The Washington herald., 1912-07-07
. ETER RUFF returned his sec
retary's morning greeting lit
tie absently.
Violet" he asked, have yot

retary's morning greeting lit
tie absently.
Violet" he asked, have you
ever been to Paris?
More times than you, think, Peter,
she answered
THAT" he exclaimed, SIS very pos
siblel Could you get ready to leave by
the two-twenty this afternoon!
''What, alone?" she exclaimed.
"No-with me-" he answered.
"Of course / can't!" she exclaimed.
What a spreeP
Then she caught sight of certain
expression on Peter Ruff's face, and
she looked at him wonderingly.
is anything wrong, Peter! she
asked.
NO" he answered. II cannot say
that anything is wrong. ! have had an
invitation to present myself before a
certain society in Paris Of which you
have some indirect knowledge What the
summons means, cannot say.
yet you go!" she exclaimed.
Il 60" he answered. i have no
choice. If waited here twenty-four
hours, I should hear of it"
They can have nothing against you,"
she said. "On tire contrary, the only
time they have appealed for your aid,
Il cannot see," he admitted, what
they can have against me. And yet,
somehow, the wording of my invitation
seemed to me little ominous. Per-
haps," he added, Il have liver this
morning" >,
"Are you going to close the Office al
together?" she asked, little irrele-
vanity
Peter Ruff nodded.
PUT I'D notice." he said, Back on
Friday" Pack up your books and take
them around to the bank before you
leave. The lift man will call you taxi
cab"
They had comfortable journey to
Dover, a cool, bright crossing, and
found their places duly reserved for
them in the French train. Miss Brown,
in her neat travelling clothes and furs,
was conscious of looking her best, and
she did all that was possible to enter
tain her travelling companion. But Peter
Ruff seemed like man who labors un-
der some sense of apprehension. He
had faced death more than once dur
ing the last few years-faced It with
out finching, and with certain cool
disregard which can only come from
the highest sort Of courage. Yet he
knew, when he read over again IN the
train that brief summons which he was
on his way to obey, that he had passed
under the shadow of some new and IN
dehnable fear He was perfectly well
IL LII L.. c@A
and on the French train he was care
fully Swallowed. This fact, however. did
not surprise him. He even went out
of his way to enter into conversation
with one of the two men whose furtive
glances into their compartment and
whose constant proximity had first at
tracted his attention The man was
civil but vague. Nevertheless, when they
took their places in the dining car,
they found the two men at the next
table Peter Ruff pointed them out to
his companion.
'Double-Fours y he whispered. Don't
you feel like criminal?"
She laughed, and they took no more
notice of the men. But as the train
drew near Paris he felt some return of
the depression which had troubled him
during the earlier part of the day. He
felt a sense of comfort in his COM
panion's presence which was a thing
utterly strange to him. On the other
hand, he was conscious of certain re-
greet that he had brought her with him
into an adventure of which he could
not foresee the end.
The lights of Paris flashed around
thenn-the train was gradually slacken-
ing speed Peter Ruff, with a sigh, be-
gan to collect their belongings.
Violet" he said, Il ought not to
have brought you" >,
Something in his voice puzzled her.
"Why not" she asked, eagerly.
Peter Ruff looked out into the black
ness. through the glittering arc lights.
Because" he said, Il do not exactly
see the end of my present expedition
do not understand its obi ect
you have some apprehension! she
asked
None at all" he answered. why
should /? There is an unwritten bar
GAIN" he added, ito which l sab
scribed with our friends here, and ]
have certainly kept it. In fact, the bal
ance is on my side. There is nothing
for me to fear"
They engaged rooms at the Cont
mental. Miss Brown, whose apartments
were in the wing of the hotel overlook
ing the gardens. assembled at once to
her room Peter Ruff, who had chosen
small suite on the other side, went
into the bar. A man touched him on
the elbow
For Monsieur" he murnured, and
vanished.
Peter Ruff turned and opened the