Delia having appeared at the time agreed on, and promptly withdrawing to her own room, Patricia continued to worry for an hour and a half over the problem that was perplexing her, trying vainly to write letters or concentrate her mind on a book. But it was useless, and at length she determined to put an end to her misery and suspense, in that direction at least, and ring for something else. If Chester Jackson did not answer this time, it would mean that he too had gone or been removed, and that she was left without a single friend to rely on.

So once again she telephoned, this time for ice-water, and waited in breathless suspense for the answering knock. The curly head and 104merry eyes of Chet Jackson at the door was like a bracing tonic to her overwrought nerves.

"Oh!" she quavered. "Whatever happened to you? I thought you were gone, too."

He gazed at her in unfeigned astonishment. "I don't get yer!" he remarked. "There ain't nothin' happened to me!"

She explained her agitation, and he laughed unfeelingly. "Gee! I gotta eat sometime or other. An' half past seven's about as early as I can usually strike it. You hit my supper hour, miss!"

She laughed in relief and followed Chet as he came into the room to place the tray on the table.

"Chester, I want to know the rest of what you were trying to tell me this afternoon. What is it that you have found out? And how have you discovered things?"

He glanced about the room cautiously, then tiptoed over and closed the door into the hall.

"You can't be too careful in this place," he 105said apologetically. "I'll tell you all I can in the little time I can spare, an' if I don't have a chance to finish it now, I will come some other time. I bet you'll hardly believe me, but I knew before ever you folks landed here that your dad—beg pardon!—that the captain was comin' here an that he had something secret an' important for the Gov'ment up his sleeve."

Patricia started involuntarily. "How—how did you know that?" she stammered.

He grinned. "I told you I could make you sit up an' take notice. Now I guess you'll believe me! Well, I doped that out from the conversation of two gents who had a room here for a couple of nights an' left the day before you came. They was sending for things constant, eats and drinks an' what not,—an' I was kept runnin' to their room as reg'lar as clockwork. I got onto the fact that they was on the watch for some one from one or two things they said before me. They seemed to think I was deaf or dumb or hadn't any brains, just 106because I was only a bell-hop, an' you bet I acted the part all right. So they often talked right out before me, seemin' to think I wouldn't take it in.

"Once, when I came in, one of 'em was sayin', 'He's a captain in the army, but he's not on active service 'cause he's been wounded; but I got word from headquarters he's doin' something worth lookin' into. He's comin' here in a day or two. He's got to be watched an' watched hard. He's camouflagin' it, too, with some lecture stuff or other, but that don't count.' 'Nother time, one of 'em says: 'He arrives to-morrow, so we'll disappear to-night. But it's all right. Franz is on the job, and so will Hofmeyer be, after to-morrow.'

"Well, there was other things, too, little things I can't remember now, but I says to myself, 'This here looks shady, Chet; better get on the job an' do a little detectin' work on your own! I didn't know this 'captain' from Adam, but I hate to see any one get done, 107especially by a pair of Huns, like them two looked, so I decided to keep my eyes open. Well, sure enough, them two gave up their room the night before you came, an' I've never laid eyes on 'em since. The next day you arrived, an' I just naturally cottoned to you both right away. ............