The little Princess, who was very much embarra.s.sed, extended her hand, which Edestone took and seated himself beside her.

This scene might have been enacted in an English country house if it had not been so entirely different. The Germans, in their effort to affect certain charming English customs and Germanize them, in the process lose the charm. Tea time for the Englishman is the hour of relaxation after a day in the open, when he can in his easy clothes receive the homage of the ladies in their beautiful tea-gowns. Whereas here, these men in their tight-fitting and uncomfortable uniforms, were att.i.tudinizing and indulging in that military form of gallantry, which may be picturesque but certainly looks most uncomfortable.

The entrance of the Americans had thrown a chill upon the entire company. The officers simply refused to open their mouths, and sat glaring at the two intruders.

Edestone, after having made several attempts to relieve the situation, relapsed into silence. The feeble efforts of the Princess Wilhelmina but added to the atmosphere of restraint which she was unable to dispel.

Princess Adolph up to this time had been entirely monopolized by Lawrence, but catching an appealing look from her English cousin, came to the rescue at last. She was apparently in the secret, and in a most natural manner called upon Princess Wilhelmina to show Mr. Edestone her new French garden, which she said had been laid out by a young American studying at the ecole des Beaux Arts.

Princess Billy, who by this time was in such a state of excitement that she could scarcely get up from where she was sitting, and as if to postpone as long as possible the meeting which she had brought upon herself, managed to say:

"I don't think that Mr. Edestone is interested in such simple things as flowers," but catching the glance that was thrown at her by Princess Adolph she continued with a nervous little laugh: "Come, Mr. Edestone, I hope I shall be able to explain everything to you properly."

When the timid little figure led the way and was followed by that of the big man with his dignified bearing, one might almost imagine that it was an indulgent father taking his very frightened little daughter out to give her a lecture.

When they were on the outside and alone, as she stopped and grasped the balcony to support herself she said, looking up into his face with eyes in which tears were gathering:

"Oh, Mr. Edestone, I don't know what to say! I don't know what you will think of me. I know you hate all of us and especially me."

"Oh, don't say that, Princess!" interrupted Edestone, moved to pity for the poor little child who seemed to him, as he looked down into her sweet little face, almost young enough to have been his own daughter.

"Oh yes you do; I know you do! But I am not what you think I am," and in a very hurried manner, looking about her, she continued, lowering her voice: "I am no traitor to my country, and I know that what my father did he did because he believed it was his duty."

"Oh, Princess Wilhelmina!" said Edestone, as if to stop her on this most disagreeable subject.

"Please do not call me Princess in that sarcastic manner. I hate being a Princess! I know you hate all of our cla.s.s, and believe that we are all as heartless as we are sometimes forced to appear. But it is not of that that I wish to speak. My sole object in sending for you is to tell you that I know you are in great danger, and to beg--I mean advise--you to leave Berlin at once. I know that you believe I am working for them, and in fact I could not have arranged this interview unless I had left them under the impression that I was, but I don't care. Please go before it is too late."

Edestone, who at first thought that she might have been playing a part, was now convinced of her sincerity. "My dear little Princess Billy," he said, leaning over and with great effort resisting his inclination to take her hand, "is that why you sent for me?"

"Yes," she blushed and smiled when he used the familiar form of address, "I have heard that you were going to be killed, and I was determined to warn you, so I pretended to be working for them. Now please go before it is too late."

"But, Princess, why did you take all of this risk for me?"

"Oh, I don't know; but I must show you the garden. I hope that you won't think I am very forward."

She then hurriedly pa.s.sed into the garden and gave him in a very rapid and disconnected manner a description of the different plants, fountains, statues, etc. She hurried back into the drawing-room, but just before reaching the other group, she said in an undertone:

"Now, won't you promise me that you will leave Berlin at once?"

Before he had time to answer they were joined by Princess Adolph.

The Americans remained for a few moments and then took their leave. The little Princess, as she put her icy cold hand in his, gave him an appealing look.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE TWO-WHEELED MYSTERY

The Secretary came in with a very grave face one morning after having had a long talk with the German Chancellor.

"Do you know, Jack," he said, "I think the German Government intends to declare war on us, and I would not be a bit surprised if she proposes to strike first and declare afterwards. Their newspapers, and they are all inspired by the Government, you know, are working up a strong anti-American feeling, and this I think is done in order that when they do strike the Government may have the entire country back of it. Have you noticed, too, that they are constantly increasing the guard around the Emba.s.sy, which is either to save us or to catch us? Is it possible that your nonsense has got anything to do with all this? By Jove, Jack, I think it is about time that you told me what you are up to."

Edestone considered for a moment. "When you tell me that you are absolutely certain that they are going to strike, I will tell you, William, and not before. You know enough now, however, to realize that those soldiers outside are to catch and not protect. It is me that they want, though, and not you. Your position is perfectly safe and una.s.sailable so long as you do not know too much."

That ended the discussion for the time, but Lawrence came in one night in a state of great excitement. He had just seen some woman who, he rather intimated, was a little bit fond of him, and who was also very closely connected with certain high officials. She had told him, he said, apparently joking although he knew she was in earnest, that she hoped her pretty boy would not mix up with this man Edestone, or he might get into trouble too.

"'They are only allowing us to stay in Berlin,' she said, 'until they get you, Jack,'" declared Lawrence, "and then we will have to go, the whole lot of us."

In the meantime things were going from bad to worse. The Secretary was getting more and more anxious. Reports of all kinds kept coming in from all sides. Americans were being insulted in the street. The officers at the clubs were a little more arrogant in their studied politeness toward Edestone and his a.s.sociates, the younger officers even taunting Lawrence with having to leave his girl in Berlin and go back to cow-punching.

Finally one of the papers reported that the entire American fleet was collecting at Hampton Roads, that all the German boats in New York had been dismantled by force, and broadly suggested that the Yankees were about to strike first and apologize afterward.

However, there came a slight rift in the clouds. Coming back one morning after a conference with the Chancellor, Jones was all smiles.

"Well, we are all right for a little while at least," he announced.

"The Chancellor has just informed me that the Emperor has decided to see you, Edestone, and he wishes to inspect here, at the Emba.s.sy, anything that you may like to show him. The Chancellor intimated that it would depend entirely upon your att.i.tude on this occasion whether or not your mission to Europe was a failure or a brilliant success."

"And when is he coming?" asked Edestone quickly.

Jones grinned. "With his usual impetuosity, he has selected tonight, and will pay the Emba.s.sy a formal call at nine o'clock, after the celebration at the Palace in honour of the birthday of one of the Royal princes."

Edestone was delighted with the prospect of some action at last, but he had long since lost all hope of an amicable settlement. They had waited too long. He felt that they were preparing to strike, and should they do so it made him sick to think of the awful consequences. He was almost tempted to tell Jones of the wireless instrument in the penthouse and his daily communications with "Specs," but he remembered that he had no right to involve him as a representative of the United States, and that, as the matter stood, he and Lawrence were the only culprits.

He did not care to destroy the roseate hopes of the Secretary after his conference with the Chancellor, and contented himself with saying: "William, I hope that you are right, but I have an impression that we are in for it. I am prepared to meet any game that they may play, but I do sincerely hope that I shall not be forced to it."

By seven o'clock that evening the streets for blocks around the Emba.s.sy were filled with soldiers, and Edestone smiled when looking from the window he noticed that the Germans were bringing up anti-aircraft guns.

"They are taking no chances," he thought to himself, his curiosity aroused as he noticed several large mortars being brought up and so placed that each battery of four could throw their sh.e.l.ls in parallel lines over the Emba.s.sy to the north, south, east, and west.

This struck him as very strange, but he became even more interested when he perceived that besides the ordinary ammunition wagon each gun was provided with a trailer that looked like a big wheel or drum on a two-wheeled carriage, although it was so carefully covered over that he could not make out exactly what it was.

"I have got to find out what those things are," said Edestone to himself, and taking his hat and cane, he left the Emba.s.sy as if for a short stroll before dinner.

The soldiers took no notice of him as he sauntered along, and allowed him to inspect everything at his will until he approached the strange-looking mortars. Then he was stopped by a young officer, who told him in a very polite but firm tone that he would have to pa.s.s on and could not go by that way, at the same time showing him where he could walk around the block.

"I would give a good deal to know what those things are," muttered Edestone to himself. "In fact, I must know before the night is over."

He went back into the house, after strolling about for a quarter of an hour, and for the first time since he had left the Little Place in the Country, he became really anxious.

"These are wonderful people. They evidently are satisfied now that they have the answer, and who knows but they may have. All may yet be lost."

He sat down and drove his brain as he had never driven it before. He wondered if he could get the Secretary to demand what all this preparation meant, and what these new death-dealing instruments might be that were threatening the Emba.s.sy of the United States; but that was useless, he knew. They would reply that it was to protect the Emperor, or would simply refuse to answer, or answering would lie.

After waiting until it was time to dress for dinner, in a fit of desperation he sent for Lawrence.

"Lawrence," he said, "have you seen those mortars out there?"