The Washington herald., 1912-05-26

TT HAD been the study of Peter
Ruf7s life, so far as possible, to
\ maintain under all circumstances
an equable temperament, to refuse to
recognize the meaning of the word
nerves" and to be guided in all his
actions BY that profound common sense
which was one of his natural gifts. Yet
there were times wher, like any other
ordinary person, he suffered acutely
from presentiments.
He left his rooms, for instance, at 5
o'clock on an afternoon suffering from
a sense of depression for which he
found it altogether impossible to ac-
count. il was true that the letter which
the famous private investigator had in
his pocket, the appointment which he
was on his way to keep were both of
them probable sources of embarrassment
and ANNOYANCE, if not of danger. He
was being invited, without the option
of refusal, to enter upon some risky
undertaking which would yield him
neither fee nor reward. Yet his COM
mon sense told him that it was part Of
the game.
In Paris, he had looked upon his ad-
niittance into the order of the Double
Four" as one OF the stepping stones to
success in his career. Through them
he had gained knowledge which he
could have acquired in no other way.
Through them, for instance, he had
acquired the information that the Count
Won Hern, posing in England as a
sportsman and an idler, was highly
paid and dangerous Austrian spy.
h-I
upon which they had come to his aid.
Now they had made an appeal to him
an appeal which must be obeyed. His
be placed entirely at their disposal 1t
was only an ordinary return-a thing
expected of him-a thing which he
dared not refuse Yet he knew very
we'll what he could not explain to them
that the whole success of his life de-
pended so absolutely upon his remain
ing free from any suspicion of wrong
doing, that he had received his. sum-
mons with something like dismay, and
proceeded to obey it with unaCcustomed
reluctance
He drove to Cirey's Cafe, in Regent
Street, where he dismissed the driver
of his hanson and strolled in with the
air Of an habitue. He selected a corner
table, ordered some refreshments, and
asked for a box of dominoes. The
place was fairly well filled A few
women were sitting about; a sprinkling
of Frenchmen were taking their aperitif;
here and there a man of affairs, on his
way from the city, had called in for a
glass of vermouth. Peter Ruff looked
them over, recognizing the type-recog-
TaFTT ~
parently, the person whom he was to
meet had not yet arrived.
He lit a cigarette and smoked slow
ly. Presently the door opened and a
woman entered in 4 long fur coat, a
large hat. and a thick veil She raised
II TO glance around, disclosing the un-
naturally pale face and dark. swollen
eyes Of a certain type of French wom-
an. She seemed TO notice no one IN
particular. Her eyes Travelled over
Peter Ruff without any sign of inter !
est. Nevertheless, she took a seat
somewhere near his and ordered some |
vermOuth from the waiter. whom she /
addressed by name When she had /
been served and the waiter had depart |
ed, she looked CuriouSly Al the DOM |
inoes which stood before her neighbor. |
Monsieur plays dominoes. perhaps: :"
she remarked taking one Of them into
her fingers and examining it. a very
interesting game
Peter Ruff showed her a domino |
which he had been covering with his
hand-it was a double four She nod /
ded, and moved from her seat to one
Immediately next him.
Il had not imagined" Peter Ruff
said that II was A lady whom I was IN
meet"
Monsieur is not disappointed. I
trust?' she said, smiling. II ! talk
banalities, monsieur must pardon it.
Both the walters here are spies. and
there are always people who watch.
Monsieur IS ready to do US service?"
To the limits of my ability" Peter
Ruff answered. Madame will remem-
Der that we are not in Paris; that our