Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1921-09-21
PROLOGUE

and on the very day that d British
cavalry division marched into Cologne,
with flags flying and bands playing
as the conquerors of a beaten nation,
the manager of the Hotel Rationale
in Berne received a letter. It's con-
tents appeared to puzzle him some
what, for having read it twice he
rang the bell on his desk to summon
his secretary. Almost Immediately
the door opened, and young French
girl came into the room.
Monsieur rangY
"Have we ever had staying in the
hotel a man called lie Comte de Guy"
He leaned back in his chair and
looked at her through his pince-nez.
The secretary thought for mo-
ment and then shook her head. "Not
as far as l can remember" she said
do we know anything about him?
Has he ever fed here, or taken a pri-
vate room?"
mot that l know Of"
The manager handed her the letter,
and waited in silence until she had
read it.
1T seems on the face of it a pecu-
liar request from an unknown man,
he remarked as she laid it down. "a
dinner of four covers; no expense to
be spared. Wines specified and #
not in hotel to be obtained. A private
room at half-past seven sharp. Guests
to ask for room X"
The secretary nodded in agreement.
1T can hardly be a hoax" she re-
marked after a short silence.
mo" The manager tapped his
teeth with his pen thoughtfully. "But
If by any chance it was, it would
prove an expensive one for US.
wish | could think who this Comte Gle
Guy Is"
He took off his pince-nez and laid
them on the desk in front of him.
"Send the maitre d'hotel to me at
once"
Whatever may have been the man
ayers misgivings, they were certainly
not shared by the head waiter as he
left the office after receiving his In
structi0ns. War and short rations
had not been conducive to any partic-
ularly lucrative business in his
sphere; and the whole sound Of the
proposed entertainment seemed to him
to contain considerable promise
And so at about twenty minutes
past seven the maitre d'hotel was
lowering around the hall-porter, the
no
maitre d'hotel, and the secretary was
lowering around both At five-and-
twenty minutes past the first guest
He was a peculiar-looking man, in
a big fur coat, reminding one ire
sistibly of a Goldfish.
81 wish to be taken to Room X"
The French secretary stitfened invol-
unfairly as the maitre d'hotel stepped
obsequiously forward Cosmopolitan
rs the hotel was, even now she could
never hear German spoken without an
inward shudder of digust,
"A Boche," she murmured in disgust.
Almost Immediately afterward the
second and third members of the par
ty arrived They did not come togeth-
er, and what seemed peculiar to the
manager was that they were evidently
strangers to one another
The leading one-a tall gaunt man
with a ragged beard and a pair of
piercing eyeS--asked in nasal and by
no means an inaudible tone for Room
Y. AS he spoke a little fat man who
was standing just behind him started
perceptibly, and shot a birdlike glance
at the speaker.
Then in execrable French he too
asked for Room X.
He's not French" said the secre-
tary excitedly to the manager. THAT
last one was another Boche."
The manager thOughtfully twirled
hts pince-nez between his fingers.
1.-TWO Germans and an American"
He looked a little apprehensive. Let
us hope the dinner will appease every
body. Otherwise"
But whatever fears he might have
entertained with regard to the furni-
ture in Room Y, they were not ies-
tined to be uttered Even as he spoke
the door again swung open, and man
with a thick white scarf around his
neck, so pulled up as almost COM
pletely TO cover his face came in. All
that the manager could swear to as
regards the newcomers appearance
was pair of deep-set, steel-gray eyes
which seemed to bore through him.
you got my letter this morning?
"Msieur lie Comte de Guy?' The
manager bowed deferentially and
rubbed his hands together. Every
thing is ready, and three guests have
arrived"
Good. I win go to the room at
once"
As he followed his guide his eyes
swept round the lounge. Save for two