"Carpenter was here when we came in," Snodgra.s.s remarked. "He was sitting in the lobby. However, if you prefer, I'll let my mail go until evening."

"We can decide when we're through luncheon," she replied. "Haste is of vital importance, my instructions say. I had hoped to get away on the midnight train for New York, and to sail tomorrow for England."

"I had hoped to do the same!" he whispered.

"Really?" she asked.

"More than really! May I?" leaning forward.

"If you care to, Captain Snodgra.s.s. It will be very pleasant to have you on board."

"And afterward?"

"You may not care for the afterward," she murmured.

"I'll risk it!" he exclaimed. "We'll sail tomorrow."

"And the letter?" she asked.

"I'll get it for you--or have it along!"

"What about the consideration?"

"Hang the consideration. I'll pay it myself, if need be."

"No, no, my friend!" she laughed. "I'm not worth so much, nor anything near it. And even though I were, I'd not permit the wasteful extravagance."

She might have added that she had no objection whatever to his wasteful extravagance, in fact, she would rather encourage it, if she were its object. Only that must come later--after the present business was finished, and they had sailed from New York. How long the extravagance would continue was dependent on the depth of his purse and his disposition.

"Wasteful extravagance does not apply where you are concerned," he replied. "However, we'll let Germany pay the consideration, and I'll have that much more to spend on you."

She rewarded him with one of her alluringly ravishing smiles and a touch of her slender foot. She had him--and she knew she had him. She would be Madeline Spencer once again--always having a victim, and always ready for a fresh one. Since she had failed with Harleston, what mattered it how many the victims, or what the price they paid.

XXIII

CAUGHT

"Mrs. Spencer and her friend have reached some sort of an understanding," Mrs. Clephane remarked. "She just smiled at him significantly and pressed his foot."

"I noticed the smile but not the foot business," Harleston chuckled.

"It's something quite personal to them, I take it!"

"Exactly; but what's the effect on the matter in hand? Does not this _personal_ understanding signify that the delivery of the formula has been arranged, maybe even effected."

Harleston nodded. With Madeline Spencer it was, he knew, business first and personal matters afterward.

"I think we shall see the end of the affair of your cipher letter and its ramifications before the afternoon is over," he replied.

"What about the French Emba.s.sy?" she asked.

"The Marquis has been advised that we have the translation. He will keep his hands off, you may believe."

"You think either that Captain Snodgra.s.s has the doc.u.ment in his possession, or that he has given it to Mrs. Spencer?"

"Or that it will come into his possession before they leave the Rataplan, and be transferred to her here or in the taxi on their way back to town," he added.

"What if he transferred it to her on their way here?"

"Then she still has it--once she gets it in her possession she won't part with it, even in her sleep, until she places it in the hands of the official who sent her to America."

"And Mr. Carpenter was here to watch until you came?"

"Yes--and afterward; you see one of us might be called away. From the time she and Snodgra.s.s met at the Chateau this morning, they have not been out of espionage and close espionage. So long as they are in a taxi, or at the Rataplan, there is no danger of the doc.u.ment getting away if either of them has it; but until we are certain that they have it, we won't detain them; we want the doc.u.ment to aid us in running down the traitor. I'm not at all sure that Snodgra.s.s is aware of the character of the doc.u.ment. He probably stipulated not to know; he will be content with a division of the money--and with a chance to spend some of it on Spencer; which spending she is quite ready to facilitate, as witness the pleasant understanding they seem to have arrived at during luncheon."

"What are you going to do, Mr. Harleston?" Mrs. Clephane asked.

"I think you will enjoy it better if you're not wise, little lady!" he smiled. "Moreover, it depends on circ.u.mstances just how it's to be gone about--except that it ends in the office of the Secretary of State.--Hush!"

"The Secretary of State!" she exclaimed low.

"I've an appointment to take Mrs. Spencer to meet his Excellency at four o'clock."

"And what are you going to do with me, Mr. Harleston?" she smiled.

"You mean at four o'clock, or permanently?"

"At four o'clock, sir," with a charming lilt of the head.

"Take you along."

"With _that woman_? Thank you!"

"No, with me."

"Didn't you say you had an appointment to take Mrs. Spencer?"

"I did!"

"You intend to keep the appointment?"

"I do!"

"Surely, sir, you don't imagine for a moment that I would go anywhere with Mrs. Spencer!"

"No more than you imagine that I would ask it of you!" he smiled.