 
 
 Illustrated 
 by Cordon Ross 
 
 THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING CO. 
 NEW YORK AKRON, O. CHICAGO 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
COPYRIGHT, 1907, 
 
 BY 
 The Saalfield Publishing Company 
 
 THE WERNER COMPANY 
 AKRON, OHIO 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 How Norroy Created a New Republic, - 5 
 
 A Tilt with the Muscovite, - 95 
 
 The Isle of St. Anthony, 157 
 
 The Eagle's Eyrie, ..... 209 
 
 A Yankee Knight-Errant, .... 263 
 
 The Honor of the Ambassador, - - - 319 
 
 The Friend of the Chief Executive, - - - 377 
 
How Norroy Created a New 
 Republic 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 AN AGENT OP THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. 
 
 At the first night of a very clever play, 
 dealing with the curious career of a thief 
 who might have been a gentleman had it not 
 been for his predatory instincts, two men 
 well known in the diplomatic circles of 
 Washington occupied one of the boxes, and 
 one of them watched the star of the play 
 with that peculiar look -which signifies that, 
 somewhere in life, the gazer has met the 
 gazed-at before and is trying to place him. 
 As the curtain fell on the second act, the 
 man who had been engaged in this mental 
 feat slapped his knee. 
 
 "I have it," he exclaimed. 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 His companion naturally inquired the 
 nature of his possession. 
 
 "Why, the person of whom the star re 
 minds me what a certain man familiar to 
 both of us might have been had he gone 
 wrong instead of entering the diplomatic 
 corps." 
 
 "Do you call that not going wrong V 9 re 
 torted the other. "However, who is the 
 person ?" 
 
 The first man lowered his voice: "Yorke 
 Norroy." 
 
 "YouVe heard the old story about speak 
 ing of angels," said the other. "Well, Yorke 
 Norroy's wings are rustling." 
 
 He pointed to a man clad in the conven 
 tional attire of the evening, who had just 
 risen from his seat and was making his way 
 out. Seen from that distance, there was 
 nothing particularly striking about him. 
 Looking at him more closely, such an im 
 pression would be cast aside. There was 
 something impressive in the way he held 
 himself; and his indefinitely colored eyes 
 
 6 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 had in them a certain commanding, almost 
 supercilious look which stamped him as a 
 man who did things. 
 
 His hair was cut very close to the scalp, 
 showing a pair of small, very perked-up ears, 
 which seemed to have almost human alert 
 ness in the way they apparently stood to at 
 tention. He was of medium height, neither 
 tall nor short, although his excessive slender- 
 ness inclined to the first impression. His 
 hands and feet were very small almost 
 womanish, in fact. His clothes were just a 
 little too much the mode of the day, and one 
 indefinably regretted that a man of his intel 
 ligence should spend the thought necessary 
 for such ultra-fashionable attire. They 
 had evidently been cut not a week before, for 
 they embodied a new wrinkle in evening 
 clothes which had originated at the period. 
 
 The objection which most people found in 
 Norroy was that he was just a bit too sphinx- 
 like in his facial expression, and that he had 
 mastered the art of saying less in more 
 words, when he chose, than any man in the 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 circles in which he moved. It seemed to be 
 Norroy's principal aim in life to persuade 
 people that he was simply an idle butterfly of 
 fashion, without any more brains than the 
 modicum usually portioned out to men who 
 make the pursuit of the fashions and the 
 ways of the ultra-mundane their sole object 
 of living. 
 
 When in Washington, New York, London, 
 Paris, or any other city where the society 
 folk of America sojourned, he was of 
 them, one of them, and nothing more. Yet 
 everyone knew that much of Norroy's time 
 was spent in other places ; where, he would 
 not tell, but every now and then he disap 
 peared, and questions were unavailing, for 
 none knew or could learn of his whereabouts. 
 
 One day a party of tourists doing the Nile 
 district found him at a place in Suakim, 
 attired in the working clothes of a civil engi 
 neer and poring over maps. He endeavored 
 to conceal his identity, but it was futile. Al 
 though they never knew his reasons for be 
 ing in Suakim, various conjectures were 
 
 8 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 raised, and a cloud of mystery began to set 
 tle around his head, which was increased 
 whenever his mail began to pile up at his 
 clubs, without an address being left where it 
 might be forwarded. 
 
 However, no one imagined that his disap 
 pearances were due to aught but his own ec 
 centricity. He was one of the Norroys of 
 Baltimore. His sister was the wife of one 
 of the leaders of the so-called elite; and it 
 was naturally supposed that his income was 
 large enough to permit him to do as he 
 pleased. 
 
 As a matter of fact, Nbrroy had very little 
 money of his own. No one save himself and 
 his sister knew exactly how small was the 
 amount which had been left when Granville 
 Norroy's estate had been segregated into as 
 sets and liabilities. The brother and sister 
 had told no one, but their style of living had 
 not changed. 
 
 There were two ways in which Yorke Nor- 
 roy might have earned a living. As an ac 
 tor of serio-comedy parts in the local dra- 
 
 9 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 matic club of Baltimore he had been ap 
 proached twice by New York managers and 
 offered fair salaries and good roles. As a 
 professor of languages at a university he 
 could have done well ; it was a seeming gift 
 with him, probably the old Norman-French 
 of the Norroys cropping out at that date ; he 
 had been a brilliant scholar at neither 
 "prep" school nor university, save in this 
 one instance. However, it was small credit 
 to him that he should have excelled in lan 
 guages, considering the facility with which 
 he acquired the accent and phraseology of 
 any tongue. 
 
 However, Yorke Norroy did not fancy 
 either of the two professions mentioned. 
 There was something about the diplomatic 
 service which appealed to him. Without 
 mentioning his plans to anyone, he called on 
 the secretary of state, a college friend of his 
 father, and stated the circumstances. This 
 was only a week after the will had been read. 
 
 You may search through the two gigantic 
 volumes giving the names of employees of 
 
 10 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 the different departments, bureaus and of 
 fices of the Federal government, but there 
 are two lists which will not be found. The 
 first includes the names of the men employed 
 by the treasury department as "detectives" 
 and "secret-service agents." 
 
 The sole object in the employment of these 
 men is to give undesired publicity to others, 
 and to accomplish this their own identities 
 must be unknown. To hold one of these 
 positions, utter fearlessness, fair education, 
 knowledge of the ways of men, especially 
 those of the criminal classes, and a great 
 keenness and faculty of observation are 
 needed. 
 
 A good many steps removed from the 
 treasury agents are the other men who do 
 not figure in the Blue Books. They are the 
 "diplomatic agents" of the state depart 
 ment. To the qualities needed by the treas 
 ury agents, the "secret diplomats" must add 
 linguistic ability, the appearance, conversa 
 tion and faculty of being at ease, which 
 marks the perfectly well-bred man, and the 
 
 11 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 finesse of discernment which every diplomat 
 must have. They are recruited from the 
 cultured classes, naturally, and their iden 
 tity is never known. They pose as men of 
 leisure, know the people worth knowing in 
 the different social centers, and generally act 
 the part of the fashionable idler. Their sal 
 aries and expenses which always far exceed 
 those of the secretary himself are paid out 
 of an emergency fund. 
 
 It is but seldom that available timber for 
 this particular branch of the service presents 
 itself. The secretary saw in Yorke Norroy 
 just what was needed. He explained. Nor- 
 roy listened attentively. He left the office a 
 verbally appointed " diplomatic agent." 
 
 It was not long before he was given an op 
 portunity. It took him to China and kept 
 him in Peking for the greater part of a year ; 
 but he returned successful. Since that time 
 he had circumnavigated the globe several 
 times, and had been in almost every civilized 
 country, some barbarous ones, and some en 
 tirely savage. He had been wounded sev- 
 
 12 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 eral times, and had stood on the threshold 
 of death in so many instances that it no long 
 er served to be exciting. 
 
 His ten years of service he was close 
 upon thirty-fivehad been a nearly perfect 
 string of successes, with so few failures that 
 they hardly counted. Eapidly advancing in 
 his profession, he now stood at the head of it, 
 the dean of the secret agents, and was always 
 intrusted with the most important affairs. 
 
 "But why this need of secrecy?" asks the 
 general public. "Why are not these things 
 done openly by our accredited ministers ex 
 traordinary, consul-generals, consuls and 
 consular agents? We have enough of 
 them." 
 
 The answer involves a long explanation, 
 but briefly it may be summarized as follows : 
 When Americans deal with Americans or 
 Britishers, they know exactly what to ex 
 pect. The honor of the Anglo-Saxon keeps 
 him from doing the small, petty, tricky 
 things which stand for diplomacy in other 
 countries. These same countries reckon as 
 
 13 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 recommendation for this branch of the ser- 
 yice an ability to lie skilfully and in such a 
 manner as to promise everything and give 
 nothing. With such ideas, it may be easily 
 seen that the United States must have men 
 who are the equal in guile and cunning to 
 their opponents. 
 
 On the other hand, this country cannot 
 shoulder the responsibility for the actions of 
 these men. A secret agent cannot appeal to 
 his government ; he takes his own risks and 
 must stand by the consequences. 
 
 It had been four months since Norroy had 
 been employed on a mission. He had spent 
 his time since his return as he usually did 
 circulating in the set at Washington, which 
 includes the diplomats, the army, the navy, 
 and the folk who make their winter homes 
 at the national capitol. He had backed a 
 "long-shot" to win out at Bennings, and 
 nearly ruined the bookmakers; had been 
 twice arrested for speeding an automobile 
 along Pennsylvania Avenue ; had introduced 
 a new fashion in silk hats ; won the favor of 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 tHe season's debutante, and then gone else 
 where, in order to be perfectly impartial; 
 gotten up a set of amateur theatricals and 
 received the praise of the critics by acting 
 difficult roles; and had in other ways kept 
 his name before the public as a leading light 
 of the exclusive Washington set. 
 
 Through all this save for the theatricals 
 he went with his customary impassive 
 countenance and attitude of not being inter 
 ested. Frankly speaking he was not inter 
 ested. The round of social gayeties about 
 Dupont Circle was beginning to pall on him, 
 and he frequently entered the state, war and 
 navy buildings by an entrance not generally 
 used by the public, and asked the secretary if 
 diplomacy were beginning to be straightfor 
 ward. The secretary informed him that, as 
 his rather large salary was coming regularly, 
 he surely had no reason to complain. Never 
 theless, Norroy chafed at his inaction. 
 
 
 But the four months had barely elapsed 
 before he received one of the messages to 
 
 15 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 which he was so accustomed. It was in the 
 early afternoon, and he had just finished at 
 tiring himself in the latest cut of Piccadilly 
 breeches, preparatory to a ride to Chevy 
 Chase, when his negro servant handed him 
 a blue envelope. He recognized the hand 
 writing. 
 
 " Something up," he said, with a tone of 
 almost happy anticipation. 
 
 The note read : 
 
 Private library, White House, promptly at three o'clock. 
 Usual entrance. 
 
 The signature was that of the secretary of 
 state. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE HOUSE OF MANY SECRETS. 
 
 Although the center of super-civilization, 
 and the city to which Americans point 
 proudly as the most cosmopolitan in the 
 world, Washington has its surprises in the 
 way of ante-bellum structures which con 
 trast oddly with the modern apartment 
 houses flaunting their bronze cornices and 
 snakelike fire escapes above the altitude of 
 the highest trees. 
 
 It has been said, sneeringly, that Wash 
 ington was built in a single night, and that 
 from any altitudirious elevation it gives the 
 idea of having been laid out on the Christ- 
 mas-garden plan. Although this may have 
 some germs of truth in it, there are houses 
 in Washington and many of them that 
 give evidence of the fact that Washington 
 was once a city of colonial lords of the 
 manor. 
 
 Such a house was the one on a quiet, un- 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 frequented street, which, though abutting 
 upon an extremely noisy, much-crowded av 
 enue, nevertheless seems to have gone on its 
 quaint old way with lofty disregard for the 
 things which latter-day civilization has 
 brought forth. 
 
 The house in question is set back from the 
 pavement to some extent, and takes up the 
 amount of ground usually allotted to three 
 residences of its size. It is surrounded by 
 well-kept firs and spruces and has graveled 
 walks and box hedges of yew. A wide, com 
 fortable veranda encircles the entire abode, 
 and honeysuckle, verbena and morning- 
 glories hide the drawing-room windows 
 from the street. Many people pause to gaze 
 at this house as a specimen of a real home 
 of the old days, and the answer that is gen 
 erally given by residents of the neighbor 
 hood, when asked as to its ownership, is that 
 they believe it to be a club. 
 
 If the walls of the old place could speak, 
 they might be able to tell a different story. 
 Exceedingly interesting would be the mem- 
 
 18 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 oirs of the spirit of the house. But he has 
 not written them, nor will he, so the full 
 story can never be expected. 
 
 No one ever enters this house from the 
 front in these days. There is a carriageway 
 at the rear, and those having access to the 
 house open this with a key. Had any mem 
 bers of the ubiquitous press been in evidence 
 in the vicinity that afternoon, they might 
 have noted two gentlemen, unmistakably the 
 President and the secretary of state, enter 
 by this way. Yet their carriages still stood 
 without the residence of the secretary of 
 war, a few blocks away, and no one had seen 
 them leave that place since entering. 
 
 Half an hour after they had entered the 
 main room of the house of many secrets, 
 there was a light tap on the door, followed by 
 three more, each softer than the one preced 
 ing. 
 
 The secretary of state arose. "Norroy!" 
 he informed the Chief Executive, who sat 
 opposite him. The latter nodded as the sec 
 retary unbarred the door. "Come in, Nor- 
 
 19 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 roy," said the first speaker, and the secret 
 agent, who was now in the frock coat and 
 gray trousers of the afternoon, entered. He 
 was greeted cordially by both of the digni 
 taries, and invited to draw up a chair to the 
 table, on which was tacked a large map of 
 the Central American republics, supple 
 mented by the northern half of the South 
 American continent. The map was lined 
 and interlined with red and blue pencil. 
 
 "The President and myself have just dis 
 cussed the question at hand at some length," 
 the secretary began, his gaze directed to 
 Norroy, "and he inclines to the opinion that 
 you have kept in touch with this matter, 
 making it unnecessary for us to go into little 
 details." 
 
 Norroy 's quick eyes had taken in the sig 
 nificance of the pencil marks on the map. 
 "The canal?" he queried. 
 
 "Yes," agreed the secretary. "You know 
 something of it, then. How much?" 
 
 In a few terse sentences Norroy told them 
 all the piiblic knew with regard to the ques- 
 
 20 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 tion, and a few things of which the public 
 was not aware. His auditors expressed no 
 surprise at the extent of his information. 
 They knew that Norroy kept himself in 
 formed with regard to all things of moment 
 to the welfare of the United States. 
 
 "The President and I have decided that 
 young Madison was hardly the man to grap 
 ple with such a problem as this has proven 
 to be. However, when he was sent the mat 
 ter looked simple enough. Now it has grown 
 in proportions, and you are the only man in 
 the service whom we can trust with it." 
 
 "Thank you," interjected Norroy, pas 
 sively, and because it was the thing he was 
 supposed to say. 
 
 The secretary turned to the President. 
 "Shall I proceed with the explanation, or 
 will you, sir?" he inquired. 
 
 "You had best tell it," answered the Chief 
 Executive. 
 
 "As your conversation of a few moments 
 ago plainly showed, you realize the impor 
 tance of the canal to the United States, and 
 
 21 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 you also realize that it must be built by this 
 country." 
 
 "Not by any other power," supplied Nor- 
 roy. 
 
 " Quite right. However, you also know 
 that another power has used, and is using, 
 every means at her command to make condi 
 tions so that she will be the country to build 
 it. This the United States could not suffer. ' 9 
 
 Norroy nodded. 
 
 "We own the strip necessary for use in 
 building the canal. It belongs to this coun 
 try, and is our property. The action of Co 
 lombia in dilly-dallying as she has done 
 plainly shows the influence of Saxonia. We 
 knew this, but not the extent, although we 
 have a clearer idea of the latter now than 
 we had before." 
 
 "Leak in the foreign office ?" queried Nor 
 roy. 
 
 "Precisely; and this much has been 
 brought to us through the leakage: There 
 was a previous canal company, as you know, 
 but the old canal was like the Mississippi 
 
 22 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Bubble, and its scrip three months ago was 
 not worth ten cents on the Mexican dollar. 
 But Saxonia saw in this old company a 
 chance to further her ends." 
 
 "Bought up the scrip" again Norroy 
 nodded understandingly. 
 
 " Bought the controlling shares through 
 the Bank of Berlin. That was the first 
 stage of the game." 
 
 He paused for a moment to relight his 
 cigar, and then went on: 
 
 "Now, our attitude toward the South 
 American republics has been misunderstood. 
 We have endeavored to sustain the i big- 
 brother' feeling, and to try to show that we 
 were not trying to take hold of any of the 
 weaker nations. Europe, especially Saxon 
 ia, has for some reason imagined that we 
 were assuming this attitude because we 
 wished no trouble with the Latin- American 
 races. As a matter of fact, we do not. But 
 there is no element of fear in the matter, as 
 you know." 
 
 The secret agent remembered a mission to 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 CMli and smiled reminiscently. He knew. 
 
 ' ' Continuing on the same line of argument, 
 Saxonia imagines that because we have been 
 diplomatically civil and polite to Colombia, 
 we consider her consent to building the canal 
 necessary. As you know ' ' 
 
 "The United States has been twice ap 
 proached by Panama revolutionists. In re 
 turn for the strip, we are to back them in a 
 struggle for independence. I was in Hon 
 duras six months ago," reminded Norroy. 
 
 "As I say, you know. But the United 
 States does not care to er consider such 
 offers, unless necessary. It only makes one 
 more turbulent republic on our hands. Ac 
 cording to the ethics of international law. 
 we are perfectly justified in landing our own 
 marines on the strip. It belongs to us. But 
 this also we do not care to do." 
 
 "Naturally," observed Norroy, dryly. 
 
 "However, according to what we have 
 gleaned from our informant of the Saxon- 
 ian foreign office, things are rapidly ap- 
 
 24: 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 preaching a crisis. Herman von Ladenburg 
 is in Bogota." 
 
 Norroy's face lighted up in smiling an 
 ticipation as he heard the name. 
 
 "Von Ladenburg Graf Herman, ehf 
 he said, with a peculiarly unpleasant ring of 
 malice in his tone. "He and I met in Cara 
 cas in 1900." 
 
 "Yes, I remember. That was when you 
 were shot in the arm by von Ladenburg, 
 if I remember rightly." 
 
 "You remember rightly, Mr. Secretary," 
 confirmed Norroy. 
 
 "He is in Bogota now. From all ac 
 counts, the Colombian Government is being 
 rapidly persuaded into such action as will 
 prevent any nation but her from building the 
 canal, if Colombia has the say. The old 
 scrip. of the De Lesseps company will be 
 used as the reason, and the familiar stand 
 of * justice for the first-comers' taken. That 
 will delay the canal until well 
 
 "Until too late. I understand." Norroy 
 rose. "So far as I can gather, Mr. Presi- 
 
 25 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 dent and Mr. Secretary," lie said, addressing 
 himself to both personages, " there is only 
 one thing to do; to discover just how far 
 Saxonia has persuaded Colombia, and if the 
 affair has gotten to such a state that other 
 means are impossible. Well, our friends in 
 Panama who yearn for independence, and 
 our friends in this country who yearn to see 
 a canal built, may be trusted to do their 
 worst may they not?" 
 
 The President tugged at his mustache. 
 "When can you start?" he queried. 
 
 "In an hour," answered Norroy. "But 
 if I may venture nay individual opinion, it 
 would be far better that I go from here to 
 the capitol of Saxonia, before going to Bo 
 gota. I don't need to expatiate on the fact 
 that I may easily pass as a gentleman of 
 Teutonic origin. All that is necessary is to 
 allow my beard and mustache to grow, to clip 
 them and my hair a la Berlin, and to make 
 a few changes in feature with the aid of the 
 make-up box. My German is non-accenta- 
 ble. In Saxonia 's capitol I will be able to 
 
 26 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 furnish myself with Teutonic credentials 
 and a passport ; also a letter of introduction 
 to von Ladenburg." 
 
 "The idea is a good one," said the secre 
 tary, thoughtfully. "Does it have your ap 
 proval, Mr. President?" 
 
 "On condition that the trip is made as 
 speedily as possible. No stopping over in 
 Paris or London, Mr. Norroy." 
 
 The secret agent looked at him reproach 
 fully. "I suppose my former conduct mer 
 its that, your excellency ?" he said, with elab 
 orate sarcasm. 
 
 "No, no, Mr. Norroy," negatived the 
 President, promptly. "I merely mentioned 
 the exigency of the case. You misconstrued 
 me altogether." 
 
 "A Bremen and Hamburg liner sails from 
 Baltimore to-day ; one of the North German 
 Lloyd from New York to-morrow. The lat 
 ter is swifter," commented Norroy. 
 
 "Take the latter, then, by all means." 
 
 "There is nothing further, then?" queried 
 
 27 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 the diplomatic agent, as he moved toward 
 the door. 
 
 " Nothing further," agreed the secretary. 
 
 * ' Then, good-day. ' ' He shook hands with 
 both of them. 
 
 " Pleasant trip!" called the President. 
 
 Nbrroy smiled he knew the peculiar 
 brand of pleasantness in store for him. 
 
CHAPTBE III. 
 
 HARTLEY MADISON PLAYS THE FOOL. 
 
 Some two weeks antedating the arrival of 
 the Graf Herman von Ladenburg, Bogota 
 -unwashed, untidy Bogota had received 
 somewhat of a surprise ; for in the patio of 
 the Hotel del Castellano there appeared for 
 dinner an exceedingly charming woman in 
 a gown which could have been created in no 
 city save Paris, and there only by the most 
 skilful modistes. In keeping with the sul 
 try night, it was of filmy white, seemingly a 
 mass of diaphanous drapery ; and her beau 
 tiful rounded shoulders and slim neck were 
 revealed beneath it. She was accompanied 
 by an old woman, the apotheosis of the hired 
 duenna, whose position with her was evi 
 dently nothing more than that of a servant. 
 
 Bogota is not rich in pretty women, and 
 the dearth of well-groomed ones is a mat 
 ter of sorrow to the foreign diplomats who 
 happen to be stationed there. It so hap- 
 
 29 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 pened that on the night of the arrival of the 
 new beauty, a great many of the diplomatic 
 set were at dinner at the Hotel del Castella- 
 no. Inquiries were speedily made of S'enor 
 Luis Cadero, to whom was intrusted the des 
 tinies of the hotel. "She is the Dona 
 Ysabela de Tavera," was his reply, "of the 
 De Taveras of Aragon. She is to live here. ' ' 
 A week later, the Dona Ysabela was in 
 stalled in a casa on the outskirts of the town, 
 and built on a spur of the mountains. It 
 was an expensive place and had been erected 
 by a former English attache, but the price 
 seemed to be no objection to the dona, and 
 the abode was leased by her for a term of 
 three months. The following week came 
 von Ladenburg, who rented the Casa de las 
 Gracias, which stood but a stone's throw 
 from the Casa de Tavera. Von Ladenburg 
 did not appear to know the Dona Ysabela. 
 Nevertheless, the second day after his ar 
 rival found him in the drawing-room of her 
 house, conversing with her behind closed 
 doors ; nor was the duenna present. 
 
 30 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "So you have practically accomplished 
 nothing," he said gloomily. "Practically 
 nothing." They were conversing in Span 
 ish. 
 
 "Nothing!" Her eyes blazed. "I have 
 discovered that the supposed young mine 
 owner, Hartley Madison, is the secret agent 
 of the United States. You call that noth 
 ing, amigo mio?" 
 
 "But what have you done*?" he insisted, 
 with a wave of his hands. "You have 
 learned nothing from this young American, 
 have you?" 
 
 "Give me more time," she said. "One can 
 not accomplish anything of importance in 
 two weeks. The young Americancomestothis 
 casa how many times a day! Once, per 
 haps, he will come 4 A ride, Dona Ysabela I 9 
 Another time with his carriage ' A dinnei 1 
 at Del Castellano, dona?' San Josef! yon 
 call that nothing ? ' ' She clapped her hands 
 for the servant, who entered. 
 
 "Wine for the senor," she commanded. 
 
 " Perhaps when you have drunk of the 
 
 31 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 wine of Barcelona, a more pleasant spirit 
 may come to you, Don Hermano," she said, 
 her eyes laughing at him, as she proffered 
 the box of tiny Russian cigarettes, lighting 
 his with the same match that served for her 
 own. "Be assured, amigo mio, that within 
 the week you will be provided with the infor 
 mation you seek regarding the plans of the 
 Americanos. Can you not trust me'?" 
 
 The German, usually stolid as became his 
 race, looked into the great brown, melting 
 orbs, the expression of which was at one time 
 appealing, seductive, and mirthful. He saw 
 the full cherry-red lips form into a smile, 
 noted the evenness of the little white teeth, 
 and studied the curves of her lithe, rounded 
 figure. 
 
 "Mia cara Ysabela," he laughed, "I am 
 glad I am not to be the one on whom your 
 wiles are to be used." 
 
 Had Hartley Madison known of this con 
 versation, his visits at the Casa de Tavera 
 might have ceased; but he did not know. 
 Consequently, his fresh young American 
 
 32 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 face, shining above his clothes of spotless 
 white flannel, was a frequent sight at the 
 abode of Dona Ysabela. 
 
 Madison had been two years in the diplo 
 matic service and had learned some wisdom. 
 This, however, did not include a course in 
 femininity. To have told any man, no matter 
 how sure of him he might have been, just 
 what he told the brown-eyed Ysabela would 
 have never entered his mind. But she was so 
 frankly ingenuous, so interested in his work 
 because it was his work that his tongue 
 moved with a freedom that would have 
 caused his dismissal from the service had it 
 been known. But was he not the dona's ac 
 cepted favorite ? Had he not out-distanced 
 all of the local caballeros and the polished 
 diplomats of the foreign services besides 1 
 
 Von Ladenburg made no open display of 
 his acquaintance with the dona. He was in 
 troduced to her one morning as he rode along 
 the Martiria with the French envoy, and she 
 came by in her smart carromata. He ex 
 pressed the usual pleasure ; there was no hint 
 
 33 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 on either side of past acquaintance. He 
 seemed to have little time at the disposal of 
 the fair sex, for each morning found him in 
 the Chamber of Deputies, and each after 
 noon closeted with Don Eugenio de Esperasi, 
 minister of the foreign office. He usually 
 spent his nights at his own house, so far as 
 was generally known. 
 
 It had been nearly a month since he ar 
 rived in Bogota when the last stage-coach 
 from the coast deposited at the station in 
 Calle Eeal a rather distinguished-looking 
 man in a suit of baggy tweeds and an Alpine 
 hat, cocked on one side. In the right eye re 
 posed a black-rimmed monocle without a 
 string, which gave the face an air somewhat 
 akin to hauteur. The mustache was clipped 
 short, and the ends waxed upward, and from 
 the style of the hair it had evidently been 
 cut last by a Teuton. On his different bags 
 and boxes was plainly stenciled "H. von 
 W., Arendorf, Saxonia," and large, red and 
 gaudy stood out the luggage labels of a Ger- 
 
 34 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 man line of steamships plying between Bre 
 men, Caracas and Honda. 
 
 He was instantly besieged by the drivers 
 of many and varied specimens of vehicles, 
 each one decrying the merits of his neigh 
 bor's cart, and recommending his own. In 
 their queer dialect, half Spanish, half In 
 dian, he only understood half they said. 
 "Muy bien carromata, senor don/' was the 
 burden of the cry. 
 
 "Do you know the house of Senor von 
 Ladenburg?" he queried. 
 
 "Is the senor a German? Si, senor." One 
 ragged cocliero pushed himself before the 
 others. It was evident from the fact that he 
 recognized von Ladenburg as a Teuton that 
 the cochero knew of the man. The stranger 
 directed him to drive first to the hotel, and 
 when that structure was reached, his bags 
 and boxes were taken in hand by numerous 
 muchachos awakened from their noonday 
 siestas by the lusty hands of Senor Cadero. 
 The stranger engaged rooms and signed his 
 name in a rounded Teutonic hand "Hilde- 
 
 35 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 brand von Wolfgang, Arendorf, Saxonia." 
 
 "The senor is a Saxonian, then?" queried 
 the astute Cadero. 
 
 Von Wolfgang favored him with a stare, 
 and without answering strode out into the 
 patio, and entered his carromata again. 
 
 "He is a very grand gentleman," mur 
 mured a nearby muchaclio, conscious of the 
 defeat of Senor Cadero. 
 
 Von Wolfgang's call at the Casa de las 
 Gracias happened at just the right time to 
 catch von Ladenburg. The stranger pre 
 sented his letter of introduction, and von 
 Ladenburg, in the manner of a true Teuton, 
 welcomed him warmly. 
 
 "It is a relief to see an honest Saxonian 
 face again," he declared, as his servant 
 poured out warm beer into two mugs which 
 were part of von Ladenburg 's luggage, 
 "and to get this swine's tongue out of one's 
 gullet and speak the language of the Vater- 
 land." 
 
 A man and a woman, both on horseback, 
 halted under the open window. 
 
 36 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 " Hello, Count von Ladenburg!" called 
 the man, a round-faced young American, in 
 a white linen riding suit. "May we cool 
 off under your trees'?" 
 
 "My trees are yours, Mr. Madison," an 
 swered the German. As von Wolfgang 
 looked up at the mention of the name, and 
 the woman's face met his, it was with an ef 
 fort that he controlled his features and pre 
 vented the monocle from falling. 
 
 "They are two neighbors of mine," ex 
 plained von Ladenburg; "an American who 
 is interested in mines, and a lady, Dona Ysa- 
 bela de Tavera." 
 
 "Yes?" said von Wolfgang, without ap 
 parent interest, as he screwed the black- 
 rimmed monocle into place again. "A pretty 
 
 woman.' 
 
 The count agreed with him. "This let 
 ter from Mecklendorf states that you are 
 on an exploring tour. How long will you 
 remain in Bogota ?" 
 
 "Perhaps a week, perhaps longer. I do 
 not know." He rose to depart. 
 
 37 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "No -stay. I will present you to the lady. 
 We will have her make tea an English cus 
 tom to which I am addicted. You will 
 stay!" 
 
 "No," said the other; but von Laden- 
 burg had already pushed open the windows 
 and strode to the veranda. Madison was 
 rolling a cigarette, and telling Dona Ysa- 
 bela a funny story, the humor of which was 
 lost in his imperfect knowledge of Spanish. 
 Courteously von Ladenburg tendered the 
 invitation, and Hartley Madison, dismount 
 ing, tied the horses beneath the trees and as 
 sisted the dona to the balcon. 
 
 When the tea things were brought forth, 
 von Ladenburg introduced the stranger. 
 He met Madison with a slight shake of the 
 hand and bowed formally to the woman. 
 She eyed him keenly. 
 
 ^ "Senor Woofgan', we have perhaps met 
 before?" she interrogated. 
 
 " I fear not, dona," returned the stranger. 
 
 "But I insist, senor. For faces I have a 
 
 38 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 great memory." She busied herself with 
 the tea. 
 
 "I make no such claim," said von Wolf 
 gang. "But surely the dona gives me the 
 credit of having the good taste which would 
 prevent me from forgetting the face of a 
 beautiful woman." 
 
 "Ah!" She looked at him, her head a 
 little to the side. "So you can flatter, even 
 though you be German." 
 
 "A plain hit at you, count," said the 
 young American, merrily. 
 
 "Something of which you will not be ac 
 cused, Mr. Madison," returned von Laden- 
 burg, in like vein. 
 
 When the tea had been prepared, and the 
 little party had disposed of it, Dona Ysa- 
 bela arose to go. 
 
 "I live near by, Senor Woofgan'," she 
 said to the newcomer, "and when you come 
 to see me to-morrow perhaps you may recol 
 lect where it was we met or perhaps may 
 I?" 
 
 Madison assisted her to the saddle and 
 
 39 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 they rode away, after which von Wolfgang 
 took leave of his countryman, and entering 
 the rickety carromata, bade the driver re 
 turn to the town. When they were out of 
 sight of the house, the German touched the 
 Colombian with his cane. 
 
 " Slowly very slowly," he said. 
 
 Obedient to the command, the cochero 
 slowed the horse down to a mere perceptible 
 motion, and in this manner they jogged 
 along for nearly half a mile. Then the 
 sound of horse's hoofs in the direction from 
 which he had come rewarded von Wolf 
 gang. 
 
 " Madison!" he cried, as the horseman 
 passed. The young American reined in his 
 steed, and looked at the occupant of the ve 
 hicle. 
 
 "Yes, Herr von Wolfgang," he said, po 
 litely. 
 
 "I have something to say to you some 
 thing of importance," said the German. 
 " Dismount and give your horse to the cocli- 
 ero. He will lead horse and vehicle ahead." 
 
 40 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 :< I have little time " began Madison. 
 
 "You have time for this, Hartley Madi 
 son," said the other, sternly, and in English. 
 
 Madison was diplomat enough to know 
 that w^hen a German speaks English without 
 an accent unless it be an American one- 
 there is something unusual about him. He 
 dismounted, threw his snaffle-rein over his 
 horse's head, and gave it to the driver, whom 
 von Wolfgang bade go slowly ahead. 
 
 "And now, young man," began von Wolf 
 gang, severely, " there is considerable for 
 you to tell me in the next few minutes." 
 
 "What do you mean T' asked Madison, 
 vaguely suspecting trouble, and stung by the 
 whiplash manner in which the words were 
 spoken. 
 
 "I mean," returned the other, calmly, 
 "that you have been bungling. Saxonia 
 knows everything about her plans needful 
 for her to know, and more than is good for 
 the United States. Now, the leak doesn't 
 come from the state department in Wash 
 ington, as the President, the secretary and 
 
 41 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 myself are the only three men who know just 
 what the plans are except you.' 7 
 
 Madison's face blanched and his hand 
 trembled. "Who are you?" he asked, weak 
 ly. "You are not an American?" 
 
 "I am," returned the supposed von Wolf 
 gang. 
 
 * ' You ? ' Madison almost laughed. ' ' You 
 can't be." 
 
 "My boy," drawled von Wolfgang, 
 "what do you suppose disguises are made 
 for? I am an American, although I shall 
 not pose as such in Bogota. But myself 
 aside. You w r ere sent here on a mission to 
 find out how far Saxonia had gone with Co 
 lombia. As it will not do for us to be seen 
 talking together, you will tell me what you 
 know briefly." He slipped a seal ring from 
 his pocket with the secret monogram of the 
 service on it. "You understand that?" 
 
 Madison stared at the ring, recognizing it 
 and realizing that this man was on the same 
 errand as himself. A sudden fear took pos 
 session of him. 
 
 42 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "How far has Saxonia gone?" queried 
 the owner of the ring. 
 
 The younger man laughed uneasily. "Oh, 
 that's all poppycock, you know," he said, 
 with a poor imitation of carelessness. 
 "Gone? Why, she hasn't gone at all not 
 at all." 
 
 "Then, why is von Ladenburg their 
 cleverest secret agent here? "asked the dis 
 guised American, dryly. "Do you imagine 
 he has come to this filthy mudhole for his 
 health?" 
 
 Madison's reply was incoherent. 
 
 "And, also, why is Bertha Freyhold, alias 
 Renee de Montpensier, alias several other 
 things, and now posing as Ysabela de Ta- 
 vera, here? Eh?" 
 
 "What do you mean by that?" cried 
 Madison, turning on him fiercely. 
 
 "I mean she is one of the most to-be- 
 feared secret agents in the employ of Sax 
 onia. That's what I mean. The fact that 
 she and von Ladenburg are here at the 
 same time means that some unusually large 
 
 43 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 piece of deviltry is about to be carried out." 
 
 "I don't know who you are," cried Madi 
 son angrily. "But if you dare to insinuate 
 anything against the character of Donai 
 Ysabela " 
 
 "You'll make an ass of yourself," fin 
 ished the insinuator. "Yes, I have no doubt 
 of it. That's the reason I warned you; for 
 that is where the leak is " 
 
 With a sudden cry, Madison swung his 
 left arm toward von Wolfgang. The blow 
 would have been a savage one had it reached 
 the spot for which it was intended ; but the 
 one aimed at merely stepped aside and the 
 next instant Madison's wrists were held in a 
 vise-like grip. 
 
 "Madison, you are a fool," drawled the 
 supposed von Wolfgang, placidly. "Why 
 the secretary ever sent you here is a mystery 
 to me. You are a drawing-room diplomat." 
 He released the now thoroughly ashamed 
 Madison. "Go back to your hotel, and try 
 to realize what a howling young idiot you 
 are. And keep clear of car a mia Ysabela." 
 
 4A 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 The speaker laughed one of his short, dry 
 laughs, as Madison broke away and began 
 to walk hastily down the road, his shoulders 
 heaving with wrath. Presently, however, 
 the look of amusement faded from the sup 
 posed German's face, to be replaced by one 
 of real concern. 
 
 "A damnably clever woman with alluring 
 eyes and a coaxing mouth, allied with the 
 craftiest man in the whole Saxonian service 
 that's one side," he muttered; "on the 
 other side, a hot-headed young fool 
 enamored of the coaxing mouth, and blab 
 bing secrets galore, and 
 
 He laughed again and lighted a cigarette. 
 "The strength seems to lie in the 'and,' 
 Yorke Norroy," he said, addressing him 
 self. 
 
 '45 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 YOREE NORROY SEES THE REMEDY. 
 
 "I will not talk of the subject, senor, to 
 any save the accredited representative of 
 Saxonia" such was the ultimatum of the 
 minister of the foreign office to Herr Hilde- 
 brand von Wolfgang. 
 
 "But you do not understand, general," 
 said the disguised Baltimorean. "The let 
 ter which I have shown you clearly proves 
 my identity. I am an agent of the German 
 foreign office, as my letter states. I am here 
 to act as a check on any measure which may 
 appear too drastic. Above all, I was warned 
 not to allow Count Ladenburg to know my 
 real identity." 
 
 "Senor, I cannot discuss the matter with 
 you." General Eugenio de Esperasi rose. 
 The interview was clearly at an end. Yorke 
 Norroy took his wide-brimmed Panama and 
 walked out of the room. 
 
 46 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 As he stood on the steps of the building, 
 engaged in rolling a cigarette, he reflected 
 with much bitterness on this decisive ending 
 of the hopes of a week. For that time had 
 he spent in Bogota since his arrival in 
 filthy, dirty Bogota and this was his re 
 ward. 
 
 He moved aside to permit the entrance of 
 other visitors, and stepped into the shade of 
 two cocoanut palms which grew about the 
 archway. Here, too, was a split bamboo 
 stool ; evidently this was the place to which 
 watchmen withdrew in the heat of the day. 
 
 He sat down, brushed the tobacco from 
 his white linen clothes, and lighted the cig 
 arette he had just rolled. His active brain 
 smarting under defeat began to plan ways 
 and means. 
 
 The only encouraging thing that had hap 
 pened was Ysabela de Tavera's marked pref 
 erence for his over all other society. Strive 
 as he might, he could not avoid the woman. 
 He met her everywhere, and her eyes always 
 had in them that languishing look which 
 
 47 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 bade him tell her tender nothings. But he 
 had no tendency in that direction, and could 
 see no chance of her being useful to him, so 
 he had gone out of his way to avoid meeting 
 her. On the other hand, young Hartley 
 Madison, madly in pursuit of the erratic lit 
 tle god, had evidently found her a trifle less 
 responsive since Hildebrand von Wolfgang 
 had appeared on the scene. 
 
 Norroy arose and walked slowly out into 
 the plaza, past the chattering hucksters and 
 venders and into the little park where stood 
 the statue of Bolivar. It was a pretty place, 
 and a secluded one at that time of day if one 
 passed the outskirts and went near the 
 statue itself. Here, in the shadow of the 
 palms, he sat gazing at the statue of the 
 South American patriot without any ap 
 parent admiration. 
 
 "It is absolutely disgusting," so ran his 
 thoughts. "A whole week! I have spent a 
 thousand pesos on the clerks and minor of 
 ficials of the war office. The swine! they 
 know nothing. They would sell it readily 
 
 48 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 enough if they did. Then to approach Es- 
 perasi with the finesse and skill that I used, 
 and to find the old beggar fully cognizant of 
 what I wanted from the first, and then call 
 ing my game. What's left? Von Laden- 
 burg 1" His eyes took on an amused light. 
 "As well try to beat the devil at pulling souls 
 into Hades! I'm sorry for that little chap, 
 Madison. He is a fool, but even a sensible 
 man has a hard game at this." 
 
 As he raised his head and found himself 
 looking into the eyes of Ysabela de Tavera, 
 he was glad he had not done his thinking 
 aloud. 
 
 " Strange, solitary senor," she said, play 
 fully. ifc No, I pray you, do not rise. I am to 
 sit down. I have a joke to tell you. It is 
 funny. You will laugh." 
 
 She was in a riding habit of yellow pon 
 gee, with a turban of Panama straw, 
 adorned with rosettes, set at a coquettish an 
 gle on her dark brown ringlets. Her habit 
 disclosed a tiny, high-heeled riding boot, 
 strapped and spurred, the little foot within 
 
 49 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 tapping on the graveled walk. She was un 
 doubtedly charming. Norroy could not but 
 admit it. 
 
 4 'The joke is funny, but it will wait. First 
 tell me, naughty senor, why you have not 
 come to my casa to drink of my wine, and to 
 tell me where I have before seen you." It 
 was evident that her Spanish was not of 
 Castile. But in South America this is not 
 noticeable. 
 
 "I? Oh, you see, Dona Ysabela, I am not 
 what they call a ' ladies' man.' When I 
 came to Bogota, it was but with the inten 
 tion of remaining a week, and pushing on. 
 In that week it was necessary to accomplish 
 many things. Had I known or expected that 
 I should meet here so charming a lady as 
 yourself, I should not have so limited my 
 time." 
 
 "Ah, you speak so prettily yes, when I 
 find you. But it is not you who come to me 
 to say these pretty things. I come to you, 
 and then you say them. Ah, senor!" She 
 shook her riding crop at him accusingly. 
 
 50 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "You wrong me, dona, and you are not 
 fair to yourself. You are out of place here. 
 You should be in Paris or in Berlin, where 
 there are men who have the time to do you 
 the homage which you deserve. Here among 
 busy diplomatists, anaemic revolutionists 
 andjravelers such as myself, no one has the 
 
 proper time to bestow " He spoke the 
 
 last sentence standing ; and lifted his hat at 
 its completion. 
 
 "Ah, you would go again!" she cried, in 
 accents of mock despair. * ' Do not go ! And, 
 besides, I have the funny joke to tell you 
 which will amuse you." He seated himself, 
 suppressing a sigh. His mind was in hardly 
 the proper receptive mood for jokes and 
 especially the brand which was thought hu 
 morous by women. 
 
 "You know Don Eugenio, the general as 
 he calls himself ? General! Pfugh!" Her 
 pretty nose was elevated in a sniff. "He is 
 always full of much mystery and, oh, so 
 important he is! Now, to-day but a few 
 minutes ago I saw you go behind two little 
 
 51 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 palm trees near the palacio, and as my horse 
 was having new shoes put on him, I walk 
 over to the little palm trees. But when I 
 come you are gone. So, says I, this is one 
 nice, quiet place where no one may see, and 
 a comfortable little stool, so here I will sit 
 and smoke my little cigarette. So I open 
 this little case" she touched a tiny silver 
 box suspended around her neck by a chain 
 "I take out this box and I smoke. Then 
 comes Senor Hermano I cannot call his 
 surname, it is too hard and he is going in, 
 and along comes the great General Eugenio, 
 and he is going out. The great general stop 
 Senor Laden Senor Hermano and draw 
 him very near where I sit. 
 
 " 'You know the Senor von Woofgan'?' 
 he say to Senor Hermano. 
 
 " 'Si, general.' 
 
 " ' To-day he come to me and ask me about 
 many things he should not know say he be 
 long to foreign office, the same as do you.' 
 
 "Then Senor Hermano wrinkle his brow. 
 *I must find out,' says he, very stern. 'I 
 
 52 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 must cable to the foreign office.' And with 
 that he go immediately to find out whether 
 or not you be a spy." She laughed merrily. 
 "It is so funny. That you should be a spy 
 you, the traveler and the man who wears 
 the little eyeglass. It is so funny." She be 
 gan to laugh again. It was quite evident 
 that she told the story in good faith, and that 
 the idea that Herr Hildebrand von Wolf 
 gang was a spy was amusing to her. 
 
 The supposed gentleman of Arendorf 
 joined in her mirth, and she continued': 
 
 " Eugenio, he is so foolish so foolish. 
 You go ask him one or two little questions 
 he thinks you are a spy. ' ' Her teeth showed 
 amiably. 
 
 Norroy smiled, too, but his amusement 
 was derived from a different source than 
 was hers. That this astute woman of the 
 world, playing the innocent so kittenishly, 
 should be deceived into thinking the 
 matter a joke, was the point that 
 tickled his risibilities. 
 
 "And now, senor," it was she who arose 
 
 53 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 this time " when do you come to my casat" 
 
 He reflected; after all, something might 
 
 be gained from her. It would do no harm 
 
 to try. " To-night," he replied, briefly. 
 
 " To-night "she hesitated for a moment 
 
 T 
 
 " Another night, then. You entertain 
 some one else to-night I" 
 
 She tossed her head. "It is only that 
 foolish boy, Senor Madison; he is to dine 
 with me. He is so insistent that I cannot re 
 fuse him. But I can be rid of him by eight 
 o'clock." 
 
 "At eight, then. Adios, Dona Ysabela." 
 
 "Adios," she said prettily, and went out 
 to meet her servant, who was advancing 
 with the horse. 
 
 Norroy seated himself again. Here in 
 deed was room for thought. Hartley Madi 
 son had that morning received important 
 dispatches from the state department. Nor- 
 roy had recognized the seals when he stood 
 by his young confrere in the post office. He 
 was to dine with her to-night. Assuredly 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 ithen, whatever lie knew would be wormed 
 out of him during that time. 
 
 And so von Ladenburg had telegraphed 
 to the foreign office for information concern 
 ing von Wolfgang! Norroy smiled grimly. 
 Here indeed was the thing which he had 
 most hoped for, and perhaps the thing which 
 would deliver his enemy into his hands. 
 
 He walked swiftly to his hotel, and from 
 an inner compartment of his steamer trunk 
 took out a padlocked iron box. From this 
 he extracted a sheaf of mimeographed 
 leaves, bound together with red tape the 
 secret code of the Saxonian foreign office, 
 which had taken him three months and some 
 few thousand dollars to procure, a year be 
 fore. He was quite aware of the fact that 
 von Ladenburg had not intrusted his query 
 to the wire in anything save code words. 
 Norroy placed the sheets in the inner pocket 
 of his coat, buttoned it up, and, hailing a 
 carromata, was driven to the telegrafio. 
 
 Norroy had taken the precaution to bring 
 with him a number of double eagles, and 
 
 55 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 after the course of a few moments' private 
 conversation with the slink-eyed cable clerk, 
 two of these found their way into the latter's 
 pocket, and Norroy was given a yellow 
 slip bearing a number of unfamiliar Ger 
 man words, the only ones recognizable be 
 ing his own name and the signature "La 
 den." He placed the file copy of the cable 
 on the desk, and took out the code book. Af 
 ter half an hour's steady search, he finally 
 made the message read : 
 
 Wittschaeft, Arendorf: Man claiming to be Hildebrand 
 von Wolfgang, agent Arendorf office, here. Is claim 
 correct? I suspect him. Answer immediately. 
 
 Laden. 
 
 Norroy touched the bell at his side, and 
 the clerk entered. "Give me a receiving 
 blank," he said. The clerk handed him a 
 pad of them, and after carefully culling a 
 number of words from the book, he concoct 
 ed another message, supposititiously an an 
 swer to von Ladenburg's query regarding 
 him: 
 
 Ladenburg, Bogota: Von Wolfgang authorized look 
 into Central Colombian matters. Does not supersede you 
 in Bogota. Consult with him. Wittschaeft. 
 
 56 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 He rang the bell again and addressed the 
 yellow-skinned clerk. 
 
 "There will be an answer to this cable 
 gram," he said, slowly. "It will be ad 
 dressed to Senor von Ladenburg, and will 
 be signed Wittschaeft." 
 
 " Si, senor," agreed the clerk. 
 
 "When it comes, you will deliver it not to 
 Senor von Ladenburg, but to me. When it 
 is delivered, I will pay you : He men 
 tioned a sum large enough to tempt the Co 
 lombian. 
 
 "But the senor will expect an answer?" 
 asked the clerk, indecisively. 
 
 "Quite so. You will take this message." 
 He handed him the one he had just written. 
 
 "You will copy it on another receiving 
 blank. When the answer arrives for Senor 
 von Ladenburg, you will send him the mes 
 sage you have copied this message. Sabe 6 *" 
 
 "Si, senor," said the clerk, joyfully, as he 
 saw a way to gain the promised pesos with 
 out incurring any trouble for himself. 
 
 "Eemember," warned Norroy, solemnly, 
 
 57 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "if you do not do this thing exactly as I 
 tell you, the money will be lost to you, and, 
 besides, I will inform of you having allowed 
 me to read a filed message. So be careful, 
 Gonzalez, be careful." 
 
 4 ' It will be done exactly as the senor says, ' ' 
 asserted the clerk, with fervor. "I, myself, 
 will deliver to him the message as I receive 
 it." 
 
 Norroy was perfectly sure that he would. 
 He had been careful to make the bribe large 
 enough. It was not probable that Pedro 
 Gonzalez, with his seventy pesos a month, 
 would take any chances of losing more than 
 he could earn in half a year at the telegrafi-o. 
 
 Seated in the patio of the hotel, sipping 
 his brandy and soda, Yorke Norroy looked 
 on the world more cheerfully than he had for 
 a week past. Things seemed to be more fa 
 vorable to his success than he had anticipat 
 ed. 
 
 For the past six days he had haunted the 
 telegraph room, hoping that von Laden- 
 burg would send something to his office 
 
 58 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 which would yield him information ; hoping 
 that he would send a wire regarding him 
 self ; but up to now von Ladenburg had sent 
 nothing. Now he would receive the answer 
 which Norroy had concocted, and, unless he 
 had formed a false estimate of the man, he 
 would find it necessary to consult with him 
 as directed by the telegram. 
 
 Once Norroy could induce him to talk on 
 the question, the American's knowledge of 
 men and affairs at Arendorf would put all 
 doubts to flight in the German's mind. 
 
 Norroy was nearly sure that a secret 
 agreement was being, or had been drawn up 
 between Colombia and Saxonia ; that the deal 
 had not yet been quite consummated was 
 perfectly evident by the fact that both von 
 Ladenburg and Ysabela still remained in 
 Bogota. Such an agreement would neces 
 sarily have to be signed by the heads of both 
 countries, and would be carried only by 
 trusted persons. There would be no chance 
 of its being consigned to the mails, therefore 
 one of the two secret agents of Saxonia must 
 
 59 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 perforce leave Bogota and carry the paper 
 to Arendorf . If von Ladenburg would only 
 talk, something might be done ; but to act on 
 pure theory was a method of procedure 
 liked by neither Norroy nor the government 
 which employed him. 
 
 After he left the telegraph office, Norroy 
 had found that von Ladenburg was in con 
 sultation with the presidente and General 
 Don de Esperasi. A later visit to the palacio 
 had revealed the fact that they were still 
 there. It was now six o 'clock. Von Laden 
 burg had been at the palace since one. Sure 
 ly that betokened that something unusual 
 was on hand. Ease-loving South Americans 
 dislike to spend five hours at a time in an 
 office. 
 
 A servant touched Norroy on the shoulder, 
 and informed him that another senor await 
 ed him in the reading room. Norroy arose 
 and went to the apartment indicated where 
 he found Pedro Gonzalez. There were no 
 other people in the room, so the Colombian, 
 after looking stealthily around, thrust an 
 
 60 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 envelope into the supposed German's hand, 
 and received in exchange the sum that had 
 been promised him. 
 
 * ' Senor Ladenburg, ' ' whispered Gonzalez ; 
 "he have sent to me for the answer. He is 
 noAV at the palacio. To him I send the an 
 swer which you, senor, write in my office. 
 Buenot" 
 
 "Muy loueno" agreed Norroy, as he added 
 another coin to the ones in the hand of the 
 unscrupulous clerk. ' ' Not a word about this 
 to anyone, Gonzalez," he added sternly. 
 
 The clerk showed his yellow teeth in a 
 grin. " Perhaps I lose my place, I tell; 
 perhaps I get knife stick in back. Quien 
 sabel No fear, senor. Adios." 
 
 He departed by the back entrance as he 
 had come, and Norroy betook himself to his 
 room to translate the message he had re 
 ceived. When he finished his task, his look 
 was one of relieved amusement. 
 
 " Lucky that didn't reach my German 
 confrere," he muttered, and indeed it was. 
 The message denied all knowledge of von 
 
 61 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Wolfgang, and advised von Ladenburg to 
 probe carefully into the matter and discover 
 who he was. It was also added, suggestive 
 ly: "Yorke Norroy, American secret agent, 
 disappeared from Washington a month ago. 
 You know his aptitude for languages and 
 disguises. " 
 
 Norroy 's watch revealed the fact that it 
 was now approaching seven o 'clock. As the 
 Casa de Tavera was some miles from the 
 hotel and on the outskirts of the town, he 
 began to change his linen clothes for others 
 adapted to riding. Just as he pulled on his 
 high-heeled, patent-leather riding boots, 
 there came a knock on the door, and one of 
 the barefooted muchachos informed him 
 that the Senor von Ladenburg desired to see 
 him. 
 
 Norroy smiled anticipatingly, and bade 
 the boy admit him. A moment later the 
 heavy frame of the Saxonian stood in the 
 doorway. 
 
 "Come in, my friend, 1 ' said Norroy, 
 pleasantly. 
 
 62 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 IN WHICH SOMETHING IS LEARNED OF AN 
 AGREEMENT. 
 
 Von Ladenburg seated himself near the 
 window, and accepted the cigar which Nor- 
 roy offered him. The American excused 
 himself for his negligee. 
 
 "I am to visit the Dona Ysabela to-night 
 at eight, " he informed the German, "and I 
 was making ready. I have not yet dined, so 
 I will, with your permission, dine here, and 
 I hope that you will join me." 
 
 "Nor have I dined," said the Saxonian. 
 "And to dine with you, I will be pleased." 
 
 Both spoke in German, as befitted two 
 sons of the Vaterland in a strange land. Von 
 Ladenburg seemed to be in a genial mood. 
 
 "I have been at work this day," he said, 
 mopping his brow. 
 
 "Ah!" said Norroy, politely. 
 
 The German lowered his voice and whis 
 pered the password of the Saxonian foreign 
 
 63 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 office. Norroy gave the answer, another 
 item culled from the code book. The Sax- 
 onian held out his hand, and Norroy grasped 
 it. 
 
 "Why did you not tell me before?" said 
 von Ladenburg, reproachfully. "I have 
 suspected you of being" he burst into up 
 roarious laughter, but finally choked out 
 "an enemy to Saxonia. This day I have 
 wired to Wittschaef t, and now I know I am 
 in the presence of a brother." He looked at 
 Norroy admiringly. ",You are clever, Wolf 
 gang, clever and secretive. That is what 
 we need ; but you should have informed me. 
 I might have aided you." 
 
 "My orders were otherwise," said Norroy 
 calmly. " Wittschaef t believed that two men 
 working along different lines would help 
 each other more if one was unaware of the 
 existence of the other. So you see, he was 
 right. To-day has proved it." 
 
 "To-day? What do you mean?" asked 
 von Ladenburg, stolidly. 
 
 "Am I blind? To-day you persuaded the 
 
 64 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 president e to the final end. Am I right ?" 
 
 The German eyed him impassively. 
 
 "I do not seek information on the sub 
 ject," said the supposed von Wolfgang, as 
 he gave the order for dinner to the boy who 
 answered his ring. "It is enough for me to 
 know that the affair is now at an end." 
 
 He glanced at the Saxonian, who still 
 puffed placidly at his cigar. 
 
 "There is, of course, but one thing now to 
 do that is to convey the document to Aren- 
 dorf . For you to leave now would not be 
 wise." 
 
 "Why?" demanded von Ladenburg, 
 roused out of his almost dormant state. 
 
 "Why?" There was much scorn on the 
 face of the disguised American. "Why? 
 Can you, the man who engineered the 
 Caracas affair, who succeeded in Alsace 
 when others failed, who created the last 
 trouble in the Balkans, ask why?" 
 
 Von Ladenburg 's face showed that he was 
 impressed, but he said nothing. Norroy con 
 tinued : 
 
 65 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 " There is a man here named Madison who 
 you told me was a mine owner, but who I 
 have discovered is an agent of the United 
 States.' 5 
 
 "He is a fool," put in the Saxonian. 
 
 "Quite so. He is a fool, and Bertha Frey- 
 hold has used him to advantage." 
 
 "Bertha Freyhold!" Von Ladenburg 
 started to his feet. "So you know that, too ! ' ' 
 
 The supposed von Wolfgang eyed him al 
 most pityingly. "Know that? Do you 
 think me a fool, too? As I say, Bertha is 
 clever, and she has used him. But although 
 he is an easy tool, he has sense enough to 
 realize the purpose that brought you to Bo 
 gota. He also must know that you would 
 not leave until that purpose was accom 
 plished. Is it not so?" 
 
 The expression on von Ladenburg 's face 
 showed that the idea was new to him, and 
 also that it was one worth considering. He 
 toyed with the food which had been placed 
 before them. 
 
 "Who, then, is there to send?" he asked. 
 
 66 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Who? Why, Bertha, naturally. Her 
 usefulness here is finished. The object of 
 your trip is consummated. What, then, is 
 the need of knowing further regarding the 
 United States? The main thing is to keep 
 them ignorant of the fact that the agreement 
 has been signed ; for you to remain in Bogo 
 ta; to continue to make daily visits to the 
 palacio; to lead this young American on and 
 allow him to imagine that you have not suc 
 ceeded and have no immediate chance of so 
 doing. What would happen if the United 
 States were to know now that this agreement 
 had been signed?" 
 
 The Saxonian did not answer him. Nbr- 
 roy 's voice took on a sneering, mocking tone : 
 
 "And you are the man whom Wittschaeft 
 regards as his right arm ! You are the man 
 who is considered the best of all the secret 
 agents of Saxonia, and you do not realize 
 your danger." 
 
 The sneer had its effect. Von Ladenburg 
 was stung into replying: "Know? Nat 
 urally I know, but I do not care to discuss 
 
 67 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 such matters where there may be listeners." 
 He sunk his voice. "The United States is 
 ready any minute to create a revolution in 
 Panama, and support the revolutionists. 
 This she would do now if she realized what 
 was done to-day." 
 
 " Exactly. And you would leave Bogo 
 ta!" The mocking tone was still effective. 
 
 "You are mistaken. I had intended this 
 night to give the paper to Bertha. She has 
 to-night at her house this young^ American. 
 To-day he received dispatches from his state 
 department." His voice sank to the lowest 
 possible hearing tone. ' ' You realize we must 
 know what are in those dispatches." 
 
 "Naturally." Norroy paused in the act 
 of eating his salad. "Naturally. But with 
 that ends Bertha's usefulness here, does it 
 not?" 
 
 "You are right," murmured the Saxon- 
 ian. The boy brought them the coffee, and 
 disappeared. 
 
 Von Ladenburg looked at Norroy with a 
 puzzled expression. "I do not understand 
 
 68 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 why iWittschaef t has never spoken of you be 
 fore. You seem to know all that I do ; you 
 are fertile of resource " 
 
 "I am related to the crown," answered 
 Norroy; "my name is not von Wolfgang, 
 but one that you know quite well at court. 
 Naturally, it is necessary to keep my connec 
 tion with the foreign office a secret, even 
 from its most trusted agents." Norroy had 
 known that von Ladenburg would eventual 
 ly ask this question, and, always prepared, 
 he had concocted this explanation as the 
 easiest told and most plausible one. Von 
 Ladenburg looked satisfied, and his manner 
 became suddenly tinged with respect. The 
 feudal system is still strong in Saxonia. 
 
 Norroy arose and took his hat and riding 
 crop. "I am going now to see Bertha. Not 
 officially, Ladenburg." He smiled to give 
 the words the desired meaning. Von Laden 
 burg smiled, too, almost deferentially. Al 
 though he was a noble by birth, and an of 
 ficial high in the service of Saxonia, he knew 
 when he had met his superior in intelligence, 
 
 69 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 and when that fact was added to the con 
 fession of birth, it made his companion a 
 man with whom it was worth keeping on the 
 best of terms. Nevertheless, his naturally 
 secretive nature and long training kept him 
 from informing Norroy any further on the 
 subject than he already knew. 
 
 " It is probable that she has sent the 
 American away by now," remarked Nor- 
 roy, as they moved toward the courtyard. 
 "You are riding, too, Ladenburg?" 
 
 "Yes;" then after a moment's hesitation: 
 "I go, too, to see Bertha; but on other busi 
 ness than that which occupies you. Tell me, 
 does she know of your identity?" 
 
 ' ' No, ' ' answered Norroy . ' ' I saw no need 
 to tell her. Women should not be trusted 
 any further than necessary." 
 
 The Saxonian approved silently. Every 
 sentence that Norroy uttered raised him a 
 peg higher in von Ladenburg's estimation. 
 
 They mounted their horses, tossing a 
 peseta apiece to the stable boys, and rode 
 toward the Casa de Tavera. As they turned 
 
 70 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 into the carriageway and neared the house, 
 the glow of two cigarettes was seen near the 
 veranda. 
 
 "The two men whom I hired to guard the 
 house," explained the Saxonian. "It is best 
 always to have ruffians at hand who scruple 
 at nothing." 
 
 The two men advanced at von Laden- 
 burg's whistle. They bore carbines in their 
 hands. They were directed to tie the horses 
 beneath the trees, and Norroy and his com 
 panion ascended to the veranda, the latter 
 touching the bell. 
 
 "Dona Ysabela," said the Saxonian to 
 the swarthy maid who answered the sum 
 mons. They entered the little drawing-room, 
 and the maid lighted a red-shaded lamp and 
 retired. A frou-frou of skirts was heard, 
 and Dona Ysabela, attired in a low-cut gown 
 of pale violet, with a knot of violets at her 
 breast, entered the room. 
 
 "Ah, Senor Woofgan'," she said, in a 
 pleased tone. 
 
 "It is better she should know now," whis- 
 
 71 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 pered von Ladenburg to Norroy. In a few 
 sentences he told her of the supposed iden 
 tity of von Wolfgang. She turned to him 
 with a look of evident admiration. 
 
 "Ah, I knew!" she -said, in playful tones. 
 "I knew. Mysterious *one " 
 
 "Just a moment," interrupted von La 
 denburg, drawing her aside, and speaking in 
 a low tone, although it was perfectly audi 
 ble to Norroy. "Here is the agreement at 
 last. Take it. You must start for Aren- 
 dorf to-morrow. What have you learned 
 from the young American'?" 
 
 ' ' Nothing, ' ' she answered. " He is not yet 
 sufficiently intoxicated. In a moment I will 
 bring him into this room. He has been 
 dining with me." 
 
 ' ; I will return, ' ' said von Ladenburg. He 
 turned to Norroy. "I will not interrupt you 
 long when I come back. Meanwhile " 
 
 "Meanwhile if you will but go into my 
 little boudoir at the head of the stairs, Herr 
 Wolfgang," said Ysabela, in German, "but 
 for a half hour ! Then I will be at leisure. 
 
 72 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 You understand that state affairs are al 
 ways before pleasure." She smiled lan- 
 guishingly. 
 
 " Certainly, Fraulein Bertha," he agreed. 
 "If you will but show me the way " 
 
 She thrust the paper which von Laden- 
 burg had given her into the bodice of her 
 gown. "Auf wiedersehen, Herman," she 
 said, as he made for the door, and then led 
 the way to the head of the stairs and pointed 
 out to Norroy a little room close by. 
 
 "For a very short while," she whispered, 
 and, kissing her fingers to him, descended. 
 
 The door closed behind von Ladenburg. 
 Norroy heard the rustle of her skirts on the 
 stairs, and, walking to the balustrade, he 
 saw her vanish into the drawing-room. Im 
 mediately after, he caught the sound of a 
 man walking unsteadily along the lower 
 hall. " Ysabela," came the voice of one who 
 seemed to be in doubt as to his whereabouts. 
 
 "Madison!" said Norroy, with convic 
 tion. ' ' And now ' 
 
 "Si, Senor Madison," came the clear 
 
 73 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 tones of the siren. 
 
 "The young fool is drunk," commented 
 Norroy, mentally. "Drunk, in love and in 
 the possession of information which she 
 wants. What a terrible combination!" 
 
 Making up his mind instantly, he stepped 
 noiselessly out of the room, tested the balus 
 trade, found it steady, and, smiling reminis- 
 cently as he remembered his boyhood days, 
 slid down it without a sound. At the foot 
 of the stairs he took a rapid survey of the 
 situation, and, remembering that there was 
 another room partitioned off from the little 
 drawing-room by portieres, walked softly 
 down the hall, and carefully turned the knob 
 of the third door. 
 
 He found himself in total darkness save 
 for a tiny ray of light that issued from an 
 opening in the portieres. Then, lying flat 
 on his stomach, he wormed himself along 
 the floor and slightly lifted the edge of one 
 of the curtains. He heard voices within. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE UTTER ROUT OF SAXONIA. 
 
 "I couldn't wait any longer, Ysabela," 
 said the young American, unevenly, as he sat 
 down on a divan. "I couldn't stay out there 
 when you weren't there, m'dear." He sur 
 veyed her owlishly, with eyes bedimmed 
 with over-excess of wine. 
 
 "And I did not want to leave you," she 
 cooed softly, as she sat down beside him. 
 "But I had a caller who wished to see me 
 at once, and whom I could not send away 
 
 "Who was he?" asked Madison, with the 
 quick suspicion of a man in love. 
 
 She hesitated for a moment at the direct 
 challenge ; then her quick wits supplied the 
 answer: "Senor Woofgan'," she replied. 
 
 Madison scowled. "That man!" he said. 
 "You beware of that man, Ysabela. He is 
 
 75 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 not good man. I know him not good." 
 His accents were heavy. 
 
 "What do you mean'?" she asked, quickly. 
 But Madison was not far enough gone to re 
 veal von Wolfgang as an American. 
 
 "Bad man," he said vaguely. "Knew 
 him in Paris. Devil with women." 
 
 She looked relieved, and the bearer of the 
 name of Wolfgang, peeping out from the 
 portieres, had a narrow escape from chuck 
 ling. 
 
 "It is getting late, Senor Madison," she 
 said to the young American. "You have 
 been here now three hours." 
 
 ' ' You want me to go ? " queried Madison, 
 attempting to rise, but falling back on the 
 divan again. "You want me to go, then 
 you have Wolfgang come back." He looked 
 at her sorrowfully, and shook his head. 
 
 "No, Senor Madison," she began. 
 
 "You call me Senor Madison, too," pur 
 sued the injured one in tones of reproach. 
 "When I ask you to call me Hartley Hart 
 ley " 
 
 76 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "I will call you Har'ley, then," she said. 
 "But now you must go, caro mio." 
 
 "Go! Go! Before I tell you what I have 
 in ray heart for so long. No ! First I will 
 tell you. I love you, Ysabela." His drunk 
 enness fell away from him like a cloak, and 
 his young face lighted up with earnestness. 
 "Yes, I love you, Ysabela." He tried to 
 take her in his arms, but she eluded him and 
 walked over to the table, where the rays of 
 the red-shaded lamp shone upon her hair 
 and reflected back their own color glorified. 
 Even Norroy, peeping out from the por 
 tieres, could not deny that the picture was 
 an alluring one. 
 
 Madison advanced, still a trifle unsteadily, 
 with arms outstretched. "I tell you I love 
 you, Ysabela," he cried, fervently. "Yes, 
 I have loved you ever since I first saw you 
 in the patio at the hotel. I know I am not 
 up to much hardly worth anything, dear 
 one, but I have a small income, large enough 
 for two, if we were careful, and I want you 
 to marry me. I'll shake this diplomatic 
 
 77 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 service, and we'll go to New York to live." 
 In his excitement he fell to talking English, 
 but she understood him, nevertheless. 
 "We'll take a cottage down on Long Is 
 land." 
 
 She approached him. "Ah, Har'ley, Har' 
 ley dear, how do I know you mean what you 
 say? You have tasted much wine this eve 
 ning, caro mio." 
 
 "Believe me. It is that which has given 
 me the courage to tell you that I love you!" 
 he cried. "Before, I dared not. I was 
 afraid of destroying the little heaven in 
 which I was living, and plunging into hell. 
 But now" he drew closer to her "now 
 you must not refuse me." His arms went 
 about her neck, and his lips met her full, 
 cherry-red ones. "Darling!" he cried, rap 
 turously. 
 
 Slowly her little hands crept to the pockets 
 of his dinner coat, deftly they extracted a 
 bunch of letters, and quickly they tossed 
 them beneath the table, where they lay un 
 noticed by any save her and the man who 
 
 78 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 was watching behind the portieres. She 
 wrenched herself free. 
 
 " You must go now, carita," she said, soft 
 ly. "Go, and come again to-morrow. Then 
 if you tell me what you have to-night, you 
 shall have an answer. Go. See there is 
 your cloak." 
 
 As he turned she stooped, picked up the 
 packet of letters and thrust them into her 
 bosom beside the precious paper which von 
 Ladenburg had intrusted to her care ; but so 
 quickly was it done that she was again fac 
 ing Madison when he turned for her to as 
 sist him with his cloak. 
 
 It was perfectly evident that it was dan 
 gerous to the successful accomplishment of 
 Norroy's plan for him to remain longer in 
 his place of vantage. He crept softly to the 
 door, pushed it open, and without troubling 
 to close it again, made his way to the stairs 
 and up them, tiptoeing with the greatest of 
 care and causing not a single creak. 
 
 He regained the boudoir in safety and sat 
 down, his wits together, calm and collected, 
 
 79 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 as was necessary when he reflected that fate 
 had not only given the enemy into his hands, 
 but made justifiable means which would 
 otherwise have appeared dishonorable. It 
 was only with an effort that he could contain 
 himself when he realized how much hung on 
 the next move in the game. 
 
 He heard the door close behind Madison, 
 and a whispered good-night ; then the rust 
 ling of the skirts, and her little hands were in 
 his as she greeted him again. 
 
 "I told you I would come to-night," he 
 said. "You remember in the park?" 
 
 ' ' I remember, ' ' she answered ; ' ' but I 
 feared you would forget." 
 
 "Are you glad, then, that I came?" His 
 tones were almost tender. 
 
 There was no doubt of the fact that she 
 was, from the manner in which she affirmed. 
 She led him out of the boudoir and down to 
 the drawing-room. For once this woman's 
 heart had been touched; not seriously, per 
 haps, but enough to make her realize that 
 she was a woman in the presence of a man ; 
 
 80 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 not a tool hired by the government to make 
 fools of the other sex. 
 
 "You come most opportunely, Herr von 
 Wolfgang," she said. "As perhaps the 
 Count von Ladenburg has told you, I leave 
 Bogota to-morrow and go back to our be 
 loved capitol." 
 
 "Yes, I know," he answered. "And that 
 is why I came to-night. I have been foolish. 
 Fearing that you might discover my iden 
 tity, I have remained away from you, when 
 I would have almost given up my whole 
 career to have been with you. Bertha you 
 see I know you" he was speaking in Ger 
 man now -"this career is not fit for a wo 
 man. You should leave it. For a man it is 
 otherwise." 
 
 "I know," she answered, with downcast 
 eyes. "But a woman must live. By her 
 wits, if need be. When she has no one to 
 care for her, she sometimes does things she 
 does not care to do. I have no one to care 
 what I do." 
 
 "No one to care !" he echoed, in tones deep 
 
 81 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 with emotion. "You call me no one, then?" 
 
 "I am sorry," she said, her eyes still seek 
 ing the floor. "But it may be I misinter 
 pret." 
 
 "If you do not know that I have decided 
 to try to be near you always, you misinter 
 pret," he said, bluntly. 
 
 "Can it be?" she murmured, looking at 
 him from under her long lashes. "Can it 
 be?" 
 
 "Can it be that I want to be near you? 
 Haven't you seen that I have tried to avoid 
 you because I feared you would come be 
 tween me and my work ? I have always been 
 afraid of falling in love. I know my na 
 ture too well. I knew that when it came, I 
 would cast all else aside." 
 
 "But you have not fallen in love?" she 
 questioned, her heart beating rapidly. 
 
 "So much in love that when you leave 
 here to-morrow I shall be desolate. All my 
 enthusiasm for my work has faded, now 
 I know it will keep me from you." As be 
 fore stated, Yorke Norroy had made a name 
 
 82 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 for himself as an amateur actor. He was 
 putting all of his art into this, and his tones 
 rang true and were full of manly ardor. 
 
 She looked at him, not daring to trust her 
 self to speak. Down in her heart the dor 
 mant feminine was aroused. The man truly 
 loved her! She looked at his face, lighted 
 up with enthusiasm. Meanwhile his active 
 brain was wondering whether he convinced. 
 The knowledge of what she had done to 
 young Madison spurred him on. 
 
 "You say you go to-morrow. Then I say, 
 before you go, I want you to marry me. I 
 cannot let you go without knowing that you 
 are mine. My work I am bound in honor to 
 do, but I cannot lose my only chance of hap 
 piness because of it" 
 
 "You love me?" she murmured, softly. 
 "You love me?" 
 
 ' ' Yes, I love you. ' ' He had taken her into 
 his arms. The sight of her pretty face up 
 turned turned him cold and bitter when he 
 reflected that had she her own way she would 
 have dishonored a youngster whose onlj 
 
 83 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 fault was his loving her. " Yes, I love you. " 
 The tones were as cold as steel ; his hand was 
 plunged into her bodice, and he sprang back, 
 the treaty and the papers in his hand. "As 
 you loved Hartley Madison," he said, slowly. 
 "For these." He held the papers aloft for 
 a moment, then slipped them into the inner 
 pocket of his coat. 
 
 For a moment the woman was dazed. The 
 whole thing had happened so suddenly, so 
 unexpectedly, so contrary to all rules, that 
 she could hardly believe what she heard. 
 Surely this was some horrible phantasm, 
 some unbelievable hallucination. 
 
 "I was behind those curtains," he said, 
 pointing, "when you stole the papers from 
 young Madison. And so Bertha Freyhold 
 has let a man make a fool of her after all 
 her triumphs!" There was the faintest sus 
 picion of a sneer in his tone. 
 
 She had recovered herself now. It was 
 real. 
 
 "I knew you from the first, Bertha," went 
 On Norroy, kindly. "You favored me, but 
 
 84 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 I did not think it would come to this. One 
 never can tell." 
 
 She made a dart toward him. "Who are 
 you?" she cried. "You are Saxonian. Why 
 should you seek to make known our country's 
 plans." 
 
 "Because I am not Saxonian, Bertha," 
 answered the secret agent. "I am the agent 
 of another country, of which you may have 
 heard the United States." He bowed. 
 ^"You devil!" she cried, lashing herself 
 into a white heat of fury. "You devil!" 
 
 The sound of horse's hoofs coming rapid 
 ly up the graveled walk broke the momen 
 tary stillness, and the whistle of von Laden- 
 burg came to their ears. With the litheness 
 of a tigress, she sprang across the room and 
 toward the window opening to the front. 
 
 "Stop!" commanded Norroy. She turned 
 and faced the black muzzle of a revolver. 
 "Don't move and don't make a noise." 
 
 "Shoot!'' she said, defiantly. "Shoot!" 
 In an instant she had thrown open the win 
 dow. "Help, Herman, help!" she shouted, 
 
 85 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 in accents so real that they needed no addi 
 tion. "Your revolver! Help! Treach 
 ery!" 
 
 Norroy's finger trembled on the trigger, 
 but his heart failed him. He turned and 
 made for the rear window, but before he 
 had reached it she hurled herself upon him 
 with such force that the revolver dropped 
 from his hand to the floor. Her clawing 
 fingers tore at his coat. By sheer strength 
 he cast her off and threw open the window 
 but she had regained her hold in a moment. 
 He might have struck her had he chosen, but 
 his ethics forbade him to bodily harm a wo 
 man. He grasped the window ledge and 
 again almost tore off her grasp. At the same 
 moment, von Ladenburg, revolver in hand, 
 rushed into the room. 
 
 " Shoot! Shoot!" she cried, as she felt 
 Norroy slipping from her. "He is an 
 American spy ! He has the treaty ! Shoot ! ' ' 
 
 Before the words were half spoken Nor- 
 roy leaped from the window, and almost in 
 stantly the sharp crack of a revolver and 
 
 86 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 the piercing scream of a woman rang out to 
 gether. 
 
 "My God! You've shot me!" came the 
 words. Norroy 's fingers still gripped the 
 outside of the window. At the woman's 
 shriek, he threw himself inward headlong, 
 and into the arms of von Ladenburg. They 
 grappled, man to man, Norroy 's right hand 
 catching the revolver and holding it high; 
 slowly his other, arm crept around the Ger 
 man's neck and his left foot caught von 
 Ladenburg 's behind the instep. With a 
 crash the German diplomat went down, Nor- 
 roy on top of him ; and the revolver was in 
 the possession of the American. Quickly he 
 arose and stood over his prostrate foe. 
 
 There was a battering on the door and the 
 two soldiers rushed in, with their carbines 
 upraised. At the sight of the gaunt figure 
 holding a revolver in each hand for at the 
 sound of their coming Norroy had recovered 
 his own they stood back. 
 
 "Put down those weapons," snapped out 
 Norroy in Spanish. "Quickly now, you 
 
 87 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 swine. Go into that room." 
 
 Without a word, they went into a little 
 apartment opening at the opposite end of 
 the one in which the drama had taken place, 
 leaving their carbines behind. The key was 
 in the lock, and Norroy turned it. The Ger 
 man, slowly recovering from the shock of 
 his fall, looked up. 
 
 "Bertha!" he moaned. 
 
 "Lie still," commanded Norroy. He 
 moved to the apparently lifeless body of the 
 woman by the window, and examined her. 
 Then he laughed. 
 
 "The bullet grazed her arm," he said, 
 lightly. "The girl's not hurt. She has 
 fainted. A little cold water will revive her. ' ' 
 Still keeping an eye on his enemy, he moved 
 to the locked door and opened it. 
 
 "Come out," he said to the soldiers. They 
 re-entered. "Take the cord from that pic 
 ture and tie this caballero tightly. Don't 
 move, von Ladenburg." 
 
 The soldiers obeyed his orders, and La 
 denburg, conscious of the futility of resist- 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 ance, allowed himself to be trussed up. Then 
 Norroy compelled the first soldier to tie the 
 second, and personally attended to the ty 
 ing up of the former himself. Quickly he 
 bundled all three into the inner room, and 
 stood in the doorway. 
 
 "Tell me," entreated von Ladenburg, 
 keeping down his rage and disappointment 
 as best he could, "what do you hope to gain 
 by this?" 
 
 "A clear start to the coast before Frau- 
 lein Bertha recovers," replied the victor. 
 
 Von Ladenburg 's language was that of a 
 man disappointed in the dearest hope of 
 his life. Norroy listened amusedly. 
 
 "You you cursed traitor!" 
 
 "No traitor," answered Norroy, lightly. 
 "Only a secret agent, a trifle cleverer than 
 you, Ladenburg, and in the service of the 
 United States." 
 
 He closed the door to prevent hearing any 
 more torrid language Yorke Norroy dis 
 liked profanity then picked up the sense 
 less body of the woman, placed it on the di- 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 van, and covered it over with a portiere 
 which he pulled down. 
 
 An hour later Hartley Madison had been 
 routed out of bed, and Norroy had told him 
 as much of the story as he deemed necessary. 
 Their luggage was hastily packed, and con 
 signed to the next mule train. Outside stood 
 two horses, saddled and waiting their pleas 
 ure, and before the clock struck nine, the 
 two horsemen might have been seen riding 
 rapidly up the goat path which leads over 
 the mountains and to the coast. 
 
 90 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 SAXONIA DOES NOT BUILD THE CANAL. 
 
 In the private library of the President, 
 the secretary of state was again conferring 
 with his chief. There, too, sat Yorke Nor- 
 roy, immaculate as ever in evening dress, 
 and tatooing gently on the table with mani 
 cured fingers. 
 
 He had arrived in Washington just three 
 hours before, and had not had time to eat 
 his dinner. As it was nearing eight o'clock, 
 and lunch had been served at twelve on the 
 train, he was beginning to experience the 
 pangs of hunger, and wished that the two 
 dignitaries would dispense with his valuable 
 services for the nonce. 
 
 "As you know, Norroy," said the secre 
 tary, "your cablegram from Buenaventura 
 put the wheels in motion. The revolution 
 ists were still urgent, and the would-be canal 
 builders more so. So we thought it well to 
 
 91 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 encourage the idea that it would do no harm 
 to be ready. We knew that you would not 
 cable as you did without cause." 
 
 " Thank you," put in Norroy. He ex 
 tracted a cigarette from a box on the table 
 and lit it. His face was a picture of bore 
 dom. 
 
 " So I understand that, acting on our hint, 
 they have made ready, and are awaiting the 
 word to free themselves," went on the secre 
 tary. 
 
 He turned to Norroy, whose look changed 
 to one of polite interest. 
 
 " And now that we have seen this," broke 
 in the Chief Executive, glowering at the 
 document which von Ladenburg had been 
 to so much trouble to procure " now that 
 we have seen this, it occurs to both the secre 
 tary and myself that to waste more time in 
 diplomatic relations with a country so ab 
 solutely unscrupulous as Colombia is hardly 
 fair to the commercial interests, not only of 
 the United States, but of the world." 
 
 "So the word to begin the little affair in 
 
 92 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Panama has been given?" queried Norroy, 
 flicking away the ashes from the bosom of 
 his spotless shirt. 
 
 "Yes," answered the President. "We are 
 awaiting the answer now." 
 
 In the telegraph room in the west wing 
 of the White House an operator was busily 
 taking down on his typewriter various 
 things of interest to the world at large. He 
 had just finished a telegram from San 
 Francisco regarding smuggling, when the 
 cable ticker began indications of. having a 
 story to tell. 
 
 He tapped back that he was ready, and 
 the message came: "Colon, Republic of 
 
 Panama " "Great guns! that's a new 
 
 one on me." He adjusted the transmitter 
 and queried the date mark. It was repeated, 
 with advice from the Key West operator to 
 wait until he heard the rest before putting 
 queries indicating ignorance. 
 
 When the message was completed the 
 operator, hardly able to credit it, asked to 
 have it repeated. But repetition was only 
 
 93 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 confirmation. Then the operator realized 
 that he was in possession of the first message 
 from a new country. Quickly he aroused the 
 messenger and sent him flying. 
 
 When the envelope had been torn open, 
 the President read its contents to his two 
 auditors : 
 
 Organized movement began to-night. Colon guard ut 
 terly routed by revolutionists. Colon in their hands. 
 Flag of republic formally raised. 
 
 To this and more following was signed 
 the name of a reckless adventurer who had 
 been drilling prospective insurgents for 
 some months at the request of a certain 
 gentleman of New York interested in the 
 canal. 
 
 The secretary looked at the yellow slip 
 solemnly. " There is no danger of Saxonia 
 building the canal now." 
 
 "No," said Norroy, depositing his burnt- 
 out cigarette in the tray. "But there is 
 danger of my starving in a few moments. 
 Good-night, Mr. President. Good-night, 
 Mr. Secretary. I am going to the New Wil- 
 lard and eat down the bill of fare." The 
 secret door closed behind him. 
 
 94 
 
A Tilt With The Muscovite 
 
 CHAPTER 1. 
 
 THE LETTER FROM PARIS. 
 
 No matter where Yorke Nbrroy might go, 
 the messages sent by the secretary of state 
 always followed him." They were common 
 place enough in wording, were signed sim 
 ply with an initial, and were sent through the 
 usual channels of the Western Union office. 
 The boy assigned with the delivering of this 
 particular message had followed Norroy 
 from the Metropolitan Club to the secret 
 agent's apartment on Connecticut Avenue, 
 and from there had perforce to transport 
 his small person to the golf links at Chevy 
 Chase. 
 
 Norroy never lost time in answering these 
 summons, and that was his excuse for ap- 
 
 95 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 pearing in golf tweeds and tan shoes, with 
 long loose coat and slouched hat. He T&- 
 moved the latter two articles of attire on en 
 tering the secretary's residence, and when 
 shown into the private library, lighted one 
 of his ever-present cigarettes with the gold 
 crest and waited the new detail. He was 
 quite ready for it, as two months spent in en 
 forced idleness was quite enough for him at 
 one time. 
 
 They shook hands on the secretary's en 
 trance, but the head of the Department of 
 State made no comment further than to re 
 quest that Norroy read a letter, written in 
 French, which he put into his hand. 
 
 "It's rather badly put together. Writer 
 isn't a Frenchman," observed Norroy, when 
 he had glanced over it. 
 
 "Translate it aloud," directed the secre 
 tary. "I have the gist of it, but I imagine 
 your French is better than mine." 
 
 To the Chief of the Foreign Office, 
 
 Washington, United States of America. 
 Sir: If you would know what has become of M. 
 Leo G'aylord, about whom your newspapers said so much 
 two years ago, you can discover what you wish to know 
 
 96 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 by sending someone to Paris, and have him write to M. 
 Anton Dumercier, 16 Faubourg St. Gregoire. I cannot 
 tell more by mail, as I am not authorized to do so. This 
 is a most serious thing for Mr. Gaylord, as he is being 
 held a prisoner by an European power for certain reasons 
 unnecessary to explain to you. 
 
 When you receive this, please telegraph me immediately 
 when your agent will be in Paris. With much respect, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 Paris, November 6th. A. D. 
 
 " Translated out of idiomatic French into 
 idiomatic English, that is about the size of 
 the letter," remarked Norroy, as he re 
 turned the paper to the secretary. 
 
 "So I thought." The secretary took from 
 the pocket of his coat a number of news 
 paper clippings. "You had better read 
 these at some time. They will be useful to 
 you." 
 
 "I am to go to Paris, then?" questioned 
 the secret agent. 
 
 The secretary nodded. "You know about 
 this man Gaylord, of course. Everyone 
 does, thanks to the press. But there are two 
 things that for two years you have not 
 known, along with the general public. The 
 first is : To where did he disappear " 
 
 Norroy flicked some ashes from his ciga- 
 
 97 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 rette. "Pardon me if I suggest that you al 
 so are in the dark concerning that, Mr. Sec-r 
 retary." 
 
 "That I grant you. I am. But on the 
 second point I am fully informed. You are 
 well aware of Gaylord's ability as an inven 
 tor, and of the many astoundingly clever de 
 vices he placed on the market, making a for 
 tune for himself out of them. Now, for four 
 years before his disappearance he had been 
 at work on a gun a rapid-firing gun of 
 tremendous power, which would carry the 
 almost unbelievable distance of twenty-five 
 miles fired from a ship." 
 
 Norroy seemed on the point of whistling, 
 so great was his surprise. He did not, how 
 ever, but his slender fingers beat a rapid tat 
 too on the table. 
 
 "You can readily understand what such 
 an invention would mean to naval warfare. 
 Twenty-five miles! It would render prac 
 tically useless the navies of other nations 
 
 "But was it practicable?" inquired Nor- 
 roy. 
 
 98 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "That we do not know. Gaylord went 
 away from the United States to work on it 
 received a concession from the secretary 
 of war to utilize one of the islands in the Sa- 
 moan group for the purpose of testing his 
 invention. He refused any assistance in the 
 way of skilled helpers, and went there to 
 work by himself. Two years ago he ap 
 peared in Tutuila and wired the secretary of 
 war a message to this effect: 'Have com 
 pleted model, tested it, found it practicable, 
 destroyed it. Proceeding to United States 
 via Europe. Need rest. Will confer with 
 you in Washington three months' time, prob 
 ably utilizing naval gun factory purposes of 
 building.' " The secretary had been read 
 ing the quotation from a notebook in his 
 hand. He closed the book and replaced it 
 in his pocket. 
 
 "That sounds as though he had succeed 
 ed," remarked Yorke Norroy. 
 
 "We heard from him again from Hong 
 kong, from Cairo and from Vienna. His 
 next place to stop at was St. Petersburg. He 
 
 99 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 is supposed to have never arrived there. The 
 clippings and the detectives' reports will tell 
 yon all you may not know, but which has 
 been brought to light. Perhaps Anton Du- 
 mercier may be able to supply the missing 
 links." 
 
 Norroy rose and the secretary also. " Re 
 member, Norroy, the importance of this af 
 fair is without parallel. I do not think we 
 have ever had any case on our hands which 
 caused as many sleepless nights as has Leo 
 Gaylord's. Imagine a gun that would des 
 troy at twenty-five miles in the possession of 
 any European power! It would mean the 
 supremacy of the sea the absolute suprem 
 acy. And what would be the result?" 
 
 There was no need for either man to an 
 swer the question. Both understood per 
 fectly what the mission meant. 
 
 "I shall go to New York to-night and take 
 the Lucania to-morrow. You will hear from 
 me in six days from Paris." 
 
 "And remember," were the secretary's 
 parting words, "spare no expense and no ef- 
 
 100 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 fort to glean every atom of the truth from 
 Dumercier or whoever wrote that letter." 
 
 The hard lines around Norroy's mouth 
 were excellent reasons to believe that no 
 such instructions were needed to exert him 
 to his utmost in this case. 
 
 The large, fair-haired man with the mili 
 tary carriage hesitated at the entrance of the 
 cafe of the Hotel Continental, and his eyes 
 roamed about the low-ceilinged room as 
 though he were in search of some one. Pres 
 ently the vision of an elaborately attired 
 boulevardier in frock coat and tall hat was 
 mirrored in his orbs to the exclusion of the 
 other patrons of the cafe. For the letter 
 had said that the representative of the Uni 
 ted States would wear a yellow chrysanthe 
 mum as a boutonniere. Such lapel decora 
 tions being rare in Paris, M. Dumercier hesi 
 tated no more. 
 
 He approached the table and stood before 
 it, regarding the man with the chrysanthe 
 mum and the rimless monocle. 
 
 "Comment vous portez-vous, m'sieur?" 
 
 101 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 he inquired, with respect. 
 
 "Tres bien, merely m'sieur/' was the calm 
 reply. 
 
 C'eot M'sieur Lemaire?" asked the fair- 
 haired man, tentatively. 
 
 "Oui, m'sieur" replied the monocled one, 
 with brevity. 
 
 It was sufficient introduction, and the two 
 men studied each other over the foaming 
 bocks which the garcon brought at the com 
 mand of the one addressed as Lemaire. The 
 conversation was mainly on the weather and 
 the recent turmoils in the Senate. By Du- 
 mercier's speech it was easily told he was 
 not a Parisian the average listener would 
 have decided he was from one of the lost 
 provinces. Lemaire, too, had a slight accent 
 which proved him not of the Boulevards, but 
 which might easily obtain with a native of 
 Languedoc or perhaps Gascony. 
 
 They did not linger long in the. cafe, but 
 adjourned to Lemaire 's apartments on the 
 second floor of the hotel. No words were 
 wasted between the two on the way. Le- 
 
 102 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 maire threw open the door of his private re 
 ception room and bade Dumercier enter. 
 The door was locked and both men went into 
 the bedroom adjoining, Lemaire closing the 
 second door as they passed in. 
 
 From his pocket Lemaire drew a letter 
 which he handed to his companion. 
 
 "You wrote this?" he inquired. 
 
 The other replied in the affirmative. 
 
 "Well?" It was easily seen from Le 
 maire 's manner that he expected to share 
 little in the conversation and that he did not 
 intend to draw it out to the extent of a per 
 sonal chat. 
 
 "I am a Pole, M. Lemaire," began the 
 other, apologetically almost, "and I was an 
 officer in his imperial Russian majesty's 
 army. I am not now. I was lucky to escape 
 unharmed. That is all regarding myself 
 that I need say, is it not?" 
 
 "Unless it concerns M. Gaylord yes." 
 
 "Well, M. Gaylord is in a Russian prison. 
 He has been there for two years. That was 
 news to you until my letter came, was it not, 
 
 103 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 m'sieur?" 
 
 The other nodded. 
 
 "I was a sergeant in the Paulo wskis when 
 he came. Afterward I became an officer- 
 but no matter. How I came to discover 
 what I know is also no matter. Briefly, I 
 will tell you. M. Gaylord was arrested near 
 Moscow, and he is now a prisoner but a few 
 versts from that city in the fort of St. 
 Basil. 
 
 "They did not intend to keep M. Gaylord 
 prisoner long. They thought to find on his 
 person some sketch or plan which would tell 
 them about the new cannon which he had 
 invented. But there were no papers of any 
 kind on him or in his bags and boxes. There 
 fore, he was taken to St. Basil. 
 
 "He might have been free the next day af 
 ter his capture if he had given up his ideas 
 to M. Mobrikoff. But he would not. M. 
 Mobrikoff is chief of the Bureau of Engi 
 neers and Ordnance. It was he who knew 
 that M. Gaylord had completed his new gun 
 which he would make for the United States. 
 
 104 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "When M. Gaylord refused to tell him 
 how it was done, he told M. Gaylord that he 
 should remain prisoner until he did so. A 
 prisoner, then, he has been for two years, 
 but nothing would he say. 
 
 "Three months ago, M. Mobrikofd, who is 
 also a colonel and a noble of Russia a 
 count made up his mind that M. Gaylord 
 should tell what he knew. So M. Gaylord 
 was ordered to be knouted if he would not 
 tell/' 
 
 The teeth of his listener came together 
 with a savage snap, and he crumpled the let 
 ter in his hand into a shapeless mass. The 
 man who called himself Dumercier looked 
 up quickly. His auditor had begun to 
 straighten out the paper and was now tear 
 ing it slowly to pieces. 
 
 "Proceed," he commanded. 
 
 "So M. Gaylord was knouted. You know 
 the knout, m'sieur ? It is long and has brass 
 ends to it. With this M. Gaylord was 
 scourged fifty strokes he received. 
 
 "But he would not tell what they wished 
 
 105 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 to know. The count then said that each 
 week would the knout be given him. But he 
 would not answer. He only closed his mouth 
 as you did but a moment ago; closed his 
 mouth and ground one tooth against another. 
 And what he said was in your English 
 tongue. The language I do not know, but 
 so many times has M. Gaylord said this that 
 I have learned it, too. 'Gotter 'ell!' he said 
 only that, no more 'Gotter 'ell!' 
 
 "Now, as for me, I was foolish. I was 
 an officer. I was a noble, too, then, for one 
 may not be an officer without he be noble. 
 But Poland they wish to be free there. 
 And I but that is concerning myself, 
 m'sieur. It only serves for you to know 
 that I determined to leave Eussia before it 
 was so arranged that I might never leave it. 
 
 "M. Gaylord I liked. I went to him. I 
 told him that I was coming out of Russia. 
 So then he told me this. I dared not write 
 it down, for I knew I might be searched, but 
 this I learned from him and repeated it 
 again and again : 
 
 106 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 " ' I have been beaten like a dog and caged 
 like a criminal. I love my country, but if 
 my country cannot aid me, or will not, I 
 must aid myself. As yet Russia knows 
 nothing of my new weapon. Three months 
 from to-day, if I am not free, she will know 
 all.' " 
 
 The paper in the hands of the other had 
 been reduced to the tiniest fragments. He 
 looked up. 
 
 "That was all?" he inquired. 
 
 "All except that if I succeeded in carry 
 ing the message the person to whom I gave 
 it should pay me ten thousand rubles, and 
 collect the same from his brother, Douglas 
 Gaylord, of Birmingham, Alabama. If he 
 were freed, ten thousand more he would him 
 self pay me." 
 
 "This man Mobrikoff what of him?" 
 
 "I have told you. He is a noble and a 
 colonel in the army. He is also the chief 
 of the engineers and of the ordnance. He 
 has Romanoff blood." 
 
 They talked more. The monocled one 
 
 107 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 asked many questions searching questions 
 which went into the history of Mobrikoff's 
 past career and all those connected with 
 him; his likes and his dislikes; his habits 
 and his manners. 
 
 There was a satisfied gleam on the ques 
 tioner's face when the information was 
 elicited that MobrikofPs failings lay in the 
 direction of women. 
 
 "Ah, yes!" the Pole said. "The chan- 
 teuses of the Palermo. They indeed are the 
 favorites of M. Mobrikoff. To one he threw 
 a thousand-ruble note. I was there, m'sieur, 
 for a girl from my village danced. After 
 ward she told me. It is that, m'sieur. Stage 
 women I know not why he seeks his 
 feminine society among them " 
 
 He was cut short by the other rising. 
 
 "There is a note for five hundred francs, 
 M. Dumercier," he said, curtly. "I will see 
 more of you again. I will write you. Mean 
 while I must think " 
 
 "But the ten thousand?" 
 
 "All in good time. I must see for my- 
 
 108 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 self. I go to Moscow to-night. But have 
 no fear. It is but a trip of inspection. I will 
 return before the week is out. Au revoir, 
 m'sieur." 
 
 He saw him to the door, and then sat down 
 in the reception room. For some minutes 
 he sat perfectly still. Then he lighted a 
 cigarette, and after that many more, his 
 slender fingers meanwhile drumming a 
 devil's tattoo on the arm of the chair in 
 which he sat. 
 
 That evening the six o'clock express for 
 the north bore the person of M. Lemaire, 
 described in his passport as a French- Ameri 
 can; occupation, the management of thea 
 ters ; residence, New York City, and object 
 in visiting Moscow, business connected with 
 the theaters. The passport was signed by 
 the minister of the United States to France. 
 
 In Moscow M. Lemaire remained several 
 days. He exhibited a tourist's curiosity 
 with regard to the old city. M. Mikhaelo- 
 vitch, the manager of the cafe chantant 
 the Palermo gratified this curiosity per- 
 
 109 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 sonally. In His company M. Lemaire visited 
 the Kremlin, the Cathedral of Ostankino, 
 the Church of the Nativity, and that weird 
 architectural monstrosity, the Church of St. 
 Basil the Beatified, with its forest of bell 
 towers, ornamented with heraldic designs, 
 pots of flowers and many grotesque figures. 
 
 Naturally, from the Church of St. Basil, 
 it was not strange that the mind wandered 
 to the prison of the same saint. So thither 
 they went, too. M. Lemaire seemed to take 
 but little interest in the grim criminal in 
 stitution, so they remained but a short while. 
 
 When M. Lemaire left Moscow and M. 
 Mikhaelovitch, he promised the proprietor 
 that his chanteuses would arrive within sev 
 eral weeks. Whereupon M. Mikhaelovitch 
 smiled in a gratified manner, soon afterward 
 conferring with the disreputable journalist 
 who aided him in his work, when he was not 
 overfull of vodka. The disreputable jour 
 nalist wrote a sonnet which exalted the 
 beauty and ravishing charms of certain 
 English and American singers who would 
 
 110 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 delight the inhabitants of the Kitai-Gorod 
 with ballads sung in M. Mikhaelovitch's 
 charming resort, the Palermo. This sonnet 
 was published in the newspapers of Moscow 
 and was read by noblemen and officers of 
 the navy and marine who sojourned with 
 in the Kitai-Gorod. These exalted person 
 ages were frequenters of M. Mikhaelovitch's 
 cafe cJiantant. Consequently they were in 
 terested. 
 
 Meanwhile two cablegrams had been des 
 patched by M. Lemaire as soon as the train 
 left the realm of the Great White Czar. Both 
 were in code, and the German telegrapher 
 who handled them scowled, for such mes 
 sages were not liked in his Teutonic majes 
 ty's realm. But they were despatched never 
 theless. 
 
 One was to the secretary of state, and re 
 quested that Miss Adelaide Hardesty be 
 ordered to Paris immediately to join Theo- 
 phile Lemaire at the Hotel Continental. 
 The other was to Miss Hardesty herself 
 and is perhaps worth quoting: 
 
 111 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Secretary wired to-day request for your assistance. 
 Select three prettiest show girls in Manhattan. Bring 
 them with you. Consult secretary regarding reasons. 
 
 Thus Edna Follis, Mabel Dupree and 
 Nanette Edmonds forsook the Bialto and 
 journeyed with Miss Adelaide Hardesty to 
 Paris. 
 
 A letter fully explaining the reasons for 
 the two cablegrams reached the secretary of 
 state by the Campania. It bore the post 
 mark of Paris. In part it read : 
 
 The man who gives the information is a Polish nihilist, 
 formerly an officer in the Russian army. If we were to 
 take the matter up legally with Russia, his oath would not 
 be worth the word of a Chinese diplomat. He is dis 
 credited and disgraced, and acknowledges the fact him 
 self. To make a serious charge against another power 
 on the strength of such a man's statement would be im 
 possible and absurd. It would be denied, and if things 
 came to the worst Gaylord would probably be sacrificed 
 and his body put into some vault of the fort. My plan 
 seems to be the only feasible one. If it fails, be assured 
 that I am quite aware of the fact that I can expect no 
 assistance from the United States officially. 
 
 This screed was signed with the initials 
 of Yorke Norroy. 
 
 112 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE GIEL FROM BROADWAY. 
 
 For two weeks, the American chanteuses 
 had sung and danced before the critical 
 audience which nightly gathered in the cafe 
 chantant of M. Mikhaelovitch. Incidentally, 
 their twinkling feet, coquettish gestures, 
 trim forms and speaking orbs had caused 
 the Odessa Jewesses and Georgian beauties, 
 hitherto such favorites, to fill the position 
 commonly denominated as " facing the 
 wall." Even Yvette d'Alencon, Parisian 
 and consequently charming, was not ac 
 claimed as of yore. The American beauties 
 had caused her star to wane and become dim. 
 
 The Americans brought rag-time with 
 them. Moscow had heard rag-time before, 
 but not sung as the Eialto girls sang it, nor 
 accompanied with the complement of " goo- 
 goo" eyes and buck and wing dances. 
 
 The receipts of M. Mikhaelovitch in- 
 
 113 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 creased, and lie one day, in an excess of jubi 
 lance, embraced M. Lemaire and kissed him 
 affectionately on both cheeks; which was 
 Russian sentiment and meant that he cher 
 ished M. Lemaire as a brother. M. Lemaire, 
 being French, should have appreciated this, 
 but evidently his residence in America had 
 deprived him of the mental light which ap 
 proved of osculation between those of the 
 same sex. As it was, M. Mikhaelovitch nar 
 rowly missed being stunned into uncon 
 sciousness by a blow from M. Lemaire 's fist. 
 M. Lemaire, however, remembered his part 
 and restrained himself. 
 
 Back in the dressing-rooms, the girls chat 
 ted among themselves. 
 
 "Talk about your New York Johnnies," 
 sniffed Mabel Dupree. "Why, they're not in 
 it for a minute with these fly Russian guys. 
 Say, Edie, you remember that chap that sat 
 in that second walled-off pen last night and 
 threw me a pearl bracelet, eh? Well, he's 
 here again to-night. I just peeped out be 
 hind the curtain and saw him." 
 
 114 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Edna Follis adjusted her pompon. " You'd 
 better leave the new ones alone and stick to 
 the old," she said, warningly. "That Captain 
 Wishtoff -- " 
 
 "Wesshoff," corrected Mabel, indignant- 
 
 " 
 
 Well, anyhow, he's a good fellow. You 
 won't find many will hand you out a diamond 
 brooch like the one he gave you. He'll be 
 angrier than the seven Satans if you throw 
 any eyes at this other fellow. I know -- " 
 
 "Victor?" suggested Mabel, pleasantly. 
 
 "Shut up! You don't know anything 
 about Victor. Why don't you try to act as 
 though you had some sense ? Act like Ade 
 laide. Adelaide hasn't mixed up with any 
 smelling Eusskis." 
 
 The third girl, who had been silent, now 
 spoke. "Adelaide is a fool," she comment 
 ed. "There's that fellow who comes here 
 every night. Sends her candy and flowers 
 and everything. I know who he is. Lieu 
 tenant Ogareff told me. He's Count Mobri- 
 koff, and he's related somehow to the czar's 
 
 115 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 family. And Adelaide won't pay any at 
 tention to him." 
 
 "I believe Adelaide has a mash on Le- 
 maire, and hasn't got any time for anybody 
 else. Can 't say I like him much. Do you ? ' ' 
 observed Miss Follis. 
 
 "No, I don't. He's altogether too fond 
 of browbeating people. Say, do you know 
 I have my doubts about him being French ? 
 I heard him talking to Adelaide day before 
 yesterday in the corridor, and he spoke as 
 good English as you or I." 
 
 There was a rap on the door and the call 
 for Miss Follis was made. Whereupon Miss 
 Follis donned her light top-coat over her red 
 skirts, and, taking her beribboned cane, de 
 parted to delight the souls of the children of 
 the czar with the amatory strains of "I've 
 GotaFeelin'forYou." 
 
 There was no dearth of auditors for Miss 
 Follis' coon song. The brass-railinged tiers 
 of the pit had their tables crowded with men 
 in the various uniforms of the army of the 
 czar; the blue-black of the marine, the sky- 
 
 116 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 blue of the infantry, the red of the telegraph, 
 the orange of the light cavalry all were 
 represented there. The sight catching the 
 singer's eye from the stage was reminiscent 
 of a rainbow. The electric lights shone on 
 patent leather boots, gold braiding, silver 
 spurs and jingling swords. The spectators 
 themselves were mostly of the same class- 
 army officers, naval officers, employees of 
 the government in some shape and form, all 
 wearing uniforms, and all ready to cast up 
 on the stage money extorted from the gov 
 ernment, as evidence of their pleasure in the 
 antics of those who appeared before them. 
 But there was one man in all this crowd 
 who was immediately brought to the atten 
 tion of any who entered. He sat on a raised 
 platform, almost on a level with the stage, 
 and it was known that this platform was 
 one which was occupied by none save those 
 of high rank. The man who occupied this 
 place was attired in the uniform of colonel 
 of engineers, and he wore on his breast the 
 Order of St. Nicholas. He was a well-known 
 
 117 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 patron of the Palermo, this nobleman the 
 Count Mobrikoff. 
 
 To Miss Follis, Mobrikoff paid little 
 heed, only frowning when she was recalled 
 for the fourth time to sinp 1 over the ballad 
 regarding the " sneaking feeling." Miss 
 Dupree, who followed her, likewise gave 
 him no pleasure, to judge from the scowl 
 with which he favored the inoffensive waiter 
 on ordering his second bottle of Paul Roget. 
 After Miss Dupree came Mile. Yvette 
 d'Alencon, who was received coldly and en 
 cored but once, and that only by a few of 
 the faithful. 
 
 The entrance of the next chanteuse was 
 preceded by loud applause and clapping of 
 hands, for Miss Adelaide Moray, as the bills 
 styled her, had made more than an ordinary 
 hit with the patrons of the cafe chantant. 
 At her appearance Mobrikoff leaned for 
 ward and watched closely, with the light of 
 admiration in his eye. At the conclusion of 
 her song he joined in the applause and 
 tossed a tiny box upon the stage. Adelaide 
 
 118 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 stooped down and secured it. 
 
 She was forced to repeat her song sev 
 eral times, but after the ordeal had been 
 gone through with she made her way hastily 
 to her dressing-room and opened the box. 
 It contained a heart-shaped pin set with 
 diamonds and rubies, around which was 
 wrapped a note in French. A few moments 
 later M. Lemaire and she were conversing 
 over the note. 
 
 "H'm, h'm!" Lemaire was reading it. 
 " 'Scorned my advances, refused my gifts, 
 beg interview' h'm, h'm 'wear the pin as 
 token of acceptance.' " He looked up and, 
 speaking in English, said: "Johnnies are 
 the same the world over, aren't they, Ade 
 laide 1" 
 
 She nodded. "Shall I accept? It seems 
 to me I've held him off enough already." 
 
 He meditated. "You have the necessary 
 liquors in your reception room to satisfy his 
 lordship?" 
 
 "Considering that you sent them there, 
 you should know. I haven't touched any of 
 
 119 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 them. You know how I despise intoxi 
 cants." 
 
 "And you have the other?" 
 
 She eyed him scornfully. " Kindly give 
 me credit for having some foresighted- 
 ness." 
 
 He examined his watch. Then he looked 
 at her thoughtfully. "Do you know, Ade 
 laide, you're rather a stunning-looking 
 girl u ?" he said. 
 
 If healthy, rounded form, milk-white 
 skin with the faintest ruddy tinge, and deep 
 black eyes constitute "stunningness," then 
 M. Lemaire was correct. Adelaide Hard- 
 esty or Moray was the type of a woman 
 who appeals to the mind looking for out 
 ward charm. The finer workings of her 
 mind were not apparent to many, for she 
 chose not to reveal them, passing rather as 
 a woman whose sole desire in life was to 
 cling to the wheel of pleasure as long as 
 life held forth within. 
 
 She looked out at Lemaire from under her 
 long lashes. "That is part of the game," 
 
 120 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 sHe returned, without the faintest show of 
 emotion of any kind. "I suppose your ex 
 amination of your watch is a question which 
 I am to answer. I think if you enter my 
 reception room at the hotel at twelve o'clock 
 you will find the gentleman in a condition 
 fit for our ends." 
 
 As he smiled and patted her shoulder pa 
 ternally, her smile was very bitter. When 
 he had gone, after giving a few further in 
 structions, she became pensive. "A good 
 tool for his ends, that is all," she told her 
 self. The bitterness was gone, there was 
 only sadness in the whisper. 
 
 When she went on for her second turn, 
 she wore the pin which M. Mobrikoff had 
 thrown to her. The eyes of the Eussian noble 
 man lighted up, and he ordered more cham 
 pagne. She watched him as she sang and 
 threw him several looks which she strove 
 to make unstudied. 
 
 At eleven o'clock the droshky of Count 
 Mobrikoff was at the narrow door out of 
 which the performers passed from the stage, 
 
 121 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 while within the outer room the owner of the 
 droshky sat, rubbing his booted legs to 
 gether, toying with his sword, and watching 
 the door to Miss Hardesty's dressing-room 
 with ill-concealed anticipation. 
 
 When she emerged, clad in sealskins, her 
 masses of heavy hair adorned with a toque 
 of the same material, he sprang to his feet. 
 Her dark eyes fell upon him rather shyly. 
 
 "I am your slave, mademoiselle," he said, 
 in French, and with the customary extrava 
 gance of the Eussian. He took one of her 
 little gloved hands and pressed it to his lips. 
 
 "Almost every night for two weeks past 
 I have watched you. I had thought that you 
 were cold to me, and that you preferred an 
 other " 
 
 "Herd, m'sieur/' she returned. "But I 
 must hurry on now. Some other time, per- 
 haps- 
 
 "What! will you leave me so soon, now 
 that I have found you? Ah, no, mademoi 
 selleah, no! You must come with me to 
 the Ulamen. There we will have a little sup- 
 
 122 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 per and some wine and I will feast my eyes 
 upon you." 
 
 She blushed. The blush was real. Ade 
 laide Hardesty had not yet hardened her 
 self to playing the part which her chief had 
 assigned her. The scraping Russian dis 
 gusted her. She knew what lay behind this 
 flattery. She knew of the knouting of Gay- 
 lord and of other things. At the thought of 
 the last, she braved herself to the ordeal. 
 
 "If you insist, m'sieur," she said, smiling 
 faintly, "I will allow you to go with me to 
 my hotel." 
 
 "Ah, yes! You have lifted me out of 
 Hades into Heaven. My droshky awaits 
 without." 
 
 He took her arm, and she allowed him to 
 help her into the vehicle. A word to his 
 driver, and they were whirling across the 
 snow in the direction of the Hotel d'Angle- 
 terre, where Adelaide Hardesty maintained 
 a suite of rooms. She strove to make it ap 
 pear to the Russian that she was interested 
 in him, and, thanks to his egotism, her rather 
 
 123 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 studied attempts passed for realities. And 
 now the hotel loomed up before them. He 
 stepped to the ground and helped her to 
 alight. 
 
 "And now, M. le Comte," she said, as she 
 released his hand, "I will say good night and 
 thank you." 
 
 "You will leave me now? Ah, no! Let 
 us go within this hotel of yours. Let 
 iis have the supper of which I spoke " 
 
 He talked on more in the same strain, and 
 presently she assented reluctantly. 
 
 "I have a reception room, M. le Comte," 
 she told him. "In that you may stay for a 
 while if you wish. I do not care for the 
 public dining room, nor do I care for food." 
 
 Mobrikoff, delighted at his supposed vic 
 tory, followed her, and after the servant had 
 gone ahead to light the rooms, she motioned 
 him to the elevator, which raised them to 
 the third floor. Down the uncarpeted hall 
 she led him to where the attendant stood, 
 holding the door of her apartments open. 
 The count bowed for her to pass in, and 
 
 124 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 when she had done so followed her. 
 
 He did not waste time. The man was 
 plainly attracted by the girl, and he brought 
 all his previous knowledge of women to bear 
 upon her. But he would have failed even 
 had she not known of him what she did, for 
 Adelaide Hardesty had her own ideas of 
 mankind, and the use of flattery did not 
 come in as part of the character of her ideal 
 man. But she had been an actress too long 
 to fail in any part once she entered into the 
 spirit of it. 
 
 She had placed various liqueurs on the 
 table soon after her entrance, and he had 
 done full justice to all of them. She had 
 waited to see him a trifle influenced by the 
 intoxicants before bringing out the chef- 
 d'oeuvre. 
 
 " You have heard of the American drink 
 the cocktail ?" she asked, her deep eyes 
 turned full upon him and her red lips curv 
 ing in a smile which she intended to appear 
 tender. "That is the drink which surpasses 
 them all." 
 
 125 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Of that I have heard," he responded. 
 "And I will never rest until I have drunk it, 
 for is it not the national drink of Mile. Ade 
 laide 's own land?" 
 
 She smiled at his lofty words, a natural 
 smile this, for, now that she had hardened 
 herself to what she was about to do, the 
 Russian's extravagance was humorous to 
 her American mind. "You need not wait 
 long for the cocktail, M. le Comte," she 
 said. ' ' I myself will make one for you. ' ' 
 
 He was almost maudlin now and mur 
 mured something about Hebe and the nectar 
 of Olympus. She took the vermuth, the 
 whisky, the bitters and the lemon, making 
 the drinks on a little tabouret with her back 
 turned to him. Then she placed the ice with 
 in the frail-stemmed glasses and poured in 
 the decoction. In one of them she dropped 
 something which she had been holding in the 
 palm of her hand, and quickly broke the 
 tiny tablet to pieces with the spoon, stirring 
 it vigorously. Then she placed both glasses 
 on a tiny tray, with the one over which she 
 
 126 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 had expended so much trouble on the Rus 
 sian's side. 
 
 "Will you drink?" she asked, gayly. 
 
 He reached out his hand and took the 
 glass. She raised hers and they clinked them 
 together. 
 
 "To mademoiselle's eyes!" he cried. 
 
 He drank it down with every appearance 
 of enjoyment and then threw the glass over 
 his shoulder. It alighted on the hearth and 
 broke into tiny fragments. "A fitting end 
 for a glass which has served its purpose," 
 she thought. 
 
 And now came the hardest part of all, for 
 the drink mounting to the Russian's head 
 aroused all his hitherto suppressed boldness, 
 and in the manner of his race he made love 
 to the American girl. At first a mere press 
 ing of the hand to his lips, with the accom 
 panying declarations of affection. She had 
 purposely seated herself upon a tiny chair in 
 order that he might not come nearer. 
 
 He was determined that he would take 
 the girl into his arms. His feet were un- 
 
 127 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 steady now and his head whirled. Out of 
 the mist that enveloped him, he could see 
 only her eyes shining in the light of the 
 shaded lamp. He rose to his feet, trying to 
 fight down his weakness. 
 
 6 * I love you, ' ' he muttered. * ' I love you. ' ' 
 
 He moved forward, still holding her hand. 
 She rose. The latent beast in his eyes terri 
 fied her. He stretched out his arms as 
 though to envelop her within them. But 
 at that moment a great desire for rest over 
 mastered him. He forgot the shining eyes. 
 
 "I I " he began, Then his legs be 
 came weak at the knee, and he toppled for 
 ward, gripping the table. But his muscles 
 were inert, and his head slipped along the 
 polished surface, and, with a crash of bottles 
 and glasses, the form of the chief of engi 
 neers flattened itself on the floor. 
 
 She stood erect, pale and afraid. Then her 
 eyes turned to the senseless body of the 
 man. There was no sound in the room save 
 his heavy breathing. 
 
 She looked at her watch. It was rapidly 
 
 128 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 nearing the hour of twelve. She sat down, 
 supporting her head with her hands, among 
 the broken remains of bottles and glassware, 
 the trickling liqueurs dripping on her gown. 
 She knew it, but she hardly cared. 
 
 Out of the distance the toll of the second 
 Tsar Kolokol, the great bell of the Kremlin, 
 rumbled out the strokes of midnight. Then 
 came a gentle knock on the door. She arose 
 and admitted Lemaire. 
 
 " Successful, of course?" 
 
 "Of course," she responded, wearily. 
 "He lies there." 
 
 "Then I must ask you to go into your 
 room, Adelaide," said Lemaire. The girl 
 obeyed him, leaving him alone with the man. 
 Lemaire lifted the frame of the senseless 
 Russian in his arms and deposited him on 
 the divan. 
 
 "It is lucky for me that I am the average 
 height of a man," soliloquized Lemaire. 
 "Quite lucky, indeed." 
 
 It was but a matter of a few moments be 
 fore the gorgeous uniform had been stripped 
 
 129 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 from the person of M. Mobrikoff. His de- 
 spoiler opened a bag which he carried, and 
 which contained a suit of coarse brown 
 serge. In this he arrayed the drugged of 
 ficer, gathering up Mobrikoff 's uniform and 
 placing it in the bag from which he had tak 
 en the brown clothes. 
 
 "Now, Adelaide," he called. 
 
 The girl re-entered. "Where is that long 
 wardrobe trunk of yours?" he inquired. 
 
 The girl threw back the hangings at the 
 end of the room and disclosed one of those 
 monstrosities which are the trial of the 
 baggage-smasher a theatrical wardrobe 
 trunk and property box. In length it ap 
 proximated six feet and in height about 
 three. She unlocked it. It was empty. 
 
 "The drug will hold good for about six 
 hours. During that time he will be safe, 
 
 but after that We had better bind him 
 
 now, Adelaide." 
 
 He took some stout manila rope from the 
 same bag he had before utilized, and the feet 
 and hands of Count Mobrikoff were securely 
 
 130 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 bound. A gag was placed in the Bussian's 
 mouth and bound tightly about his head. Le- 
 maire picked up the trussed body and placed 
 it within the trunk. 
 
 "You have bored the air holes?" he in 
 quired. 
 
 "There are four on each side and ten in 
 the top. He isn't in any danger of asphyxia 
 tion," was her reply. 
 
 Lemaire straightened out the knees of the 
 captive. 
 
 "All that is necessary now is to throw in 
 enough clothes to keep him from bumping 
 from side to side," he said. "I should ad 
 vise you to lock the trunk to-night, for he 
 will be sensible in the morning." 
 
 Then he turned to go, but she caught him 
 by the arm. 
 
 "Haven't you a word of praise?" she 
 asked, brokenly. 
 
 He regarded her with much intentness. 
 "Too much praise, Adelaide, to put it into 
 words. I know how distasteful it is to you. 
 You are a brave little girl !" He patted her 
 
 131 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 shoulder in Ms old way. "But remember 
 what this man has done. He deserves more 
 than a cramping of 'his limbs for several 
 days." 
 
 She tried to be calm. "Will you be suc 
 cessful/?" she asked tremulously. 
 
 "There is no reason why I should not be," 
 he answered. "I rely on you to carry out 
 your part, you know. And I know you will. 
 Good-night, little girl." 
 
 When she had closed the door she stared 
 long and blankly at the entrance through 
 which he had passed. Then she rocked her 
 self to and fro, murmuring and whispering 
 to herself: "A good tool for his ends a 
 good tool." 
 
 She threw the required clothes into the 
 trunk, closed and locked it. ' * After all, ' ' she 
 sighed, "it's better to be a tool for him than 
 " She did not finish her sentence. 
 
 132 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 WITHIN THE PRISON HOUSE. 
 
 A little after twelve word had been taken 
 to the driver of the droshky of Count Mobri- 
 koff that the Count would remain at the ho 
 tel for the night, but that the droshky was 
 to be waiting for him the next morning at 
 nine o'clock, when he would visit the fort 
 of St. Basil. This message was sent from 
 the room of M. Theophile Lemaire. 
 
 Within that same apartment several 
 changes took place between midnight and 
 morning, and had there been an observer 
 near by, he might have sworn that three men 
 occupied the same room. For into the room 
 and to bed went M. Theophile Lemaire, a 
 Frenchman with a slightly bald pate, a small 
 waxed mustache and heavy eyebrows. When 
 the rays of morning sunlight disclosed the 
 sleeper there was no sign of M. Theophile 
 Lemaire. The snowy counterpane covered 
 
 133 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 the form of a man with light brown hair, 
 clean-shaven, and evidently of Anglo-Saxon 
 origin. When he awoke and stood erect in 
 his pajamas, it would not have been hard for 
 anyone who knew him to recognize Mr. 
 Yorke Norroy. 
 
 But Yorke Norroy existed only during 
 the time that he took his bath and shaved. 
 Nine o'clock saw him standing in the lobby 
 of the Hotel d'Angleterre an officer of his 
 imperial Russian majesty's army, whose 
 hair was coal-black and whose mouth 
 was shaded by. an enormous military mus 
 tache turned upward in German style ;' his 
 eyebrows were heavy and his military cap 
 was pulled down to shade his eyes. Evident 
 ly, M. le Comte Mobrikoff had contracted a 
 severe cold, for he spoke hoarsely and his 
 neck was swathed with a white silk kerchief. 
 The collar of his greatcoat was turned up 
 ward to protect his throat. 
 
 He lighted a cigarette and inquired in a 
 husky tone if his droshky awaited him. On 
 being informed it did, he went out of the 
 
 134 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 hotel lobby and into the street where his 
 driver assisted him into the vehicle. In the 
 same hoarse tone, he directed him to drive to 
 the fort of St. Basil. 
 
 [Through the streets of the Kitai-Gorod 
 and over the frozen snow the droshky sped, 
 its owner smoking cigarette after cigarette 
 and gazing out on the passing crowd. Many 
 peasants and moujiks doffed their caps and 
 he saluted them gravely, while occupants of 
 other vehicles called to him as they sped by. 
 
 Through the Kitai-Gorod, into the Beloi- 
 Gorod, and finally into the Zemlianai, the 
 droshky of Mobrikoff went. The last, be 
 ing the Chinese city, was naturally dirtier 
 than either the European or the Tartar 
 quarters, and the vehicle went more slowly 
 on account of the slippery streets. 
 
 When the Iverskaya Chasnovnia was 
 reached, the driver reined in his horses and 
 doffed his hat to the sacred icon within the 
 Iberian Chapel, and Norroy, sitting behind 
 him, perforce did the same. After this act 
 of devotion, the horses, started again by a 
 
 135 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 swift cut from the driver's whip, dashed 
 through the Resurrection Gate of the Chi 
 nese wall and out beyond the city, where, a 
 few versts away, the fort of St. Basil 
 frowned ominously on the waters of the 
 Moskowa. 
 
 It required but little time to make the 
 journey now, and they were soon halted by 
 the Siberian sentinel who stood beside the 
 first gate of St. Basil. 
 
 "It is the great colonel, Count Mobrikoff," 
 the driver informed him, in the queer argot 
 of the Baltic provinces half Slav, half 
 Teutonic. 
 
 Instantly the soldier's carbine was raised 
 in salute. The iron gates swung open pon 
 derously, and the droshky rolled over the 
 stones of the courtyard of the outer fort, 
 through an embrasure, and, after several 
 more halts and salutes, stopped in the cen 
 tral courtyard. 
 
 The sergeant who was in charge of the 
 guards of the inner court evidently recog 
 nized the occupant of the droshky to be the 
 
 136 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 chief of engineers, for he clicked his heels 
 together sharply and saluted. 
 
 The false Mobrikoff saluted the sergeant 
 in return, alighted and walked past the line 
 of guards, following the non-commissioned 
 officer. 
 
 "You wish to see M. le Colonel Mebristi- 
 wsky, colonel?" the sergeant had asked. 
 
 "Yes," replied the supposed colonel, 
 shortly. He still spoke in the hoarse tone 
 which indicated that his cold affected his 
 throat muscles to the extent of preventing 
 him from speaking plainly. 
 
 He followed the sergeant through a suc 
 cession of passages, and waited while he 
 knocked on the door of the room which held 
 the illustrious presence of M. le Colonel Me- 
 bristiwsky, governor of the fort of St. Basil. 
 
 The door was opened by an orderly and 
 Norroy passed into the room. 
 
 The man with grizzled hair who sat at the 
 desk in the middle of the room arose on 
 Norroy's entrance and bade him the usual 
 good-morning. 
 
 137 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "I have a cold, M. Mebristiwsky," he re 
 plied, in answer to the request that he re 
 move his cloak. "I fear it is getting close 
 to my lungs." 
 
 Norroy's Russian was without a flaw, but 
 he found little occasion to use it on this mis 
 sion, for Mebristiwsky conversed with him 
 in French, as is usual between gentlemen in 
 Russia, their own language being reserved 
 more for the purpose of speaking to infer 
 iors. After several inquiries regarding 
 some matters of which Norroy knew nothing, 
 but which he managed to answer in a dis 
 creet manner which aroused no suspicion, 
 the secret agent asked concerning the 
 American prisoner. 
 
 "He is violent, as usual," answered the 
 governor. "He swears at anyone who en 
 ters his cell, and curses the Little Father in 
 terms which would shock even a hardened 
 roue like yourself." 
 
 "I wish to see him again," said Norroy. 
 cutting the governor's peroration short. 
 The governor, frowning, rang for the order- 
 
 13$ 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Take the Colonel Mobrikoff to the cell of 
 the American." 
 
 Norroy followed the orderly, seemingly 
 into the bowels of the earth. A lantern was 
 necessary to show the way, and they plunged 1 
 into dank, evil-smelling corridors where the 
 lanterns of other soldiers, keeping guard, 
 bobbed up and down like will-o'-the-wisps in 
 the darkness. Finally the orderly asked a 
 question of one of the guards, and a huge key 
 was fitted into a lock, a bolt shot and an iron 
 door swung open. 
 
 "Here is the lantern, Colonel Mobrikoff," 
 said the orderly, with respect. "Do you 
 wish me to remain?" 
 
 Norroy replied in the negative, and then 
 addressed the guard: "Close the door, fel 
 low. I have something to say to the prisoner 
 in private. Close the door and bolt it." 
 
 The guard saluted and murmured acquies 
 cence. Whereupon the iron door clanged 
 to again, and the bolt was shot. Norroy lift 
 ed the lantern, and its light fell upon a mass 
 of straw and a man lying with Ms back 
 
 139 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 the door, who was apparently unconcerned 
 at his entrance. 
 
 "M'sieur Gaylord," he said, in French. 
 
 The prisoner snarled: "Is that you, you 
 frog-eyed coyote?" in English; then, 
 remembering that Mobrikoff did not 
 understand that tongue, translated it 
 into French "Frog-eyed son of a a a 
 loup-garou," he finished, desperately. The 
 insult seemed ineffective in the tongue of the 
 Gaul, and he racked his brain for a fitting 
 addition. 
 
 Torke Norroy wasted little time. He 
 walked over to the recumbent man, who was 
 now glaring at him, and said in very low 
 tones, and in English: "Don't be surprised; 
 don't cry out, and don't make any sort of 
 a noise. I am not Mobrikoff." 
 
 The man stared at him in the light of the 
 lantern, and Norroy had a chance to see the 
 hollow eyes, the sunken cheeks and the wast 
 ed hands. 
 
 < ' Not Mobrikoff " he gasped. ' ' Not Mo 
 brikoff ? You are not ' ? 
 
 140 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Norroy seated himself on the rude stool 
 by the side of the straw. "I received your 
 message, Mr. Gaylord. I have come to get 
 you out of this. Now, please don't ask any 
 questions, but do exactly as I tell you." 
 
 Omitting the preliminaries, Norroy told 
 him of the capture of Mobrikoff, and the way 
 in which he had gained entrance to St. Basil. 
 The listener's eyes glowed in admiration, 
 and the weary, haggard look faded from 
 them. 
 
 "We must waste no time," said Norroy. 
 "Take off those clothes of yours as I take off 
 mine." He spoke in a whisper and immedi 
 ately proceeded to disrobe. He continued to 
 speak while in the process, and by the time 
 they had exchanged garments the whole 
 scheme was perfectly plain to Gaylord. 
 
 Norroy whisked off the false mustache 
 and wig and placed them on Gaylord 's face. 
 Then from an inner pocket, he took out a 
 make-up box, such as is carried by those of 
 the theatrical profession, and by the dim 
 light of the lantern proceeded to make Gay- 
 
 141 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 lord's face a passable imitation of the Rus 
 sian's whose uniform he now wore. 
 
 " Speak hoarsely, as though you have a 
 cold, and do not answer any questions un 
 less forced to do so your Russian is execra 
 ble and your French is worse. It will not be 
 necessary for you to return to the governor's 
 room. Simply follow the orderly out of this 
 dungeon to the upper floors and then tell him 
 to lead you to your droshky. Salute each 
 soldier who salutes you. When you enter the 
 droshky simply say Hotel d' Angleterre, and 
 the driver will take you there. Dismiss him 
 when you reach the hotel, and send up one 
 of Mobrikoff's cards to Miss Moray. She 
 knows who you are, and she will assist you 
 and accompany you. The grand express 
 leaves for Konigsberg at noon. SHe has re 
 served berths in the wagonlit for you and 
 for herself. Here is your passport, which I 
 secured from the United States minister be 
 fore leaving Paris. It reads for Mr. John 
 Moray, actor. You are supposed to be Miss 
 Moray's brother. Wheji you arrive in Ko- 
 
 142 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 nigsberg, you will both go to the Hotel Zu 
 Hohenloe. There will be a third person in 
 the party, but he is provided with a comfort 
 able sleeping apartment in a trunk." ' 
 
 Gaylord suddenly burst into hysterical 
 laughter as he thought of his arch-enemy 
 cramped within the confines of a narrow 
 box and forced to endure a railway journey 
 in such quarters. Norroy placed his hand 
 over Gaylord 's mouth. 
 
 " Don't make an ass of yourself," he said, 
 roughly. "The rest of the scheme Miss Mo 
 ray will explain to you. See that you carry 
 out her instructions, for my life may de 
 pend on it. You understand ? ' ' 
 
 "But how will you escape?" demanded 
 the inventor. "I feel like a cad, leaving you 
 in this hole. God ! if you knew- 
 
 "Kest easy," Norroy assured him. "I 
 am no Sidney Carton. This is not a ques 
 tion of heroics. I have my orders to see 
 that you are free, and this is part of the 
 carrying out of them. I hope to see you in 
 Washington within the month." He raised 
 
 143 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 His voice and called out in the hoarse tones 
 which he had assumed for the part of Mo- 
 brikoff. "I have finished with the prisoner. 
 Open the door." 
 
 Again the bolt was released and the door 
 creaked. "Now go," he whispered to Gay- 
 lord. "And be cautious very cautious." 
 
 Gaylord pushed up the collar of the coat 
 and as the door opened passed out. Norroy 
 heard him tell the orderly to lead him to the 
 courtyard. 
 
 As the door grated back to its former 
 place, and Norroy knew that now he was a 
 prisoner in a Russian dungeon, it would 
 have seemed that a feeling of unquiet would 
 have come over him. But Mr. Yorke Nor 
 roy only laughed softly, as was his wont, and 
 twirled about on his finger the seal ring of 
 the Count Mobrikoff. 
 
 144 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE PLIGHT OF THE GOVERNOR. 
 
 "You took great risks," said the secretary 
 gravely, when Norroy had proceeded thus 
 far with his narrative. 
 
 Norroy waved his cigarette airily. ' ' Real 
 ly, I think you overrate my modest endeav 
 ors, Mr. Secretary," he replied. "I took no 
 risks at all, strictly speaking. ' ' He straight 
 ened the crescent of pearls in the crimson 
 scarf which he wore, and crossed his legs, 
 showing a pair of well-formed ankles in 
 crimson hose, and shapely feet shod in tan 
 shoes. He was attired for the tennis courts, 
 carried a racquet in his hand and wore a suit 
 of white flannels. He was seated in the place 
 where his conversations with the secretary 
 were generally held in that gentleman's 
 private library. 
 
 The sun streamed through the bay win 
 dows and revealed the trees in the grounds 
 
 145 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 without just about ready to open their buds 
 in the warm zephyr of a beautiful spring 
 day. It was just a month since Norroy had 
 taken Gaylord's place in the Moscow prison. 
 " However, to cut the story rather short 
 for I have an appointment at three and it 
 only lacks twenty minutes of that at the 
 present time I remained in that cell for 
 that day and night and well into the next 
 day. By that time I was quite sure that Gay- 
 lord and Miss Hardesty were ensconced in 
 the Zu Hohenloe, so I decided that it was 
 about time to teach M. Mebristiwsky that 
 there were other people capable of playing 
 a high-handed game outside of his imperial 
 Russian majesty's domains. Therefore I 
 kicked up an infernal racket that brought 
 the guard in with blood in his eye and a de 
 sire to murder me. I told him that I wished 
 to see the governor immediately. You see, 
 it was the day for the second knouting of 
 Gaylord, and I had no desire to pose as a 
 martyr for the cause, especially after having 
 seen Gaylord 's back. It appears that the 
 
 146 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 governor had given instructions that if Gay- 
 lord thought better of being knouted he was 
 to be brought into his worshipful presence, 
 so into that presence I was taken. 
 
 "The guard, being a squat Siberian and 
 as devoid of intelligence as a hedgehog, 
 didn't notice any difference in my appear 
 ance and that of Gaylord's all foreigners 
 looking alike to him, I suppose. But when 
 I was put before M. Mebristiwsky, that 
 gentleman's face was a study. Finally he 
 managed to call the soldier two or three 
 things which I wouldn't care to translate in 
 to English, and told him he had brought the 
 wrong man. I presumed it was about time 
 for me to cut in then, consequently I did. 
 I told him that I was the only M. Gaylord 
 in the prison, and that if he would send 
 away his soldiers I would explain. He was 
 rather timorous, so he had my hands tied 
 behind my back and then told the soldiers to 
 leave the room. 
 
 "It didn't take me very long to explain to 
 M. Mebristiwsky exactly how the trick had 
 
 147 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Keen turned, and his cheeks got flabby and 
 liis complexion an ashy-gray. I told him 
 that if he would examine the index finger of 
 my right hand, he would see M. Mobrikoff 's 
 seal ring. I further informed him that M, 
 [Mobrikoff was out of Russia, and that he 
 was in the hands of my confederates, and 
 closely guarded by M. Gaylord himself. 
 
 " Deponent further saith that M. Mobri 
 koff will be held for the space of one week. 
 If, at the end of that time, I do not appear 
 in a certain city outside the czar's domains, 
 there will be one Russian nobleman the less 
 in the Almanach de Gotha. Also, M. Gay- 
 lord would immediately file his complaint 
 against the Russian Government with the 
 United States minister at Berlin, telling the 
 whole story, but omitting the death of Mo 
 brikoff. Somehow, this method of reason 
 ing seemed to appeal to M. Mebristiwsky." 
 
 The secretary laughed. "I should imagine 
 that it would have influenced him." 
 
 "It did, and there were rare doings about 
 [the fort of St. Basil for some time after that. 
 
 148 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 I assured the governor tljat I was a gentle 
 man and would make no attempt to get away 
 if my hands were untied. He untied them 
 and gave me some vodka he was not a bad 
 sort, but the vodka was. Then he sent out 
 messengers to Moscow, and before an hour 
 had passed I became the center of an as 
 tounded group of Russkis. The governor of 
 Moscow was there, and the czar's civil ad 
 ministrator ; also the Grand Duke Vladimir 
 and any number of high ranking army of 
 ficers. 
 
 "They went into another room and held 
 a consultation, leaving me to my cigarettes 
 and vodka, and the perusal of some English 
 magazines lying about. At the end of a lit 
 tle time the governor entered. It had evi 
 dently been decided that I had the whip 
 hand. 
 
 "The governor said my story had been re 
 ceived with great surprise ; that it was news 
 to them that they were holding an American 
 prisoner ; that M. Mobrikoff had stated that 
 Gaylord was a dangerous Finnish nihilist 
 
 149 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 who had threatened the life of the Little 
 Father of all the Kussias ; that if I had come 
 to them and told them the story, they would 
 have released Gaylord and disgraced Mobri- 
 koff. It was a beautiful string of false 
 hoods; well-constructed lies, with the local 
 color all correct and told in the most sincere 
 manner. 
 
 "The governor emphasized the love which 
 lay between the countries of Russia and the 
 United States sang me that old song about 
 Russia having saved the Union during the 
 Civil War by sending her fleet to protect us. 
 Hold me prisoner? Why, certainly not. 
 They admired my courage and devotion in 
 rescuing my friend, and insinuated that I 
 was in the service of the United States. I 
 told them that I was not ; that Gaylord was 
 my cousin and that I was an actor by pro 
 fession ; that I had a Russian nurse and had 
 learned the language from her; my name 
 was Harold Mellin ; in fact, I handed them 
 just as intricate a tangle of untruths as they 
 handed me. 
 
 150 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "The governor finished by saying that if 
 Mobrikoff were killed it would serve him 
 right; and that if my companions did not 
 harm him they had better warn him not to 
 return to Russia, for if he did so he would 
 be given a pleasant assignment in Omsk or 
 thereabouts, with a coal pick as his means 
 of sustenance. Of course I knew all this was 
 not true, and that Mobrikoff would not be 
 deprived of a single perquisite of his rank 
 and station unless the United States wanted 
 revenge and a scapegoat was needed. 
 
 "Of course it was perfectly plain to them 
 that they lost everything and gained noth 
 ing by keeping me a prisoner, or by harm 
 ing me in any way. They wanted Mobrikoff 
 back, and they didn't want the United States 
 to kick up any shindy. Now that they had 
 lost the secret of the gun, they didn't care 
 anything about me. 
 
 "To cut the story short" Norroy looked 
 at his watch and replaced it "I dined that 
 evening with the whole assortment of digni 
 taries, and they made a sweet attempt to get 
 
 151 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 me drunk and let loose all I knew. But, 
 boasting aside, it is a good Russian who can 
 take more of the fiery liquor than I can, so 
 that failed. After dinner we went to a ball 
 at the Winter Palace, and I met many and 
 various pretty women, who enticed me to 
 drink more. However, that doesn't matter. 
 
 "The next morning, to the sorrow of M. 
 Mikhaelovitch, I gathered up the three 
 Broadway show girls and deposited them on 
 the express for Paris. The next train was 
 for Konigsberg, and that I took, promising 
 the governor, who accompanied me to the 
 station in state, that M. Mobrikoff would ar 
 rive in Moscow at an early date. 
 
 "Of course there were four or five of the 
 governor's spies on the train, and they had 
 the temerity to suppose that I didn't know 
 them. They followed me to the hotel, but 
 fhey learned nothing. 
 
 "Adelaide Hardesty and Gaylord were 
 there, Gaylord under the name of Moray, 
 and Adelaide also. Gaylord had two rooms, 
 and in one of them he kept that big trunk, 
 
 152 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Adelaide said that it gave Mm great pleas 
 ure to go in there and talk to the repentant 
 Mobrikoff. I am afraid Gaylord was a lit 
 tle cruel, for he kept Mobrikoff bound hand 
 and foot all the time, feeding him with oats 
 and black bread only prison fare. When 
 I arrived, I swear I think the beggar was 
 sorry, for I fear he had set his mind on dis 
 patching M. Mobrikoff. 
 
 "Of course I had given my word, and 
 that ended his homicidal schemes. Mobri 
 koff was given a plentiful meal, and told to 
 eat all of it possible, in order that it might 
 last him for three. Then we packed him 
 neatly into his box, put the clothes about 
 him, gagged him, locked the trunk, and I 
 stenciled on it in large letters: 'M. Mebris- 
 tiwsky, governor of Port St. Basil, Moscow, 
 Kussia,' and in red ink on the corner: 
 'Game. Perishable. Open at once.' " 
 
 The secretary burst into a hearty laugh, 
 and Norroy arose, twirling his racquet. "I 
 should like to have seen the governor's 
 face," the secretary remarked; "and to have 
 
 153 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 heard what Mobrikoff said when he was un 
 bound and ungagged." 
 
 "Mr. Secretary," said Yorke ISTorroy, 
 "you have never heard a Russian when he 
 is extremely angry. I have. Therefore, as 
 I do not like the profane and the vulgar, I 
 cannot share in your wish." 
 
 The secretary stretched out his hand. 
 "Well, play your tennis, Yorke," he said, 
 paternally. "You've done a good piece of 
 work. I thank you. Come in to-morrow at 
 five." 
 
 Norroy's eyes had in them a glint of satis 
 faction. A great respect and friendship ex 
 isted between these two men. 
 
 "Thank you, Mr. Secretary," said Nor- 
 roy. "I rather think you're right. But you 
 really owe me no thanks. I discovered a 
 marvelous brand of cigarettes in a little 
 place in Moscow, and the trip was worth 
 while just for that." 
 
 He offered his Chinese case to the secre 
 tary, who shook his head. Norroy lighted 
 one himself, drew on Jiis gloves, caught the 
 
 154 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 racquet in Ms left hand, and bade the secre 
 tary good-afternoon. 
 
 155 
 
The Isle of St. Anthony 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE WITS OF MISS HONORA NUGENT. 
 
 "And so," concluded the secretary of 
 state, "the plans of the defenses of New 
 York harbor came into her possession." 
 
 Yorke Norroy smiled wearily and drew on 
 one of his gloves. The secretary's story had 
 been very long drawn-out, and it contained 
 nothing that particularly interested the dip 
 lomatic agent. 
 
 "The affair seems to be simple enough," 
 he remarked, as he buttoned the glove. "If 
 the woman has the plans, she should be ar 
 rested and searched or her luggage 
 searched beforehand and the arrest follow 
 ing." 
 
 "But that has already been done the 
 
 157 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 searching, I mean," returned the secretary. 
 "You hardly suppose that such a simple so 
 lution would not have been tried long ago, 
 do you? As soon as Captain Riener report 
 ed the affair, he was suspended from the 
 service, and a board of engineer officers are 
 now considering his case, preparatory to 
 court-martial. This was done with the most 
 profound secrecy, in order that she should 
 have no wind of it. Then secret agents en 
 tered her apartments while she was away, 
 opened trunks, bags, boxes and everything 
 in sight, but nothing was discovered. Not 
 only once was this done four men have 
 been detailed on it at different times, but 
 not a trace of the papers was discovered. 
 Not only that, but they found no shred of 
 evidence that would connect her with the 
 Russian secret service." 
 
 "Then I suppose that, while you have 
 been deliberating, the woman went to the 
 Russian embassy and delivered the plans to 
 the minister?" suggested Norroy. 
 
 ".Wrong again," returned the secretary. 
 
 158 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "She has been kept under constant surveil 
 lance ever since she has been in Washington, 
 and not once has she gone to the embassy or 
 met the Russian minister secretly. Nor has 
 she been in conversation with him long 
 enough at any time to hold a consultation. 
 In fact," added the secretary, lighting his 
 cigar, "I doubt if the Russian minister is 
 aware of the fact that Miss Nugent is in the 
 employ of his government." 
 
 "Let me see," deliberated Norroy 
 thoughtfully. "According to what you have 
 told me, the papers have been in Miss Nu 
 gent 's possession for two weeks. Why 
 hasn't she left the United States?" 
 
 The secretary smiled. "We have seen to 
 that," he returned. "You have one failing, 
 Norroy. You imagine that you are the only 
 man in the state department who takes pre 
 cautions. Word has been sent to all the 
 steamship offices to refuse her passage out 
 of the United States. This is easily done, by 
 telling her that there is no room. She has 
 made six attempts to buy tickets for dif- 
 
 159 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 f erent points of Europe, and every attempt 
 has f ailed. " 
 
 "She knows, then, that the government 
 has taken a hand," interposed Norroy, 
 drawing his cigarette case from his pocket 
 and tapping upon it with his slender, al 
 most womanish fingers. 
 
 "If she has wits enough to fool the engi 
 neer corps of the army, she certainly has 
 wits enough for that. Which is proven by 
 the fact that she has gotten around our pre 
 cautions." 
 
 Norroy waited for an explanation. 
 
 "Of course you know that Miss Nugent 
 is related to several families in Ireland who 
 stand high at the Court of St. James, and 
 if she were arrested and nothing proven, 
 there would be a great stir across the water, 
 and the British ambassador would pay me 
 a formal visit and read me a little mono 
 graph on the rights of British subjects for 
 she is one. Now, although Captain Eiener 
 is quite sure she has the plans, he cannot 
 prove that she took them, nor can we prove 
 
 160 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 that she has them now. If she were arrest 
 ed, she would manage to get away with them 
 in some manner, and then it would be neces 
 sary for the United States to make an apol 
 ogy to Great Britain. Also, Miss Nugent 
 would sue for large damages, a,nd the yellow 
 press would have something to fill their col 
 umns for a week. > The affair would place 
 the United States in an extremely ridiculous 
 light." 
 
 A shadow of a smile played around Nor- 
 roy's thin lips, as he extracted a crested 
 cigarette from his case, decorated with gold 
 en Chinese dragons. He rolled the paper 
 tube gently between his fingers. 
 
 "It seems to me that this does look like 
 something in my line, after all," he said, 
 striking a wax match and igniting the ciga 
 rette. 
 
 "Oh, you begin to think so, eh?" queried 
 the secretary, with much sarcasm. Norroy's 
 wearied expressions and looks of boredom 
 frequently irritated the head of the state de 
 partment. "Perhaps you will find the affair 
 
 161 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 a little more complicated than you think. 
 Miss Nugent sails from New York in three 
 days!" 
 
 " Didn't I understand you to say that you 
 had made it impossible for her to buy 
 tickets?" asked Norroy, looking inquiringly 
 at the secretary. 
 
 " Exactly. But Philippse Van Eeypen 
 doesn't sell tickets for private yachting 
 trips on his own yacht, the Sylph," returned 
 the secretary, with emphasis. 
 
 "So she has procured an invitation, has 
 she?" Norroy looked on the point of really 
 laughing this time. "Well, that's rather 
 clever of her, isn't it? It is hardly the eas 
 iest thing in the world for anyone to get an 
 invitation from Polly Van Eeypen. I won 
 der how Miss Nugent managed it ? through 
 Phil, I daresay." 
 
 "You know where the yacht is going, 
 don't you?" asked Norroy 's chief. 
 
 "Bound for Key West first, then across 
 to the Azores and Madeira, so some one told 
 
 me.' ; 
 
 162 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 " Quite right. Miss Nugent will be aboard. 
 She will likely leave them at the Azores 
 and where will the plans go ?" 
 
 "To that most excellent gentleman, the 
 czar, I presume," answered Norroy. 
 
 "You seem to look at the matter in a hu 
 morous light," said the secretary, sharply. 
 "Do you realize that for the plans of New 
 York to fall into the hands of any foreign 
 power is an extremely serious thing?" 
 
 "Naturally, Mr. Secretary," returned 
 Norroy, calmly. "But it is quite amusing 
 to think that a blue-eyed Irish girl like this 
 little Nugent should have so thoroughly up 
 set the heads of the department chiefs. The 
 secretary of war was almost wild when he 
 told me about it; and you well, you're al 
 ways the same, Mr. Secretary, but I can tell 
 by that look in your eye that you regard this 
 affair in a manner far from calm." 
 
 "Quite right, I do, and I can hardly see 
 how it is that anyone who has the welfare of 
 his country at heart could do otherwise. It 
 is impossible to arrest this woman, and we 
 
 163 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 cannot tell PMlippse Van Eeypen that lie 
 must not take her, so, unless something is 
 quickly done, those papers will become the 
 property of the czar in just about two 
 weeks." 
 
 Norroy drummed thoughtfully on the 
 table near by with his slender fingers. His 
 eyes bespoke concentration of thought* 
 Finally he said: 
 
 "To epitomize the situation, Mr. Secre 
 tary: Miss Nugent carries these plans on 
 her person. She is going yachting with Van 
 Eeypen. Legally, we cannot prevent her 
 from leaving the United States " 
 
 "Ah er openly would be a better 
 word," corrected the secretary. 
 
 " Openly, we cannot prevent her from 
 leaving the United States and taking the 
 papers in question to Europe. That is the 
 problem, isn't it?" 
 
 The secretary nodded affirmatively. "And 
 the solution?" 
 
 "I don't know. It is rather a difficult 
 knot to untie, and openly we can't cut it. 
 
 164 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 It seems to be imperative that I go with the 
 Van Keypens on their yachting trip." 
 
 "That is the first step, but afterward?" 
 
 Norroy arose and drew on the other glove. 
 He twirled his swagger stick and studied a 
 life-sized portrait of the President which 
 hung in the corner. 
 
 "Afterward well, I'll have to think the 
 thing over a bit. While I am cogitating, I 
 will procure the invitation to the trip. My 
 sister is a friend of Polly Van Reypen, and 
 I know Phil. So I don't think that will be 
 difficult. You say they sail in three days? 
 I will consult with you again before that. I 
 go to New York on the two o'clock limited 
 and will see Van Reypen. Good-morning, 
 Mr. Secretary." 
 
 The two days following the conversation 
 brought no news from Norroy, but the sec 
 ond night found that gentleman sitting in 
 the private library of the secretary's Con 
 necticut Avenue residence. Within a few 
 moments after the footman had announced 
 the secret agent's presence, the head of the 
 
 165 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 state department entered and greeted him 
 expectantly. 
 
 "Yes, I have the invitation," was Nor- 
 roy's answer to the other's unspoken ques 
 tion. "I followed Philippse Van Eeypen 
 from club to club in Manhattan, and finally 
 out to Tuxedo. Of course, I didn't ask out 
 right for the bid, but I impressed on him 
 that I was at a loss as to how to get to St. 
 Anthony " 
 
 "To St. Anthony?" repeated the secre 
 tary, mystified. "Why St. Anthony? What 
 St. Anthony?" 
 
 Norroy smiled deprecatingly. "Pardon 
 my omission, Mr. Secretary. I am telling 
 the story like a newspaper results first. St. 
 Anthony is a little island of the Bahamas, 
 and was used once by a number of New York 
 men for a hunting rendezvous. But the 
 club broke up and the cabins were aban 
 doned. The island is now unpopulated. It is 
 still the property of the club, and no one is 
 allowed to settle there, even if they should 
 wish to but I doubt their wishes." 
 
 166 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "I don't follow you," interrupted the sec 
 retary, sharply. "The New York hunting 
 club is certainly irrelevant to the case upon 
 which I imagined you were working." 
 
 "Just a moment, please. St. Anthony is 
 directly in the route which the yacht must 
 take to get to Key West. As I said before, 
 there is no one on the island. Now, Carson 
 Huntley is a member of the club which owns 
 the island, and he has a perfect right to use 
 it as he wishes " 
 
 "Do you mean the Carson Huntley who 
 was taken into the service on your recom 
 mendation?" 
 
 Norroy nodded. "Now, it would be quite 
 probable that Huntley might take a fancy; 
 to run over to St. Anthony and spend the 
 summer. Since his money disappeared, he 
 cannot afford Newport and Narragansett. 
 As I am Huntley 's friend, what more na 
 tural than that he should invite me to spend 
 the time with him? And, having accepted 
 the invitation, I naturally wish tb get to St. 
 Anthony. No vessels stop there. .Why can- 
 
 167 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 not Philippse Van Reypen go a few hours 
 out of Ms course and land me on St. An 
 thony?" 
 
 The secretary eyed him searchingly and 
 nodded approval. 
 
 "Well, that is what I told Van Eeypen, 
 and he was very glad to have me so he said. 
 He will drop me at St. Anthony if I so wish, 
 but he assures me that I am welcome to make 
 the whole trip with him, if I will. I, on the 
 other hand, gave him an urgent invitation 
 in Huntley 's name to inspect the island 
 and enjoy the hospitality of the lodge for a 
 few hours. He has accepted." 
 
 " Therefore, it will be necessary to send 
 Huntley there without delay," interjected 
 the secretary. 
 
 " Quite so. It will take the yacht three 
 days to make St. Anthony. Huntley and 
 three minor agents can make a quick pas 
 sage to Savannah on the railroad, leaving 
 to-night, I should suggest. You will give him 
 an order on the revenue service at Savannah 
 to use the cutter to take him to St. Anthony 
 
 168 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 immediately. He will purchase whatever he 
 needs in the way of provisions, etc., and, on 
 reaching St. Anthony, fix the old lodge up 
 so as to look as though it were fit to live in. 
 He will have a day and a half start of the 
 Sylph." 
 
 Norroy lowered his voice, and the further 
 conversation that passed between him and 
 the secretary would have been inaudible 
 even to a person in close proximity. Several 
 times the secretary's face showed signs of 
 intense amusement, and he gave vent to 
 several short laughs. Norroy extracted a 
 cigarette and lighted it deftly. The impor 
 tant part of the affair had plainly been out 
 lined, for he allowed his voice to take its 
 usual conversational height. 
 
 "Huntley is a clever fellow, and can act 
 the part. I should advise the selection of 
 Turner, Hillman, Jardine and Miss Hard- 
 esty for the others. They are all at leisure 
 at the present time, and all in Washington 
 or near by." 
 
 "Not Jardine," amended the secretary. 
 
 169 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "He is in New Orleans. I think Matheson 
 will do as well, however." 
 
 "Yes, Matheson is a good man," was Nor- 
 roy's agreement. "And when Huntley has 
 trained them a little, I imagine the four will 
 play their parts successfully. I am going 
 to see Huntley now. I wired him from New 
 York to be at my apartment here at eight 
 o 'clock. Shall I then send him to you ? ' ' 
 
 The secretary replied in the affirmative. 
 
 "The idea sounds well," he said, judicial 
 ly, "and should be carried out. I will at 
 tend to this end of it. When do you leave 
 Washington?" 
 
 "On the midnight sleeper. The Sylph 
 sails from Tompkinsville to-morrow at four 
 o'clock in the afternoon, and I have some 
 few things to attend to before she sails." 
 
 He adjusted a slight flare in the bosom of 
 his spotless dress shirt and sprang open his 
 opera hat. Then, lighting another cigarette, 
 he bade the secretary good-night. 
 
 170 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 ON BOARD THE " SYLPH." 
 
 Miss Honora Nugent, Irish and very 
 pretty, was the type of woman which is most 
 calculated to disturb the mental poise of a 
 man and cause him to do strange things. 
 Captain Theodore H. Eiener, U. S. A., was 
 one of the men who had fallen under her 
 many witcheries, with the result that Cap 
 tain Riener was at that time going through 
 the painful ordeal of a court-martial, while 
 Miss Honora Nugent carried a precious 
 packet of papers on her person. 
 
 She had black hair and very blue eyes- 
 eyes that appealed and besought. Her 
 whole charm lay in her complete womanli 
 ness. She was slender and graceful, petite 
 in figure and soft of voice. She was not 
 the kind of woman who plays golf or is 
 athletic in any way, but who is most in her 
 element in a dark corner of a porch or con- 
 
 171 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 servatory, in evening dress, with soft, vel 
 vety arms showing pink and white in the 
 half-light and enticing a man to any action 
 which will win her to that frame of mind 
 where the aforesaid velvety arms will be 
 twined about his manly neck. 
 
 Miss Nugent ruled through utter subjec- 
 tiveness. When in her presence, a man was 
 filled with his own importance and a desire 
 to protect this frail, clinging creature from 
 the rebuffs of the rude world. She seemed 
 out of place on a tennis court or a golf links. 
 She appealed to men in the way that a wom 
 an appeals to the Turkish mind she should 
 be kept in a place where splashing fountains 
 made music, costly rugs adorned the floors, 
 and velvet hangings and soft lights complet 
 ed the picture. 
 
 How much of this impression was natural 
 and how much of it was caused by Miss 
 Honora Nugent 's clever acting is not quite 
 determinable. She did not alter her pose 
 when in the presence of those who employed 
 her, and refused to discuss any subject which 
 
 172 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 might not, with all propriety, be introduced 
 between man and woman. The heads of 
 Russia's secret service made no pretense at 
 understanding her, and were always as 
 courteous and deferential in her presence as 
 they would have been in that of a grand 
 duchess. For Honora Nugent was very val 
 uable to them when Anglo-Saxon secrets 
 were to be ferreted out, and, save for one or 
 two minor affairs, she had always carried 
 out her missions successfully. Her birth 
 gave her the entree into the fashionable 
 worlds of England and America, and the 
 rest was accomplished through her seductive 
 charm. 
 
 But, withal, Miss Nugent was. as may be 
 imagined, worldly-wise in the strongest sense 
 of the word, and she almost feared at one 
 time that this last affair of hers was a little 
 more than she could carry through. After 
 the papers had come into her possession, the 
 transferring of them to those to whom they 
 would be invaluable was a far more difficult 
 task than she imagined. 
 
 173 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 She was perfectly well aware of the fact 
 that the United States Government knew the 
 plans were in her possession, and she knew, 
 further, that they had no means of proving 
 it. She made no complaints when her lug 
 gage was searched, for she had expected this 
 move, and the plans had never left her per 
 son. She understood the reason for the 
 steamship companies' inability to sell her a 
 jticket to any European port. 
 
 In this juncture had come Tommy Sitcell, 
 who had spent a small fortune on her in the 
 shape of flowers, opera boxes and candy. 
 Tommy Sitcell was one of the guests of Van 
 Eeypen in the coming voyage of the Sylph. 
 Miss Nugent had discovered this, and she 
 went out of her way to attend an afternoon 
 tea at which she was sure Tommy Sitcell 
 would be. It was not hard to turn the con 
 versation in such a way that Tommy would 
 proffer his services in the way of procuring 
 a bid for Miss Nugent. The Van Eeypens 
 knew her, and Phil Van Reypen, as all men, 
 more than liked the little Irish lady. He 
 
 174 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 asked Mrs. Van Reypen to call on her at her 
 apartments near Central Park, and Mrs. 
 Van Reypen, being an obedient wife, did so. 
 At first Miss Nugent would not think of it 
 it was too late all their plans were ar 
 ranged and but what a trip it would be! 
 (A sigh.) Mrs. Van Reypen insisted be 
 cause she knew her husband would accuse 
 her of a cold invitation if Miss Nugent re 
 fused acceptance. In view of the insistence, 
 Miss Nugent accepted. 
 
 "It was really very fortunate," argued 
 Philippse Van Reypen, the day before sail 
 ing, "that I met Yorke Norroy. That Nu 
 gent girl will make an odd pair and leave 
 Dolly Banks to herself for I intended her 
 for Tommy. Now Yorke can take her if 
 he will. But I rather think he'll be able to 
 make his pick." 
 
 By four o'clock of the day after Norroy 's 
 second conversation wJLth .the head of the 
 state department, the seven guests and their 
 host and hostess had embarked on the Sylph 
 and were lounging about the deck or sitting 
 
 175 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 in steamer cKairs, gazing at the sky-scrapers 
 of their beloved city, which they were leav 
 ing for several months. Philippse Van Rey- 
 pen had not informed them regarding the 
 belated invitation, and his wife, noting the 
 time of day, requested to be informed as to 
 why the yacht was being held. 
 
 "For our last guest, dear," returned Van 
 Eeypen. "And, if I am not greatly in the 
 wrong, here he comes now." 
 
 He pointed to a small steam launch which 
 was bearing down on the yacht. "He is a 
 friend of yours, Polly," said Van Reypen 
 "Yorke Norroy." 
 
 "Yorke Norroy impossible! Really, is 
 it, Phil? Lend me your glasses." She took 
 the binoculars from her husband and gazed 
 at the oncoming boat. "It is Yorke Nor 
 roy," she said, with a gratified smile. Archie 
 Vanderness scowled. 
 
 "I wonder what makes that man popu 
 lar?" he desired to be informed from Miss 
 Page Oarewe. 
 
 "Because he is a man," answered Miss 
 
 176 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Carewe. "You feel that you can rely on 
 Yorke, somehow. Other men ' : 
 
 She eyed Mr. Vanderness, who had once 
 stood on a pier while a woman nearly 
 drowned before his eyes. His excuse was 
 that he couldn't swim. 
 
 "I'm glad you feel that way about him," 
 he commented. "But it's my private opin 
 ion Well, never mind. But what hap 
 pens to him when he is away from civiliza 
 tion? That's what I should like to know." 
 
 "Then you'd better ask him," suggested 
 Mrs. Van Eeypen, who had overheard. 
 "See, the launch is touching." 
 
 "Who is he, Mr. Sitcell?" asked Honora 
 Nugent. "The Washington man cotillion 
 leader? Nbrroy - yes, that's the name." 
 
 "Yes, that's the chap," returned Sitcell. 
 "He's rather a queer sort. Seems a sort of 
 an ass sometimes, but has some clever ideas 
 about acting and all that sort of thing. He's 
 a Baltimorean, really. There he is." 
 
 A slim, erect figure in white flannel trous 
 ers, serge coat and white-peaked yachting 
 
 177 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 cap came in view at the head of the accom 
 modation ladder, and, on seeing the group on 
 the boat deck, Norroy walked up and re 
 moved his cap, showing his well-groomed, 
 light hair. He had that type of face that de 
 notes the man who rules high cheek bones, 
 prominent chin and obstinate jaw. His eyes 
 were large and of no definite color, but there 
 was a hardness, a steeliness, about them that 
 was not altogether pleasant. He smiled and 
 greeted the folks he knew. 
 
 "I asked Ethel, you know," Mrs. Van 
 Eeypen informed him, referring to Norroy 's 
 sister, "but she had something on. She 
 didn't say a word about your coming. If I 
 had known " 
 
 "I didn't know, myself, Polly," said Nor 
 roy. "It w r asn't until Carson Huntley pro 
 posed this St. Anthony affair that " 
 
 "Carson Huntley?" repeated Mrs. Van 
 Eeypen, and several of that gentleman's ac 
 quaintances in the group echoed the name. 
 "Where is he?" 
 
 "Oh, haven't you told them, Phil?' 5 
 
 178 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Van Keypen shook his head. "Clean for 
 got it, Yorke," he replied. 
 
 "Why, Carson's gone to St. Anthony for 
 the summer. You remember the little is 
 land where we used to have our gun club, un 
 til the club got broken up? There's no one 
 there now, and Carson seems to be looking 
 for solitude, so he's gone there to spend the 
 summer. He invited me to join him, but 
 neglected to send a boat, so Phil has consent 
 ed to drop me off. I invited you all to stop 
 off with me, and Phil accepted. Now, in 
 dividually " 
 
 "What is there to see at St. Anthony?" 
 put in Vanderness, who had been a member 
 of the club. * < I think ' ' 
 
 "Never mind what you think, Archie," 
 interrupted Page Carewe in an aside. Mr. 
 Vanderness stared at her sullenly. 
 
 "Why, yes; we'll be glad to see Carson 
 again, won't we, Phil?" said Mrs. Van Bey- 
 pen, " He 's dropped out of sight for the last 
 year or so. And I understand that St. An 
 thony is an ideal little place." 
 
 179 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "It is rather except for the solitude." 
 
 Polly Van Keypen suddenly remembered 
 that Norroy did not know Honora Nugent, 
 and without more ado she presented him. 
 The entire party remained on deck until the 
 Statue of Liberty faded from view, and then 
 went below to prepare for dinner. 
 
 "Who is this Miss Nugent?" inquired 
 Norroy of his hostess, as they descended to 
 the saloon deck. 
 
 "Related to the Wicklows, I think Tommy 
 said, and she is, too ; there's no doubt of that. 
 She's rather a pretty girl, isn't she ? But so 
 doll-like. I should think she would grow 
 tiresome after a while." She spoke in con 
 fidence to Norroy, as he had the reputation 
 of a man who never repeated. 
 
 "You think sol" he inquired. 
 
 "Yes. She's unoriginal and she says so 
 little, and what she does say is so common 
 place. Like a British girl hide-bound 
 with convention. An awful wearying thing 
 to dress for dinner on shipboard, isn't it?" 
 she entered her stateroom, Yorke Nor- 
 
 180 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 roy smiled rather broadly. 
 
 "Doll-like, is she? Unoriginal? Tire 
 some?" Then he did something very rare 
 for him. He laughed heartily. 
 
 " And that's the whole secret,'' he meditat 
 ed. " She's intensely feminine. She makes 
 asses out of the men, and keeps the regard 
 of the women by appearing to be a f oeman 
 unworthy of their steel." He shook his 
 head sagely. " She is undoubtedly a wonder ! 
 Undoubtedly!" 
 
 181 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE "MALO HOMBKES" OF ST. ANTHONY. 
 
 While the yachting party sat at break 
 fast on the third day out, Holmes, the third 
 officer of the Sylph, entered the dining sa 
 loon to inform Mr. Van Eeypen that St. 
 Anthony had been sighted. 
 
 "The skipper doesn't know the island, 
 sir," he said, "and he's going entirely by 
 chart. There are no anchorages on the chart, 
 for St. Anthony isn't a stopping place for 
 vessels of any draught." 
 
 Norroy swallowed his coffee and ate his 
 last portion of roll and marmalade. "Van- 
 derness knows the island, and so do I. The 
 best anchorage is on the southeast side, on a 
 line with the little peak, isn't it, Archie?" 
 
 "Yes," replied Vanderness; "it's a very 
 inconvenient place to anchor, though. The 
 lodge is two miles inland." 
 
 "I don't think any of us will mind a couple 
 
 182 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 of miles after two days and a half on ship 
 board, ' ' put in Polly Van Reypen. Her hus 
 band told Holmes to change the ship's bear 
 ings in order to make the anchorage sug 
 gested, and, when Holmes had gone, turned 
 to JTorroy. "I wonder if Carson 11 be down 
 to meet us." 
 
 " He will if he sights the yacht," answered 
 Norroy . ' ' But that I very much doubt, as he 
 is a late riser, and, besides, the lodge is so 
 situated that the southeast side isn't visible 
 from it." 
 
 "But you know the way, don't you?" 
 asked Page Carewe of Archie Vanderness. 
 
 ' ' Rather ! " he replied. ' ' And so does Nor- 
 roy. Oh, there's no fear of being lost. But 
 it's a climb!" 
 
 Yorke Norroy went on deck and to the 
 bridge, to assist the navigating officer in lo 
 cating the anchorage. St. Anthony now 
 loomed before them, green and gold in the 
 morning sunlight, a veritable emerald of the 
 sea, set down amid a vast expanse of tur 
 quoise blue water and gleaming, white sand. 
 
 183 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 As the vessel slowed down and began to run 
 counter to the current, the water became 
 transparent, and the shells and stones at the 
 bottom could be as plainly discerned as 
 though there were no water covering them. 
 It was growing a trifle warm, and those who 
 had not previously done so went to their 
 staterooms and emerged in white ducks and 
 drills, Ihe men bringing out their Panama 
 hats and pith helmets and the women similar 
 headgear with masses of white drapery at 
 tached. 
 
 Norroy left the bridge for the boat deck 
 and sat down next to Miss Nugent, who 
 looked a veritable angel of a Raphael paint 
 ing in her immaculate and shining white, one 
 tiny foot, canvas-shod and with ankle white- 
 hosed, peeping out from quantities of white 
 skirts and lingerie. Her blue eyes had a 
 sweet glance in them for him, and her little, 
 even teeth showed in a smile when he said 
 something intended to amuse her. Norroy 
 had grown rather fond of the little Irish girl 
 since his coming aboard the vessel, and, 
 
 184 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 much to the disgust of Tommy Sitcell, had 
 taken up more than "his share of her time. 
 But Norroy ? s regard was perfectly free from 
 any attraction in which affection figured. 
 He admired the girl as he admired all peo 
 ple, on his side or opposed to him, who had 
 keen wits and the ability to put them to use, 
 and he eliminated the sex question altogeth 
 er. She was simply one secret agent and 
 he another. They represented different 
 countries, and it was his duty to do all in his 
 power for his own. Not only was she clever, 
 however, but she was attractive. He had 
 gotten in that frame of mind where he hard 
 ly blamed Captain Riener. 
 
 On the other hand, Miss Nugent had 
 shown without reservation that Norroy im 
 pressed her very favorably. It might have 
 been possible, had Norroy chosen to try it, 
 for the secret agent to compass his own ends 
 through professing an affection for her, but 
 he tried to consider the guest of Van Rey- 
 pen and Miss Nugent, agent of Russia, apart. 
 Through deft questioning, he had learned 
 
 185 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 several things from her which were most 
 useful, but he carried his personal acquaint 
 ance no further. 
 
 Norroy appealed to women mainly be 
 cause he impressed them as being stronger 
 than they. Though courteous and deferen 
 tial to the other sex, he never allowed them 
 to imagine for a moment that he was aught 
 save the master of the situation. Although 
 some women railed against this part of his 
 make-up, it was not from real irritation, but 
 simply to impress their weaker-minded sis 
 ters, and in Norroy's presence they accepted 
 the inevitable without a thought. 
 
 And now they were at St. Anthony, and 
 the last move in the game was to be played. 
 Norroy could not view the situation with 
 out a slight degree of trepidation, but no 
 trace of this showed in his manner, which 
 was as care-free as ever. 
 
 The yacht anchored, the ship's boat was 
 lowered, and into it went the eight guests 
 and the master and mistress of the Sylph. 
 Under the lusty strokes of the jackies, it 
 
 186 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 shot through the water rapidly, and was 
 soon beached on the clean, white sand. When 
 Van Keypen had given orders for the men to 
 return as soon as the party reappeared on 
 the beach, the ten people set off under Nor- 
 roy 's leadership and climbed the great, white 
 sand dune before them which led to the path 
 through the forest above. 
 
 The parrots and cockatoos shrilled above 
 them, and an occasional monkey chattered 
 volubly to his mate. The trail lay through 
 a jungle of magnolias, orchids and creepers, 
 with sycamores and banana trees waving 
 above and now and then a cocoanut palm. 
 The trees interwove their branches together, 
 and through this the sunlight trickled in 
 termittently. 
 
 It was a merry party, the whole ten of 
 them seeming to have given up to childhood 
 frolics, and the women dashed in and out of 
 the thick groves followed by the men, who 
 pelted them with stray orchids, which they 
 twined about their hats. Occasionally a co 
 coanut palm would be shaken violently, and 
 
 187 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 those inexperienced in the eating of the 
 fresh cocoanut spoiled gowns and trousers 
 with the creamy pulp. 
 
 Suddenly Page Carewe, who was ahead 
 of the rest, gave a shrill, smothered cry and 
 followed it with a shriek. At the instant it 
 was heard, the whole party rushed ahead, 
 and on a turn of the trail found Page fac 
 ing a greasy-looking, black-and-tan man in 
 tattered jacket and trousers, who was hold 
 ing a revolver at her head. 
 
 "The scoundrel 1" shouted Archie Van- 
 derness, and in a moment he had rushed up. 
 The half-breed showed his yellow teeth 
 viciously and cried out something in Span 
 ish. The cry was answered by the appear 
 ance of two more Spanish Oaribs, who car 
 ried carbines and leveled them at the oncom 
 ing party. Somewhat belated, a girl in 
 short, ragged petticoat followed the men. 
 She also carried a revolver. 
 
 "No vamos ustedas" shouted the first 
 man in "pidgin" Spanish. "You quierre 
 no die, you make behave ~bueno. You sabet" 
 
 188 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 In spite of the presence of the women, 
 each man of the party uttered an individual 
 4 * damn," and Yorke Norroy made a grasp 
 for the nearest weapon. Immediately a shot 
 whistled past his ear, and the man whom he 
 had attempted to seize placed a pistol in close 
 proximity to his forehead. 
 
 "Mucho malo hombre," he said, indicat 
 ing himself. "You best make ~bueno talk 
 now." 
 
 1 "No use, Yorke," said Phil Van Reypen, 
 irritably. "See what the scoundrels want. 
 I thought you said the island was uninhabit 
 ed?" 
 
 "So I thought it was," returned Norroy, 
 with some spirit. "These people are, very 
 likely, water-folk." 
 
 "Well, who understands Spanish?" asked 
 Van Eeypen. "Can anyone speak it well 
 enough to find out just what we'll have to do 
 to get out of this disagreeable predica 
 ment?" 
 
 There was a dead silence among the party 
 until Norroy spoke. ' ' I understand Spanish 
 
 189 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 fairly well," lie said. He turned to the man 
 who had threatened him, and inquired, in 
 tones of indignation, as to what the outrage 
 meant. 
 
 "We want money," the half-caste replied 
 in Spanish. "If you no have got money, we 
 will take your clothes away take every 
 thing. First we tie up your hands." 
 
 Norroy translated. 
 
 "I'll be-hanged-if they will," shouted 
 Vanderness. A revolver placed very near 
 to his nose caused him to change his opinion 
 on the subject, and he was the first man to be 
 secured. The half-caste used the thick grass 
 rope of that section, twisted into many 
 strands, and the yachting party soon resem 
 bled a party of condemned prisoners headed 
 for the dock. 
 
 The women were thoroughbreds. They 
 did not scream nor show any great amount 
 of emotion, but their pale faces and firmly 
 compressed lips showed that, though they 
 did not care to betray it openly, they were 
 filled with alarm of the gravest sort. The 
 
 190 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 men reassured them. Phil Van Keypen, 
 who had gotten over his anger, was amused 
 more than anything else, as he knew that 
 none of the party possessed anything of any 
 great value which they were carrying that 
 morning. 
 
 Norroy mentally approved little Miss Nu 
 gent. It was not hard to see that the girl 
 was fighting against hope. If these scoun 
 drels took away her papers, it would mean a 
 great loss to her and what assurance had 
 she that they would not ? Nevertheless, she 
 tried to smile bravely, but the result was 
 nothing save a sickly distortion of the lips. 
 
 They emerged from the jungle to a little 
 clearing. "The out-lodge," Vanderness in 
 formed Miss Carewe, as a little, thatched 
 bungalow came into view. It had been used 
 by the club for skinning and smoking their 
 game. The shortest of the three men, who 
 seemed to be the leader, opened the door 
 and stood by with his companions while the 
 yachting party passed into the smoke-be 
 grimed room with the rude settles about. 
 
 191 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Without asking any questions the women sat 
 down and the men eyed their captors defiant- 
 
 iy. 
 
 The plan of the half-castes was very 
 simple, and Norroy's translation of it told 
 the party only what they knew before. The 
 men were searched first, and watches, fobs, 
 sovereign cases -containing five-dollar gold 
 pieces scarf-pins, cuff links and other arti 
 cles of value were made into a little heap in 
 the lap of the half-caste girl, who sat cross- 
 legged in the middle of the room. When each 
 of the five men had contributed his share, 
 he was taken out of the large room into a' 
 smaller one adjoining, and the girl went 
 about searching the women, her masculine 
 companions accompanying the men of the 
 party. 
 
 "Why, the brutes actually have some del 
 icacy!" exclaimed Page Carewe, in a sur 
 prised tone, when the women were left alone 
 with the girl. ' * Fancy that ! ' ' The girl was 
 searching her as she spoke, and had soon 
 stripped her of everything of any possible 
 
 192 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 value, including a pair of monogrammed 
 gold-clasped unmentionables. At the last 
 Page began to laugh. 
 
 "Now, really, my dear," she said, address 
 ing the girl, ' ' that 's unfair ! I have on short 
 
 skirts and " She watched the wrinkles 
 
 in her hose. "Isn't that vexatious? They 
 won't stay up without them." 
 
 The girl preserved a stony face. "She 
 doesn't understand," sighed Polly Van Bey- 
 pen, when she was likewise despoiled. "It's 
 no use. Can't you make her understand 
 that she can take the claspsbut please 
 leave us the elastic?" 
 
 Under the influence of the two speakers, 
 the feeling of unrest left the other two, and 
 they began to laugh. It was really a comic 
 situation ! Miss Nugent endeavored to join 
 them, but her lips could only form a wan 
 smile. 
 
 She was the last to be searched, and the 
 girl had taken everything from her before 
 she discovered the packet of papers. She 
 handled them with a critical eye when she 
 
 193 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 had uncovered them, and gazed speculative- 
 ly on the seals and tape. Miss Nugent gestic 
 ulated wildly, and spoke to the girl in three 
 languages, which the half-caste did not ap 
 pear to understand. Then Miss Nugent 
 tried Italian, with which she had often made 
 Spaniards comprehend. 
 
 "They are of no value. Give them to me. 
 They are my private papers. You must not 
 take them." 
 
 The girl looked at her distrustfully, and 
 seemed to only partly comprehend. "Why, 
 then, is the senorita so anxious that I shall 
 not have them*?" she inquired. 
 
 "They are valuable to me," returned Miss 
 Nugent, piteously. "Do not take them. If 
 you will come to the yacht, I will give you 
 more money one thousand pesos " 
 
 With a look of contempt and an exclama 
 tion of "Mentfaosa!" the -girl tossed the 
 papers on the heap. "I will show them to 
 my brothers," she informed Miss Nugent in 
 Spanish. 
 
 After allowing the women time to arrange 
 
 194 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 their disordered attire for which she un 
 tied their hands one by one, keeping them 
 covered with her revolver and tying each one 
 up again the girl called "Venga usted> 
 Emilo," and the shortest man entered. She 
 pointed to the pile and spoke to him rapidly 
 in Spanish, he nodding comprehendingly 
 and giving frequent exclamations of "Bu- 
 eno!" "Muy bueno!" He picked up tUe dif 
 ferent articles and threw them into a piece 
 of burlap which lay on the floor, afterward 
 tying the bundle into a knot. 
 
 Meanwhile the men had been kept in the 
 outer room, and they were full of anxiety 
 concerning the ladies of the party. Norroy 
 continually questioned the short Spaniard 
 regarding them, and he returned fretfully 
 that no harm was meant them. Finally he 
 quitted the room to go to the girl, and the 
 other two followed him five moments later, 
 when he called to them. The men were left 
 alone. 
 
 "This is absolutely ridiculous," said 
 Philippse Van Eeypen, with a ghost of a 
 
 195 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 smile. " Imagine! The sober twentieth cen 
 tury " 
 
 "They say this used to be a pirate island," 
 put in Tommy Sitcell. ' i Maybe these are the 
 descendants of the pirates." 
 
 "I would like a cigarette," stated Yorke 
 Norroy. 
 
 Ned Sturtevant agreed with him. 
 
 Vanderness looked sullen. "I don't en 
 vy Carson Huntley his neighbors," he 
 growled. "And, besides, anyone would 
 think he would have taken some precautions, 
 knowing that we were coming, and that 
 these scoundrels were roaming about 
 
 " Perhaps he didn't know it," suggested 
 Yorke Norroy. 
 
 "Then he should have," returned Vander 
 ness. "There's no excuse for this sort of 
 thing." 
 
 Silence fell upon the party, and they 
 worked desperately at the ropes which 
 bound their hands, but nothing resulted 
 therefrom save chafing of the wrists, and 
 they soon desisted. Norroy had been the on- 
 
 196 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 ly man who had not made the attempt, and 
 now his eyes glittered. 
 
 "I want a cigarette," he said; "and fur 
 thermore, I am going to get one." 
 
 "How?" sneered Vanderness. 
 
 "With your assistance," returned Nor- 
 roy, politely. "Kindly insert the toe of your 
 shoe in that knot behind my back." 
 
 Vanderness surveyed him contemptuous 
 ly. "Yorke Norroy, you talk like an idiot. 
 How am I to get my boot-toe into that 
 knot?" 
 
 "Pardon me," said Norroy. "I forgot 
 the size of your foot, Archie. I think I shall 
 rejoin our fair companions. Their feet are 
 more adapted to the idea." 
 
 He found the women sitting patiently on 
 the settle, in a row, and disconsolate. Miss 
 Nugent ? s face was buried in her hands. 
 
 They greeted Norroy almost rapturously, 
 and in a few words he explained the idea to 
 them. "Suppose you try it, Polly," he sug 
 gested. The idea was a perfectly plausible 
 one, and, after working the toe of her boot 
 
 197 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 about for some five minutes or so, Norroy 
 could feel the strands parting. He gave a 
 heave of his wrists and put all the strength 
 of his forearm into it, while she thrust her 
 whole shoe into the opening. 
 
 "You can get your right hand out now, 
 I think," she said. Norroy adopted the sug 
 gestion, and after some little time succeeded 
 in freeing that member, after which the 
 knotted rope fell to the floor. He arose from 
 his knees and rubbed his wrists. 
 
 "Now for my benefactress," he said, smil 
 ing. 
 
 "Thank Heaven!" ejaculated Polly Van 
 Keypen, piously. Norroy freed her by a few 
 deft workings of his long thin fingers, and 
 she stood up and took several deep breaths. 
 
 "When you've untied the girls, go out and 
 rescue youj husband," smiled Norroy. "I 
 am going hunting for those half-breed 
 scoundrels." 
 
 Miss Nugent started up. "Oh, Mr. Nor 
 roy," she said, her voice quavering, "they 
 have some papers of mine! Get them for 
 
 198 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 me please get them for me." 
 
 "I will get them, if possible," he returned, 
 with a peculiar smile, which had significance 
 for him only. He turned to the door. But 
 he did not have to hunt for the half-breeds, 
 for at that instant one of them entered the 
 door. Norroy hurled himself upon him for 
 cibly, and the man fell under the impetus 
 of the shock. In an instant Norroy had 
 wrenched his revolver from him. 
 
 "Ah, senor," he remarked, pleasantly. 
 "Get up and let us see your villainous face. 
 Where are your other friends?" 
 
 At the sound of the noise the other cap 
 tives entered from the adjoining room. 
 "Good for you, Yorke," said Van Reypen, 
 with gusto. "Ask him what became of my 
 diamond fob." He advanced and nodded 
 ominously at the now vanquished captor. 
 "Where is it, you scoundrel? Untie my 
 hands, Polly." " 
 
 While Mrs. Van Reypen was carrying out 
 the commands of her lord and master, Miss 
 Nugent, now free, rushed forward. "And 
 
 199 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 where are my papers'? Make him give me 
 my papers! Make him tell you, Mr. Nor 
 roy 1" 
 
 "All in a moment, Miss Nugent," soothed 
 Norroy. He turned to the cowering half- 
 breed. "Where are the things which you 
 have stolen from us?" 
 
 "Aqui, senor," muttered the trembling 
 man. "Aqui." He pointed to the bag which 
 he had been carrying, and which had been 
 jolted out of his hand when Norroy sprang 
 upon him. 
 
 "Pick up that bag, Tommy," ordered Nor 
 roy. Sitcell obeyed instructions and untied 
 the coarse sack of burlap. 
 
 "Where are your companions?" inquired 
 Norroy, for the second time. Whimpering 
 ly, the man informed him that they had gone 
 to the waterfront to make ready the sailing 
 boat to return to Ularda ; that they were fish 
 ing folk and had never stolen before. Nor 
 roy translated. 
 
 "The liar!" commented Van Reypen. 
 
 "My papers where are my papers?" 
 
 200 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 wailed Miss Nugent. 
 
 "I suppose they are in the bag," answered 
 Norroy. "Wait until Sitcell opens it, Miss 
 Nugent." 
 
 "Gather round, folks," said Tommy Sit 
 cell, as the neck of the bag was worked open. 
 "I am going to pour all the contents on this 
 settle." As he spoke he did, and there was 
 an instant rush on the part of the women, 
 and the men were pushed away. In the 
 hurry, several things fell to the floor. All 
 the women drew away except Page Carewe, 
 who still groped on. 
 
 "Did anyone lose anything?" inquired 
 Archie Vanderness, blandly, as he picked up 
 a piece of pink gauze elastic with a gold 
 clasp. Page Carewe snatched it and favored 
 the finder with an indignant glance. 
 
 "But my papers are not there, Mr. Nor- 
 roy!" cried Honora Nugent, in a voice of 
 despair. "Please ask him where they are." 
 
 "Where are the papers which you took 
 from this lady?" asked Norroy, sternly, 
 pointing to Miss Nugent. 
 
 201 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "I took no papers, senor," returned the 
 half-breed, with a frightened glance. 
 
 "He says he took no papers, Miss Nu- 
 . gent," translated Norroy, for the girPs bene 
 fit. 
 
 "He did not, but she did the girl who 
 searched us. She took them she took 
 them " 
 
 Norroy turned to the half-caste again and 
 discoursed with him volubly, the other reply 
 ing with a cringing look and a glance which 
 seemed to show that, had he the power, evil 
 would result to his questioner. 
 
 It was with some hesitation that Nor 
 roy regarded the expectant countenance of 
 Miss Honora Nugent. "Were the papers 
 very valuable to you, Miss Nugent?" he in 
 quired. 
 
 "Valuable? Valuable ?" she cried, almost 
 on the verge of hysteria. "Yes oh, yes! 
 Where are they?" 
 
 "Brace yourself, Miss Nugent," said Nor 
 roy, softly. "I am sorry this scoundrel 
 shall pay for it but " 
 
 202 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 " Tell me- tell me " 
 
 "He says that they found no money in the 
 papers, and they were afraid they would do 
 them injury, so they " 
 
 She sprang forward, Her arm extended. 
 ''Don't tell me so slowly what did they do?" 
 
 " There was a fire they dropped them in. 
 Quick catch her!" 
 
 He himself ran forward to the task, and 
 his revolver dropped to the floor. The girl 
 had given vent to a wild cry, had thrown out 
 her hands, and would have fallen prone had 
 not Norroy caught her in his arms. Her head 
 fell over his arm, a dead weight, her hair be 
 came unloosened and shrouded her pallid 
 face. 
 
 At the same moment the half-breed, who 
 realized that all eyes were now upon the 
 fainting woman, gave a quick glance around, 
 saw that he was not perceived and darted for 
 the door. As he vanished, Archie Vander- 
 ness observed him, and, anxious to distin 
 guish himself in the eyes of Page Carewe, 
 picked up the revolver and followed in his 
 wake. 
 
 203 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HOW THE PLANS CAME BACK. 
 
 But Archie Vanderness returned a very 
 short space afterward with no prisoner. In 
 stead of that, he was accompanied by a well- 
 groomed young man in golf tweeds and fish 
 erman's boots, who welcomed the party, one 
 and all, with great fervor, and expressed his 
 utmost regrets that such a thing should have 
 happened when they came to visit him. This 
 was Carson Huntley. He gave them an ur 
 gent invitation to come to the lodge, but Phil 
 iVan Reypen refused for the party refused 
 politely and courteously, but nevertheless re 
 fused. 
 
 6 ' No, Carson, ' f he answered, firmly, ' ' we ' ve 
 had enough of your blooming island. Not 
 that it was your fault, but well, the women 
 are half scared to death, and they need rest 
 and quiet; and their nerves won't be at ease 
 until they leave this little body of land sur 
 rounded by water." 
 
 204 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 He addressed Ned Sturtevant: "Come, 
 we'll have to carry Miss Nugent back to the 
 boat. Poor girl! I wonder what was in 
 those papers." 
 
 It was not a subject upon which to dis 
 course, and was soon dropped. Ned Sturte 
 vant, Yorke Norroy and Phil himself took 
 turns at carrying the senseless body of the 
 Nugent girl, and the beach was finally 
 reached. Immediately a boat put out from 
 the yacht. 
 
 "I'd advise you to keep a sharp lookout 
 for your head, Carson," warned Vanderness, 
 as they stood on the beach. "Have you ever 
 seen these scoundrels before?" 
 
 "Yes three men and a girl. They came 
 to the island yesterday, and I warned them 
 off with a gun. They embarked, and I 
 thought they had gone. There would have 
 been no danger if you had carried weapons." 
 
 "Never you mind about us," said Vander 
 ness, sourly. "We're out of the blessed 
 scrape !" He stepped into the waiting boat, 
 and turned to shake hands perfunctorily 
 
 205 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 with Huntley and with Norroy. 
 
 "I'm giving you the slip here, folks," said 
 Norroy. "And I want to wish you luck for 
 the coining voyage and to thank you im 
 mensely, Phil and Polly, too, for a very 
 pleasant, profitable trip except for the last 
 incident." 
 
 The good-bys were said and the boat 
 pushed off. Yorke Norroy and Carson 
 Huntley waited on the sand until the smoke 
 began to pour out of the yacht's funnels, 
 and the vessel glided away on her southern 
 course. Norroy waved his hat and Huntley 
 Ms gun, and many bits of cambric fluttered 
 from the yacht's taffrail. 
 
 As Norroy turned to go, Huntley regard 
 ed him with a grin. "I should think you 
 did make a profitable voyage, Yorke," he 
 commented. 
 
 "Rather," agreed Mr. Norroy. 
 
 That evening, after dinner, five men in 
 cool, white drill, and a woman in white 
 ducks sat on the veranda of the little bunga 
 low, which had once been the headquarters 
 
 206 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 of the hunt club. The woman was very fair 
 and had light, wheat-straw hair. 
 
 "You did," agreed Norroy, referring to 
 a previous statement. "It was a well-acted 
 little comedy very well acted, indeed. Your 
 stage experience came in well, didn't it, Ade 
 laide?" 
 
 The girl laughed. "It did especially the 
 art of repression. There was one point in 
 
 which it was invaluable. I " She ended 
 
 the sentence in a laugh. "Eeally, it was too 
 funny, and the funniest part of it is that it 
 wouldn't be quite proper to tell it to men." 
 
 "Tell it, anyhow," said Hillam, a rather 
 diminutive man. "I thought you were a 
 Bohemian and scorned conventions." 
 
 "Your acting was the best of it all, 
 though," said the girl, addressing Norroy 
 and ignoring Hillam. "When you made 
 that grab for Mr. Turner's gun, it was as 
 good as a comic opera." 
 
 "It wasn't comic for some one," re 
 marked Matheson. "To judge from what 
 Hillam says he saw when you were reading 
 
 207 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 the riot act to him with his own gun pointed 
 at him and nothing in it." 
 
 "No," agreed Norroy, soberly. "And, by 
 the way, who has those papers? I am 
 charged to deliver them, and I want them 
 
 .now." 
 
 Turner handed them to him silently. Nor- 
 roy placed them in his coat pocket. 
 
 "And now for the funny part of it, Ade 
 laide," he suggested, turning to the girl. 
 
 Choking with laughter, Miss Adelaide 
 Hardesty, former stock-company actress, 
 and now secret agent of the state depart 
 ment, told the tale of the half-breed girl, 
 the "unmentionables," and the hose that 
 would not stay up. 
 
 "And I didn't laugh once because I 
 'didn't understand English. But it was a 
 strain," she averred. 
 
 208 
 
The Eagle's Eyrie 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE INDISCRETION OF THE LIBERATOR. 
 
 "When the envoy extraordinary and minis 
 ter plenipotentiary of the United States to 
 Saxonia received the cryptic message which 
 was handed him by one of the legation ser 
 vants, he was in good spirits, and he thought 
 well of the world ; the fact being that he had 
 just dined, and dined well. He opened the 
 envelope with slight interest, but when he 
 saw that it was in the secret code of the 
 State Department, he thrust it in his pocket 
 and left his guests in the smoking room. 
 
 He ascended to his library and puzzled 
 out the first few words. The lines on his 
 face, relaxed by the comfortable after-din 
 ner feeling, came back, creasing his counte- 
 
 209 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 nance into many folds until it resembled 
 nothing so much as crumbly parchment, f ul- 
 yous with age. 
 
 "Good heavens!" The words came in 
 voluntarily and expressed many things. He 
 touched a button near by with a shaking 
 hand. 
 
 "A brandy and soda, Wilhelm," he said, 
 when a servant appeared. "And you will 
 tell Herr Manley to come up as soon as he 
 can " 
 
 The door closed, and the envoy extraordi 
 nary rested his head on his hands, staring 
 before him with unseeing eyes. A vigorous 
 knock on the door recalled him to the smaller 
 things of life. 
 
 "Well?" he demanded, irritably. 
 
 Manley, the secretary of legation, a very 
 young man with a preternaturally keen ex 
 pression of face, entered. 
 
 "I think you sent for me," he half ques 
 tioned, half asserted. 
 
 "YesI did," confirmed the envoy ex 
 traordinary. "I did, Manley, I did send 
 
 210 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 " He was composing himself now and 
 the fingers that tendered the paper to Man- 
 ley did not tremble. 'That is from Gross- 
 mark. You know who he is. Our spy at 
 the Saxonian foreign office " 
 
 "Yes, I know," interrupted Manley. "I 
 know. It's in crypt, I see. Important?" 
 
 The envoy frowned. "You translate," 
 he said, slowly. "I have translated but 
 I want you " 
 
 The secretary heaved a sigh, remembering 
 the pretty women in the drawing-room. "Oh, 
 very well," he returned, half sulkily. "Very 
 well." 
 
 He took down the secret-code book and a 
 blank sheet of paper. "Shall I translate as 
 I make it out?" he wished to know. 
 
 The envoy nodded ; and the secretary read, 
 laboriously : 
 
 Jorge Emilio de Legaspi, 
 
 "Hello! our South American friend at it 
 again," he interpolated, with alertness, then 
 continued : 
 
 Has been enticed over the Saxonian border by the 
 
 i 
 
 211 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Baroness Aufsberg. He arrived at her castle, the Eagle's 
 Eyrie, this morning, crossing the Austrian border by way 
 of Hohejuch. 
 
 Manley whistled abruptly. 
 
 " Don't do that," commanded the envoy 
 extraordinary. ' i Don 't ! " His tone was al 
 most querulous. ' ' Don 't ! " he reiterated. 
 
 "Oh, very well," responded the secretary. 
 The seriousness of the affair began to dawn 
 on him. "But, excuse me, Mr. Frothing- 
 ham, this looks pretty bad, doesn't it? De 
 Legaspi will surely be elected president of 
 Andevia in three months -surely " 
 
 "Not surely if he is now at Eagle's Ey 
 rie," said Frothingham, grimly. "Very far 
 from surely very far from it " 
 
 "Quite so," meditated Manley. "Quite 
 so. ' ' Ideas came thick and fast then. * i That 
 means," he continued, rapidly prophesying 
 "that means that Saxonia will get 
 her South American foothold after all, 
 doesn't it? If De Legaspi were elected 
 president of Andevia, he would follow the 
 same tactics as old Fortuno in fact, he's 
 Fortune's choice, I believe, isn't he?" As 
 
 212 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 questioned, Frothingham nodded 
 gravely. "And, therefore, it will be 
 bad rather bad for the United States if 
 De Legaspi isn't elected -- " 
 
 "It will mean that Mentiroso, already 
 bought by Saxonia, will deed over a certain 
 tract of land to her in payment of Andevia's 
 debts and that tract will be the very tract 
 to menace the neutrality of the canal. Bath 
 er than allow Saxonia to have it, there will 
 be -- " 
 
 "War," broke in Manley. As the baleful 
 prescience was put into words, the two men 
 eyed one another half apprehensively, 
 "War!" repeated Manley, as though doubt 
 ing. "War!" he said again, this time with 
 no doubt. 
 
 "In other words," Frothingham said, now 
 master of himself, "if De Legaspi is held in 
 Eagle's Eyrie until he can be taken prisoner 
 by the government of Saxonia, trouble be 
 tween Saxonia and the United States, 
 trouble of the gravest kind, will surely oc 
 cur." He paused for a moment, regarding 
 
 213 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Manley. Then, with impatience in his voice : 
 "But you haven't finished the message. 
 There's worse to come much worse to come, 
 
 and " 
 
 Manley turned to the crypt again: 
 
 The baroness has evidently cast some manner of 
 charm over De Legaspi. He is no doubt in love with her. 
 He left Austria secretly, passing over the mountains in 
 the guise of a hunter and posing as Senor Catorro, of 
 Madrid. He has a passport reading in that name. The 
 baroness is a tool of the government, and set on this 
 task deliberately. Unfortunately, I have only now dis 
 covered the fact. On De Legaspi's arrival, she notified 
 Schreyer, who has telegraphed De Legaspi's descrip 
 tion to every border guard in Saxonia. De Legaspi can 
 not return to Austria without being arrested. The govern 
 ment knows this and seems to be in no hurry to arrest 
 him; but a file of soldiers from Schmucken, the nearest 
 town to Eagle's Eyrie, forty miles away, will march in 
 that direction to-morrow, while Otto von Roeder, secret 
 agent, leaves for Eagle's Eyrie to-night, reaching there 
 perhaps in two days, as the railroad does not extend 
 to within twenty miles or more of the castle, and some 
 hard mountain climbing must be done to reach it. More 
 later if more can be obtained. 
 
 The writer had evidently ceased abruptly 
 in his writing, for the recital of Manley came 
 to a sudden stop. After several moments' 
 silence, Manley spoke. 
 
 "I don't see what we can do, Mr. Frothing- 
 ham," he said, with an attempt at calm. 
 
 214 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "We are bound hand and foot. THe only 
 thing w r e should do is to cable the entire af 
 fair directly to the secretary at Washington, 
 
 and ask his advice. He is fertile in his ideas 
 and 
 
 "Yes," responded the envoy, but without 
 hope. "That should be done we must do 
 that " 
 
 "Now, of course?" said the legation secre 
 tary, supererogatively. The envoy nodded, 
 drawing some telegraph blanks toward him. 
 
 Several hours later a message, sent at ur 
 gent rates, found the secretary of state at 
 one of the dinners of the Washington sea 
 son, and talking w r ith apparent enjoyment 
 to a pretty debutante. Soon after receiv 
 ing the message, he excused himself and 
 slipped away unobtrusively. 
 
 Beading the cablegram, he gave vent to 
 occasional exclamations betokening a per 
 turbed mind. But at the conclusion of the 
 dispatch, he half smiled. 
 
 "Torke Norroy," he murmured. "Just 
 
 215 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 the kind of affair in which the fertile scamp 
 excels. And he is in Saxonia now in Dre- 
 sig, in fact. His address" a moment's 
 search in a private memorandum book and 
 he found the required information " 'Herr 
 Anton von Obermuller, 178 Lebmistrasse, 
 Dresig.' Not a stone's throw from the em 
 bassy." The secretary ruminated, his finger 
 making imaginary characters on the cloth- 
 topped table. "Of course, he doesn't know 
 about this. He's on quite a different mis 
 sion. But " 
 
 Rapidly the secretary wrote two cable 
 grams, both in secret code. One was ad 
 dressed to Herr Anton von Obermuller, the 
 other to Frothingham, American embassy. 
 
 The first directed the recipient to go in 
 stantly to the address of the second, con 
 fer with the Hon. Mr. Frothingham, and 
 then act. The second informed the envoy 
 extraordinary that, in the guise of Anton 
 von Obermuller, he would find a secret agent 
 of the Department of State who could be 
 depended upon to solve the problem, if solv- 
 
 216 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 able; Mr. Frothingham was to furnish the 
 Herr von Obermuiler with all the informa 
 tion in his possession. 
 
 It was near eleven o'clock when the envoy 
 extraordinary had explained the situation 
 to Yorke Norroy, who sat in the embassy 
 library looking very little like the Torke 
 Norroy known" to the society circles of Wash 
 ington, New York and London. In appear 
 ance, the man who sat there resembled a Ger 
 man savant of much learning and a slight 
 disregard for the conventionalities of dress. 
 A bushy beard of a tawny color stood out 
 from his face, and his mustache was short- 
 clipped and upturned. His hair was rather 
 long and his scarf loosely knotted. Froth- 
 ingham knew Yorke Norroy, man of fash 
 ion, quite well; but he failed to connect the 
 soft-mannered exquisite with this Teuton of 
 the Teutons. 
 
 On hearing the first general outline of the 
 story, Norroy had said briefly: "This Gross- 
 mark knows that Von Boeder is to leave. 
 Send a message to him immediately and find 
 
 217 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 out when." Norroy was speaking in his 
 native tongue with a broad New York 
 twang. 
 
 When the message had been dispatched to 
 the spy of the foreign office, Norroy listened 
 gravely to all that Frothingham had to say. 
 Together they consulted maps and planned 
 the route to be taken in order to reach the 
 Eagle's Eyrie. 
 
 Within the hour, an answer had arrived 
 from Grossmark: 
 
 Von Roeder goes by the midnight express going to 
 Vienna. He will leave' it at Kron, the nearest point to 
 the Aufsberg castle. Kron is a village, not a railroad sta 
 tion. It is only by orders that the express is to stop 
 there. 
 
 "Good," commented Torke Norroy. "It 
 is now less than twenty-five minutes to 
 twelve. I have no time to waste, Mr. Froth 
 ingham. I will say good-night to you " 
 
 "But what are you going to do?" asked 
 the envoy. 
 
 "Events sometimes shape themselves," 
 returned the secret agent, with the faint 
 suspicion of a smile. "I do not know ex- 
 
 218 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 actly. But I shall be on the express which 
 stops at Kron with Herr von Boeder. 
 Good-night, Mr. Frothingham." 
 
 He made his way out of the house rapidly. 
 To go to his own rooms, to pack a few clothes 
 and a few disguises, took him but little time ; 
 and at three minutes to twelve o'clock he 
 passed through the gates of the railway sta 
 tion and swung aboard the Vienna express. 
 
 219 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 AT THE SIGN OF THE GOLDEN" BOAR. 
 
 By four o'clock of the afternoon of the 
 following day, the mountains showed in the 
 distance, seemingly firmer figments of mist 
 rising out of the cold blue haze in the dis 
 tance. As the train dragged itself forward 
 unwillingly, they became more distinct, ro 
 seate tipped in the rays of the setting sun. 
 
 The darkness shrouded the land in its 
 mantle before their proximity became more 
 visualized, and Norroy reopened the novel 
 which he had been trying to read all day, and 
 perused a few pages of it in the dim lamp 
 light of the wagon-lit. But soon it dropped 
 into his lap unheeded and he lighted a ciga 
 rette, gazing speculatively into the darkness 
 outside. 
 
 He had sat thus for perhaps an hour when 
 the sharp whistle which indicates a near 
 stoppage of the train came to his ears. He 
 
 220 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 looked at his watch. It was nearly seven 
 o'clock. Evidently the whistle indicated 
 that Kron was near. He stopped a passing 
 guard and inquired. 
 
 "We stop there but for a moment, to al 
 low a single passenger to disembark. He is 
 on official business. No, herr, it is not cus 
 tomary to stop here. Ah, yes, you are to 
 leave, too. It is fortunate for you, then, else 
 you would have been taken twenty miles 
 further to Hohejuch which is on the fron 
 tier " 
 
 Norroy put the novel into his bag along 
 with several little toilet articles he had tak 
 en from it. He snapped the lock and drew 
 on the long ulster, pulling his cloth travel 
 ing cap over his eyes. There was a quiver 
 and a shake and the train settled itself down 
 to a crawl, then stopped. 
 
 ' ' Kron, herr, ' ' came the voice of the guard. 
 Norroy picked up his bag and descended 
 from the train. At the same time, another 
 man, very similarly garbed, stepped from 
 another carriage. The shout of "All off" 
 
 221 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 rang out, and the train began to move again, 
 slowly. Norroy looked around him. 
 
 He stood on a little declivity along which 
 ran the railroad tracks. Below, in a minia 
 ture valley, lights gleamed, and from the 
 black sides o'f the mountains other tiny 
 specks of fire glinted occasionally. 
 
 He noticed that the other man was mov 
 ing toward him. Presently he stopped with 
 in a few paces. "Can you direct me to an 
 inn?" he asked. "An inn, a hotel, any sort 
 of place where shelter for the night may be 
 obtained?" 
 
 "I have just left the train myself," re 
 plied Norroy. "I do not know of any such 
 place. Perhaps we had best hunt together. ' ' 
 
 They were speaking in German. Norroy 
 had adopted the heavy pompous manner 
 which is seemingly a part of the make-up of 
 a scientific German. "I am a geologist," he 
 added, slowly. "Of the Eoyal CoUege of 
 Mines. It was lucky for you that you were 
 on the train with me. I had the royal permit 
 for the train to stop at Kron. It is not a 
 
 regular station ' 9 
 
 222 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "That is a coincidence," put in the other. 
 "For such a permit I myself had. I am con 
 nected with the government also. My name 
 is Von Boeder." 
 
 "Obermuller is mine. Professor Anton 
 von Obermuller," said Norroy, with dignity. 
 
 The two men shook hands solemnly. "And 
 now to find an inn, ' ' said Norroy. ' ' It seems 
 to me that we had better hunt for one where 
 we see those lights twinkle." 
 
 They moved off down the little slope, and, 
 finding a hard-beaten path, stuck to it. They 
 passed the one-storied huts of many peas 
 ants in which a single light cast a few rays 
 from cracks and crevices. A man came from 
 the other direction. Norroy stopped him. 
 
 "Can you direct us to an inn?" he asked. 
 The peasant, unaccustomed to the sound of 
 the voices of the nobility, shrank back. It 
 was some moments before he could respond 
 coherently, babbling as he did in a queer 
 patois which partook of Slav, Magyar, and 
 Teuton, all rolled into one. 
 
 "I will show you, freiherrs," he said, in 
 
 223 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 a final intelligible effort. 
 
 He started back the way lie had come, 
 cutting away from the lights and rounding 
 the slope of a hill, where a house, larger than 
 those they had before seen, stood out with 
 lights in all of its three stories. 
 
 Norroy tossed the peasant a florin and 
 stepped up to the double-barred door of the 
 inn ; but the man, in an ecstasy of grateful 
 ness, was before him, knocking loudly and 
 calling out in a shrill tone that two of the 
 great ones of the earth had arrived. As 
 he shouted, the bars were taken down from 
 the inside and the doors flung open. Their 
 guide, with many bows, withdrew, and the 
 two government men stepped within the 
 lighted space. 
 
 It might have been the seventeenth cen 
 tury for all the material change that had 
 occurred in this old roadhouse. The ceiling 
 was low and heavily raftered while from 
 it hung hams, legs of mutton and other 
 meats in the slow process of dry-curing. 
 Several hogsheads and barrels, fitted with 
 
 224 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 taps, stood in one corner, and bottles, cob 
 webby and dusty, were arranged on shelves 
 near the fireplace. The furniture was rough 
 and cut from undressed wood a number of 
 heavy tables, and straight-backed, straight- 
 seated chairs. 
 
 A bright blaze from the fireplace showed 
 huge burning logs, casting a cheerful, sub 
 dued glow over the quaint old place, while 
 several lanterns, hung from the rafters, 
 sputtered smokily, but added little to the 
 light. 
 
 In one corner at a table sat four or five 
 mountaineers in their rude attire, who had 
 ceased guzzling their beer to stare in open- 
 eyed astonishment at the newcomers. The 
 landlord himself, a small, spare man with 
 piggish eyes, was nearly tied in a double 
 knot, so low: was he endeavoring to make 
 his bow. 
 
 "Welcome, freiherrs," he murmured, ob 
 sequiously. "Welcome. Ah! that I should 
 have such a humble place in which to make 
 the freiherrs welcome ah " 
 
 225 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Come, come, my good man!" cut in Nor- 
 roy. "That is not to the point. It is cold 
 without. Therefore, close your door. We 
 have just left the train, journeying from 
 Dresig, and we are hungry. Prepare us some 
 food your best. And wine your best 
 you understand ? ' ' 
 
 "It shall be so, freiherrs," bowed the land 
 lord again. He pulled them a table to the 
 fireplace and two chairs, assisting them to 
 remove their coats and outer wrappings, 
 and taking their hand baggage. His de 
 meanor altered considerably, however, when 
 he approached the mountaineers in the cor 
 ner. 
 
 "You cannot remain here now," he said, 
 with much loftiness. "The freiherrs cannot 
 be troubled by the sight of the base born. 
 Come again to-morrow night, good fellows, 
 but to-night you see it is impossible you 
 should stay." 
 
 The mountaineers did not protest. The 
 days of the feudal system were almost pres 
 ent in that remote region, and they knew 
 
 226 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 nothing save that they must obey the will 
 of those born to higher things than they. So 
 the mountaineers quitted the room quietly, 
 leaving Norroy and Von Boeder alone before 
 the great blaze. 
 
 "A quaint old place," commented Nor 
 roy, as the two sat drinking from the huge 
 stone mugs which the landlord had brought 
 them. "That is all we wish to drink now, 
 landlord. Prepare the food. "We are 
 hungry." , 
 
 The landlord bowed again and made off. 
 "Yes," repeated Norroy. "A quaint old 
 place. I shall enjoy the atmosphere of 
 mediaeval times while unearthing the traces 
 of the neolithic age. I shall no doubt make 
 this my headquarters " 
 
 Von Boeder had been eying the supposed 
 Obermuller keenly; and was now satisfied 
 from Norroy ? s make-up and general ap 
 pearance that there was no doubt that he 
 was exactly what he had represented himself 
 to be. 
 
 "Yes," he agreed, without enthusiasm, 
 
 227 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "But while the atmosphere may be what 
 you may like, it is rather hard to do without 
 one's bath and kindred comforts which go 
 with effete civilization." 
 
 "True, true," answered Nbrroy. "True. 
 But the atmosphere " 
 
 "And, after all, it is a mere mock atmos 
 phere," interrupted Von Boeder, anxious 
 to rid himself of the thoughts that had come. 
 "A cross between civilization and semi-bar 
 barism. There is nothing save the shell. If 
 one were sure that it were necessary to be 
 on his guard for his life ; if one felt that a 
 duel was imminent on the slightest provoca 
 tionsomething of the shoddy melodrama 
 of old which to-day's novelists call romance 
 then perhaps the atmosphere might ap 
 peal " 
 
 Norroy's eyes twinkled for the moment. 
 "Then you have no fear of any such cir 
 cumstances ? I was not so sure. They told 
 me in Dresig that this place was more or 
 less lawless. That it had no laws save those 
 propounded by the master of Eagle's 
 
 228 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Eyrie." 
 
 " Mistress," corrected Von Boeder. "The 
 Baroness Aufsberg is the last of her line/" 
 
 "Well, mistress, then. Is there not some 
 thing of romance in that? a woman living 
 in a castle overlooking the valley, who rules 
 with the high justice and the low ; whose tur 
 ret windows look out on both Saxonia and 
 Austria. The Lady of the Marches how is 
 that ? It sounds like a title from our roman- 
 cists, does it not?" 
 
 But the spirit of romance had evidently 
 not come to Von Roeder. "Ach!" he re 
 marked, with some contempt. "What is she? 
 She rules no one. She is like some obscure 
 justice, that is all. She dare not sentence a 
 man to death or imprisonment for life; 
 nothing serious can be tried before her. No, 
 herr professor, I see no romance in the judg 
 ment of a few sheep stealers and cattle 
 thieves." 
 
 Norroy offered his cigarette case and the 
 men lighted cigarettes. Out of the tail of 
 his eye, Norroy watched Von Roeder. It was 
 
 229 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 perfectly evident that this astute gentleman 
 was not to be pumped through indirection. 
 But there was something still that Norroy 
 felt that he must learn before proceeding, 
 and his next spoken words were a bait to 
 catch the unwary. 
 
 "Our bags!" he ejaculated, suddenly. 
 "Where has that old scoundrel taken them? 
 I have in mine many valuable things " 
 
 He broke off short and cast a look at Von 
 Boeder; the secret agent of Saxonia was 
 fumbling in his coat pocket. Evidently 
 what he found there reassured him, for his 
 composure returned. 
 
 "No fear, I dare say," said Von Boeder. 
 
 "Hell hardly " He looked around. 
 
 "All ! there they are !" He pointed to a seat 
 built on one side of the fireplace on which 
 rested the effects of the two men. 
 
 "Ah, yes!" agreed Norroy. "Quite so. 
 Thank you, Herr von Boeder." But had 
 the Saxonian secret agent known the exact 
 thing for which Norroy was thanking him, 
 his self-satisfied smile would have fled from 
 
 230 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 his face. 
 
 It was an old and often-proved theory of 
 Norroy that in the event of sudden danger 
 a person's hands will go instinctively to the 
 part of the person on which is hidden the 
 most valuable article in his possession. At 
 that time, Norroy was perfectly sure that 
 the most valuable article in Von Boeder's 
 possession was the warrant for the arrest 
 of De Legaspi. And Von Boeder had felt 
 within his upper coat pocket ! 
 
 "I dare say I shall meet this Baroness 
 Aufsberg," continued Nbrroy, after a few 
 moments spent in introspection. "I shall, 
 no doubt, be forced to present myself to her 
 with my papers before I shall be allowed to 
 roam about her territory undisturbed. You 
 do not chance to know her, do you, Herr 
 von Boeder?" 
 
 "No," returned Von Boeder. "I am to 
 make her acquaintance to-morrow." He 
 spoke cautiously and laboriously, as though 
 not quite sure of himself. "I am a govern 
 ment surveyor," he explained, with clumsy 
 
 231 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AtJENT 
 
 mendacity. " I am to make surveys for the 
 new railroad." 
 
 Norroy nodded gravely. "I understand. 
 Then we shall no doubt journey there to 
 gether to-morrow. Is it far from here?" 
 H " A matter of four hours' journey, I have 
 been told. One makes it on horseback. But 
 I am starting very early in the morning,herr 
 professor. At dawn, in fact. Perhaps you 
 do not care to rise at that hour " 
 
 "No," agreed Norroy. "No, that is too 
 early for me, Herr von Boeder. Then you 
 will no doubt be there when I arrive. How 
 ever, we shall see one another again, I have 
 no doubt." Norroy raised the tankard and 
 filled the mugs again with the frothy beer. 
 " Ah ! see," he exclaimed suddenly. "Is not 
 that a curious play of the lights on yonder 
 wall?" 
 
 He pointed to a place back of Von Boeder. 
 The secret agent turned instinctively. At 
 the same moment, Norroy 's hand shot over 
 the secret agent's mug of beer and a thin 
 line of white powder trickled from an open- 
 
 232 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 ed paper into the beer mug. Nbrroy quickly 
 withdrew the hand as Von Boeder faced him 
 again. 
 
 " Yes it is almost realistic," agreed the 
 secret agent. "If you talk to me long, pro 
 fessor, you will have me romantic also. Well, 
 here's to romance!" 
 
 He raised his mug and drained it. Then 
 set it down, tasting with a wry face. 
 
 "That is bad beer," he affirmed. "Very 
 bad beer. Do you not think so, herr profes 
 sor?" 
 
 "It has a queer, bitter taste," agreed the 
 American. ' ' Yes, that is true. ' ' He offered 
 Von Boeder another cigarette. "But we 
 cannot expect better in such a place." 
 
 Von Boeder refused the cigarette. ' ' No, ' 
 he said, resting his head on one hand. "I 
 do not care for another now. I do not care 
 
 for another now " He put up the other 
 
 hand and his head sank between the two 
 palms. 
 
 Norroy flicked an ash from his cigarette 
 and looked into the glowing fire. The light 
 
 233 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 striking his face on the off side gave it a pe 
 culiarly saturnine look. Von Boeder's eyes, 
 heavy with slumber desire, caught the effect. 
 
 "You look like " Norroy turned to 
 
 him with a smile ; but the effect was only in 
 tensified, the face contorted into grimness. 
 "You look like," repeated Von Boeder 
 again, "a Faustus devil, professor a Faus- 
 tus devil " 
 
 Norroy puffed the cigarette tranquilly. 
 "That is hardly complimentary to me, Herr 
 von Boeder," he said. "I did not know 
 that I possessed any physical attributes en 
 titling me to your description " 
 
 "A Faustus devil a Faustus devil!" re 
 peated Von Boeder. His eyes were closed 
 now and he was mumbling inconsequential 
 things mere jumbles of words that had no 
 connected meaning. "Baroness Aufsberg 
 Mephistopheles, avaunt! so Schreyer and 
 
 Marguerite " Suddenly he began to 
 
 hum "Soldiers' Song" from Gounod's 
 greatest opera. "Ha, ha, ha, haha, haha, 
 haha," he crooned. Norroy lighted another 
 
 234 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 cigarette on the butt of the one he held in his 
 hand. 
 
 Von Boeder had ceased humming. He 
 opened his eyes with an effort a fight of 
 will against the soporific influence of the 
 drug. "So, herr professor, you don't like 
 Faustus devil?" he inquired, with a pug 
 nacious intonation. "Well, you are Faus 
 tus devil. Geologist ? Liar ! liar ! liar ! " He 
 rose to his feet as he almost shouted the 
 words and his hand went to his coat pocket. 
 But the coherency, wrested from the dead 
 ened faculties, now paid the penalty, and 
 the man collapsed in the chair limply. 
 
 Norroy took the cigarette from his mouth 
 and held it between the thin fingers of his 
 left hand. His right went in the direction 
 of Von Boeder's coat and into the pocket, 
 from which the American drew out a blue 
 envelope with the water-mark of the Sax- 
 onia foreign office upon it. He examined it 
 cursorily, and his indefinitely colored eyes 
 lighted up for a moment, then became as 
 immutable as ever. 
 
 235 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 He put the cigarette between his lips 
 again and both hands made a minute search 
 of the Saxonian's pockets. Several other 
 papers came to view, one of which Norroy 
 retained a passport, He replaced the oth 
 ers and sat back in his chair as the sound 
 of approaching footsteps warned him of the 
 near presence of some one. 
 
 It was the landlord who entered with the 
 food, smoking hot. He placed the various 
 platters on the table, and a boy following 
 him set several bottles of wine on the floor 
 beside Norroy. The American looked up 
 without seeming interest. 
 
 ' ' Oh, landlord ! ' ' he said. ' ' My friend has 
 fallen asleep. He is very weary and I do 
 not wish to awaken him. Send in several of 
 your servants and have them put him to bed. 
 It does not matter with regard to his share 
 of the food. Here!" He tossed the man a 
 five-mark coin. 
 
 "Ah! your excellency, your excellency," 
 bowed the landlord, overcome. The cost of 
 the food was hardly half a mark. He re- 
 
 236 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 tired from the room and called for his sons, 
 two burly lads, who, ~ propping the limp 
 Saxonian between them, carried him out of 
 the room. Norroy, meanwhile, was eating 
 of the fare which had been set before him. 
 
 "Landlord!" he said, imperatively. The 
 man drew closer and listened attentively. 
 It was well to listen to this open-handed 
 freiherr. 
 
 "I journey to the Aufsberg castle to-night 
 the Eagle's Eyrie, you understand?" He 
 paused for a moment. 
 
 "To-night?" queried the landlord, in 
 credulously. "To-night, freiherrT' " 
 
 "To-night," affirmed Norroy, with decis 
 ion. "And you must find me a guide and a 
 horse. The journey is hardly more than 
 four hours, I believe." 
 
 "Pour, freiherr, four?" The landlord 
 smiled. "The distance is close upon twenty 
 miles. And it is over a rough road, freiherr. 
 Six hours, perhaps seven, it may be eight 
 
 Norroy 's look was impatient. "That Is 
 237 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 as it is," he rejoined. "I journey there to 
 night. I must have a guide and a horse. 
 The guide also must have a horse. Find 
 the horses and the man, and you shall have 
 another five marks, landlord." 
 
 The landlord's smile was broad and com 
 prehensive. "It shall be as the freiherr 
 says," he agreed, subserviently. "My son, 
 Karl, my eldest born, shall be your guide. 
 The horses he will secure. All shall be ready 
 when the freiherr says." 
 
 "In half an hour, then," returned Nor- 
 roy. "Meanwhile I will eat of your most 
 excellent fare, landlord." 
 
 A little later, the American pushed back 
 the plates from him, and looked at the chair 
 in which Von Boeder had sat a little time 
 before. 
 
 "No romance, eh?" His smile was cold. 
 "No fear of robbery nothing of the sort, 
 eh?" Again he smiled less frigidly. He 
 was tolerably well pleased with the night's 
 work. "And that powder is always good 
 for a sleep of forty-eight hours forty-eight 
 
 238 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 hours." Norroy ruminated. "Much may 
 happen in forty-eight hours. Much!" He 
 took the paper from the blue envelope and 
 unfolded it. "His imperial majesty's com 
 mission Senor Catorro anarchist held 
 by the Baroness von Aufsberg do hereby 
 relegate to our trustworthy servant, Otto 
 von Boeder, authority to " 
 
 Norroy broke off from his perusal of the 
 document. "These Saxonians will never 
 learn," he announced to the flames. "They 
 will never learn that it is unsafe to give 
 papers of this sort. I have never held a 
 written commission. No fear of the secre 
 tary doing that." He gazed at the blue 
 paper speculatively, then thrust it back in 
 to its envelope. 
 
 "The soldiers leave Sfchmucken to-mor 
 row at eight in the morning." He was re 
 ferring to his notebook in which were in 
 scribed many cabalistic-like characters. 
 "Leaving Schmucken at eight." He referred 
 again to some figures and trigonometrical 
 designs. "They will arrive at Aufsberg 
 
 239 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 about eleven." 
 
 He replaced the notebook in his pocket. 
 "While I leave Kron at" he consulted his 
 watch- "eight-thirty, arriving at Aufsberg 
 at least by dawn " 
 
 He smiled contentedly and lighted an 
 other cigarette. "So Von Eoeder thinks 
 there is no romance left. ' ' His smile became 
 almost a laugh. "Perhaps he's right. I 
 have no doubt he'll see little romance in the 
 affair. And yet it doesn't differ greatly 
 from what our swashbuckling ancestors 
 went through, according to history. Ah 
 well!" He stretched himself, yawned and 
 arose. "The powder; is good, for forty- 
 eight hours forty-eight ' ' 
 
 He opened his traveling bag and drew out 
 a pair of riding breeches land leather put 
 tees. Standing in the shadow of the fire 
 place, he drew off his trousers and tossed 
 them on a settle, after which he drew on the 
 brown breeches, buttoned them down the 
 legs and buckled on the puttees. 
 
 "Landlord!" he caUed. He folded the 
 
 240 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 trousers and placed them in the bag, which 
 he locked. 
 
 "Yes, freiherr," answered the landlord, 
 appearing at the head of the stairs. "Karl 
 is near to being ready. It will be but little 
 time before he joins you." 
 
 Norroy transferred a revolver from his 
 coat pocket to his breeches, and toyed with 
 a short riding crop. 
 
 "No romance!" he laughed again. 
 
 241 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE BETRAYAL. 
 
 " There, freiherr," said the boy Karl. 
 " There is Castle Aufsberg. They call it the 
 Eagle's Eyrie hereabouts," he added, ex 
 planatorily. 
 
 The dawn had come hours before. The 
 sun was shining brilliantly upon the moun 
 tain peaks, converting their snowy crests in 
 to veritable similitudes of molten silver. A 
 mile or two in the distance, just visible upon 
 the turning of the path, a mass of whitish- 
 gray stone stood out upon a spur of the 
 mountain like a picture of the olden time. 
 It was all there ; no detail was missing ; the 
 towers, turrets, battlements, moat, draw 
 bridge and all ; and the huge pile of masonry 
 stood out aggressively, as though menacing 
 those who approached. 
 
 Norroy glanced at his watch. It was 
 
 242 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 nearly nine o'clock. For close upon twelve 
 hours, through cold, wind and sleet, these 
 two had ridden. Norroy was chilled to the 
 bone, and his ulster soaked with the drizzle 
 of overnight. Their horses limped painful- 
 
 iy. 
 
 "Well, we must push on, Karl," he said, 
 subduing his weariness. "When we get 
 there, we shall have all the rest that we 
 need; and warmth also." He shivered in 
 the cold rush of wind. "We must put the 
 horses to it. Come, boy!" 
 
 It was necessary to lay the whips over 
 the heads of the beasts before they could be 
 urged to pull their tired limbs over the rocky 
 road. They moved forward slowly. 
 
 Close upon an hour later, they rode across 
 the drawbridge, which was down, and into 
 the courtyard of the old castle. A liveried 
 retainer came forward to hold their horses. 
 
 "You will see that this youth has food and 
 a change of clothes," said Norroy to the 
 groom. ' ' Take him into the servants ' quart 
 
 ers.' 
 
 243 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "It shall be done," said a second man. 
 who had just come up. He also was in livery 
 which, albeit somewhat frayed, had once 
 been expensive. Norroy surmised, quite 
 rightly, that he was the major-domo. 
 
 "The Herr Otto von Roeder to see the 
 baroness," he said, curtly. 
 
 The major-domo bowed. "If the freiherr 
 will follow me," he said, with respect. 
 
 Norroy walked wearily across the paved 
 courtyard and up the great stone steps of 
 the main entrance, the doors of which were 
 thrown open with great promptitude at a 
 sharp knock from the major-domo. The 
 American passed into a stone hall, arched 
 loftily, and followed the major-domo along 
 its gloomy length to a second flight of stairs, 
 broad, and of oak, ornamented with balus 
 trades carved quaintly, a stone figure hold 
 ing aloft a torch appearing in regular in 
 tervals on either side. The magnitude of the 
 castle appalled him for the moment. 
 
 But the room into which he was ushered 
 might have been one in the city residence of 
 
 244 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 any European of moderate wealth. It was 
 grotesquely tapestried and wainscoted, it 
 is true, but the little tables here and there 
 holding vases of flowers, books and trifling 
 ornaments, made Norroy more at ease. Here 
 were signs of recent occupancy in the opened 
 volumes and the half -finished needle-work. 
 The oriel windows were not even stained and 
 the sun came brightly through them. 
 
 " Madame 's private reception room^" the 
 major-domo informed him. "I will now 
 call madame." 
 
 Observing a hand mirror on one of the 
 tables, Norroy drew out his pocket-handker 
 chief and began to remove from his count 
 enance the traces of the wind and weather of 
 the night. He threw off his ulster and 
 smoothed his hair. His stock collar was for 
 tunately of a neutral shade and did not show 
 the dirt ; this he arranged to his satisfaction 
 and thrust the pin more securely in place. 
 
 A few moments later, he heard the un 
 mistakable frou-frou of skirts in the hall 
 way, and, picking up a book, pretended to bo 
 
 245 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 immersed in its contents. 
 
 "Herr von Koeder!" 
 
 Norroy placed the book on a near-by table, 
 rose and bowed to a rather comely woman 
 in gray who had just entered. There was 
 something alluring, he admitted, about the 
 soft, yellow hair, something appealing about 
 the mouth, and the blue eyes looked as 
 though they might, at will, become soft and 
 melting. But as she spoke, they were as 
 hard and cold as Norroy's own. 
 
 "Madame?" he half questioned. 
 
 "I understood that you were to come, 
 Herr von Eoeder. Won't you sit down?" 
 She motioned him to a chair near which she 
 stood and he followed her action. 
 
 "You come at a strange hour," she pur 
 sued. "I understood the message from 
 Count Schreyer to read that you would not 
 arrive until late this afternoon. That was 
 the reason the soldiers were ordered from 
 Schmucken." 
 
 He nodded. "I have traveled all night," 
 he replied. "I saw no need of chopping the 
 
 246 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 journey. Yes, it was rather a useless thing 
 to send the soldiers although precaution 
 ary. But I rather fancy, baroness, that I 
 shall be able to manage without the aid of 
 the military. Or even of your household." 
 
 Her lip curved petulantly. ' ' Perhaps you 
 underestimate your man, Herr von Roeder," 
 she said. "I can assure you he is not easy 
 to handle. That is why I asked for the sol 
 diers. I thought they would be needed on the 
 journey between here and Kron. After you 
 have reached the train, all will be simple 
 enough." 
 
 Norroy nodded again. "May I smoke? 
 Thank you." He lighted a cigarette. "I 
 presume that De Legaspi is here nowin 
 the castle " 
 
 " We breakfasted together an hour ago," 
 she returned. "And he has gone off to gath 
 er snow flowers. He knows how much I care 
 
 for flowers and he " She suddenly 
 
 realized what she was saying, and noted the 
 sneer on Norroy ? s lip. 
 
 "You must care greatly for him, ma- 
 
 247 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 dame,' 7 he said, mockingly. She flushed. 
 "But my orders are to be quick. I cannot 
 
 even stop here to change my clothes " He 
 
 pulled the blue envelope from his pocket. 
 "There is my commission, baroness." 
 
 She glanced at it carelessly, then handed 
 it back. "Oh, yes, I knew of that. But you 
 do not ask me how I managed to get this man 
 across the border." 
 
 Norroy's lip curled slightly. "No, I do 
 not," he returned. "I have been a secret 
 agent for some time, baroness, and I know 
 the use that women are in the profession- 
 especially so when they are beautiful as you 
 are. But we waste time. If you will oblige 
 me, please ring for a servant and have him 
 bring this De Legaspi here." 
 
 The look which the woman vouchsafed 
 Norroy was hardly one which would have 
 encouraged a lover, for Norroy ? s tone was 
 taunting and full of bitter courtesy. She 
 realized that in this man's estimation she 
 stood very low indeed, and that her rank did 
 not save her in the slightest with him. Ee- 
 
 248 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 pressing the impulsive reply that sprang 
 to her lips, she arose and touched the button. 
 Norroy looked at his watch. It was nearing 
 eleven o'clock. The soldiers were due to ar 
 rive by that time. 
 
 Norroy picked up the book which he had 
 been perusing and allowed his eyes to wan 
 der over the printed pages, turning leaf after 
 leaf and apparently absorbed, but really not 
 reading a word. The baroness followed his 
 example and they sat silent for the better 
 part of half an hour, at the end of which 
 time a servant knocked. 
 
 "The Herr Legaspi has returned, ma- 
 dame," he said, bowing very low. "He is 
 in the hall and waiting " 
 
 "Tell him to come here," she said, curtly. 
 
 The servant retired, and a moment later a 
 man of some thirty-seven or eight years, 
 with glossy black hair tinged with gray and 
 the oval, olive-skinned face of one of the 
 Latin races, entered. He was rather a good- 
 looking man, Norroy thought, and, looking 
 at the firm jaw, he wondered that he could 
 
 249 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 have been so easily made the fool. 
 
 He came in almost impetuously. "Elsa," 
 he began, coming forward with hands out 
 stretched. Then he noted Norroy and 
 stopped. The men inspected one another 
 coldly, and Norroy's right hand, which he 
 held behind his back, trembled slightly. 
 
 "Senor Emilio de Legaspi?" queried Nor- 
 roy. 
 
 The South American bowed. 
 
 The hand behind the back came into view 
 holding a small Eemington. "You are my 
 prisoner, senor," said Norroy. "I am an 
 agent of the Saxonian foreign office. You 
 might have been well aware of your danger 
 in crossing Saxonia's border." 
 
 He kept his eyes steadily on the Andevian. 
 De Legaspi was stunned. He tried to smile. 
 Then he turned to the baroness, who stood, 
 hard and cold, looking toward the window. 
 
 "You Elsa you will " She gazed 
 
 at him impassively, and the man read in her 
 eyes what he was afraid to believe. " You 
 you Elsa ah, God!" 
 
 250 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 For a moment he stood with bowed head ; 
 then he looked again toward Norroy. The 
 Remington still covered him squarely. 
 1 "Will you give me your parole not to at 
 tempt escape?" queried Norroy. "Other 
 wise, I shall be forced to handcuff you 
 which I do not care to do." 
 
 The Andevian looked around for a mo 
 ment, hopelessly. "You know that this is 
 an outrage, senor," he commented, com 
 pressing his lips in his endeavor to show no 
 emotion. "You know that Saxonia can be 
 made to answer for this." 
 
 "Quite true, senor," returned Norroy. 
 "But no one knows that you came over the 
 mountains from Austria. You came dis 
 guised. You came with a false passport. 
 News does not leak out of Saxonia prisons, 
 senor." 
 
 The man understood and gave vent to a 
 low, hoarse cry. "A prisoner for life 
 that is what you mean. My parole! My 
 parole ! No, I shall give you no parole no 
 " He had darted for the door, but Nor- 
 
 251 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 roy, ever-watchful, caught his hands, drop 
 ping the revolver as he did so. The next mo 
 ment the Andevian's wrists were encircled 
 by a steel ring which Norroy had snapped 
 upon him. 
 
 The American stepped back and picked 
 up the revolver, which he replaced in his 
 pocket. "I am sorry to do this, senor," he 
 said, courteously. "But I have no choice.' 5 
 
 But the Andevian was not paying atten 
 tion. He was looking at the woman. "Elsa!" 
 he said, slowly. "Elsa! I never before 
 knew how black a woman's heart could be. 
 God forgive me, I never knew." 
 
 From the woman there came not a sign. 
 She had seated herself and was gazing out 
 of a near-by window, her face set in hard 
 lines, and the beauty gone out of it with the 
 ashen hue that overspread it. 
 
 For a moment there was silence; then 
 came a knock on the door. 
 
 "Enter," commanded the baroness. 
 
 A servant obeyed the command. "Sol 
 diers have arrived from Schmucken, ma- 
 
 252 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 dame," he said. " Their captain wishes to 
 have an audience." 
 
 * * Show him in," said the baroness, dully. 
 
 The servant disappeared, to come into 
 sight again announcing: "Lieutenant Al- 
 brecht von Moser." 
 
 The young soldier strode forward, his cap 
 in his hand, clicking his heels together and 
 bowing at the sight of the baroness. 
 
 "You know why I have come, baroness," 
 he said. "I have orders to arrest a certain 
 man named Catorro, who is said to be here." 
 
 "That, lieutenant," smiled Norroy, step 
 ping forward, "is not possible," 
 
 The lieutenant eyed him suspiciously, 
 then arrogantly. One glance at Norroy, in 
 his disguise, was enough to show the lieu 
 tenant that he belonged to neither the no 
 bility nor military. Therefore, being of the 
 military, Lieutenant von Moser had the 
 right to be condescending. 
 
 "What do you mean, my good fellow?" he 
 wished to know. 
 
 Norroy laughed shortly. "I mean that 
 
 253 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Ke has already surrendered to me; and, as 
 your superior, I am entitled to a salute, sir. 
 I am Captain Otto von Boeder, lieutenant, 
 and Catorro, or Legaspi, is my prisoner. 
 Salute, sir." 
 
 " Where is your commission? I don't 
 know you. I can't take your word, you 
 know." The lieutenant was visibly dis 
 quieted. 
 
 Norroy handed him the paper. Von Mos- 
 er glanced at it. Then, clicking his heels 
 together, he gave the document back to Nor- 
 roy, and brought his hand to the side of his 
 head in grave salute. 
 
 " Quite so, captain," he said. "I apolo 
 gize. Have you any need for me or for my 
 men?" 
 
 "None whatever," repliedNorroy. " There 
 is the prisoner." He pointed to the man 
 acled Legaspi. "You see, I am quite able 
 to manage him. You and your men may re 
 turn to Schmucken, lieutenant." 
 
 254 
 
CHAPTEK IV. 
 
 OVER THE MOUNTAINS TO AUSTEIA. 
 
 A short while after the soldiers disap 
 peared over the slope of the mountains, re 
 turning to their post at Schmucken, a little 
 cavalcade, composed of Yorke Norroy, Emi- 
 lio de Legaspi, and Karl, the landlord's son, 
 struck off the main road toward Kron, to 
 ward which they had apparently started 
 when they left the Castle of Auf sberg. 
 
 Karl, boy," said Norroy, in German, 
 we are not going back to Kron. We must 
 cut off here and make our way toward the 
 Saxonian frontier. We are going into 
 Austria, you understand." 
 
 The boy did not question nor did he seem 
 surprised. It was his duty to obey. "I 
 know a road, freiherr. It is past the fron 
 tier guard at Erckberg. There is no other 
 way save by Hohejuch, which is longer. 7 ' 
 
 "By Erckberg, then," saidNorroy, briefly, 
 
 u 
 it 
 
 255 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 and he fell back abreast with Legaspi, who 
 was finding some trouble in holding the 
 bridle reins with his manacled hands. Nor- 
 roy leaned over the saddle, fitted a tiny key 
 in the lock, and unsnapped the manacles. 
 
 "No, no," he disclaimed. "I don't ask 
 you for your parole. I only ask you not to 
 be a fool again, Senor de Legaspi. Tou are 
 a free man." 
 
 " What what?" stammered the Ande- 
 vian. "Jesting again, senor?" 
 
 Norroy drew a revolver from his pocket 
 and handed it to the Andevian. "You may 
 judge from that whether I jest or not. It 
 is loaded. Oh ! I can understand, senor, that 
 it is strange to you ; but it can be no stranger 
 than your conduct has been to me. I am an 
 agent of the government of the United 
 States, senor, sent to pull you out of the trap 
 which you managed to dig for yourself. Tou 
 have been a fool!" 
 
 "I do not understand," gasped the An 
 devian. "I do not understand." 
 
 As briefly as the incidents made it possible, 
 
 256 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Yorke Norroy narrated the tale. At its con 
 clusion, he interrupted the Andevian in 
 stantly upon that gentleman beginning fer 
 vid protestations of undying gratitude. 
 
 "Rather let us say, Senor de Legaspi, that 
 one who is to be the chief executive of An- 
 devia had best preserve his wits to such an 
 extent as to fall into no more traps of the 
 sort set by pretty women. I have pulled you 
 out of this one, at the expense of the United 
 States, for I have been forced to leave un 
 discovered certain matters which called me 
 to Dresig." 
 
 The Andevian twisted his thin fingers to 
 gether. "Ah, senor, how can I ever atone ?" 
 
 "By never making another blunder of the 
 sort," replied Norroy. "Pretty women are 
 everywhere used by nations as diplomatic 
 tools, and the prettier and the more fascinat 
 ing they are, the more dangerous. You can 
 atone by not letting another make a fool of 
 you. Also, you will do well to remember that 
 the United States kept you from lifelong 
 imprisonment in a Saxonian fort ; that you 
 
 257 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 can remember when you come to be president 
 of Andevia." 
 
 "But you, senor?" cried the Andevian, 
 earnestly. * * How can I ever repay you ? ' ' 
 
 "The United States pays me for this 
 work," cut in Norroy, coldly. "But we are 
 not yet out of the woods, Stenor Legaspi. 
 Karl, halt the horse, and remain where you 
 are for a moment or so. Do not look behind 
 you." 
 
 Obediently, the young Saxonian pulled in 
 his horse and sat motionless in the saddle. 
 From the dispatch bag, which he carried 
 slung over his shoulder, Norroy pulled a 
 wig of brown hair, and a mustache of the 
 same variety. Leaning over in his saddle, 
 he adjusted these to the face of Legaspi. 
 With a steady hand, he applied a camel 's- 
 hair brush to the eyebrows and lashes of the 
 Andevian, and, with different dyes and 
 paints, taken from various compartments of 
 the bag, so altered that gentleman's counte 
 nance that in it Legaspi saw no traces of 
 himself when shown the hand mirror. 
 
 258 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "And here," concluded Norroy, after re 
 placing the various articles in the bag, "is 
 the pass of one Anton von Obermuller, which 
 you will present when questioned by the of 
 ficials on the frontier." 
 
 "But for yourself, senor?" 
 
 "I have the passport of one Otto yon 
 Boeder," said Norroy, with a smile. 
 
 "On government business, lieutenant," 
 said Norroy, with a portentous frown, when 
 the file of soldiers closed around him at the 
 mountain pass of Erckberg. A few paces 
 away lay Austria, and between it and the 
 three stood the soldiers. Norroy handed 
 them his passport. 
 
 " Ah ! Otto von Boeder Captain von Boe 
 der, is it not?" The lieutenant drew back 
 and saluted. "My nameisDurer. We have 
 heard much of the famous Otto von Boeder 
 here, captain. And the other gentleman?" 
 
 "My confrere, Herr von Obermuller," ex 
 plained Norroy. Legaspi handed them the 
 pass silently. He was afraid to speak in his 
 faulty German, and Norroy had bidden him 
 
 259 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 not to do so. 
 
 "Quite right quite right," agreed the 
 lieutenant. "And so you go to Austria, gen 
 tlemen? I wish you a very pleasant jour 
 ney." He drew back, and saluted again. 
 The soldiers raised their carbines, and Nor- 
 roy,, Legaspi and the boy, Karl, passed over 
 the frontier and into Austria, where Legaspi 
 was beyond the reach of Saxonian law. 
 
 When the guards had been left far behind, 
 Norroy turned abruptly to Legaspi. "Ill 
 tell you of something you may do," he said, 
 and there was a tinge of kindliness in his 
 voice. "Tkis boy Karl here has been your 
 means of salvation. Had it not been for 
 him, I could never have threaded the moun 
 tain passes. Had it not been for his silence 
 at the frontier, we should both have been im 
 prisoned. Now, as you know, this boy can 
 never return to his own country. So take 
 him with you, Legaspi ; take him with you to 
 Andevia, and give him a position of trust- 
 but give him an education first. You will 
 
 260 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 do this? Thank you!" 
 
 And so a man of affairs was made from a 
 peasant lad ; a man whom they say will one 
 day rule Andevia. But that is prophecy 
 with which we have nothing to do. 
 
 Norroy returned to Washington some 
 three weeks later, just in time to act as mas 
 ter of ceremonies in the fourth cotillion of 
 the season. 
 
 261 
 
A Yankee Knight Errant 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE " SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE/' 
 
 Here, there, devil-may-care, where my sword 
 may lead, I'll follow, 
 
 Honor's crown awaits tbe brave, fortune 
 mocks the timid knave. 
 
 Biff! Bang I let tbe steel clang, words with 
 out the deeds are hollow. 
 
 Sword in hand, at love's command, I'll do 
 or die! 
 
 Holforness had picked up a copy of this 
 song somewhere, and so constantly had he 
 sung it since that time that his fellows had 
 gradually learned it, adopting it for their 
 slogan. There were five men who sang the 
 ditty, three Americans and two Englishmen, 
 and they sat in the taproom of the Salambo, 
 
 263 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 Port Arthur's hostelry most beloved by the 
 
 Anglo-Saxon. 
 
 Gerald Holforness was certainly not so 
 ber, neither were his companions, else they 
 would not have continued to sing, seeing 
 that it much displeased the other occupants 
 of the cafe. To tell the truth, Russian vodka 
 was not a fit drink for Mr. Holforness and 
 his confreres. Their beverage should have 
 been beer. 
 
 The sixth man at the table was a nonde 
 script, when it came to a matter o'f determin 
 ing his nationality. The closely clipped Van 
 dyke beard which he wore and the curling 
 mustache might have inclined one to the 
 belief that he was a Frenchman. But some 
 how this impression did not last when his 
 indefinitely colored eyes were turned on the 
 spectator. He was slender, almost boyish, 
 in the lines of his figure, but his shoulders 
 were square and aggressive. Beneath the 
 hair on his face, the thin lips and firm jaw 
 showed a spirit which was almost bulldog- 
 gish, yet his slim, daintily manicured, almost 
 
 264 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 womanish fingers, and high-arched instep 
 within high-heeled tan riding boots seemed 
 marvelously out of the drawing. 
 
 He was attired in a uniform of khaki 
 serge, cut after the latest London fashion 
 plates for his majesty's service, and the Nor 
 folk belt encircled a waist so slim that a wo 
 man might have envied it. In one hand he 
 carried a riding crop of ebony, trimmed 
 with silver, with which he occasionally 
 flicked small particles of dust from his bag 
 gy breeches. 
 
 "Oh! I say," he broke in, when Holfor- 
 ness had chanted the song for the fourth 
 time. "Oh ! I say, old chap, cut that bloom 
 ing noise, will you?" 
 
 Holforness turned on him; indignantly. 
 "Inten' t'sing shong musher please," he re 
 torted, with drunken dignity. "I'm Gerald 
 Holfornesh, soldier' fortune, Missher War- 
 rendell. I'm soldier 'fortune. Whashsay?" 
 
 "I say you're a howling ass," retorted the 
 man called Warrendell, rising. "A howl 
 ing ass, and you make entirely too much 
 
 265 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 noise. Soldier of fortune pooh'!" 
 
 "Missher Warrendell," continued Holfor- 
 ness, retaining Ms balance by a nice calcula 
 tion of equilibrium. "Very goodsh; you're 
 Britisher sh like m'self, else you couldn't 
 shaysh things to me. I'm soldier 'fortune, 
 Missher Warrendell, an' I fightsh man f 'r 
 less'n that." 
 
 Maddison, the American correspondent, 
 raised his glass with an unsteady hand. 
 ' ' Here 's to England ! " he shouted. ' * Here 's 
 to England!" 
 
 Holforness seized his own glass. "Here's 
 to United Shates, old fellowsh, here'sh to 
 England, United Shates, and Japan!" 
 
 "Well, of all the bloody fools!" comment 
 ed Warrendell. 
 
 The Russian officers who were drinking 
 near by rose to their feet and cast threat 
 ening glances at the bold group that dared 
 mouth their enemy's name within the very 
 portals of Russian domination. Although it 
 was not yet war time, the feeling was bitter, 
 as might have been expected. 
 
 266 
 
" 
 
 NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Warrendell moved toward them, and 
 spoke in French. "They are drunk, mes 
 sieurs," he explained, courteously. 
 
 " An excess of wine often betokens the true 
 state of mind," returned the lieutenant of 
 artillery whom he addressed. "But it is 
 as you say, they are drunk. Otherwise I 
 myself would hold them to account. 
 you not drink with us, M. Warrendell? 
 
 Warrendell refused politely. "I have 
 taken too much already," he said. "My 
 compatriots are not wise men in the matter 
 of vodka. And, besides, I must have a clear 
 head for my journey to-morrow." 
 
 "You are leaving us?" queried a major 
 of infantry. 
 
 "I go to Chef oo by the Loongscmg at three 
 o'clock to-morrow morning. She sails with 
 the tide. I must be aboard her ere mid 
 night." 
 
 He shook hands with them, and went out, 
 walking down the Pushkin Ulitze toward 
 the Bund. He was perfectly well aware of 
 the fact that the Eussians knew beforehand 
 
 267 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 that he was leaving the Manchurian fortress 
 that day, else he would not have told them. 
 Previous experience with the secret service 
 of the czar had taught him that but little was 
 concealed from the imperial Russian police. 
 
 He was glad that his month's stay in Port 
 Arthur was coming to an end. It had been 
 very distasteful to him, used as he was to 
 trickiness, deception, and treachery. But be 
 fore he had been, working for his own 
 country. Now he was laboring in the cause 
 of the little brown men whom he disliked 
 disliked extremely. He was almost sorry 
 that his plans had been consummated. 
 
 To those who knew Yorke Norroy to be a 
 diplomatic agent, little surprise would have 
 been expressed if this apparently dyed-in- 
 the-wool Britisher with the Georgian accent, 
 monocle and Picadilly clothes would have 
 disclosed his true identity. For Cecil War- 
 rendell was only another of the many aliases, 
 and the get-up a new disguise, used for the 
 purpose of cloaking the real man from the 
 too curious public. 
 
 268 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Norroy was a man of few scruples when 
 engaged in his chosen work ; but up to this 
 time he had not served any country other 
 than his own. Had he been engaged in the 
 same work which now occupied him for the 
 state department of his native land, he would 
 have felt no compunction whatever in doing 
 exactly what had been his chief concern 
 since he had been in Port Arthur. As it 
 was, he felt that he had no excuse. 
 
 But, after all, it was the fault of the 
 minister to Japan! What right had he to 
 reveal Norroy without disguise to the mika 
 do 's ministers? None whatever, argued the 
 secret agent. 
 
 Briefly, it had all come about in this man 
 ner: Norroy had just carried through a 
 diplomatic deal in Korea which had resulted 
 in the benefit of the United States and, in 
 cidentally, Japan. Through it all, the minis 
 ter had known him as Eobert Evans, and 
 the said Evans had looked no more like 
 Yorke Norroy than did Cecil Warrendell. 
 After the thing had been over, Mr. Eobert 
 
 269 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Evans had been requested to hold a consulta 
 tion with Marquis Ito. 
 
 There were many Poles in Port Arthur, 
 Poles of noble birth, and principally officers 
 of the army and marine. Ito wanted a man 
 who could arrange with these men to obtain 
 a set of plans and figures relative to the 
 fortifications, armament, food supply, mines, 
 and other things concerning the Manchurian 
 fortress. Vague hints had been brought to 
 Ito's ears that these Poles were anxious to 
 see the downfall of Port Arthur, and would, 
 in return for grants and privileges in the fu 
 ture, aid the Japanese in every way to com 
 pass the possession of the city by the men of 
 Nippon. 
 
 Mr. Robert Evans spoke Russian, Polish 
 and Chinese, incident ally French. Therewere 
 few men who could pass muster in such an 
 array of languages, even among the best lin 
 guists of the Japanese secret service. But 
 for a Jap to chaffer with these men would 
 be impossible, for every Yamato who en 
 tered any Manchurian town was watched as 
 
 270 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 keenly as though the safety of Russia de 
 pended upon it. 
 
 Therefore, Mr. Robert Evans, of the Unit 
 ed States Department of State. He was a 
 friend to Japan; his country its ally. He 
 was clever and spoke many languages. Mar 
 quis Ito offered him a large sum. 
 
 Had Yorke Norroy not been guilty of 
 reckless extravagance the season before, he 
 would have refused the offer curtly. As it 
 was, he was heavily in debt and needed the 
 sum mentioned. He wired Washington for 
 two months' leave. When the request was 
 granted, he told the marquis that he would 
 undertake to do what Japan wished. He was 
 paid a certain amount for current expenses, 
 and, on his returning successful, the rather 
 large sum of one hundred thousand yen was 
 to become his. 
 
 So Mr. Cecil Warrendell suddenly ap 
 peared in Chef oo one day, and later in Port 
 Arthur. Mr. Warrendell was an explorer 
 and a traveler. He was writing a book 
 about the fortresses of the world. So fop- 
 
 271 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 pisK, so utterly inane had lie seemed to be 
 that his presence had been almost unnoticed 
 by the Russian police at first. 
 
 Sewed into the lining of the secret agent's 
 coat were certain papers for which the Eus- 
 sians would have killed regiments rather 
 than the man who carried them should step 
 from Eussian territory. Yorke Norroy 
 knew this, and, although by quitting Port 
 [Arthur so soon he was forced to leave certain 
 details unattended to, he was of the opinion 
 that what he had amply justified him. There- 
 f ore^ he had taken passage on the Loongsang 
 that day, and the next morning, before day 
 break, would find him in the Gulf of Pe- 
 chi-li, the vessel's nose turned toward the 
 China promontory. 
 
 But the more Norroy thought over the 
 isubject, the more his own actions disgusted 
 him. It was true that he had never liked 
 [Russians, but, since his stay in Port Arthur, 
 ihe had come into contact with so many that 
 had impressed him favorably that his senti 
 ments were gradually undergoing a change, 
 
 272 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 At least the Russians were white men ! 
 
 Another reason for his self -recriminations 
 lay in the fact of his knowing full well what 
 Japanese victory meant to Asia. For ten 
 years Norroy had been making trips to 
 China on diplomatic missions, and he had 
 seen the influence of Nippon upon the 
 Celestials. Once the Chinese army had been 
 officered with Europeans. Now nearly all 
 of them had been dismissed and Japanese 
 officers put in their places. China was tak 
 ing Japan for a model. What if China 
 should shake off her lethargy ? 
 
 The " Yellow Peril" was no hallucination 
 of a disordered imagination with the cool, 
 alert secret agent. He knew China's vast 
 dormant strength ; knew the energy, the pa 
 tience, the skill of the four hundred million 
 subjects of the Throne-of-a-Thousand-Heav- 
 ens. If they ever took up arms in earnest, 
 the white man's supremacy would be no 
 more. 
 
 After a brisk walk around the Bund, Nor 
 roy went to his hotel. It was growing dusk, 
 
 273 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 and tHe harbor lights were twinkling from 
 all descriptions of vessels in the inclosed 
 harbor, from the trading junks to the huge 
 men-of-war. He saw the Loongsang moored 
 to the Butterfield Swire wharf, and, taking 
 out his watch, noted that it was six o'clock. 
 He had still six more hours of Port Arthur. 
 
 He entered his hotel and went to his room. 
 He did not light his lamp, but sat in the 
 darkness, smoking contemplatively and re 
 garding the hurrying droshkis, the itinerant 
 Chinese merchants and the Russian soldiers 
 passing beneath his window. Six hours 
 more, and he would be out of this place ! And 
 then Shanghai, the Ever-Blessed. He 
 smiled with pleasure as the brilliantly light 
 ed dining-room of the Astor House came to 
 his eyes. He heard the town band playing, 
 and saw the well-dressed men and women- 
 Anglo-Saxons, every one of them. 
 
 He threw away his cigarette, but did not 
 rise. Although it was past the dinner hour, 
 he did not feel hungry. A distaste for Rus 
 sian food had taken possession of him. 
 
 274 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 'A slight noise in the uncarpeted hall with 
 out made him sit up suddenly. It sounded 
 as though some one were endeavoring to 
 enter his apartment by stealth. Naturally 
 cautious and suspicious by long training, 
 Norroy listened intently. He heard a key be 
 ing turned in the lock, and remembered that 
 he had his own key in his pocket. He arose, 
 his hand touching his revolver buckled be 
 neath his blouse, and stepped behind a pair 
 of heavy portieres which hid his rather 
 scanty wardrobe. 
 
 Almost noiselessly the door was opened 
 and the figures of two men showed indistinct 
 in the darkness. 
 
 "He cannot be here," growled one, in a 
 low tone. 
 
 "Exactly what we would have, little 
 brother," returned the other. "Perhaps he 
 has here papers which we need. Strike a 
 light." 
 
 The tiny flickering flame revealed two men 
 in the uniform of the Russian police. The 
 wick of the lamp was ignited. 
 
 275 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "He will be here shortly," resumed the 
 first man. "He was last seen at the Salam- 
 bo, and has not yet been to dinner. So we 
 must see what we can find, and then await 
 him here." 
 
 The two men proceeded to break the lock 
 of Norroy 's steamer trunk anci to throw out, 
 higgledy-piggledy, his articles of attire. 
 
 "Do you believe this story, Mikhail Mik- 
 hailovitch?" asked the second man. "Is it 
 possible that a prince of Poland could be a 
 traitor?" 
 
 "So says the chief," returned Mikhailo- 
 vitcH. "But we may be sure this man car 
 ries not the papers away from his person. 
 They will show whether or not our Finnish 
 friend lied." 
 
 The question and answer were enough to 
 tell Norroy that his life was not worth a 
 kopeck in Port Arthur. He remembered the 
 Finn; he had never trusted him. 
 
 The men had their backs to him. Norroy 
 took down his dispatch bag from a hook and 
 slung it over his shoulder, then drew his Colt 
 
 276 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 revolver from Its holster, and, moving cau 
 tiously forward, struck Mikhailovitch a 
 heavy blow on the temple. The man fell 
 without a groan. As the other started up, 
 Norroy swept the lamp to the floor, and, de 
 livering his antagonist a crushing blow be 
 neath the ear, darted to the door, and opened 
 It. 
 
 Finding the key in the lock, he turned the 
 lock and pocketed the key. He wasted no 
 time in reflection, but went down the hall at 
 his usual pace, descended to the foyer and 
 out to Navy Street. Two horses stood sad 
 dled without. He mounted one with a great 
 appearance of unconcern, and touched it 
 lightly with the quirt, which was attached to 
 the saddle. 
 
 As the beast darted off, a man sprang in 
 to his path, and a spurt of yellow fire, fol 
 lowed by the sharp crack of a Luger pistol, 
 made the animal rear on his haunches. 
 
 "Stop him I In the czar's name!" came 
 a shout. Norroy brought the quirt heavily 
 over the horse's ears, and, with a great 
 
 277 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 heave, it shot out of the man's reach. 
 
 Norroy heard a great shouting behind him 
 as he sped along, and twice a bullet sang 
 past his ear. The hoofs of another horse on 
 the frozen ground behind were plainly audi 
 ble, and, peering back, he could discern a 
 man galloping after him. 
 
 Norroy knew it was useless to make his 
 way toward the Loongsang or any other ship 
 in the harbor. He must get out of Port 
 Arthur on the land side make for Dalny 
 or Talienwan. Once out of the city itself, 
 his progress would be much easier. 
 
 Pedestrians and horsemen alike drew out 
 of the way of his thundering horse and that 
 of the man who followed him, screaming out 
 for aid in capturing the spy. Passing Cos 
 sacks made springs for his bridle rein, but 
 none succeeded. Many took shots at him, 
 and at one Norroy's horse gave a shrill neigh 
 of pain. Peeling downward, Norroy's bare 
 hand encountered streaming blood on the 
 horse's neck. The animal's pace slackened, 
 and the man behind steadily drew nearer. 
 
 278 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 They were out of the city now, and were 
 nearing the railway station. If his horse 
 could only hold out until he reached the hills ! 
 His pursuer fired, and a bullet whistled 
 through Norroy's felt hat. 
 
 Norroy knew that he could do but one 
 thing. His horse was stumbling and could 
 carry him but a few paces further. Sud 
 denly he swerved him from his path, turned 
 him squarely in the Russian's way, and 
 jerked him to a standstill. With his free 
 hand he aimed at the oncoming pursuer, and 
 the shot caught the Russian fairly in the 
 center of the forehead. The man quietly 
 collapsed and tumbled from his horse. 
 
 Norroy dismounted and caught the freed 
 horse by the snaffle rein. He swung his foot 
 into the stirrup, touched his new steed light 
 ly with his spur, and galloped off again, 
 leaving the dead Russian and the wounded 
 horse behind. 
 
 But it was only an instant's respite, for, 
 over the hill he had left in his wake, he could 
 see a party of horsemen bearing behind him. 
 
 279 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 To outride these men would be impossible. 
 What then was he to do ? 
 
 He swept down a second hill, and the Eus- 
 sian railway station loomed large before 
 him, not a half mile away. Perhaps a few 
 dozen rods from the station was the Mko- 
 ibadze. .The landlord of the little inn was an 
 Armenian, and could be bought. The best 
 thing to do was to buy him, and lie concealed 
 there until he had time to disguise himself 
 and buy a passport. 
 
 As he neared the Nikobadze, lie again dis 
 mounted, turned his horse facing the other 
 way and gave it a smart cut with the quirt. 
 The animal sped off in the direction of Port 
 Arthur, and Norroy made all haste in the 
 direction of the little inn. 
 
 He threw open the glass-paned door and 
 walked into the Armenian's private room 
 without knocking. 
 
 "Georgios," he said, rapidly, and in 
 Greek, as the little bandy-legged man in the 
 greasy black clothes eyed him tremblingly, 
 "I am wanted by the Eussian police. If 
 
 280 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 you can hide me liere for a couple of days, 
 you can make ten thousand roubles." He 
 thrust his hand into his pocket and pulled 
 out a five-hundred rouble note. "That you 
 can have now the rest when I leave here 
 safely. If you fail in hiding me, not a penny 
 more. Will you do it, Georgios? Speak 
 quick! The police are coming." 
 
 "Yes, effendi," returned the Armenian, 
 his eyes dilating at the sight of the money. 
 "I have built for me a place to store my 
 goods when there is a fight here. This the 
 police cannot discover. Come with me." 
 
 He held out his hand for the note, and 
 Norroy gave it to him. 
 
 "Mind you, Georgios," he said, sternly, 
 "if you betray me, not a penny, and, be 
 sides" he pulled up his blouse and showed 
 his revolver, which he tapped significantly 
 "mind you that, Georgios." 
 
 The little Armenian nodded. "You I 
 will not betray, effendi," he said, earnestly, 
 
 He took Norroy into the hall, and opened 
 another door they entered a private dining- 
 
 281 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 room, and the Armenian crossed the room 
 to where hung a large icon, setting forth in 
 crude colors the birth of Christ. The picture 
 was taller than the average man, and was 
 set firmly against the wall. The Armenian 
 pulled against its right side and touched the 
 head of one of the wise men in the picture. 
 Immediately the supposed painting swung 
 back like a door, and disclosed a little room 
 built into a hollow of the wall, containing a 
 straw pallet and a rude table. 
 
 The sounds of galloping horses came to 
 the ears of E~orroy. He stepped quickly with 
 in. The Armenian swung back the picture 
 and draped the curtains over it for icons 
 are always hidden from the light. 
 
 Norroy lay down on the pallet and the 
 Armenian went back to his room. He had 
 hardly reseated himself before a droshki, 
 containing a pretty woman, wrapped in furs, 
 stopped before the Mkobadze, and the wo 
 man alighted. Georgios went into the hall 
 to meet her. 
 
 The sound of the horses' hoofs was now 
 quite distinct, and the police were in full 
 sight of the inn. 
 
 282 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 IN THE PRIVATE DINING-ROOM OF THE NIKO- 
 BADZE. 
 
 As the woman mountecl the three narrow, 
 wooden steps, Georgios threw open the glass- 
 paned door, and stood obsequiously by 
 while she entered. Then, closing the door> 
 he advanced, rubbing his fat hands. 
 
 1 * How may I serve madame ? ' ' he inquired. 
 
 "I find that the train to Newchwang is an 
 hour late, and that I must wait that time be 
 fore taking it, ' ' she informed him. ' * There 
 fore, during that hour, I would have you 
 serve me dinner." 
 
 "It is as madame wishes," said Georgios, 
 bowing low. 
 
 "But I must be private and to myself," 
 said the woman, imperiously. "I am the 
 Countess Helma de Czechowicz. I will pay 
 you well." 
 
 283 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 The Armenian wrinkled his brow. He 
 had but one private dining-room, and that 
 contained the icon behind which lay the 
 secret room and the effendi. Yet it was 
 but for an hour and his face brightened. 
 If she were in the room, the pursuing police 
 would have less cause to search it. 
 
 "If you will follow me, madame." He 
 opened the door to the private dining-room. 
 She entered. 
 
 "See that my drosJiki driver has a double 
 measure of vodka and some food. Then 
 give him this" she handed Georgios a two- 
 rouble note "and tell him that he may re 
 turn to the city. I shall not need him long 
 
 er." 
 
 "Yes, madame," bowed tKe innkeeper. 
 "It shall be as madame says." He lighted 
 the lamp on the center table and called for 
 a Chinese boy to attend to the fire. Then he 
 went out with many salaams. The Countess 
 Helma removed her fur cloak, and took off 
 her gloves and her ermine turban ; then, sit 
 ting down by the table and taking a French 
 
 284 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 novel from a small bag she carried, she be 
 gan to turn the pages in search of the place 
 where her perusal of the tale had ceased. 
 
 A Manchu boy entered with wood and coal 
 in separate hods and set about replenishing 
 the dying-out fire in the American stove in 
 the center of the room. Outside, the snow 
 was beginning to fall, and the horses of the 
 oncoming mounted police left their Hoof 
 marks behind them in the white drift that 
 was fast covering the ground. The countess 
 drew her chair closer to the stove, giving the 
 riders, as they drew up, but a cursory glance. 
 She spoke to the coolie in Russo-Chinese, 
 and bade him tell his master to have dinner 
 prepared for her swiftly. Then she became 
 engrossed in her De Maupassant story. 
 
 There was a knock at the door, and she 
 called out admittance. The Armenian en 
 tered, rubbing his hands, apologetically. 
 
 "If madame pleases," he said, humbly, 
 "A party of police have ridden up, and say 
 that a spy is concealed within this inn. They 
 demand the right to search this room. A! 
 
 285 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 captain of his imperial majesty's army is in 
 charge, and I dare not refuse " 
 
 The countess frowned. "Must I be dis 
 turbed by boorish police ?" she said, in a dis 
 pleased tone. "Tell them that a lady occu 
 pies this room, and she does not wish to be 
 disturbed." 
 
 There was another knock on the door, and 
 a voice called out: "Come, come, man, the 
 captain does not wish to remain outside your 
 door forever." 
 
 The Armenian opened the door. "The 
 lady begs that you search the room swiftly, 
 your excellency," he bowed. The officer 
 swept him out of the way, and came into the 
 apartment. The woman withdrew herself 
 by the window and turned her head. 
 
 "Your pardon, madame," said the cap 
 tain. "But I am looking for a dog of an 
 Englishman who has stolen valuable papers, 
 and believe him to be somewhere in this 
 
 inn." 
 
 "I have just entered," she said, trying to 
 make her voice calm. She recognized his 
 
 286 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 tones, and did not wish him to see her face. 
 "Search, but search quickly, as I wish to be 
 alone." 
 
 She spoke softly and in an assumed voice. 
 The officer busied himself in a tour of in 
 spection, poking beneath divans and tables 
 and opening closets. Finally he pushed back 
 the curtains before the icon. 
 
 "A sacred picture, your excellency," al 
 most groveled the Armenian. "An icon." 
 
 The officer removed his cap, involuntarily 
 respectful, for religion enters largely into 
 the Russian's code of right and wrong. Thei} 
 he turned, and caught the woman's profile. 
 He leaned forward, his face a picture of un 
 belief. Then with a cry, half savage in its 
 intensity, he strode to her side. 
 
 "Helma!" he exclaimed. He turned to 
 the Armenian. "Leave the room." The 
 landlord hesitated. "Leave the room, filth!" 
 added the officer, politely. Fearing compli 
 cations unforeseen, the Armenian quitted 
 -the room, shaking as though with the ague. 
 
 "So I have found you," exclaimed the of- 
 
 287 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 ficer, unpleasantly. "What are you doing 
 here?" 
 
 "What right have you to question me?" 
 she returned, facing him. "Suppose you fol 
 low the landlord. This is my private room, 
 and I do not desire your presence in it." 
 
 "I want an answer," he returned, fierce 
 ly. "An answer that explains your presence 
 in this hole, unchaperoned, absolutely alone. 
 Your father left you in my charge when he 
 went to Vladivostok " 
 
 "My stepfather," she corrected. "And I 
 do not acknowledge his right to leave me in 
 your charge. You have no jurisdiction over 
 me, Captain Lenoff." 
 
 His quick eye caught a slip of yellow 
 paper within the pages of the novel she had 
 been reading. He reached down and jerked 
 it forth. An ugly look crossed his face when 
 it was plain to him. 
 
 "A railway pass to Newchwang," he said, 
 furiously. "What " 
 
 She crossed to the door and threw it open. 
 "I must ask you to go, Captain Lenoff," she 
 
 288 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 said, calmly. 
 
 "And I must answer you thus." He 
 pushed her roughly away, closed the door, 
 locked it and put the key in his pocket. 
 "Now, perhaps, the Countess Helma will be 
 so kind as to answer my question." 
 
 "The Countess Helma does not recognize 
 your right to ask it," returned the girl, with 
 spirit. She stood erect, facing him, her 
 great black eyes alight with indignation, and 
 a crimson flush on her pale face. 
 
 The captain had evidently cooled a trifle 
 at her determined attitude. He sat down on 
 a chair near by and took a case from his 
 pocket, extracting therefrom a tiny ciga 
 rette, half paper tube. This he lighted over 
 the lamp, watching the girl, who continued 
 to eye him steadily. 
 
 "So you think I have no right to ask the 
 question?" he queried, mockingly. "Very 
 well, my countess ! If you do not recognize 
 my legal right, perhaps you will believe me 
 when I refer you to the old saw which de 
 nominates might as being right. It seems to 
 
 289 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 me that I have the might. " 
 
 " You have taken advantage of my woman 
 ly weakness, that is all I can see, Captain 
 Lenoff," she retorted, without a trace of 
 fear in her tones. "But I do not see that it 
 alters the situation at all." 
 
 Captain Lenoff leaned forward. "I came 
 here to catch a spy to-night, but it seems that 
 I shall catch something better," he said. 
 "If you will not answer my question, I will 
 tell you what your reply should have been : 
 You are going to Newchwang, and from 
 there to Peking to that treacherous Polish 
 rascal whom we drove out of Port Arthur." 
 
 She arose. "That we drove out of Port 
 Arthur, Captain Lenoff? I think you are 
 mistaken. Was it not Count Stanislas who 
 spared your life in a duel after you had vile 
 ly slandered him?" 
 
 Lenoff 's face grew very red. "At any 
 rate, you shall not go," he said, determined 
 ly. 
 
 "There is no law to prevent me. You 
 
 dare not use force," she replied. 
 
 290 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Dare not?" He laughed. "Well, I 
 haven't time to argue the question, for I 
 have a spy to catch to-night; but I'll make 
 sure you do not go to Newchwang." He 
 folded the railway pass carefully and placed 
 it in his pocket. She suddenly became aware 
 what would be his next action, and made a 
 wild grasp for her hand bag, which lay on 
 the table. He reached for it at the same 
 time, and a tug ensued. She held on with 
 the grip of desperation. 
 
 ' * Oh ! you coward ! ' ' she cried. ' * You cow 
 ard! Let loose of that. It is mine. You 
 
 have no right " The tears welled up in 
 
 her eyes. 
 
 "As I thought," smiled the captain, grim 
 ly, as he gradually pulled it from her. 
 "Like all women, you keep your money in 
 your bag. Without money or pass, I rather 
 think you won't go to Newchwang." 
 
 She clutched the bag again, holding it over 
 his hand. Her nails tore his wrist. 
 
 "Here! enough of that!" he said, sourly, 
 and with a wrench he pulled the bag from 
 
 291 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AiGENT 
 
 her grasp and retreated to the other end of 
 the room. He opened it and took out a pack 
 et of rouble notes and a letter of credit. Still 
 smiling, he thrust them into his pocket and 
 tossed the bag on the table. 
 
 "I'm sure you will not go to Newehwang 
 now," he said. "And now I must be off to 
 hunt the spy. I will put you in charge of 
 two of my men." 
 
 She faced him, tearful and consumed with 
 rage. "Oh! you coward you mean, despic 
 able cad!" she breathed. She made a quick 
 dash across the room and plucked the money 
 from his pocket, holding it firmly in both 
 hands. His face darkened, and he seized 
 her wrists. 
 
 "Give it up, Helma," he said, coldly. 
 "Give it up. I do not want to hurt you. 
 ; Why do you resist ? You are powerless, lit 
 tle sister." 
 
 "Help! Help!" she screamed, at the top 
 of her lungs. "Help! Help!" 
 
 "There is no one to help you," the man 
 informed her, coolly. 
 
 292 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 The curtains before the icon parted, and 
 Norroy stood in the shadow of the room. 
 They had their backs to him, and he moved 
 toward the door and stood facing the com 
 batants. 
 
 " Pardon me?" he inquired, politely, one 
 hand held behind his back. They did not 
 seem to hear or see him. " Pardon me," he 
 repeated, in a louder tone, and speaking in 
 French, "but do I intrude?" 
 
 The officer released the girl and faced him, 
 astonishment and anger in his eyes. "Yes 
 you intrude," he said, loudly. "You in 
 trude most damnably." As his eyes took 
 in Norroy from head to foot, he started back 
 startled and dismayed. 
 
 "It is it is " He muttered. "It is 
 
 the Englishman the spy the spy " 
 
 His hand sought his pistol strapped to 
 his belt, but the hand behind Norroy came 
 immediately into full view, and Captain 
 Lenoff found himself looking into the steel 
 barrel of a Colt forty-five, held steadily and 
 unwaveringly by the hand of Mr. Yorke 
 
 293 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Norroy. 
 
 "Just take that toy out of your belt, cap 
 tain," he said, suavely, "and put it on the 
 table. Then put your sword beside it. If 
 you make any noise, man ami, I shall be un 
 der the painful necessity of getting rid of 
 one of these cartridges and I need them all 
 badly. So hurry, man cher capitan." 
 
 Dazed and bewildered, Captain Lenoff 
 obeyed instructions. 
 
 294 
 
CHAPTER HI. 
 
 CAPTAIN YORKE NORROY, H. I. R. M. S. 
 
 Norroy studied the Russian with a glint 
 of humor in his eye, for it was a prearranged 
 plan with him that this man should aid him 
 in his escaping from the predicament in 
 which the Finn had landed him. In the 
 Russian's look there was much malevolence, 
 and the secret agent noted that his glance 
 wandered toward his belt. 
 
 " Really, I am becoming forgetful," con 
 tinued Norroy. "I had omitted to mention 
 that dirk, Captain Lenoff . Just lay that on 
 the table, too, will you?" 
 
 "What do you mean?" growled Lenoff. 
 
 "I mean that little ornament you wear in 
 your belt. Perhaps your possession of it 
 slipped your memory. But I see the hilt 
 showing." He advanced a few steps toward 
 the officer, and indicated the weapon with 
 
 295 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 a twirl of his revolver. Lenoff scowled and 
 folded his arms. 
 
 "Come, come!" said Norroy, impatiently. 
 "Don't let us dally. The dirk, man!" The 
 cold light in the secret agent's indefinitely 
 colored eyes was disquieting to the Eussian 
 in view of the fact that the revolver was 
 now within a few inches of Ms nose. He 
 put his hand to Ms belt, withdrew the tiny 
 weapon, and, after fingering it uncertainly, 
 threw it on the table also. Norroy advanced 
 and picked up the sword, pistol and dirk. 
 The first two he dropped in a corner, but the 
 dirk he retained. 
 
 "This is much more satisfactory," he 
 said. " If I fired the revolver it might alarm 
 your men. This will do its work silently!" 
 Norroy thrust the Colt into its holster and 
 held the dagger in his hand. 
 
 "From what I gather from madame's con 
 versation and yours," he continued, bowing 
 to the girl, who stood viewing Mm with un 
 disguised amazement and a little alarm, 
 "you seek to prevent her from carrying out 
 
 296 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 her wishes without having any right so to do. 
 Madame wishes to go to Newchwang. There 
 fore she should be allowed to go. In order 
 that there will be no mistake, I am going 
 to escort her there with your permission, 
 madame." 
 
 "Monsieur is very kind," murmured the 
 girl, who had not yet fathomed the exact 
 status of the case. 
 
 "So!" said Lenoff, sarcastically. "And 
 may I ask monsieur the spy how he intends 
 to leave Port Arthur without a passport?" 
 
 "Certainly you may," returned Norroy, 
 smiling. "Because in order to see madame 
 to the end of her journey, I am going to ask 
 you to help me, mon cher capitan. In view 
 of the fact that you have been very rude 
 to madame, I think you will feel it your duty 
 to accede to any little matters of convenience 
 I may suggest." He fondled the dirk specu- 
 latively, and looked steadily at the Russian, 
 
 "Tour description is in the hands of both 
 police and soldiers," growled Lenoff. "And 
 you'll not get away, mark that, M. "Warren- 
 
 297 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC ACfENT 
 
 dell. You'll be taken back to Port Arthur 
 and stood up against one of the walls of the 
 Gold Hill Fort with a file of soldiers facing 
 you. Don't flatter yourself your country 
 can aid you. You are a spy, and interna 
 tional law doesn't recognize spies as having 
 any nationality/' 
 
 "Yes?" queried Norroy. "Well, per 
 haps you are wrong, monsieur le capitan. 
 Now for the little favors I am going to ask 
 of you. First return madame's railway pass 
 and her letter of credit." 
 
 The Eussian gave him a defiant look. 
 
 "I must warn you against delays they 
 are dangerous," pursued the secret agent, 
 his eyes glittering. "Quick now!" 
 
 The Eussian took the desired articles 
 from his pocket and held them out to Nor 
 roy. The secret agent stretched forth his 
 hand. The Eussian gripped it tightly, and 
 his other hand shot forth and seized the 
 wrist of the one holding the dagger. With 
 a sudden motion of his body Norroy twisted 
 back both his opponent's hands ; then, wheel- 
 
 298 
 
ii 
 il 
 
 NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 ing quickly, caught Mm about the neck in 
 such a way as to render him powerless. 
 
 Madame," he said, dispassionately, 
 your property is on the floor. I must ask 
 you to pick it up." As the Countess Helma 
 moved forward, he spoke in a very low tone 
 to the man in his embrace. "If you attempt 
 that again, Captain Lenoff, you will have 
 your dirk restored to you in a way you won't 
 like. Let me advise you again to do exact 
 ly as I tell you. Haven't you enough wits 
 to see that I have the upper hand?" He 
 released the glowering officer and stepped 
 back. 
 
 "Now, madame," lie continued, "kindly 
 step into that closet at the end of the room 
 and close the door. I am going to ask Cap 
 tain Lenoff to loan me his uniform, and 
 you understand?" 
 
 The girl nodded, and entered the little 
 closet, shutting the door after her. 
 
 "Now, monsieur le capitan" went on Nor- 
 roy, briskly. "I am going to ask you to hur 
 ry, as the stuffy closet is hardly a fit place 
 
 299 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 for madame to remain in for any length of 
 time." 
 
 " Hurry what?" inquired Lenoff, sullen 
 ly. 
 
 " Hurry and disrobe. Take off your uni 
 form and boots and be quick about it, too." 
 
 "I shall do nothing of the sort," returned 
 Lenoff, defiantly. 
 
 " Captain Lenoff," said Norroy, icily, 
 "you are dealing with a man whose life is 
 in some peril, and who will not hesitate to 
 take yours in order to save his own. I must 
 have that uniform. That will be my pass 
 port to Newchwang about which you in 
 quired a moment ago. I should prefer that 
 you give it to me yourself rather than that 
 I strip it from you when you are non est." 
 
 The way in which Norroy spoke, and the 
 almost savage gleam of his eye, convinced 
 Lenoff that refusal would be suicidal. He 
 arose and threw off his long, gray coat, took 
 off his riding boots and breeches, removed 
 his blouse and waistcoat, and tossed his cap 
 and sword belt on the top of the pile. Then, 
 
 300 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 standing erect in his undergarments, lie 
 favored Norroy with an evil look. Norroy 
 advanced, and, keeping an eye on Lenoff, 
 pushed the clothes into another closet at the 
 other end of the room. Then he took off his 
 cartridge belt and unslung the dispatch bag 
 he carried over his shoulder. From the lin 
 ing of his coat he extracted papers and 
 money which he placed in the dispatch bag, 
 from the trousers he took out a few odds 
 and ends, from the waistcoat a watch and 
 fob and other trinkets. Then he laid' his 
 revolver and the Russian's dirk on a little 
 tabouret. 
 
 "Now, Captain Lenoff," he said, quietly, 
 "I am going to disrobe. I am just about 
 three feet from you, and can seize you be 
 fore you reach the door. As you know, I 
 am stronger than you, and, besides, I hold 
 the weapons. So take my advice, and re 
 main perfectly quiet." 
 
 Quickly Norroy threw his khaki-serge 
 blouse to the floor, and drew off his tan boots. 
 In exactly the same fashion as the Bussian, 
 
 301 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 he made a little pile of his clothing in the 
 middle of the floor, Lenoff eying him in help 
 less rage. Norroy was also in his under 
 clothes now. He picked up the long coat 
 which the Russian had discarded and 
 slipped it on. It reached nearly to his 
 ankles. 
 
 "It is fortunate that you and I are about 
 the same size, captain," he said, cheerily. 
 "This coat fits me very well. I haven't time 
 to try the others yet. Now, oblige me by ar 
 raying yourself in my garments please 
 don't argue the question." 
 
 Lenoff was reduced to a state of servile 
 obedience. He feared this mad devil of an 
 Englishman, whose strength of arm was so 
 great, and whose manner showed that he 
 would have little hesitation in dirking him 
 if he refused to obey orders. 
 
 In a few moments he was dressed in Nor- 
 roy's clothes, and Norroy discarded the 
 long coat and pulled on the sky-blue riding 
 breeches and heelless black boots, after 
 which went waistcoat and undress blouse. 
 
 302 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 He strapped his cartridge belt and holster 
 around his waist, but left the dirk on the 
 table. Then he fastened the military collar 
 of the blouse and eyed himself with some 
 satisfaction in the pier glass. 
 
 "In truth, captain," he said, smiling, "I 
 believe I make a far better Russian than 
 you. Madame, you may re-enter." 
 
 At the sight of the transformed men, the 
 Countess Helma broke into rippling laugh 
 ter. Lenoffi scowled. 
 
 6 'Now, madame," Norroy addressed her, 
 "I see some picture cord there which sup 
 ports those two paintings at the end of the 
 room. From previous experience, I have 
 found that picture cord makes an excellent 
 substitute for rope. Will you kindly take 
 the pictures down and untie the cord?" 
 
 The girl looked at him questioningly, and 
 he nodded toward Lenoff:. She smiled again, 
 and untied the cord. 
 
 "Now I must ask you to put your hands 
 behind your back, Captain Lenoff," he said, 
 "This lady will then tie them together." 
 
 303 
 
NORRQY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Oh! monsieur, " protested the Countess 
 Helma. 
 
 "You wish to reach Newchwang, do you 
 not?" inquired Norroy. 
 
 The girl said no more, but moved toward 
 Lenoff , who made a sudden dash for Norroy. 
 The outstretched dirk met him, and Norroy 
 looked at him angrily. 
 
 "You have only to do that once more, 
 Captain Lenoff," he said, with much stern 
 ness of manner, "and you will have made 
 your last move in any direction. Put your 
 hands behind your back. Tie him securely, 
 Countess Helma." 
 
 The task was easily performed, and Nor 
 roy relieved her of the remainder of the pic 
 ture cord, and, kneeling before the Russian, 
 he tied his feet together. A sudden realiza 
 tion of his position came to Lenoff. He 
 knew what it would mean now if he were 
 discovered in this predicament, his uniform 
 and sword gone, and his quarry escaped. 
 
 "Gregorovitch!" he shouted loudly. "A 
 spy! Help! Help!" 
 
 304 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 For a moment it looked as though Norroy 
 were about to sheathe the dirk in a tender 
 portion of his anatomy. But the secret 
 agent paused in the very action and laughed. 
 
 " Exactly, "he said, grimly. "Exactly. A 
 spy!" 
 
 He placed his hand to his chin, and 
 whisked off the false Vandyke beard which 
 he wore, following it with the curling mus 
 tache, and stood clean shaven, as of yore. 
 To tell the truth, Norroy could not have 
 raised a beard. 
 
 He advanced on the Russian, still smiling, 
 and fastened the beard and mustache on his 
 face. Then, picking up his own felt hat, 
 he slouched it over LenofPs eyes. A hand 
 kerchief and a piece of stick were quickly 
 converted into a gag, which was thrust into 
 Lenoff's mouth, and twisted tightly, making 
 speech impossible. 
 
 A knock came on the door without, and 
 many voices cried out in Eussian: "Open 
 the door open the door, captain!" 
 
 The girl was trembling in every limb, but 
 
 305 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Norroy's face showed nothing but amuse 
 ment. He reached into his dispatch bag and 
 extracted a wig, cut Russian style, and of 
 a very black shade. This he put over his 
 own hair. Then he picked up Lenoff 's cap 
 and pulled it down so as to shade his face ; 
 drew on the long coat and buckled the sword 
 belt over it. The knocking on the door had 
 become tempestuous and the shouting out 
 side continued. Norroy reached into the 
 corner, thrust the Russian's sword into the 
 scabbard by his side, and placed the pistol in 
 its holster. Then he stepped over to tHe 
 lamp and turned the light low. 
 
 "Put on your hat and cloak, madame," 
 he told the girl. In the distance the shrill 
 whistle of a train was heard. 
 
 Norroy reached into the pocket of the long 
 coat, and took out the door-key, which the 
 Russian had placed there. He unlocked the 
 door, and a dozen imperial police stumbled 
 in. At the sight of the officer they saluted. 
 
 "We heard you call, captain," said a 
 sergeant of police breathlessly. "You said 
 
 306 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 a spy!" 
 
 "Precisely," returned Norroy, in perfect 
 Russian, mimicking the deep tones of LenofE 
 to a nicety. "There he sits. He was con 
 cealed here. That is the man we are in 
 search of, but he has no papers on him. He 
 has confessed that a confederate has taken 
 the papers to Newchwang. Is that not the 
 whistle of the wagon-lit without?" 
 
 "Yes, captain," returned the sergeant. 
 "The train leaves for Newchwang in less 
 than five minutes." 
 
 "Then I will leave this man in your 
 charge, sergeant. But one caution; do not 
 ungag him. I have my reasons for order 
 ing this. Take him to the Gold Hill Fort 
 and do not ungag him until to-morrow morn 
 ing. Do not ask me why. It is enough that 
 I give the order." 
 
 The sergeant saluted again. "It shall be 
 as you say, captain," he returned. "In 
 truth, this is the very man. The description 
 Mikhailovitch gave was correct. Might I 
 ask, captain, how you captured him?" 
 
 307 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Through this lady, who is a secret agent 
 of Ms excellency, M. Alexieff," replied Ker 
 rey, bowing to the girl. "But I have no time 
 to waste. I must go to Newchwang. You will 
 not forget my orders, sergeant. He must 
 not be ungagged until to-morrow morning. 
 If this order is not obeyed, serious mishaps 
 may occur, and I shall hold you responsible 
 you understand?" 
 
 "Yes, captain," said the sergeant. "I 
 understand, and will obey. Shall I inform 
 the general that you have gone to New 
 chwang?" 
 
 "Yes. I shall return by the morning train, 
 and I shall have the papers. You may tell 
 him that, also. Come, madame, or we shall 
 not catch the train." He bowed low to the 
 bound Russian. "Adieu, monsieur the spy," 
 he said, pleasantly. 
 
 The police made a way for him to pass 
 out, and the two left the room. In the hall 
 he encountered Georgios. 
 
 "I will send you a check from Peking," 
 He breathed in his ear. The astonished Ar- 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 menian, not understanding, looked after the 
 pair in dumb amazement. 
 
 They reached the train just in time to 
 board it, and went into a first-class com 
 partment. Norroy's uniform was sufficient 
 passport for both himself and the girl. 
 
 As he seated himself opposite her, his 
 pent-up feelings of mirth broke loose, and 
 he burst into the heartiest fit of laughter 
 that had ever overcome him. 
 
 309 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE CONSCIENCE OF YORKE NORROY. 
 
 The Port Arthur train reached New- 
 chwang at four o'clock the next morning, 
 and, being unhampered with luggage, Nor- 
 roy and the girl hastened from the station 
 and entered a mandarin cart which took 
 them to the banks of the Liaho Eiver. It 
 was bitterly cold and the blackness of the 
 night was still on the land. The Liaho 
 stretched before them, frozen, without a pisa 
 in sight, but their cart driver finally routed 
 up two sleeping coolies, and the little sleds 
 were dragged out of huts and launched on 
 the glassy surface. The passengers sat in 
 the middle, while the coolies stood behind 
 with long, steel-pointed poles, which they 
 dug into the ice at intervals and sent the 
 light craft skimming over the surface. 
 
 Half an hour in the face of the bleak wind, 
 
 310 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 and they were landed on the frozen bank of 
 the Yinkow side. It was nearing five o 'clock 
 now, and the train for Shan-hai-kuan left 
 at that hour. They had time to spare, for 
 the railroad station was very near. Nor- 
 roy purchased two tickets of an inscrutable- 
 looking Tartar, with long, drooping mus- 
 tachios, and they went into their compart 
 ment. 
 
 Once out of Yinkow, there was no possibil 
 ity of arrest, and when the last warning toot 
 of the locomotive's whistle was heard, and 
 the cars began to move, Norroy breathed a 
 long sigh of relief. 
 
 The girl had been talking for some time, 
 and Norroy had been listening intently. 
 
 "It is then truth, monsieur, that you carry 
 the plans of Port Arthur on your person?" 
 she said. 
 
 "I have not told you so, madame," he 
 replied. 
 
 " Assuming a purely hypothetical case, 
 then," went on the girl, "you have the 
 
 311 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 plans ; you intend to surrender them to Ja 
 pan. I am a Eussian, monsieur, and I love 
 my country. Lenoff is not a fair example 
 of my countrymen, as you know, you who 
 can speak our language so fluently. My 
 stepfather has been unkind to me, and I am 
 leaving him, and with him, Eussia. Perhaps 
 I shall never return. But I love my country, 
 monsieur, I love my country as well as you 
 love yours, and if you are English, you must 
 love yours greatly. 
 
 " Suppose there should be war ? If Japan 
 were in possession of these papers which we 
 suppose you carry, Port Arthur would easily 
 fall before her. That would mean the end 
 of Eussia in the East. Perhaps you hate 
 Eussia as do most English. But is not 
 Eussian domination better than Japanese? 
 Have you reflected what it would mean 
 should Japan rule Asia ? Perhaps my own 
 country is grasping, but is not Japan more 
 so? Perhaps my own country does not al 
 ways keep her promises, but when did Japan 
 ever keep a promise?" 
 
 312 
 
NORROiY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Norroy knew that what this girl said was 
 truth. Russians he disliked, but not so much 
 as he did Japanese. 
 
 "You know, you must know, since you are 
 working for Japan, that she has no grati 
 tude, no moral obligation. Remember the 
 officers she decoyed from European armies 
 and navies to officer her own people. She 
 promised them retirement at double the 
 salary their own government would have 
 paid them. They went, they served Japan 
 faithfully for years, they trained her sol 
 diers and sailors. Then, when Japan had 
 learned all they could teach her, she cut 
 them adrift in their old age without a penny 
 or a prospect. You know that is true." 
 
 "Yes," he agreed, "that is true." 
 
 "You, monsieur, you who are so brave and 
 strong, should not stoop to such work for 
 such a nation. Were it your own country 
 that looked for war with mine, I would not 
 urge you. But it is not for your country 
 that you are doing this. Russia is cruel, cor 
 rupt, sometimes barbarous. But what of 
 
 313 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Japan?" 
 
 Norroy lighted a cigarette and nodded un- 
 derstandingly. 
 
 "It is much to ask of you, monsieur. And 
 you have been so kind to me that I do not 
 wish to appear ungrateful. You have risked 
 your life for these papers. No doubt they 
 are worth much to you. You have nothing 
 to gain by doing what I wish unless you 
 value your own self -appreciation. But per 
 haps you do not look at matters in the same 
 light as I." 
 
 " Suppose you state explicitly what you 
 wish me to do, countess," said Norroy, 
 brushing the ashes from his cigarette. 
 
 "Do not, oh! do not take those papers to 
 Japan. Ah ! I have offended you, monsieur. 
 I know it is much to ask, and I know that 
 it appears presumptuous that I should 
 judge you. But, monsieur, what you are do 
 ing is wrong all wrong." 
 
 The secret agent looked out of the window 
 of the car at the expanse of brown country 
 covered with sparse vegetation, and through 
 
 314 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 which the tiny canals wended their way like 
 threads of silver. He said nothing, but he 
 was thinking, nevertheless, thinking deeply. 
 He had gone through much to win thesq 
 papers. There was a reward at the end of 
 his journey which would relieve him of 
 financial embarrassment, and make him able 
 to return to his own country, unfettered and 
 under no obligations. On the other hand- 
 Around a curve of the road the Great 
 Wall of China appeared, faint and shadowy. 
 Within a few moments they would be out of 
 Manchuria, and he would be free from any 
 possible chance of trouble from Russia. 
 The journey was nearly at an end, the re 
 sults accomplished. It had taken time, 
 trouble and much that was disagreeable to 
 do the thing that she now asked him to un 
 do. 
 
 "It is right," she murmured. "It is right. 
 I only ask you to do what your own con 
 science must tell you is the only course." 
 
 He did not answer her. The train swept 
 on until it looked as though the Great Wall 
 
 315 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 was about to topple over upon them ; a sec 
 ond later and the train swept through the 
 break and they were speeding over Cheh-li 
 province, with Manchuria and Russian 
 domination behind. Shan-hai-kuan, with 
 its barracks and hotel, was visible to the eye. 
 Here, under the protection of American and 
 Japanese arms, he was safe. 
 
 But he had made up his mind. His hand 
 went into his breast, and a bulky package, 
 bound with red tape, was extracted. 
 
 " These are the plans, madame," he said, 
 simply. A little fire burned brightly in a 
 stove in the center of the compartment. Nor- 
 roy opened the door, and fingered the 
 papers uncertainly. Then, with a quick 
 movement, he cast them on the flames, and 
 watched' the hungry fire lap around their 
 edges until a yellow spurt showed they were 
 ignited. 
 
 "Ah! monsieur! monsieur!" she cried. 
 The next moment she had thrown her arms 
 about his neck and kissed him on the lips. 
 
 Gently he untwined her arms, and looked 
 
 316 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 at her steadily. 
 
 "You are going to meet Count Stanislas 
 in Peking," he said, slowly. "Ydu are his 
 fiancee, are you not, countess?" 
 
 "I was foolish I did not know," she 
 whispered. * ' You ' ' 
 
 The train came to a sudden stop, and, 
 looking out of the window, the files of sol 
 diers of many nations were seen drawn up to 
 salute. 
 
 "Come," said Norroy. "Here is Shan- 
 hai-kuan and the hotel. And remember that 
 Count Stanislas loves and trusts you, even 
 as my fiancee trusts me." 
 
 She uttered a faint cry as he declared the 
 tie that bound him, but stifled her emotion 
 and picked up her hand-bag. Norroy, smil 
 ing grimly, as he wondered what girl in the 
 United States he could claim with any such 
 title, opened the door for the Russian count 
 ess, and they left the train. 
 
 When he was alone in his room he eyed 
 his likeness in the mirror. 
 
 "Yorke Norroy," he said, with much 
 
 317 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 earnestness, "you are a fool." 
 
 But, somehow, the restful feeling that 
 comes when one has done the right at all 
 costs did not bear out his reiterated state 
 ment to the inoffensive likeness. 
 
 318 
 
The Honor of the Ambassador 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE SECRETARY OF LEGATION. 
 
 In the house of many secrets and unas 
 suming appearance, Yorke Norroy had been 
 waiting for some half an hour, smoking his 
 inevitable cigarettes and gazing out of the 
 bay windows on the shrubbery and well-kept 
 yew hedges. It was very seldom that he was 
 called upon to perform another mission im 
 mediately after returning from one which 
 had kept him abroad for nearly six months. 
 Yet the secretary's note was final, and so 
 Norroy had come. 
 
 He was running over in his mind his list 
 of invitations, and wondering how it would 
 be possible to cancel them all without suspi- 
 
 319 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC "AGENT 
 
 cion, when the secretary entered, placid and 
 imperturbable as ever. The two men shook 
 hands, and the secretary offered Norroy a 
 cigar, which the secret agent declined. The 
 chief of the state department lighted one 
 himself, and followed Norroy 's gaze to the 
 shrubbery. Finally he spoke. 
 
 "Can you procure a bid to the Cochranes' 
 house party?" he inquired, without intro 
 duction. But Norroy was hardened to start 
 ling questions of this sort which seemed en 
 tirely irrelevant to his duties as secret agent, 
 
 "Why, yes," he returned, slowly. "I think 
 I have a 'bid' now. I'm not quite sure, but 
 I fancy I have. I should refuse it in the 
 usual course of things. House parties are 
 always stupid affairs, and this one is sched 
 uled for two week$, I believe. Imagine be 
 ing chained to the same set of women and 
 men for two solid weeks!" 
 
 "Looking at it from your peculiar stand 
 point of social affairs, I suppose you're 
 right," commented the secretary. "But 
 you are the only man in existence so far 
 
 320 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 as I know who can carry out just what an 
 invitation to this affair would begin. Senor 
 de Cabanas and his wife are to be guests 
 and Gilbert Clayton will also be there " 
 
 Norroy smiled slightly and tapped the 
 corner of his cigarette case on the table. He 
 scrutinized the secretary with his cold eyes. 
 
 "So the scandal club influences even the 
 secretary of state," he observed, lightly. He 
 rolled a cigarette between his white fingers 
 and blew the tobacco away. "Even the sec 
 retary of state," he repeated. 
 
 "Not the scandal club, Yorke," respond 
 ed the secretary, gently. "I ~know. It has 
 gone considerably further than scandal. I 
 have female relatives in Washington, you 
 know. I also have some clever agents wiio 
 move in Washington circles. Incidentally, I 
 attended the ball given by the Andevian 
 minister several weeks ago. Accidentally, I 
 overheard a conversation between a certain 
 lady and Gilbert Clayton." 
 
 "Then, to put it very concisely, Mr. Sec 
 retary ?" suggested Norroy. 
 
 321 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 " Quite so! Quite so"!" nodded the chief 
 of the state department. "You are right, 
 Yorke. There is no need to beat about the 
 bush. To begin with facts : Eugenio de Ca 
 banas is the ambassador to the United States 
 from the republic of Andevia " 
 
 "Exhibit A," interjected Norroy, with a 
 faint smile. 
 
 "The Senora Cecilia de Cabanas is a 
 young and pretty woman. Incidentally, she 
 is an American girl. She has been the wife 
 of Cabanas for a year. He married her be 
 cause she was wealthy and he needed her 
 wealth. She married him because he is a 
 diplomat and has a Spanish title which is 
 as old as the Cid. Her father was a leather 
 tanner and her mother a factory girl. By 
 virtue of her marriage, she is a light in what 
 we are pleased to term ' society' here in 
 Washington." 
 
 "Being Exhibit B," again broke in Nor- 
 roy. 
 
 "Precisely. Exhibit C, to carry out your 
 metaphor, is Gilbert Clayton, son of the f or- 
 
 322 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 mer president of Andevia and the heir to a 
 great fortune. Came to the United States 
 from Andevia as secretary of legation. Is 
 young, handsome and, as before stated, 
 wealthy. By nature a rash, headstrong 
 youth, who has had his way for so long a 
 time that he is incorrigible." 
 
 "Then the case evidently stands thus: 
 With your permission, Mr. Secretary- 
 Clayton is in love with Senor de Cabanas' 
 Iwif e. Cabanas is in love with his wife, al 
 so, a growth since his marriage. His wife 
 is not in love with him, but maybe is in love 
 with Clayton. That's the situation. May I 
 ask how all this bears on the business of the 
 state department ? ' ' 
 
 "You may you certainly may," replied 
 the secretary. "Andevia is, at the present 
 time, on the eve of making certain conces 
 sions to the United States which will enable 
 her to perfect a commercial arrangement of 
 which you know I need not go into details 
 on that, need I?" 
 
 "No, it isn't necessary," answered the 
 
 323 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 secret agent, lighting the cigarette which he 
 had been fingering. 
 
 "Very well. Senor de Cabanas has been 
 the instrument through which the United 
 States has been enabled to make this ar 
 rangement. If he were to be removed at 
 the present time, the thing would fall 
 through. This would mean considerable loss 
 of money to the United States, and, what is 
 worse, it would place this country in a posi 
 tion that would call down upon the state de 
 partment the censure of the press and the 
 people, besides making us the laughing-stock 
 of European diplomatic circles, which, nat 
 urally, would be a condition of affairs we 
 desire to avoid." 
 
 "Bather," responded Norroy, dryly. 
 
 "From what I have myself heard, from 
 what I have learned, and from what Ferris, 
 Huntley Carson, and others have been de 
 tailed to discover, Senora de Cabanas is 
 ready to run away from Washington, elope 
 with this young Gilbert Clayton. Suppose 
 such a thing happened? Cabanas would be 
 
 324 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 immediately recalled by his government; 
 would ask to be recalled, in fact. He could 
 not stand the shame of such a position. Nor 
 would Andevia tolerate an ambassador 
 whose marital affairs placed the country in 
 such a light. Result : Cabanas recalled, the 
 arrangement of which I speak falls 
 through.'' 
 
 Norroy puffed at his cigarette for some 
 moments before he commented upon what 
 the secretary had said. Finally he tossed the 
 cigarette into the ash-receiver and looked his 
 chief squarely in the eyes. 
 
 "What is the answer?" he wished to 
 know. 
 
 "The answer? I should think it would 
 have been easy to read. The answer is, 
 Yorke, that the government of the United 
 States, not wishing such a state of affairs to 
 come to pass, has decided to preserve the in 
 tegrity of Senor de Cabanas' household." 
 
 Norroy smiled. "And with that end in 
 view?" 
 
 "It calls on Mr. Yorke Norroy to consum- 
 
 325 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 mate its end. In plain words, Yorke, you 
 will prevent a scandal. You will not only 
 see that this elopement does not occur, but 
 you will manage the affair in such a way that 
 Senor de Cabanas will not suspect that such 
 a thing was ever contemplated. You will 
 also teach the Senora de Cabanas that such 
 affairs are not fitting in the wife of a man 
 who represents his native land in a foreign 
 country." 
 
 "Oh!" ejaculated Yorke Norroy. "X)h, 
 that's it, eh?" His cold eyes twinkled. 
 "Rather unusual work for a secret agent, 
 isn't it, Mr. Secretary? And, by the way, 
 since you have told me what I am going to 
 do, will you be so kind as to reveal to me the 
 methods which will bring the affair to such 
 an ending as you describe ? I am not a hyp 
 notist, a mesmerist, nor any *ist' that con 
 trols the will of other people. Nor have I 
 the power to keep apart two people who love 
 one another. 'A woman's will is the wind's 
 will,' you know." 
 
 The secretary arose. "I don't think it is 
 
 326 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 necessary for me to suggest anything fur 
 ther than that you accept the invitation to 
 the Cochranes' house party. After that, I 
 will leave it to you. You have never yet 
 failed. You are in possession of a fund of 
 ingenuity which has brought many tasks 
 more difficult than this through in the man 
 ner desired. Also, you know more about 
 women and their ways than is given to most 
 men to understand. This is Friday, is it 
 not? The Cochranes have issued the invi 
 tations for Saturday morning. Suppose 
 you call around and see Lloyd Cochrane this 
 afternoon. Good afternoon, Yorke." 
 
 Norroy shook his hand, the merry twinkle 
 still in his eye. " Don't blame me if I score 
 a failure this time, Mr. Secretary," he said. 
 
 When the head of the state department 
 had taken his departure, Yorke Norroy re 
 sumed his seat and gave himself over to 
 thought. Presently he looked at his watch 
 and arose. 
 
 " * A woman's will is the wind's will,' " he 
 sighed. "And a house party for two 
 
 327 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 weeks." His tones expressed mild disgust. 
 On returning to his apartment, lie found 
 that the invitation was there, as he had sur 
 mised. Below the formal engraved portion 
 of the card was written, in a woman's hand 
 the writing of Mrs. Lloyd Cochrane : 
 
 Do come, Yorke'. We intend to have some amateur 
 theatricals, and there's no one who can arrange them 
 quite like you. Lloyd joins me in this request. 
 
 There was nothing to that. Norroy had 
 a dozen other invitations to spend the 
 Christmas holidays, and each one had some 
 thing similar written on it in the hand of the 
 hostess. For Yorke Norroy was, deservedly, 
 a popular man among the Washington set. 
 First, because he had many ingenious ways 
 of amusing a crowd; second, because his 
 family was one of the few that our English 
 cousins across the way saw fit to include in 
 the " American Aristocracy," and third, be 
 cause his personality was illusive and in 
 scrutable. Not one of the people who so in 
 vited him was aware of his connection with 
 the department of state. 
 
 328 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Norroy put Mrs. Cochrane's invitation in 
 Ms pocket and sallied out for the Coch- 
 ranes' Dupont Circle home. After seeing 
 Mrs. Cochrane and listening to her sugges 
 tions, he arose with a promise to present 
 himself at the Pennsylvania Railroad sta 
 tion the following day at eleven, where the 
 train would be taken for the Cochranes' 
 country place. 
 
 " There will be a jolly lot," Mrs. Coehrane 
 had said. "You'll have no end of amuse 
 ment." 
 
 "Yes, I rather fancy I shall have consider 
 able amusement," was Norroy 's reply. But 
 it did not mean what she imagined it did. 
 
 329 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE FOLLY OF YOUNG GILBERT CLAYTON. 
 
 What particular charm lay for Norroy in 
 the room which he selected, Mrs. Cochrane 
 could not exactly see. She had shown him a 
 plan of the house as they sat in the Pullman, 
 whirling southward, and Norroy had placed 
 his finger on a certain spot which indicated 
 that a room was empty. "Have my traps 
 put in there, Molly," he had requested. 
 
 "But that's in the old wing of the house. 
 We put only the married couples there, be 
 cause the rooms are larger. That room you 
 point out is little and not furnished very 
 well," she remonstrated. "It hasn't even 
 a private bath." 
 
 "But it is in the old wing, and it overlooks 
 the creek," Norroy had insisted. He had 
 been to the Cochranes' place before during 
 the fox-hunting period. "I like old roomSc 
 And, besides, there's the view " 
 
 330 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Oh, very well," she returned. "Have 
 it your own way, Yorke. I was thinking of 
 putting you here" she pointed to another 
 room marked unoccupied. "It's a much 
 better room. But have it your own way." 
 
 So it was that Yorke Norroy was installed 
 in the room directly across the passage from 
 the one which held the ambassador from An- 
 devia and his pretty wife. But any notion 
 that this was the reason for selection did not 
 occur to Mrs. Cochrane, for she was well 
 informed as to the circle of Norroy 's ac 
 quaintances, and she knew that neither the 
 ambassador nor his wife had more than a 
 bowing acquaintance with him. 
 
 During the few days that still antedated 
 Christmas, it did not seem that Norroy had 
 much opportunity to observe the goings and 
 comings of the three people on whose cases 
 the secretary had detailed him. On ques 
 tions of decoration and arrangement, the as 
 sistance of Yorke Norroy was coveted, and, 
 having delivered himself into the hands of 
 Mrs. Cochrane, he could not well refuse to 
 
 331 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 give her the benefit of his taste and discern 
 ment. Consequently, he became installed as 
 Molly Cochrane's assistant on the holiday 
 arrangements, and the two spent much time 
 together in the ballroom of the Virginia 
 mansion, where, aided by the servants, they 
 changed the oaken-floored, tapestry-walled 
 apartment into a veritable fairyland of hol 
 ly, mistletoe, fir and spruce, bedecked with 
 candles and tinsel. 
 
 All this took time, and was carefully hid 
 den from the rest of the party. It was in 
 tended that the Christmas decorations 
 should come as a surprise to them, and, con 
 sequently, during their working hours, the 
 two decorators shut themselves up in the 
 great room and saw no one. 
 
 "I declare, I have a right to be jealous," 
 Lloyd Cochrane had said, laughingly. "My 
 wife closeted for four hours a day with the 
 most desired man in Washington. Be care 
 ful, Yorke. This is a good place for a duel, 
 you know. The spirit of my ancestors speaks 
 loudly in these walls." 
 
 332 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 But, in spite of Ms work on the decora 
 tions, the tableaux and the theatricals, Yorke 
 Norroy did not by any chance lose sight of 
 the real reason for his being at Coehrane- 
 croft. Twice, gun in hand, he had come 
 across the Senora de Cabanas and young 
 Clayton walking in the woods, and on 
 neither occasion had he given them either 
 visual or auricular notice of his presence, 
 although it was perfectly plain to see that 
 he was simply out on a gunning trip. 
 
 Another time he had joined a party of 
 skaters from the house, and, selecting Mona 
 Larrabee as his companion, had managed 
 to keep Clayton and his vis-a-vis in sight, 
 seemingly by accident. Mona Larrabee was, 
 undoubtedly, one of the foremost members 
 of the scandal club. She had not a single 
 thought of any weight in her pretty little 
 head, and was, consequently, forced to make 
 conversation out of the foibles and faux pas 
 of her acquaintances. Were the slightest 
 breath of suspicion raised as to the charac 
 ter of any woman, Mona Larrabee knew of 
 
 333 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 it, and when retol'd, it assumed proportions 
 that were hardly credible. 
 
 She admired Norroy immensely, as did 
 most of the women of his acquaintance, 
 mostly because she did not understand the 
 man, and therefore, was obliged to look up 
 to him to a certain extent. The fact that he 
 had chosen her as his companion for the 
 skating gave her several little thrills, and she 
 was exerting herself to be bright, lively, and 
 entertaining. Had she known that Norroy 
 had selected her for the purpose of hearing 
 her talk on a certain subject, she would hard 
 ly have been flattered. 
 
 The majority of the skaters chose the 
 widening of the stream for their sport, and 
 here it was that the fun waged the thickest. 
 The n)'J" ^nd women, released from the con- 
 vertfiviiis of the city, forgot their grown-up- 
 n< s and frolicked about on the glassy sur 
 face with all the keen delight of childhood. 
 The stream at this point ran through the 
 CV rane gron* -V and was, consequently, 
 a private p- ^. Therefore, the mem- 
 
 334 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 bers of the house party were not compelled 
 to skate in company with those they did not 
 know. 
 
 The ambassador from Andevia had re 
 mained in the house. He did not understand 
 skating, and, besides, his thin, tropical blood 
 was not equal to enjoyment in the open in 
 winter time. But his wife was there, and 
 with her, as usual, young Gilbert Clayton. 
 
 For all Yorke Norroy appeared to join in 
 the games and to listen to the prattle of pret 
 ty Mona Larrabee, he noticed that the Se- 
 nora de Cabanas and Clayton had detached 
 themselves from the rest of the party, and 
 were skating, arm in arm, up the creek and 
 toward the bend, where the trees and bushes 
 hid its upper reaches from the view of those 
 on the lower part. He waited foi % em to 
 disappear around it, however, before JL& De 
 termined to follow them. 
 
 "What do you say to a race up the creek, 
 Mona?" he suggested. 
 
 "Yes, r ^ -ri "That's b.^r 
 
 than ska ~^ter ^<*y to ^ How milch 
 
 337 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 start will you give me?" 
 
 "Two hundred yards," lie answered, as 
 they skated out of the crowd. "Now- 
 ready go!" 
 
 The lithe figure of the girl shot forward, 
 and Norroy waited until the two hundred 
 yards had been fairly taken. Then he 
 started in pursuit, not straining himself, 
 and allowing the girl to keep the lead. 
 
 But, as he turned the bend in the creek, he 
 noticed that Miss Larrabee had ceased her 
 course, and was standing beneath the 
 branches of an oak tree which grew on the 
 water's edge, awaiting his coming up. 
 
 When he reached her, he gave her a look 
 of assumed surprise. "Tired?" he asked. 
 
 "No," she shook her head. "Don't let's 
 go any farther, that's all." 
 
 "Oh, very well," he responded, pulling 
 off! his glove and reaching for his cigarette 
 case. He lit one of its contents. "We'll 
 go back, then." 
 
 "Do you know why I don't want to go 
 any further?" step ? 
 
 334 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "No," he responded, faint interest in his 
 tone. 
 
 "Mrs. de Cabanas and Mr. Clayton are 
 right ahead. They're sitting under a tree. 
 I saw them." 
 
 "Well?" His inflection showed that he 
 was slightly amused. 
 
 "I wouldn't have them think we were fol 
 lowing them. But, really, they must give 
 us credit for very little sense. I should 
 think the ambassador's eyes would be 
 opened sometime." 
 
 "Gossip! Gossip!" he said, shaking his 
 finger, warningly. "He turns her over to 
 Clayton, very likely. Why should women 
 always impute motives ?" 
 
 The retort angered Miss Larrabee. "At 
 any rate, we can't help but see a thing when 
 it's thrust under our very noses. I don't 
 gossip. I never gossip. You can ask Edith. 
 I don't try to find things out." 
 
 The conversation was progressing along 
 just the lines that Norroy intended. He 
 knew no better way to get the truth out of a 
 
 337 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 woman than to banteringly deny what she 
 said. 
 
 " All theory, Mona," he continued, as they 
 skated slowly back toward the house. ' ' You 
 haven't a single bit of ground for your sus 
 picions. You impute you imagine. Thus 
 a woman's character is ruined " 
 
 "Oh, very well, Yorke Norroy," she re 
 turned, her cheeks flushing. "Suppose I 
 should tell you something that would con 
 vince you that I have grounds? Not that 
 I care what you think " 
 
 "I'd rather not hear it," he observed, 
 carelessly. "I know the grounds that wo 
 men have " 
 
 "Well, I shall tell you, then, just to prove 
 to you that women have as good grounds for 
 their suspicions as men. I was in the library 
 last night, back in one of those little alcoves. 
 I had no idea of listening to anyone. Be 
 sides, it was nearly twelve o'clock, and I 
 didn't think anyone would be in at that 
 hour. I left the Middlesons and the Park 
 ers playing chess, and stole back to the 
 
 338 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 library to get a book ; I had begun it in the 
 morning and was interested. Besides, I 
 wasn't sleepy. I was fumbling around for 
 the electric light in the alcove, when the 
 door opened and two people came in. Then 
 I heard Mr. Clayton say something about 
 loving her enough to give up everything, and 
 she telling him not to touch her. Of course, 
 I knew who it was the minute they spoke, 
 but I couldn't turn on the light after hear 
 ing it. So I just sat still. She said she had 
 a husband who loved her, and he said that 
 Senor de Cabanas didn't love her. That he 
 loved her money, and all that kind of thing. 
 He talked on about those things until she 
 got very angry, and said something about 
 her husband being a brute to speak about 
 his wife in such a manner. Then Mr. Clay 
 ton told her there was a two o'clock train, 
 and that they could take it, and by the next 
 morning be in New York and engaging 
 passage for Europe. But she said 'no.' Then 
 she said the minute after, 'We should wait 
 until after Christmas' and " 
 
 339 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Out 'of your track a little bit, aren't 
 you?" came the cheery voice of Tommy 
 Fielding, who suddenly turned the curve. 
 "This skating is poor. I'm going back." 
 
 "I think we'd better," agreed the blonde 
 girl on his arm. "How was it up the river?" 
 
 "Bather full of bumps and jolts," re 
 sponded Norroy, gravely. The. other two 
 turned. 
 
 "And Mr. Clayton said ' After Christmas, 
 then. I ask for no better Christmas pres 
 ent.' And then he kissed her." 
 
 "H'm!" commented Yorke Norroy. 
 "Have you told this to anyone else, Mona?" 
 
 ' ' No, I haven 't, ' ' snapped the girl. ' ' And 
 I only told it to you to show you that " 
 
 "Never mind," interrupted Norroy. "I 
 understand. You were right. I was wrong. 
 But don't tell it to anyone else." 
 
 "I told you I was not a gossip." Actual 
 ly the girl believed that she was not, and 
 really her scandalmongery came from sheer 
 inability to hold her tongue rather than 
 from any malice aforethought. 
 
 340 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Well, I believe you," said Norroy, slow 
 ly. "I believe you, Mona. But I want you 
 to give me your promise, and I'll tell you 
 why. I am going to take a hand in this mat 
 ter. Mrs. de Cabanas does not love young 
 Clayton. She has simply taken up with him 
 because she does not understand her hus 
 band. Now, there is no reason why there 
 should be another diplomatic scandal, is 
 there ? All that is necessary to do is to con 
 vince the ambassador's wife of Clayton's 
 pettiness ; which, with your assistance, I am 
 going to do." 
 
 His words carried conviction witK them. 
 Mona Larrabee looked up at him, admira 
 tion in her glance. "I'll do all I can to 
 help, ' ' she announced. ' * What shall it be ? " 
 
 "Keeping quiet when the subject of their 
 affair is mentioned, to begin withyou 
 promise that faithfully ? ' ' 
 
 "Faithfully," she returned. "Eeally, I 
 won't say a word, Yorke." 
 
 "And, second, by keeping your ears open 
 and letting nae know if an elopement is im- 
 
 341 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 minent. But do it in such a way that no 
 suspicion will be aroused. You promise 
 that, Mona?" 
 I She nodded, vigorously. 
 
 "Very well, then. I believe you and I 
 trust you. Don't give me reason to regret 
 it." 
 
 "I won't. Really, I won't, Yorke," she 
 said, earnestly. And Yorke Norroy knew 
 from her tone that she cared more for the 
 retainment of his respect than she did to 
 be the first to circulate a piece of scandal. 
 
 Nevertheless, as he thought the matter 
 over that night, he was far from satisfied. 
 He did not care to trust a woman with a 
 secret. Of course, it was not his own secret, 
 nor had he told Mona Larrabee anything. 
 He had adopted the only means for keeping 
 her quiet that came to his mind. Not that 
 he was unconvinced that she would keep her 
 word, but Norroy had a peculiar pride in 
 his mission, the same consisting of the de 
 sire to accomplish his purposes alone and 
 without aid from anyone. 
 
 342 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 He had learned a great deal that he wished 
 to know, however, from the little scatter- 
 brain, and finally his feeling of self-satis 
 faction returned and he whistled a music- 
 hall air. 
 
 343 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE SPECIAL CAR FOR NEW YOKK. 
 
 Mona Larrabee was as good as her word, 
 as Norroy hoped she would be. This little 
 person respected Norroy to a great extent, 
 and it gave her a considerable sense of im 
 portance to be intrusted with his confidence. 
 So for the next few days she went about the 
 house with her small, pink ears perked up 
 for anything which might throw the faint 
 est light on the situation impending. Daily 
 she held conversations with Norroy in 
 some secluded corner, telling him what 
 she had learned which was little, but, by 
 the same token, all that was in the air. 
 
 Senor de Cabanas had lately become a 
 slave to the poker habit, the fine points of 
 which he was gradually acquiring, and he 
 spent most of his time in the smoking room 
 with Lloyd Cochrane and others, playing the 
 
 344 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 game, and generally losing. Cabanas was a 
 very likable fellow, and, strangely for a man 
 of Spanish extraction, trusted his wife to an 
 extent almost inconceivable. He was a 
 friend of Clayton's father, and the young 
 ster was looked upon by him almost in the 
 light of a son. Indeed, it was Cabanas him 
 self who had requested his appointment as 
 secretary of legation. 
 
 The fact that Gilbert amused his wife ap 
 pealed to Cabanas as a very wise dispensa 
 tion of the fates. He himself, although he 
 loved this American girl with all the warmth 
 and fervor of a Spaniard, had not the little 
 graces which mark the average Anglo-Sax 
 on husband's treatment of a wife. When 
 alone with her he would give his love full 
 play, much the same as he would have treat 
 ed anything that appealed to his artistic 
 soul. But a consistently loving treatment 
 was something he had not imagined. He had 
 the Old World conception of women to too 
 great an extent creatures to be petted and 
 humored, and to be loved at such times as 
 
 345 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 it pleased their masters to show affection for 
 them. 
 
 It was a mode of procedure which was 
 not in line with the views of his wife. She 
 might have respected, even loved, him if he 
 had been consistently cold. She might have 
 adored him if he had shown warmth 
 throughout their entire relations with one 
 another. But, as it was, she almost hated 
 him for his disregard of her, and despised 
 his weakness when he flamed out into fervid 
 Latin protestations. 
 
 At the time when she had fully decided 
 that she cared nothing for her Andevian 
 husband, Gilbert Clayton came to the lega 
 tion. He was young, well-favored, and gave 
 her the fervor of a boyish love. She had 
 not taken him seriously at first. But as her 
 love for her husband seemed to wane and 
 die, she found that she must have some sub 
 stitute. So Clayton grew into her affec 
 tions. 
 
 Had the woman come from a stock with 
 family traditions, her pride would have sent 
 
 346 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 the boy from her. But she was very near 
 the earth. Her father had been a laborer, 
 and her mother of the sanle degree. They 
 had not taught her to repress her emotions 
 and she had not learned on her own initia 
 tive. 
 
 But a few days before coming to the Coch- 
 ranes, Gilbert Clayton had reached his 
 twenty-fifth year; and, true to a promise 
 made earlier in his son's life, Milner Clay 
 ton had transferred an account which 
 reached into the hundred thousands to his 
 son's account in Washington. This had 
 made the young man independent. And 
 All during lunch Mona Larrabee had been 
 making signs to Norroy. After the meal 
 was over, he took the first opportunity to 
 join her in the library. 
 
 "Well, Mona?" he inquired, when he was 
 sure that there were none to hear. "Tell 
 me anything new ? I'll have to hurry back 
 and join Molly Cochrane, you know. We 
 throw open the ballroom to-night. Christ- 
 
 347 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 mas eve, you know!" 
 
 "Yes, I know. But this is something im 
 portant, Yorke -I could hardly wait to tell 
 you. I heard Mrs. de Cabanas say to Mr. 
 Clayton in Spanishyou know I under 
 stand it very well, because I was on one of 
 father's Cuban plantations for nearly a year 
 she said, not thinking I'd understand, of 
 course you know, it was in the billiard 
 room. They were leaning on their cues and 
 talking when I came in with Roily Parker. 
 Of course, they knew he didn't understand, 
 and they supposed I didn't. They were talk 
 ing in English before we came in I know 
 that ; but they finished in Spanish " 
 
 "Well?" asked Norroy, amusedly. ".What 
 did they say?" 
 
 "Why, he said: 'We can catch the Ger- 
 mania to-morrow, if we leave on the two 
 o'clock train to-night.' And she said she 
 was angry, too 'I told you I wouldn't leave 
 until after Christmas well, I don't think 
 I '11 leave at all now.'" 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 348 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "That was all they said, except he growled 
 out: 'I'll do it anyhow suit yourself but 
 I '11 do it. ' And she said : ' I wouldn 't waste 
 my money, if I were you.' But from the way 
 she said it, it sounded as though she were 
 going to give in. And he said: 'I'm going 
 down now do you want to come ? ' And she 
 said she didn't and began to knock balls 
 around with her cue, as though she was talk 
 ing of something that didn't amount to 
 much. She speaks fearful Spanish, and I 
 could hardly understand her but that's 
 about what they said." 
 
 Norroy thanked her, but his look was puz 
 zled. Exactly what the conversation meant 
 he did not know. He remembered now that 
 Clayton had left the house in his automobile 
 a little before lunch, and had not yet re 
 turned. When he joined Molly Cochrane in 
 the ballroom, he took the first opportunity 
 to ask if any of the guests were leaving be 
 fore the mask ball, which was scheduled for 
 the night Christmas eve. 
 
 "Why, no," she answered. "Why?" 
 
 349 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Oh, I saw young Clayton pulling out in 
 his auto. I thought maybe ' ' 
 
 "He's not going. He went down to the 
 railroad station to get a special delivery 
 package so he said something the station 
 agent telephoned him about." 
 
 Several hours later, when Norroy had 
 seen Clayton return without any such 
 package, his eyes lighted up a trifle. He 
 went to his room. 
 
 For the convenience of her guests, 
 Mrs. Cochrane had gone to the trouble of 
 having telephones installed in all the bed 
 rooms. These connected with the various 
 parts of the house, and had also a long-dis 
 tance connection. Norroy asked for the girl 
 who acted as clerk for the station agent at 
 Fauquier, the railroad station. 
 
 "Hello is this the station agent? This 
 is Mrs. Cochrane 's. Have you a special de 
 livery package for Mr. Clayton? Yes Mr. 
 Gilbert Clayton no? Well, you did havq 
 one? No? Well, wasn't Mr. Clayton down 
 there this morning? Yes I thought so. 
 
 350 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 He was thinking of running up to Washing 
 ton. He hasn't returned to the house yet 
 has he gone? No? Well, I told him to get 
 me tickets for to-night's train did he get 
 them? I was afraid there wouldn't be a 
 train at two o'clock. Oh, there is, then. 
 That's good. So he got the what, a special 
 car? A special car, you say? That's the 
 New York express ? Special through to New 
 York well, that's right. Thank you. Yes. 
 Good-by." 
 
 Norroy put down the receiver. The pur 
 port of the conversation was plain enough 
 now. As he began to change his clothes for 
 dinner he ruminated, and the results of the 
 ruminations led to an inspection of the bath 
 room across the way. 
 
 As Mrs. Cochrane had said, there was no 
 private bath attached to Norroy 's room; but 
 to offset this disadvantage which was also 
 that of Roland Parker's, who had the next 
 room to Norroy the private bath to Mrs. 
 de Cabanas' room had been locked on both 
 sides, and it was here that Messrs. Norroy 
 
 351 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 and Parker made their way each morning. 
 Norroy had observed the door the first morn 
 ing, and, with his customary retentiveness. 
 the fact that the door opened into the Ca 
 banas' suite remained in his mind. 
 
 The two rooms which the ambassador and 
 his wife shared were intended for single 
 rooms, and consequently each one of them 
 had a private bath attached. For this rea 
 son, Mrs. Cochrane felt she was doing them 
 no injustice by depriving them of one of 
 them. So it was that the room adjoining 
 Mrs. de Cabanas' came to be used by Yorke 
 Norroy. 
 
 After closely observing the door for sev 
 eral moments, and making quite sure that 
 Mrs. de Cabanas had quitted the apartment 
 adjoining, Norroy took a bunch of skeleton 
 keys from his pocket and fitted them, one 
 by one, in the door. The fifth one proved 
 efficacious. Norroy turned the lock and 
 opened the door. He confronted masses of 
 portieres, which had been hung up to hide 
 the bare wood. 
 
 352 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 It was all lie desired to know. He did 
 not even look into the room. He closed the 
 door and locked it, detaching the fifth skele 
 ton key immediately afterward. 
 
 "If," he said, slowly-" if " He held 
 
 up the key. The power of following motives 
 and transforming them into future actions 
 was a remarkable part of Norroy 's make-up. 
 A possibility had occurred to him, and he 
 was preparing for the possibility. 
 
 He slipped the key into the pocket of his 
 claw-hammer coat and went into the smok 
 ing room, where he found Cabanas playing 
 poker, as usual. There Norroy remained 
 until the dinner hour. 
 
 As he walked toward the dining-room, he 
 remembered that Cabanas would eventually 
 go back to that poker game which he had 
 quitted with such reluctance. 
 
 "Is he as blind as a bat, or doesn't he 
 care?" Those were the questions Norroy 
 asked himself as he seated himself beside 
 Mona Larrabee, after escorting her to the 
 table. The guests had turned out in full din- 
 
 353 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 ner regalia, in spite of the fact that they 
 must change their dress for their mask cos 
 tumes almost immediately after. Norroy 
 noted furtively that Mrs. Cabanas had a 
 heightened color, which was not caused by 
 rouge. He also noticed that Gilbert Clayton 
 seemed to be in good spirits. 
 
 "All of which proves nothing," he com 
 mented, mentally. "But why the special 
 car? Is it a speculation, or has she given 
 her consent?" 
 
 This was the fourth question Norroy had 
 asked himself, and he was growing rather 
 weary of questions which had no answers 
 that he could give. So, for the moment, he 
 dismissed the subject, and nibbled at the 
 Jiors d'oeuvres. 
 
 354 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 YOKKE NOKROY STAGE MANAGER. 
 
 Certainly no better opportunity for clan 
 destine lovers could be given than that same 
 mask ball. It had been decreed by Mrs. Coch- 
 rane that conventionality was to be thrown 
 underfoot and trodden upon, and, in order 
 that no person should be able to remind her 
 or any of her friends of the same sex that 
 they had been a trifle free in their conduct, 
 the rigors of mask costume had been ob 
 served to the smallest detail. Even to Yorke 
 Norroy, who had the Bertillon system in his 
 mind continually, and who could take meas 
 urements by it mentally, the figures of the 
 majority of the maskers were unrecogniz 
 able. 
 
 As may be judged, the liberty allowed by 
 such disguises gave rise to a festive affair, 
 in which restraint was utterly forgotten. 
 
 355 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 There were waltzes, two-steps and even 
 cake walks ; mazurkas, lancers, minuets ; two 
 fair ones, wlio had evidently been preparing 
 for the occasion, gave imitations of skirt 
 dancers, and succeeded so well that many of 
 the men wished exceedingly to know whom 
 they might be. 
 
 An orchestra had been brought down from 
 Washington, and, stationed behind screens 
 and ferns, they played the popular airs of 
 the day. During the intermissions, the con 
 servatory and the morning room were visit 
 edthe latter for the purpose of refresh 
 ment, for there stood huge silver bowls, from 
 which liveried servants ladled out portions 
 of punch. 
 
 By the time Norroy had been in the ball 
 room an hour, he had identified young Clay 
 ton. Having found him, it was not difficult 
 to figure out that the fair female in the at 
 tire of a Watteau shepherdess, who danced 
 with Clayton almost continually, was the 
 wife of the ambassador from Andevia. So 
 Norroy's eyes kept the figure of young Beau 
 
 356 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Brummell in sight, and watched his comings 
 and goings with more than usual interest, 
 Part of his watching bore the fruit of in 
 forming him that the couple in whom he 
 took so much interest missed many of the 
 dances, and sat much in the conservatory. 
 Also, that their visits to the morning room 
 were frequent. He need not have been in 
 the morning room to see that, for it was per 
 fectly evident that young Beau Brummeirs 
 legs were not as steady as they might be to 
 ward the third hour of the ball. 
 
 There was some one else whom the melan 
 choly Dane sought to identify. The cold 
 eyes behind the black mask of the man in 
 the attire of Hamlet sought continually for 
 Mona Larrabee, but it was some time before 
 he found her, in the shape of a page boy of 
 the days of Louis Quinze, her shapely form 
 in the velvet knickerbockers, silk stockings, 
 red-heeled slippers and tailed velvet coat. 
 It was a tiny mole on her chin which be 
 trayed Mona, and Yorke Norroy told her 
 so. 
 
 357 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Ssh!" she warned, in a sepulchral whis 
 per. "Ssh!" When he had led her to the 
 conservatory, she watched him smoke and 
 listened to what he had to say. 
 
 "You noticed the girl in the pink Wat- 
 teau attire?" he said, in a low tone. She 
 nodded. "Mrs. de Cabanas and, of course, 
 you know her partner ? ' ' She nodded again. 
 
 The dance music struck up, and the coup 
 les began to file out of the conservatory. 
 The two of whom Norroy had spoken 
 swished past them, as did all who had been 
 sitting in the conservatory, save only the 
 melancholy Dane and the little page of the 
 Louis Quinze period. 
 
 "You see where they sit?" Norroy whis 
 pered. "Eight there." He pointed to a seat 
 before a bay window. "Well if you'll do 
 it, I want you to lie down behind those ferns 
 as though you were asleep. It's dark over 
 there, and, besides, your costume harmonizes 
 with the greenery. I couldn 't do it. I 'm too 
 tall." Quickly he told her of the special car. 
 "We must know definitely whether or not 
 
 358 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 they intend to take it, if we are going to pre 
 vent them you understand?" 
 
 "I don't like to eavesdrop," objected the 
 girl. 
 
 " It's in a good cause," answered Norroy. 
 "And, besides, if you're discovered, there's 
 no risk for you. You know too much for 
 them to dare unmask you and, besides, I'll 
 be somewhere near by. Will you do it- 
 quick? The music is going to stop." 
 
 "Yes," agreed the girl, rather unwilling 
 ly. "I '11 do it. ' ' She moved across the room 
 and lay face downward in the place which 
 Norroy had pointed out. A moment later, 
 Norroy was in the morning room, and the 
 couples had begun to file into the conserva 
 tory again. 
 
 From morning room he wandered to the 
 smoking room, where, as he had surmised, 
 he discovered four masked men playing po 
 ker. It was not difficult to see that Cabanas 
 was one of them, for his mask was tilted and 
 showed his pointed Vandyke beard. As 
 Norroy watched them, without revealing his 
 
 359 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 identity, another man came in. It was young 
 Beau Brummell. He remained but for a 
 moment, then made his exit. 
 
 It seemed as though the music for the next 
 dance would never begin, but, when it did, 
 Norroy again sought the conservatory. As 
 his tall figure came into view, the silk-knick- 
 erbockered figure of Mona Larrabee rose 
 from the bay window. 
 
 She cast a careful glance around, then 
 caught Norroy's arm. "She is going to leave 
 the ballroom after this dance. She is going 
 to her room and change her dress for a 
 traveling suit. He went into the smoking 
 room and found her husband playing cards ; 
 told her he was good for the small hours. 
 Then he said that while everybody was en 
 gagedservants and all they could slip 
 out without being noticed. He has his auto 
 mobile in a little outhouse down by the turn 
 pike, and they'll walk to that, then ride to 
 the station in the auto. Oh, how can a wo 
 man do a thing like that !" The girl paused 
 for a moment. "But, really, Yorke," she 
 
 360 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 said, very seriously, "I don't think she 
 would have consented if she had taken less 
 of the punch -really I don't." 
 
 Norroy held out his hand. "Mona, you're 
 a brave little girl. [You've prevented this 
 from happening the credit is more yours 
 than mine." 
 
 "But who will prevent it? How? You 
 don't want to have a disgraceful scene?" 
 
 "There will be no scene. Where will 
 they meet when they have changed their 
 clothes?" 
 
 "He is coming to her room at one o'clock. 
 She will be ready then. How are you going 
 to prevent it, Yorke?" 
 
 "I'll tell you to-morrow morning, Mona, 
 Now give me your word again that you will 
 not breathe a word of this." 
 
 "Have I said a word yet?" 
 
 "No-but " 
 
 "Well, I won't. Now that's settled, 
 Yorke. Suppose we dance this waltz?" 
 
 They whirled in on the polished floor to 
 the music of the "Valse Bleue." When 
 
 361 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 the strains had died away, they made their 
 way back to the conservatory. But there 
 was no sign of a pink Watteau shepherdess 
 there, nor was Beau Brummell visible. The 
 morning room revealed neither of them, nor 
 did the smoking room, into which Yorke 
 Norroy ventured alone. 
 
 He rejoined Mona a few moments later. 
 "Wdl, I'm off, Mona," he said. "I will 
 see you in the morning. And so will Mrs. 
 de Cabanas and Gilbert Clayton." 
 
 "But how, YorKe?" she asked, eagerly. 
 
 "Keep mum." He laid his finger on his 
 lip. "And wait. Perhaps I may be able to 
 tell you an hour from now. Wait until then, 
 at any rate. The affair won't be over until 
 three, at least. Wait until then. And now. 
 for the moment, adios." 
 
 He left the morning room and ascended 
 the stairs which led to his apartment. 
 
 362 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE WORKING OUT OF THE PLOT. 
 
 When Norroy reached his own room he 
 switched on the electric light for but a single 
 moment. In that moment he possessed him 
 self of a very minute Remington revolver, 
 and took the skeleton key from the tail pock 
 et of the claw-hammer coat which lay across 
 a chair. Then he glanced at his watch, and 
 saw that it was ten minutes to one. He ex 
 tinguished the light, opened his door a trifle 
 and knelt down by the opening. He could 
 see faint rays of light through a crack in the 
 door of Mrs. de Cabanas' room, and he 
 knew, from several bumps and jars that he 
 heard, that she was tossing articles about the 
 room evidently packing. 
 
 It was pitchy black in the passage-way, 
 for Norroy had taken the precaution to 
 switch off tEe electric current that communi- 
 
 363 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 cated with the chandelier near his own room. 
 Save for the occasional jolt from Mrs. de 
 Cabanas' room, it was also very quiet. Nor- 
 roy waited. 
 
 Presently the sound of footsteps coming 
 down the hall could be heard though the 
 footsteps were very light, and the pedestrian 
 seemed to be treading softly. They stopped 
 before Mrs. de Cabanas' door, and Norroy 
 could faintly distinguish a man's form. 
 Then came a light tap followed by two 
 louder ones on the door. A moment 
 passed. The man tapped again. Cautious 
 ly the door was opened. 
 
 "I am not ready," said a woman's voice. 
 "I am not ready. Go away." 
 
 "Go away?" came in Clayton's tones. 
 "No, no, Cecilia, let me in." 
 
 "I can't. I won't. Come back later. You 
 can't come in." The door was closing when 
 Clayton threw his shoulder against it and 
 it flew open a great flare of light in the 
 darkness showing Mrs. de Cabanas attired 
 in a gray traveling dress. 
 
 364: 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 There was an angry protestation, and the 
 door closed again. But this time Clayton 
 was on the inside of it. Norroy heard a key 
 turn in the lock. 
 
 For a moment he cogitated. Then he saw 
 that this action on Clayton's part had made 
 his own plan far easier than before. With 
 a grim smile, Norroy arose in the darkness 
 and took down the telephone receiver. 
 
 "Hello yes, Miss Grey give me the 
 smoking room, please." There was a whirr, 
 and some one growled out: " Well who's 
 this?" 
 
 Norroy's ability to mimic the tones of 
 others was never better displayed. "I want 
 to speak to Senor de Cabanas," he said 
 weakly, and in the tones of a woman in pain. 
 "His wife." "Oh excuse me, senora," 
 said the voice at the other end, more civilly. 
 A silence, and then the tones of the Ande- 
 vian broke the silence, inquiring in Spanish 
 as to the wants of his wife. "I am ill I 
 have gone to my room I am very sick- 
 come at once," was the reply, in Mrs. de 
 
 365 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Cabanas' voice. 
 
 With another smile, which almost threat 
 ened to become a chuckle, Norroy placed 
 the receiver on its hook and crossed the pas 
 sageway into the bathroom. He fitted the 
 skeleton key in the door and opened it noise 
 lessly, coming ( into contact with the por 
 tieres. Clayton was speaking. 
 
 "We can't put off going. It's to-night 
 or never! You must go, Ceciliayou must 
 go!" 
 
 "What right had you to come in here?" 
 she demanded. "What right? This is my 
 husband's room and mine." 
 
 "You promised me you would go to-night. 
 The special car will be ready for us. We 
 can slip out, and no one will be the wiser. 
 My automobile is waiting " 
 
 "I can't, Gilbert-oh, I can't!" She was 
 weakening. But that she was sorry that 
 she had made the promise was evident. 
 "Gilbert, I can't. I was foolish when I made 
 that promise. I couldn't face the world. 
 We've done nothing yet that can't be re^ 
 
 366 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 trieved. I have been faithful but if we go 
 I couldn't stand it. No, Gilbert, you had 
 better go you had better go!" 
 
 "I shall do nothing of the sort," hie cried, 
 fiercely. " Nothing of the sort!" 
 
 "Ssh ssh," she interrupted. "What's 
 that?" 
 
 The sound of some one running rapidly 
 down the hall came to their ears. * ' Oh, what 
 is it, Gilbert? Who is it?" 
 
 "I don't know," he returned, sullenly, 
 "It doesn't concern us, anyway." 
 
 The footsteps stopped before the door, 
 and some one turned the knob. But the door 
 was locked, and failed to yield. 
 
 The woman staggered back across the 
 room. Clayton faced the door fiercely. 
 
 "Open the door, Cecilia," came the tones 
 of the ambassador from Andevia. 
 
 "My husband!" the words came out in a 
 tense whisper. "My husband my husband 
 
 99 
 
 "I have come, dearest," continued Ca 
 banas, outside. "I have come. Dr. Eand 
 
 367 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 will be here In a moment." 
 
 As though sustained by a sudden stimu 
 lant, the woman rushed across the room and 
 opened the window without noise. 
 
 "Jump out jump out, Gilbert!" she 
 whispered. "It opens on the creek. You 
 will only be wetted a trifle. You can swim. 
 Jump jump oh, my God ! if he should find 
 you here " 
 
 "I won't jump," said Clayton, firmly. 
 "I won't jump. Let him come in and find 
 me." 
 
 The sound of other footsteps coming up 
 the hall were now to be heard, and present 
 ly Cabanas spoke to some one in a hoarse 
 tone. 
 
 "She doesn't answer, Band," He said. 
 "She must have had one of her fainting 
 spells. If she isn't revived, it may be dan 
 gerous. I haven't a key what shall we do ?" 
 
 "Why, break down the door, of course/' 
 said Eand, the surgeon, in a matter-of-fact 
 tone. 
 
 .Without hesitation, Cabanas thrust his 
 
 368 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 shoulder against tlie door. But it was of 
 strong wood and did not yield. "Wait, I'll 
 get a poker from my fireplace," said Rand, 
 again. 
 
 But Cabanas still continued to push 
 against the stout oak, and the cloor creaked 
 under the pressure. 
 
 "Jump!" whispered Cecilia de Cabanas 
 again. "Oh, Gilbert, jump!" 
 
 "No!" he cried. "I'll open the door 
 and open his eyes at the same time. Then 
 you must leave with me." He started to 
 ward the door. The woman clung to him. 
 
 "Stop-stop!" she panted. "Stop!" 
 
 He turned to shake her off, and at the 
 same moment saw the portieres part and a 
 tall, slender figure in black silk tights of 
 the Elizabethan period appear. In one hand 
 the masker held a small Remington re 
 volver. 
 
 "When a lady asks a favor you should 
 accede. Now, don't argue the question. Go 
 into that room quick!" 
 
 "Ill do nothing of the " What Clay- 
 
 369 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 ton intended to say was never quite clear, 
 for the moment his lips parted for speech, 
 the lithe form in black hurled itself against 
 him, and, catching him about the neck in the 
 crook of his elbow, Norroy whirled him 
 about to th'e entrance -of the little room. 
 Then, without the slightest hesitation, the 
 secret agent brought the butt of the Reming 
 ton down on Clayton's head, and the young 
 fellow became limp in his arms. Norroy 
 pushed him into the bathroom and turned 
 to the woman, who stood white and ghastly 
 in the moonlight, her hands covering her 
 face. 
 
 "Mrs. de Cabanas," said Norroy, evenly, 
 and in a voice which was not his own, "who 
 I am does not matter. I am your friend, 
 for this once at least. I knew of your in 
 tention to run away with young Clayton. 
 This is my means for preventing it. A few 
 moments ago, by feigning your voice, I 
 called up your husband on the telephone, 
 and, pretending to be you, told him that I 
 was very ill." 
 
 370 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 As he spoke, the crash of a heavy instru 
 ment on the door was heard. 
 
 "He has brought a doctor. I leave the 
 illness for you to explain. I'll look after 
 young Clayton, and, so long as you continue 
 to avoid him, you can trust me that this 
 story will never be made public." 
 
 At the second blow of the poker he closed 
 the door hastily, and locked it from the bath 
 room side. Then, in the darkness of the 
 bath, he heard the blows continue. 
 
 The ambassador's wife, her wits working, 
 lost no time. 
 
 She hastily tore off the traveling dress 
 and threw it into a closet. Her bags, which 
 she had been packing, she threw after it, and. 
 pulling on a lace-embroidered robe de cham- 
 Ire, she crawled into the bed and beneath the 
 coverlet. By a quick jerk of the fingers, 
 she pulled the pins from her elaborate coif 
 fure, her hair falling in confusion over her 
 shoulders. The next moment the door 
 crashed in, and Cabanas switched on the 
 electric lights. 
 
 371 
 
NORROY, r DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 At the sight of her on tHe bed, he rushed 
 to her side. " Dearest, dearest what is 
 wrong?" he cried. "Are you ill?" His 
 tones showed the deepest throes of emotion. 
 
 She opened her eyes slowly. "Oh oh 
 
 " she murmured, then stretched her 
 
 arms. 
 
 "Are you sick, carissima^" he cried 
 again. "Ah, Bonita, Bonita, are you ill?" 
 
 "No, my husband," she said, softly. "Not 
 now. I was ill. I am well now I am well 
 now, Eugenio." 
 
 For the first time realizing what she had 
 so narrowly averted, the satisfaction of still 
 being one who was faithful came to her with 
 sudden gladness. "Oh, my husband!" she 
 sobbed, in his arms. 
 
 372 
 
CHAPTBE VI. 
 
 THE MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. 
 
 "Well," continued Norroy, when he had 
 reached that stage of the story, "I spent a 
 vigil of about an hour in that accursed bath 
 room, after which things quieted down, and 
 I carried young Clayton to his own room 
 and laid him down on his bed. I knew that 
 there would be no doubt of his remaining in 
 his room, but I took the precaution to lock 
 him in and leave the key on the outside of 
 the door. Then I returned to the ballroom 
 and told little Mona Larrabee all that was 
 needful for her to know. I couldn't avoid 
 that. She knew too much already, and there 
 was no way of letting her out of it. She has 
 given me her promise about it, and I think 
 she'll keep her word." 
 "And how did Clayton take it?" 
 "He raised a howl in the morning about 
 
 373 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 being locked in, but the men chaffed him 
 about being drunk and having a trick played 
 on him. He didn't say much, and the lump 
 on his head he did not even take the trouble 
 to lie about. He was waiting to see Mrs. de 
 Cabanas. She came down to a late break 
 fast, and, hang me, if her husband didn't 
 dance attention on her the whole day. But 
 she managed to get a word in with young 
 Clayton at some period, for he kept relig 
 iously away from her after that, and did not 
 turn his head whenever her husband came 
 his way. In fact, he took Cabanas' place in 
 the poker game when Mrs. de C. sent for 
 Eugenio. I heard him say at the dinner that 
 this was his last Christmas in the United 
 States so I suppose he'll throw up his sec 
 retaryship. It's the only decent thing for 
 him to do." 
 
 "He resigned to-day," said the secretary, 
 pointing to a notice from the Andevian lega 
 tion. ' ' And thanks to " 
 
 Norroy held up his hand. * ' Only partly, ' ' 
 he insisted. "That little Larrabee girl is 
 
 374 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 to be thanked as mucli as I." He lighted a 
 cigarette. * ' And now, with your permission, 
 Mr. Secretary, I think I'll keep an appoint 
 ment to play golf with her at Chevy Chase. 
 Coming out this afternoon? Oh, well, then, 
 I'll have the pleasure of introducing you." 
 
 375 
 
The Friend of the Chief 
 Executive. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 VON LADESTBTJBG REDIVIVTTS. 
 
 When Harkins, the valet of the secretary 
 of state, brought in the card of Mr. Torke 
 Norroy, his master was engaged in exchang 
 ing his morning attire for that of the after 
 noon. He had scarcely begun, and Harkins 
 had never before known him to hurry quite 
 so much over his toilet as he did at that time. 
 When fully dressed, he failed even to gaze 
 at his mirrored resemblance, nor did he 
 wait for the loutonniere which the valet had 
 ready for him. 
 
 The secretary, in fact, was very mucM pre- 
 377 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 occupied. Three weeks before he had con 
 sulted with Yorke Norroy in regard to a 
 leakage in the State department. For the 
 second time his carefully laid schemes with 
 regard to a certain very important matter 
 had gone completely awry, all due to the fact 
 that a certain European power, concerned 
 very much in the affair, had evidently been 
 made aware of them previously. 
 
 There had been informers in the State de 
 partment before, but these had been simply 
 petty scoundrels who knew nothing save the 
 merest tag-ends. Their complicity in the 
 business had been easily discovered, and 
 they had been discharged "for the good of 
 the service." 
 
 But this affair was not the matter of a 
 clerk, a stenographer, or a messenger. Who 
 soever it might be, it was certainly a man 
 holding a confidential office an official. The 
 secretary had imagined he was surrounded 
 by faithful men worthy of the high trust 
 which he reposed .in them ; certainly he had 
 not the faintest suspicion of any of them. 
 
 378 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Yet one of them must be guilty. 
 
 At this juncture he had called into service 
 Yorke Norroy, just returned from Russia, 
 successful, as was his wont. Mr. Norroy 
 had accepted the commission with his usual 
 nonchalance, and had declared that it should 
 have his undivided attention. Yet the news 
 papers still continued to record his presence 
 at receptions, cotillions, dinners, and theater 
 parties. 
 
 He had not communicated with the secre 
 tary during the time that had elapsed be 
 tween the giving of the commission and now. 
 Yet evidently he had remained in Washing 
 ton the whole period, and kept fairly close 
 to the Connecticut Avenue and Dupont 
 Circle neighborhoods. 
 
 No matter what important matter might 
 chain his wits, Yorke Norroy never forgot 
 to be correct in every little detail of his 
 attire. His slender frame was attired in a 
 frock coat which seemed to have been ironed 
 on him, and gray trousers, gracefully full 
 and creased knifishly. 
 
 379 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 When the secretary entered, Norroy was 
 inspecting the toe of a very small patent 
 leather boot, which encased his right foot 
 and which had been slightly scratched. He 
 was frowning on this defect, and did not 
 hear the secretary when he came in. 
 
 The sound of the voice of the head of the 
 State department aroused him from his 
 pedal meditations, and he stretched out his 
 thin, tapering hand in welcome. The sec 
 retary took it and pressed it warmly. He 
 had a sincere affection for Norroy, and a 
 great belief in him. 
 
 "I think I have found tHe leak," said 
 Norroy, carefully, as he lighted one of his 
 ever-present cigarettes of the gold crest ; "in 
 fact, it has gone a little beyond thought. I 
 am sure of him." 
 
 "You mean that?" The secretary's tone 
 was almost eager. "Whom do you sus 
 pect?" 
 
 Norroy held up his hand, protestingly. 
 "Just a moment, Mr. Secretary, please! 
 Kemember I have not really any proof 
 
 380 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 against the man not a slired. But thero 
 are other things beside legal proof, as w6 
 know. There were four men who had your 
 confidence to the extent which made it pos 
 sible for them to know what has been given 
 away. In the past three weeks I have de 
 voted a great deal of my time to keeping 
 track of these four men, with the result- 
 as is generally the case that the man whom 
 I suspected least has apparently turned out 
 to be the traitor. 
 
 "I was first attracted to him by the fact 
 that he had been in the habit of going over 
 to Baltimore on an average of three times 
 a week. This was only four days ago. Up 
 to that time I had no reason whatever to 
 suspect him. But the persistent visits to 
 Baltimore became a trifle suspicious. Con 
 sequently, several nights ago I was on the 
 same train that landed him at Mount Koyal 
 station, only he was in the Pullman, while 
 I took the chair coach, in order to prevent 
 his seeing me. Naturally, I was in disguise, 
 but, disguise or not, if he saw the same man 
 
 381 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 too often, I knew lie would be on the watch 
 if he were guilty. 
 
 "He took a cab at the station and gave 
 an address on Charles Street. I knew the 
 neighborhood, and was afraid at the time 
 that my theory had a hole in it. Neverthe 
 less, I followed him in a second cab, promis 
 ing the driver an extra fee if he kept the 
 other in sight. When the driver of the first 
 cab got into the block on Charles Street 
 corresponding with the number given, his 
 fare put his head out and gave other direc 
 tions. So we were driven into a little side 
 street, demi-fashionable and very quiet. 
 
 "He alighted in front of No. 156. I 
 stopped my cab at the next corner and 
 walked back. I found that 156 was the resi 
 dence of the Saxonian consul." 
 
 The secretary uttered a sudden exclama 
 tion. 
 
 "That certainly seemed to be good ground 
 for my suspicions. I walked around the 
 block and inspected it, finally finding a house 
 nearly opposite the one this man had en- 
 
 382 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 tered, which advertised ' Rooms to Let.' I 
 rang the bell and engaged a room one over 
 looking the street and, incidentally, the Sax- 
 onian consul's house. 
 
 "It was Saturday night and the stores 
 were all open, so I went down-town, pur 
 chased a cheap suit case and a few toilet 
 articles, and returned to the room that I had 
 engaged. I was forced to pay a month in 
 advance before they would trust me, but 
 all preliminaries over, I was installed. 
 
 " While I was down-town my quarry had 
 evidently returned to Washington, for his 
 cab was gone. But that was nothing, for my 
 cue was to watch the house. Sunday I 
 spent in close confinement in that room, and 
 in the morning I saw a number of people 
 come out of the consul's place. I marked 
 them all, but did not judge any of them to 
 be the man I wanted. I was perfectly sure 
 that Saxonia had sent one of her cleverest 
 secret agents to play this game, and, as I 
 know a number of them by sight, I wanted to 
 see which one was receiving the news. 
 
 383 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Late in the afternoon I had my reward. 
 I was keeping my binoculars I bought a 
 cheap pair for the occasion trained on the 
 door most of the time, and when anyone 
 passed I leveled it on his face. And whom 
 do you imagine it was?" 
 
 "Ehricke?" hazarded the secretary. 
 
 Norroy shook his head. 
 
 ' * Not Von Ladenbur g ? ' 9 
 
 "Herman von Ladenbur g," affirmed Nor 
 roy. He drummed on the table with his 
 tapered fingers and watched the secretary's 
 face. "Herman von Ladenburg," he re 
 peated, with a ring of triumph in his voice. 
 
 "I should have imagined that Saxonia 
 would be rather afraid to send him to the 
 United States," commented the secretary. 
 "Was he disguised?" 
 
 "He was not disguised. He came out in 
 company with the consul's daughter, and 
 they evidently went on the Charles Street 
 stroll. I waited until that night. Our friend 
 came again. That was enough for me to 
 start on." 
 
 384 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "But who is this you speak of?" queried 
 the secretary. 
 
 "Arthur Kennedy," replied Norroy, 
 calmly. 
 
 He lighted another cigarette and began 
 to blow rings, as though the making of these 
 airy festoons were the most important of 
 avocations. 
 
 "Arthur Kennedy!" almost choked the 
 secretary. "Arthur Kennedy!" 
 
 Norroy waited until the secretary had 
 mastered his emotion. "No other," he de 
 clared. "Do you blame me for not suspect 
 ing him at first?" 
 
 "If I did not know you so well, Norroy, 
 I would blame you for suspecting him at all. 
 Do you know that Kennedy was in the war 
 with the President? That he is one of his 
 friends his personal friends"? There is 
 hardly a man in the diplomatic service that 
 the President likes so well; it was he who 
 put Kennedy in office, you remember?" 
 
 "Mr. Secretary," drawled Norroy, "do 
 you imagine that I allowed Kennedy's con- 
 
 385 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 nections to escape me ? I know all the^e is 
 to know about him, I fancy. That was part 
 of the game." 
 
 "But are you absolutely certain?" The 
 secretary's tone was still a trifle protesting. 
 
 The secret agent flicked the ashes from 
 the tip of his cigarette. "A few moments 
 ago you said you knew me quite well. That 
 being the case, you know I say nothing of 
 which I am not absolutely certain. I have 
 not said Kennedy was guilty of anything ex 
 cept visiting a house in which resides a se 
 cret agent of Saxonia, whose presence I 
 have yet to know yields anything but harm 
 to the country in which he happens to be re 
 siding." 
 
 "You realize, then, that you have no 
 proof, and also that such' a story told the 
 President would be instantly discredited?" 
 
 Norroy smiled tolerantly. "Considering 
 my personal and official acquaintance with 
 the President, I know him well enough for 
 that. The whole situation lies thus: We 
 have no proof against Kennedy. We can- 
 
 386 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 not remove him from office without the 
 President's say-so. It is evident that the 
 President will not give it on the thin evi 
 dence adduced. So long as Kennedy remains 
 in office, just so long the information will 
 continue to go to Von Ladenburg, assuming 
 that Kennedy is guilty a mere hypothesis. 
 The moment we show a suspicion, Kennedy 
 will be off." 
 
 The secretary looked perplexed, even 
 worried. "What then, Norroy ?" he wished 
 to know. 
 
 Norroy hitched his chair a few lengths 
 nearer that of the secretary, and, bending 
 forward in the closest proximity consistent 
 with comfort, outlined his plans in a very 
 low tone. 
 
 The secretary listened intently, some 
 doubt apparent on his countenance. 
 
 When Norroy had concluded, and was 
 rubbing his thin fingers together, examin 
 ing them minutely for some trace of unclean- 
 liness, the secretary said nothing, but gazed 
 at some papers on his table with a preoc- 
 
 387 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 cupied air. 
 
 The secret agent recognized immediately 
 that something was troubling his chief. He 
 finally raised his eyes and asked as to the 
 reason for silence. 
 
 The secretary cleared his throat. "You 
 know the President, Norroy," he said; "you 
 know how much he dislikes what he terms 
 4 the chicanery of the State department,' and 
 how he insists that this country should not 
 stoop to the same machinations as other 
 powers. This is the case of his own personal 
 friend, and " 
 
 Norroy spread out his delicate hands in 
 an expostulatory manner. "It is safe 
 perfectly safe. I see no other way." His 
 tone was indifferent, and he spoke as though 
 the topic concerned him not at all. 
 
 The secretary sighed. "I suppose I can 
 persuade the President," he said ; "although 
 I incur the risk of falling very deeply into 
 his bad graces if your suspicions are not 
 verified. You say you want Von Laden- 
 burg 's photograph ? ' ' 
 
 388 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 '"I do," agreed Norroy. "You have it 
 here, if I am not mistaken. I obtained it for 
 you in 1900, when I was in Berlin." 
 
 "I have it here, if any place," returned 
 the secretary. "But, at all events, you know 
 Von Ladenburg's face well enough with 
 out it. Of course it would be an aid. I'll see 
 if I have it" 
 
 He unlocked a private drawer in his es 
 critoire and took out a bunch of keys. Se 
 lecting one of them, he opened an innocent- 
 looking cupboard, which hid from view a 
 large iron safe built into the wall. He 
 twirled the knob about several times until 
 the combination was formed, and the safe 
 door swung open. From a locked compart 
 ment within he took out a bundle of 
 photographs pictures of foreign-looking 
 persons of all nationalities, some in gaudy 
 uniforms, some in plain dress, but all with 
 the same shrewd, keen expression of counte 
 nance. He selected one after a prolonged 
 search, and handed it to Norroy, after which 
 he locked the various doors, and returned 
 
 389 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 the keys to their place. 
 
 "Let me look at it again," said the secre 
 tary. 
 
 He gazed at it, mentally comparing the 
 pictured form with that of the man who 
 stood before him. Then he sighed, and 
 handed it back. 
 
 "You may be able to do it. I know your 
 knack of disguises. Your height is about 
 the same as his, but his girth is nearly twice 
 yours. However ' ' 
 
 "We will see," finished Norroy. "The 
 performance will begin at nine." He smiled. 
 "I will need two trusty men. One must be 
 able to speak good German Wammell 
 should do for that, I fancy. I had him on 
 the Legieux case, you remember? And 
 Henry Coman will do for the second. Will 
 
 you send them to my apartments, at " 
 
 He examined his watch. "Four o'clock, 
 please?" 
 
 The secretary noted the names. Norroy 
 picked up his swagger stick and gloves. 
 
 " Until nine, Mr. Secretary," he said. 
 
 390 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Lighting another cigarette, and gracefully 
 saluting his chief with the case, he made his 
 exit. 
 
 391 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE METHODS OF YOKKE NORROY. 
 
 "Mr. Williams will see you in a moment, 
 sir," said the office boy, as lie pushed for 
 ward a chair for Norroy. "He told me to 
 ask you to kindly wait." 
 
 There was no sign on the glass-paned door 
 of the little antechamber which opened on 
 the office of Homer Williams nothing to 
 indicate the occupation of the man who rent 
 ed the rather expensive rooms. Yet every 
 hour of the day saw passing in and out peo 
 ple whose names were familiar to the read 
 ing public through the medium of the news 
 columns. They did not state their business 
 to the placid-looking youth who mounted 
 guard, nor had this youth a very tangible 
 idea of the status of his employer, or the 
 reasons that led these celebrities to consult 
 him. 
 
 392 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Homer Williams was, without doubt, a 
 master in his own peculiar line a line so far 
 removed from the average profession that 
 he was not in any danger of losing his pat 
 ronage through rivalry. His talent lay IB 
 the matter of handwriting. To him came 
 bank employees with checks which they had 
 reason to believe were doubtfully signed; 
 lawyers needing proof that certain docu 
 ments held by opponents were fraudulent; 
 society folk who had taken up the fad of 
 reading character through chirography ; and 
 many other manners and conditions of men 
 and women. 
 
 Within the prescribed moment the door 
 to Williams' office opened and a rather cor 
 pulent man passed out. Norroy turned his 
 head hastily to avoid recognition, and when 
 the outer door had shut upon his last client 
 Williams spoke the secret agent's name. 
 
 Norroy took the outstretched hand and 
 accepted the invitation to enter the artis 
 tically furnished room which served the 
 chirographic expert as a sanctum sanc- 
 
 393 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 torum. The "diplomat seated himself in a 
 comfortable Morris chair and offered Wil 
 liams his cigarette case. Williams accepted, 
 and reciprocated with a light, and for a 
 short space the two men eyed each other. 
 
 "It has been some time since I have had 
 the honor, Mr. Norroy," observed Wil 
 liams. " Something exceptionally interest 
 ing to hand, I suppose as usual?" 
 
 Norroy snapped the catch to his cigarette 
 case and replaced it in his pocket. Then he 
 returned Williams' gaze of inquiry. 
 
 "Well rather," he returned. "You will 
 pardon non-explanation, won't you?" 
 
 "I am not naturally inquisitive," re 
 turned Williams, readjusting his scarf in 
 the glass opposite. "I need only enough to 
 work on." 
 
 The diplomat threw back the folds of his 
 outer coat, and, feeling within an inner 
 pocket of his frock, brought out a Japanese 
 pocket case, ornamented with neolithic drag 
 ons, from a compartment of which he took 
 a small envelope. 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Here is a specimen of the handwriting 
 of Herman von Ladenburg," said Norroy, 
 giving the envelope to the chirographer. 
 "It is a note which he wrote to me some time 
 ago." 
 
 "But it is addressed to 'Herr Wolfgang 
 von '" 
 
 "Quite so, Mr. Williams," interposed 
 Norroy. 
 
 Williams looked at him half humorously, 
 and then inspected the paper. "A strong, 
 aggressive handwriting," he remarked. 
 
 "That is ' Exhibit A,' " said Norroy. He 
 drew a folded paper from the pocketbook. 
 " This is ' Exhibits.'" He held it up. "As 
 you will note, it was written to-day, for the 
 ink is still blue. Also, as you know my hand 
 writing, you will readily see that it is writ 
 ten by me. It is in German. I will trans 
 late : 
 
 Dear Mr. Kennedy: Important discoveries of to-day 
 have made it necessary for me to come to Washington. 
 I must see you at once. The man who delivers this 
 note may be trusted. He 1 will bring you to me. Do 
 not hesitate to accede to whatever he may request, and 
 
 395 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 do Hot stand upon the order of your coming, but come 
 at once. 
 
 Herman von Ladenburg. 
 Five o'clock. Wednesday. 
 
 Norroy folded up the paper again. Wil 
 liams was scrutinizing the signature of the 
 Bogota note. 
 
 "You catch my meaning, Mr. Williams?" 
 queried Norroy, tapping lightly on the 
 paper in one hand with the tapering fin 
 gers of the other, and looking squarely into 
 Williams' eyes. 
 
 Williams wrinkled his brow, and avoided 
 Norroy's gaze. "I should prefer that you 
 state explicitly, Mr. Norroy," he said. 
 
 Norroy sighed. "If I must -I suppose 
 I must. In plain words, I want the note 
 which I have just read copied in the hand 
 writing of that one. " He pointed to the Bo 
 gota epistle. "More that that, I must have 
 it at four o'clock this afternoon. Tou are 
 quite able to do it, are you not?" 
 
 The chirographic expert laughed uneasily. 
 "Oh, I dare say," he agreed. "Oh, I dare 
 say, but "he paused, as though about to 
 
 396 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 take a nasty morsel "it is forgery, you 
 know?" 
 
 The secret diplomat dropped Ms cigarette 
 in the ash tray and brushed a few flecks of 
 dust from his coat. 
 
 "You know me well enough to know I 
 have good reasons for what I want done. 
 I can't argue the question with you, nor 
 can I explain any further. Will you under 
 take it?" 
 
 He mentioned the sum to be paid: a fair 
 figure. Williams hesitated -and was lost, 
 for it went against the grain to refuse to do 
 such a piece of work, so easily accomplished, 
 and for which the remuneration was more 
 than adequate. 
 
 "Yes," he agreed, slowly, and with the 
 appearance of reluctance; "I'll So it; but 
 only because it is you who ask me, Mr. Nor- 
 roy. I don't care to establish a reputation 
 for doing that sort of thing. It isn't health 
 ful. And I need hardly say I don't want 
 the fact that I have done it mentioned. " 
 
 Norroy's teeth snapped together. "It is 
 
 397 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 hardly part of my code of ethics to tell any 
 thing not positively necessary," he said. 
 "You need not fear on that score where I 
 am concerned." 
 
 He produced a check book and filled up 
 one of the blanks, which he gave to Wil 
 liams. Then, from another pocket, he took 
 some sheets of paper and envelopes to 
 match. 
 
 "Official paper of the Saxonian Foreign 
 Office," he said, briefly. "They have the 
 crest and watermark. The copy is to be 
 made on one of them and the envelope ad 
 dressed to ' : He picked up a pencil and 
 
 wrote on a memorandum pad : 
 
 Hon. Arthur M. J. Kennedy, 
 
 The Pendleton, 
 1912 J. Street, N. W. 
 
 He laid aside the pencil and stood with 
 his back to the fireplace, gazing down with 
 marked disapprobation on the scratch which 
 marred the polished surface of one of his 
 boots. "Destroy the original draft in my 
 handwriting when you have copied it, and 
 
 398 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 destroy that" lie pointed to the address 
 he had just written " but return me the 
 original Von Ladenburg note. It is a sou 
 venir." He smiled slightly. " Return it 
 with your copy of mine." 
 
 After a few more words he bade Williams 
 good-day, and quitted the office build 
 ing. He turned into P. Street and 
 passed leisurely along, bowing to many men, 
 and lifting his gray sombrero to more wo 
 men ; with some of the latter he stopped to 
 chat for short periods, then strolled on. 
 
 At Thirteenth Street he debouched into 
 Pennsylvania Avenue. He stopped before 
 the stage entrance of the National Theater, 
 lighted another cigarette, and passed in on 
 the stage, where scantily attired women in 
 dress rehearsal were being taught new terp- 
 sichorean effects by the ballet master. 
 Norroy singled out the press agent of the 
 theater from among a number of men on the 
 O. P. side of the stage. He crossed and spoke 
 to him. 
 
 "Why, it's Mr. Yorke Norroy!" said the 
 
 399 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 gentleman of the pen and "dog" story, loud 
 ly enough for those in near proximity to 
 hear. Several of the coryphees standing 
 near by craned their necks for a view of the 
 gentleman whose name was coupled so often 
 with others who had been known to "angel" 
 productions for struggling maidens with 
 cravings for the high lights and the center of 
 the stage. 
 
 But Norroy appeared to be absolutely ob 
 livious to the many charms so lavishly dis 
 played. "Where can I find Penniman?" he 
 asked the press agent. Penniman was the 
 "make-up" man of the theater, an artist in 
 his way, and invaluable when shows requir 
 ing numbers of supernumeraries played 
 there. Even leading lights in the profession 
 of histrionics were not averse to 'taking sug 
 gestions from Penniman. 
 
 "Penniman why, he's down in the main 
 dressing room giving some * broilers' hints 
 on how to be beautiful from behind the 
 lamps. Shall I call him?" 
 
 "I wish you would." THe press agent 
 
 400 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 dispatched one of the stage hands on the 
 errand, and the fellow returned followed by 
 a lean, wrinkled old man with stained fin 
 gers, loosely fitting black clothes, and a big 
 bow of black silk tied under a huge Byronic 
 collar. 
 
 Norroy held out his hand, and tHe "make 
 up man" greeted him effusively. The old 
 fellow cared little for Norroy's social posi 
 tion, admiring him from a professional 
 standpoint solely. Norroy had often called 
 for Penniman's assistance in the amateur 
 theatricals which had gained the secret 
 agent a reputation, and it was one of Penni- 
 man's sorrows that Norroy would not em 
 brace the stage as a profession. 
 
 "I've been with Booth, sir, and with Law 
 rence Barrett, sir," he had been wont to 
 say. "I've seen John McCullough from no 
 further than you stand now, and I've helped 
 make up the elder Salvini every night for 
 weeks. And I've seen their imitators for 
 they have no successors, sir. I know an ac 
 tor when I see onea real actor, no pretty 
 
 401 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 boy that the girls go wild over because he 
 has a soft voice and a Piccadilly accent I 
 say I know an actor, sir and you are one, 
 if there ever was one. It's none of my af 
 fairs, Mr. Norroy, but why don't you go in 
 to the profession?" This had been his oft- 
 repeated wail, but he had discontinued it as 
 he saw it was without effect. 
 
 Norroy consulted his watch. "It's after 
 two o'clock, Penniman," he said; "and I 
 haven't had my lunch. Have you? No? 
 Well, it's time you had, then. Come up to 
 my rooms and break bread with me, will 
 you ? I wish you would. I want to talk with 
 you about something very important." 
 
 The old man acceded, and followed the 
 secret agent out of the stage door, leaving 
 the "lydies" of the chorus in a state of in 
 dignation. Norroy's cold eyes had swept 
 their ranks in much the same way he would 
 have surveyed a line of soldiers, except that 
 there was less interest in the gaze. 
 
 "No business until after lunch, Penni 
 man," said the secret agent, when they were 
 
 402 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 seated in his breakfast room, with old Jef 
 ferson, Norroy 's darky, serving as epi 
 curean a lunch as might be partaken of in 
 Washington. ' ' What were you saying about 
 the Siddons' death mask?" 
 
 The old man, given a chance to converse 
 on his hobby, talked volubly and entertain 
 ingly, Norroy making observations and put 
 ting questions which showed him to be fully 
 conversant with the subject in hand. 
 
 When they had lunched, old Jefferson 
 swung back the doors of the library, and, 
 after placing coffee, liqueurs and cigarettes 
 on a little tabouret near both men, with 
 drew. 
 
 The conversation continued on the same 
 lines until the cigarettes had been finished; 
 then Norroy drew from his pocket the pho 
 tograph he had obtained from the secretary 
 of state earlier in the day. 
 
 "Do you notice that particularly, Penni- 
 man?" queried the secret agent, as he hand 
 ed the pasteboard to the " make-up" man. 
 "That is to be my latest development in the 
 
 403 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 way of Thespic disguises." 
 
 The old man studied the portrait careful 
 ly. Norroy continued: 
 
 "I want to make up in such a way that 
 people knowing that man well would be un 
 able to say that I am not he. I know his 
 tones and can imitate them " 
 
 "That you can you can imitate any 
 thing," broke in Penniman, admiringly, 
 "Only one as good, and that Miss Loftus." 
 
 Norroy frowned at the interruption. 
 
 "I am approximately the same height. 
 For the rest of the resemblance I depend 
 on you. I know something about make-up, 
 of course, but this affair is rather too deli 
 cate for me to handle or I think it is. I 
 might possibly make shift to do it ; but why 
 try my amateurish hand when you are in 
 town?" 
 
 Penniman murmured something indis 
 tinctly but gratefully. 
 
 "I have the wig and cosmeticsalso the 
 padding. For the rest, I depend on you." 
 
 Penniman looked from the pictured face 
 
 404 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 to the real, and shook his head a trifle du 
 biously. 
 
 "Is this for the stage, Mr. Norroy?" he 
 inquired. "Not to be prying into your af 
 fairs, but faces seen from the stage and from 
 the same level it's different, you know." 
 
 "Yes, I know," agreed the secret agent* 
 "No, it is not for the stage." 
 
 "Then it will take fully an hour to get a 
 fair resemblance." 
 
 Norroy glanced at the clock. "I have an 
 appointment at four," he observed. "I 
 suppose you can make it by then?" 
 
 The alterer of countenances nodded, and 
 Norroy raised the hangings of a couch, dis 
 closing a locked box. He removed draperies 
 and pillow, and raised the top, after unlock 
 ing. Within, arranged in compartments, 
 were all the articles used in facial beauti- 
 fication or distortion. The old man had used 
 the box before and knew the approximate 
 placing of each article. He selected brushes, 
 grease paints, and other things necessary for 
 his work. Norroy removed coat, vest and 
 
 405 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 collar, sitting back in a Morris chair. 
 
 It was a tedious operation, but was en 
 livened by the stories Penniman told. Soon 
 after the second hand of the clock had 
 passed the dividing point between the hours 
 of three and four, Penniman handed Norroy 
 a hand-glass. The secret agent saw in it such 
 a perfect facial resemblance to the man of 
 the picture that, for the moment, he scarcely 
 realized that he was gazing at his own coun 
 tenance. 
 
 "And now for the figure," he said, after 
 congratulating Penniman on his success. "I 
 have a suit of clothes here, made in Berlin 
 on the approved Teutonic style, and which 
 I used once when I padded for a German 
 part. We will use that." 
 
 Fifteen minutes later Norroy was look 
 ing at a full-fledged German in brown 
 clothes, cloth-topped shoes, a flaring collar 
 and wooden-like bow tie, with a rimless 
 monocle stuck in his right eyeand it was 
 his own reflection that he saw in the pier 
 glass. 
 
 406 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 "Parfaitement!" he exclaimed. He never 
 allowed himself to be enthusiastic in Eng 
 lish. 
 
 There was a knock on the door, and old 
 Jefferson entered, carrying two cards on his 
 tray. He glanced from old Penniman to 
 the excessively foreign-looking person. 
 
 "Ah ah begs par ding," he said. "Ah 
 thought Marse Tohke was heah." 
 
 ' * What do you want, Jeff ? ' ' The voice of 
 his master came from the German's throat. 
 Jefferson had seen Yorke Norroy disguised 
 before, and the voice reassured him. He 
 handed Norroy the cards. 
 
 "De genTmen is outside, sah," he in 
 formed him. 
 
 "Tell them I will see them in a moment." 
 
 The negro retired, and Norroy gave Pen 
 niman a bank note. "Thank you many 
 times. Oh, yes, you must take it. And 
 now if you will excuse me! I hope to see 
 you soon again." 
 
 Norroy raised his voice and bade Jeff 
 show Mr. Penniman out, and Messrs. Co- 
 
 407 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 man and Wammell in. His orders were 
 obeyed, and the two men entered. Their 
 faces showed little of individual character 
 istics ; there was not a peculiarity in the way 
 of personality which could be used in a de 
 scription of them to change it materially 
 from a description of a thousand others, 
 save that both had the keen eyes character 
 istic of their profession. 
 
 "I don't recognize you, Mr. Norroy," said 
 Coman, the elder of the two; "but I sup 
 pose there's no mistake as to your identity, 
 We had orders to report here at four o'clock 
 for service under you. That is, if I am not 
 mistaken in addressing Mr. Yorke Horroy, 
 although I must say I would never have 
 known you." 
 
 Norroy took the monocle from his eye, 
 and invited his visitors to be seated. "Well, 
 that is what I have striven for," he said, 
 carelessly. "And, as you know, it is part of 
 the game." He placed the Scotch and a si 
 phon on the table and passed the cigarettes. 
 In a few moments he had briefly outlined the 
 
 408 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 plan to be pursued. 
 
 "You speak German well enough to pose 
 as one, I believe?" he said, addressing 
 Wammell. 
 
 Wammell verified the statement. 
 
 "So I remembered from our experience 
 together in the Legieux case," continued 
 Norroy. "At six o'clock, then, you will go 
 to the Pendleton and sit in the park op 
 posite. Coman will wait at the end of the 
 square with a cab. You will drive it, of 
 course, Mr. Coman ; we want no outside peo 
 ple. Wait in the park until eight o'clock, 
 unless Mr. Kennedy comes out before that 
 time. In case he does, you are to imme 
 diately cross the street and hand him this 
 letter." 
 
 Norroy gave him the note whicK Williams 
 had sent to him a few minutes before. 
 
 "If Mr. Kennedy does not come out, at 
 eight you will go to his rooms and tell his 
 servant that you are from 156 Orange St., 
 Baltimore." Wammell noted the number 
 on his cuff. "If I am not mistaken, Mr. 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 Kennedy will see you on receipt of that mes 
 sage, and when he grants you the audience, 
 give him the note which I have just given 
 you. Explain to him that the whereabouts 
 of Graf von Ladenburg are secret, and that 
 the graf has given orders that Mr. Kennedy 
 must be blindfolded. It is not necessary to 
 tell him about the blindfolding, however, 
 until you get him into the cab. Drive him 
 around for about half an hour, to give him 
 the impression that he is going to a rather 
 distant place. About eight-forty drive in 
 to the rear carriageway of the White House 
 grounds." 
 
 Both of the men uttered involuntary ex 
 clamations. 
 
 "Of the White House grounds," repeated 
 Norroy. " There will be a man at the gate 
 to open it at that time. Drive the cab 
 through the porte-cochere and into the sta 
 ble yard. There will be a man there who 
 will open a trapdoor in the stable floor, and 
 let you into the cellar. There is an entrance 
 into the cellar in the room where you will 
 
 410 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 take him, and I will be in that room and will 
 have the trapdoor open at exactly nine 
 o'clock. When you 'have left him in the 
 room, you will go back to the cellar and wait 
 until I call you. If I do not call you within 
 an hour's time, you may return home." 
 
 Some further details were given them, 
 and Wammell was especially drilled on the 
 conversation which he was to hold with Ken 
 nedy on giving the note. Then Norroy re 
 quested both men to repeat their instruc 
 tions, and they did so to his satisfaction. 
 
 "Remember your German when you speak 
 to Kennedy. You might alter your face and 
 make it a little more Teutonic in appear 
 ance. An upturned yellow mustache will 
 give the desired effect." 
 
 Wammell murmured compliance. Nor- 
 roy rose. 
 
 "Very well, I shall expect you and your 
 charge at nine o'clock precisely. Remem 
 ber that this is a very important case, and 
 it is a mark of high trust that you have been 
 selected to carry it out. Until nine, then." 
 
 431 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 When Jeff came in, after showing the 
 visitors to the door, Norroy informed him 
 that he was at home to no one, and ordered 
 a dinner to be prepared for himself alone. 
 
 412 
 
CHAPTEE III. 
 
 TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 Mr. Yorke Norroy was fidgeting restless 
 ly in one of the private rooms of the White 
 House. It was after nine o'clock, and, as 
 yet, he had seen nothing of the two agents 
 and their charge. But it would be an in 
 justice to Norroy to refer to him by his own 
 cognomen at this particular time, for there 
 was nothing in the personality and actions 
 of the German looking person who sat alone 
 in the room to remind even his best friend of 
 the Washington cotillion leader. 
 
 Norroy's changes of identity did not stop 
 with the alteration of figure and counte 
 nance. He entered into the character he 
 assumed, and sank his own identity in it. 
 For that reason, Mr. Norroy was not smok 
 ing cigarettes which were so much a part 
 of his daily life. He held between thumb 
 
 413 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 and forefinger, in the exact manner of Von 
 Ladenburg, a very black, very thick cigar, 
 and he smoked it without any appearance 
 of enjoyment. 
 
 There was a gaping void in the center of 
 the room, marking the entrance from the 
 cellar. Norroy had raised the trap some five 
 minutes before. Now he heard footsteps on 
 the secret stairs leading upward. His face 
 showed signs of pleasure, but he quickly 
 banished them, resuming the stolid Teutonic 
 stare which was a part of the make-up of 
 Herman von Ladenburg. 
 
 Nbrroy crossed the room and pressed an 
 electric button connecting with the Presi 
 dent's private library. Then he switched off 
 the electric lights, leaving the room in the 
 half light of the yellow-shaded lamp. A 
 moment later a head appeared from the cel 
 lar entrance. It was Coman's. He looked 
 at Norroy inquiringly, and the secret dip 
 lomat nodded. The head disappeared, but 
 came to view again almost immediately, fol 
 lowed by the body and a hand, leading an- 
 
 414 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 other, who was blindfolded. 
 
 The man in question was rather tall and 
 heavily built. He was attired in the sack 
 clothes, remarkable for their extreme cut, 
 which marked the too earnest follower of 
 the bizarre fashions of the hour. His large 
 frame was out of place in the short curling 
 coat, tightly fitting at the waist, and his low 
 shoes were ornamented with enormous 
 pieces of black silk ribbon, which served as 
 bows. 
 
 Norroy waved his Hand and Ooman dis 
 appeared again, closing the trapdoor after 
 him. The secret diplomat crossed the room 
 and untied the bandage about the new ar 
 rival's eyes. The man blinked and rubbed 
 his eyelids, then looked at Norroy. 
 
 "Ah, Herr Kennedy, you have come," ob 
 served Norroy, in the manner of the man 
 who has nothing to say, yet feels that he 
 must say it. "I have been expecting you 
 for some moments." 
 
 The other man's eyes, now accustomed to 
 the light, looked at him furtively. "What 
 
 415 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 is this place?" he asked. 
 
 "I should not have had you blindfolded 
 had I wished you to know where or what it 
 is," replied Norroy. For the first time he 
 realized that Kennedy's eyes were almost 
 fishlike in their shiftiness, and that his ears 
 were set at too low an angle on his head for 
 those of an absolutely honest man. 
 
 "This is rather a wonderful proceeding," 
 said Kennedy, looking around the simply 
 furnished room and then seating himself on 
 the side of the reading table opposite to 
 Norroy. "Quite like a swashbuckling novel. 
 I almost imagined I was back in mediaeval 
 times when I rode in that hack with the 
 bandage over my eyes. And I must insist 
 that you don't summon me in this way again. 
 I don't like it." 
 
 "Secrecy secrecy is necessary," re 
 marked Norroy. "What would be the re 
 sult if your connection with me was dis 
 covered?" 
 
 Kennedy looked uneasily about the room, 
 "See here, Von Ladenburg, what sort of a 
 
 416 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 place is this?" He rose and eyed the doors 
 moodily. " Where are we? Is it safe?" 
 
 Norroy grunted in an imitation of Von 
 Ladenburg 's chuckle. ' ' Safe ! " he said, con 
 temptuously. "Do you imagine that I do 
 things that aren't safe? Why did I have 
 you brought here so secretly? For your 
 own good, Kennedy. If anyone in Wash 
 ington who knew me managed to get a 
 glimpse of my person, the news would fly 
 to the ears of your secretary, and a dozen se 
 cret agents would be shadowing me and 
 I don't like your secret agents, my friend; 
 some of them are too infernally clever." 
 
 Oh, yes," returned Kennedy, carelessly, 
 we have some clever agents. But I wish 
 to know why you sent for me, Von Laden- 
 burg, and I wish to have this matter over 
 at the earliest possible moment. What do 
 you want?" 
 
 "I want to warn you. There is a certain 
 man in the service a secret agent. He is 
 the same man who worsted me in Colombia. 
 He knows that I am in the United States. 
 
 417 
 
 H 
 it 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 He knows that I have been stopping with 
 the Saxonian consul. I saw him yesterday 
 on Orange Street, and he passed almost as 
 closely to me as I stand to you." 
 
 Kennedy started as though struck violent 
 ly, then sank into a chair. "Norroy!" he 
 said, fearsomely. 
 
 "Yes, Norroy!" repeated the owner of 
 that name. "That is the reason I sent for 
 you to warn you. I think the warning is 
 needed." 
 
 Kennedy rocked to and fro in his chair 
 for a moment. Then, placing his hands on 
 the table, he leaned across, his face very 
 near to the disguised secret agent: "If 
 Norroy is on this, Von Ladenburg," he said, 
 earnestly, "I am quits. I have been in the 
 State department too long not to know that 
 when that dandified devil takes things in 
 hand it is generally all over with the parties 
 he's after. Your warning is good, Von La 
 denburg. This is the last meieting you and 
 I will ever have " 
 
 "Impossible!" Norroy broke in. "You 
 
 418 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 know I can't leave this thing unfinished as 
 it is. That Meyrick affair came to a head 
 to-day. What of it?" 
 
 Kennedy felt in his pockets, and drew out 
 some notes. "This is the last, Von Laden- 
 burg," he said, seriously. "I needed the 
 money, and I needed it badly. But I don't 
 need it so much now that I can afford to 
 figure as a Benedict Arnold in my country 
 men's opinions. Here is all I know of the 
 Meyrick case and it is all there is to 
 know." 
 
 Norroy took notes as Kennedy spoke. He 
 was quite familiar with the case, and knew 
 that it interested Saxonia more than any 
 other which had come up for some time. He 
 also knew that for Saxonia to be made aware 
 of the plans of America in this affair meant 
 that America's plans would not be carried 
 out. As he listened, his eyes grew dark and 
 lowering. This treachery was worse than 
 he had anticipated. 
 
 When Kennedy finished, Norroy thrust 
 his notes into the pocket of his loose coat. 
 
 419 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 For some time he said nothing. He was 
 waiting and listening. He had heard an 
 other sound on the steps of the cellar below. 
 For a moment, a glint of amusement dis 
 placed the frown. Then came a distinct rap. 
 
 " Another visitor/' he said. "Will you 
 excuse me for a second, Kennedy?" He 
 raised the trapdoor, and the face of Carson, 
 a third secret agent, appeared. 
 
 Carson's eyes took in Kennedy's figure, 
 but Carson was too well disguised for Ken 
 nedy to recognize him. To keep up the il 
 lusion, he spoke to Norroy in German. 
 
 "He came quietly as a lamb at first. He 
 is made up with whiskers and wig rather 
 palpable. Pennsylvania station at eight 
 sharp. I gave him the word, and then took 
 him to the cab. When I had driven him as 
 far as Indiana Circle, and suggested the 
 bandage, he became suspicious, and I had 
 to knock him on the head. He hasn't come 
 to yet." 
 
 Carson was speaking in a whisper, and 
 Kennedy, whose knowledge of spoken Ger- 
 
 420 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 man was rather imperfect, did not catch 
 what was said. 
 
 "Push him up," said Norroy, curtly. 
 
 The next moment an inanimate body was 
 thrust upward and to the floor of the room. 
 
 "A whistle and a knock when I need you, 
 Carson," whispered Norroy. The trapdoor 
 shut down again. 
 
 Kennedy walked forward, his hand on his 
 revolver pocket and suspicion in his eyes. 
 "What in the devil is this?" he demanded, 
 angrily, touching the body with his foot. 
 "You can't murder people in Washington, 
 Von Ladenburg." 
 
 Norroy smiled peculiarly. "This is not 
 murder, Kennedy," he said. "The man is 
 simply senseless, that is all." He moved 
 across the room and laid his hand on the 
 knob of the door. "If you will pardon 
 me!" 
 
 As he spoke, he opened the door and 
 passed out of it before Kennedy was aware 
 of his project. Kennedy heard the key turn 
 in the lock. Subconsciously he became 
 
 421 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 aware that something had happened which 
 seriously concerned him. 
 
 He sat down and lighted a cigar, staring 
 dumbly at the body on the floor. He was en 
 deavoring to figure out exactly what the 
 whole proceeding meant. As yet he had no 
 doubt but that the man he had spoken with 
 was Von Ladenburg, but there was that in 
 Norroy's manner, as he closed the door, 
 which made Kennedy uneasy. He could not 
 determine the object of Von Ladenburg in 
 bringing in the body. 
 
 An idea flashed across his mind, but it 
 seemed so silly that he rejected it after a 
 moment's consideration. Still, it gave him 
 uneasiness to even think of it. Suppose Von 
 Ladenburg had killed this man and left him 
 locked in the room with the corpse. It 
 would point to Kennedy as the murderer. 
 
 The idea impressed him sufficiently to 
 make him rise and examine the body. He 
 removed the bandage from the eyes. There 
 was something hauntingly familiar about 
 the face, but Kennedy could not exactly 
 
 422 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 place it. For one thing, the eyes were closed, 
 robbing the countenance of its natural ex 
 pression. 
 
 Kennedy felt the man's heart nervously. 
 It was still beating. For this he uttered a si 
 lent thanksgiving. There was a carafe of 
 water on the table and a decanter of brandy. 
 He took both to the side of the prostrate 
 man and forced the liquor between the 
 clinched teeth. Then he bathed the head with 
 the water. 
 
 Presently the eyes began to flicker. When 
 they opened and the man stirred, a groan 
 proceeded from his lips and he pressed his 
 hand to his head, where a large contusion 
 showed he had been struck heavily with 
 some blunt weapon. The second sound to 
 come from him was a vigorous "Donner- 
 wetterl" 
 
 At the sound of the voice, Kennedy's gaze 
 was frozen on the man's face, and the man, 
 looking up, regarded him. 
 
 "So !" he said, with a snarl. "It was you, 
 after all." He arose to his feet and threw 
 
 423 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 a glance of malevolence at the State depart 
 ment official. 
 
 It was now Kennedy's turn to place Ms 
 hand to his head. Was he dreaming or was 
 he mad? The voice was unmistakable. It 
 was the same voice that had held converse 
 with him a few moments before; the voice 
 of the man who had quitted the room- or, 
 rather, the tones he had affected. 
 
 "Good heavens! Who are you?" he cried, 
 wildly. 
 
 6 1 Who am I ? " growled the other. < * Who 
 am I? Confound your impudence, Ken 
 nedy! Who am I?" With a sudden move 
 ment he jerked off wig and whiskers, and 
 Kennedy found himself looking into the eyes 
 of Herman von Ladenburg. 
 
 ' ' Von Ladenburg ! " he muttered. * ' Von 
 Ladenburg!" He arose and walked the 
 room unsteadily. ' ' Von Ladenburg ! ' 9 
 
 "I am happy you obtain so much pleas 
 ure from repeating my name," said the Sax- 
 onian, his teeth clinched and his fingers 
 working convulsively. "Now I want to 
 
 424 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 know what in the devil you mean by treat 
 ing me in this manner. Why did you have 
 me brought here ? Eh ? " 
 
 "I have you brought here?" murmured 
 Kennedy. His mind was a chaotic whirl, 
 and he was now firmly convinced that he 
 had become irrational and was going mad. 
 
 The real Von Ladenburg drew a yellow 
 slip from his pocket and put it on the table 
 before Kennedy. "Here is your message in 
 the Saxonian secret code with which I fur 
 nished you for urgent dispatches. It tells 
 me to come to Washington on the seven 
 o'clock train, and a trusty man will meet 
 me in the Pennsylvania depot and conduct 
 me to you. The telegram says that my pres 
 ence is absolutely necessary, and if I do not 
 come it will be serious. So I came. The 
 telegram was in code, and I knew of no one 
 save you who was in possession of that code. 
 The message said a man would meet me at 
 the Pennsylvania station and give the pass 
 word 'Meyrick.' He gave it, and I went 
 with him. When we had gone a little way 
 
 425 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 from the station in the fellow's cab, he pro 
 posed that he bind my eyes. I naturally re 
 fused, whereupon he struck me a heavy 
 blow with some sort of a stick ; and when I 
 became conscious, a moment ago, I find you 
 here." 
 
 Kennedy, his hands pressed to his brows, 
 was regarding the speaker without under 
 standing. When Von Ladenburg's utter 
 ance was shortly broken off at the finale, the 
 diplomat could only stare at the infuriated 
 countenance of the Saxonian with a stare of 
 absolute imbecility. He made no explana 
 tion. There was nothing to explain except 
 that the Saxonian had gone mad; or else 
 Kennedy had. The more the diplomat 
 thought on the latter question, the more con 
 vinced was he that he was correct. Yes, he 
 had gone sheer, stark, raving mad ; and this 
 man who spoke was some phantasm con 
 jured up by his neurotic imagination. 
 
 "Well?" demanded Von Ladenburg. 
 "Explain curse you! Explain! What the 
 devil does it all meaneh?" 
 
 426 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 He moved toward Kennedy, and his ges 
 ture was threatening. Kennedy's hand 
 sought his hip pocket. The gesture was un 
 conscious, and no doubt an atavism the re 
 membrance of a threat in some previous age 
 and the method of protection. Von Laden- 
 burg noted the gesture and stopped. The 
 heavy wits of the Teuton overhauled the 
 events of the night. Kennedy's action in not 
 throwing light upon them, his motion to 
 ward a concealed weapon, were all suspi 
 cious. 
 
 A life lived with death in close proximity 
 as a penalty for a single false step had made 
 the Saxonian keenly on the alert for treach 
 ery in any form. 
 
 As he stood there, looking into Kennedy's 
 little, shifty eyes, now contracted with 
 something akin to fear the fear that comes 
 from not understanding a vague, indefinite 
 idea began to form in the mind of the Sax 
 onian. Could it be that Kennedy had re 
 pented of his actions and was now selling 
 back to his own government? Everything 
 
 427 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 seemed to point in that direction. 
 
 Quietly but ominously, his hand dang 
 ling, ready to grip the weapon concealed in 
 the pocket of his loose lounge coat, the Sax- 
 onian advanced several steps and fixed Ken 
 nedy with a steely gaze. 
 
 "What did you mean by that telegram? 
 Why have you brought me here ? Why was 
 I assaulted?" The questions were ripped out 
 a threat in each interrogation point. 
 
 Kennedy drew back as from a raving 
 maniac. The glitter in Von Ladenburg's 
 eyes terrified him. The diplomat was more 
 or less of a normal man, and, had he known 
 the facts of the case, would not have been 
 possessed of any fear of Von Ladenburg 
 nor any man not in a supernormal state. 
 
 "What do you mean?" he asked, partly 
 from a desire for an explanation, partly be 
 cause he knew he must say something. 
 
 As he spoke, the door from which Nor- 
 roy had made his exit opened, and Norroy, 
 divested of his make-up, entered. The shrill 
 whistle which the secret agent gave and the 
 
 428 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 knock on the floor caused Von Ladenburg 
 to look up. Norroy caught the light in his 
 eyes and stepped behind a pillar. 
 
 And then the explanation came to Von 
 Ladenburg or, rather, the explanation 
 which most naturally would have come to 
 any man under the circumstances. 
 
 Kennedy had not seen Norroy nor noticed 
 the whistle, but he did noteVonLadenburg's 
 hand thrust quickly into his coat pocket. 
 Immediately his own flashed out a revolver, 
 but not sooner than Von Ladenburg. 
 
 "You traitor!" cried the Saxonian, sibi- 
 lantly. 
 
 Norroy saw the flash of steel, and the two 
 shots rang out almost simultaneously. 
 
 The secret agent rushed forward just in 
 time to see Kennedy clap his hand to a thin 
 streak of blood which trickled from his fore 
 head. The diplomat held himself erect for 
 a moment and looked down at the body of 
 the Saxonian, which lay where it Had fallen 
 when the bullet penetrated the left side. 
 
 For a moment Kennedy was master of 
 
 429 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 himself. Thto he swayed and staggered, 
 and he, too, went down, as stiffly as a tree 
 which has received the final blow of the 
 woodman's ax. 
 
 Two entrances opened one the trapdoor, 
 from which sprang Carson, Wammell, and 
 Coman. The three secret agents, however, 
 moved not a muscle when they saw a panel 
 at the other end of the room slide back and 
 the figures of two men, in the conventional 
 attire of the evening, step quietly into the 
 room. 
 
 Norroy, who had been kneeling at the side 
 of Kennedy, looked up at the double excla 
 mation of Carson: "The President! The sec 
 retary!" 
 
 The chief executive moved across the 
 room, but without his customary elasticity 
 of step. His eyes lacked luster, and he 
 looked the picture of a man who has received 
 a crushing blow, a great sorrow. 
 
 "You heard, your excellency?" inquired 
 Norroy, in a low tone. 
 
 The President waved his hand toward the 
 
 430 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 panel. "I was behind there all the time. 
 Is he dead?" 
 
 "They are both dead, Mr. President," re 
 turned Norroy, still speaking in a low tone 
 as befitted the presence of death. "Von La- 
 denburg through the heart, Kennedy 
 through the head." Norroy had thrown his 
 kerchief over the features of the late diplo 
 mat. The President dropped on one knee 
 and lifted the piece of cambric. 
 
 He looked long and steadily at the fea 
 tures of the dead man. Then he arose, and 
 there was a suspicion of tears in his voice 
 as he spoke. 
 
 "I heard, Mr. Norroy," he repeated. 
 "You have done the state a great service." 
 He dropped the kerchief over the fast glaz 
 ing eyes of Kennedy and looked downward 
 at the inert mass which had once been a man. 
 "But he saved my life once and he risked 
 his own to do it, I had always thought him 
 my friend." 
 
 Silence fell on the room a silence which 
 revealed the fact that many men were 
 
 breathing heavily. 
 
 431 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE UNEXPECTED. 
 
 It was afternoon, in the little house on the 
 retired street where Norroy reported to the 
 secretary of state the intricacies of the af 
 fair which were not plain to his chief. 
 
 "But you said nothing beforehand of the 
 coming of Von Ladenburg," said the secre 
 tary. "We had not expected his coming 
 nor the tragedy " 
 
 "I was not sure that Von Ladenburg 
 could be decoyed in that manner," Norroy 
 explained, igniting his fifth cigarette. "It 
 was a half -formed idea hardly more. I do 
 not like to promise things which may not 
 happen, so I said nothing of it, and em 
 ployed Carson on my own hand. However, 
 I rather foresaw what would happen when 
 Von Ladenburg and Kennedy were brought 
 together. Both would naturally be suspi- 
 
 432 
 
NORROY, DIPLOMATIC AGENT 
 
 clous; and, as neither could explain, each 
 would believe the other guilty of treachery. 
 My entrance set the spark to the tinder, 
 and " 
 
 "So it was premeditated, then?" broke in 
 the secretary, almost startled. 
 
 " Hardly that. But I rather imagined 
 that if such an end could be consummated, 
 the United States would be free from the 
 trouble of punishing the guilty ones, and 
 
 ?? 
 
 "Norroy!" interrupted the secretary, 
 Norroy looked all attention. For a moment 
 his chief only gazed at him then, slowly: 
 "You remember that Kennedy referred to 
 you as a ' dandified devil'?" 
 
 A faint smile wreathed the lips of the 
 secret agent. "Why, yes," he returned. 
 "I do remember that airy bit of persiflage." 
 
 "No persiflage," stated the secretary, 
 solemnly. "A good description an excel 
 lent description, Torke Norroy." 
 
 433 
 
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