The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-06-23
PROLOGUE

In the month or December, 1915.
and on the very day that ii British
cavalry division marched into Cologne.
with flags flying and bands playing
as the cOnquerOrs OF q beaten nation,
the manager OF the Hotel Rationale
in Berne received q letter. Its con
tents appeared To puzzle him some
what for having read IL 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 rangr'
"Have we ever had staying in the
hotel man called lie COmte de Guyr'
He leaned back in his chair and
looked at her through his pince-nez.
The secretary thought for a mo-
= ment and then shook her head. Not
as far az l can remember" she said.
'Do we know anything about him7
Has he ever fed here. or taken IA pri-
Vate rOOm?"
''Not that l know Of
The manager handed her the letter,
and waited in silence until she had
read il.
'It seems on the face of ii IL 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 If
not in hotel to he obtained. A private
room at half-paSt seven sharp. Guests
to ask for room ".
The secretary nodded in agreement
at can hardly he II hoax" she re-
marked after a short silence.
mo" The manager tapped his
teeth with his pen thOughtfully. But
II by any chance it was, il would
prove an expensive one for us.
wish could think who this Comte de
Guy is
He took on his pInce-nez and laid
them on the desk In front OF him.
''Send the mGitre 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
structiOns. War and short rations
had not been conducive To any partie-
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
manager was lowering round the
maitre d'hOtel. and the secretary was
towering around both. At five-and-
twenty minutes past the first guest
arrived
He was a peculiarlOOklng man, in
big fur coat. reminding one ire
sistihly of a Goldfish.
at wish To he taken to Room X"
The French secretary stiffened invOl-
unfairly as the maitre d'hotel stepped
obsequiously forward. Cosmopolitan
as the hotel was. even now she could
never hear German spoken without an
inwar; Shudder OF digust.
a BOche." she murmured in disgust.
Almost Immediately afterward the
second and third members Of the par
" arrived. They did not come tOgeth-
er. aud what seemed peculiar to the
mana ger was that they were evidently
strangers 10 one another.
The leading One-a tail gaunt man
with ragged beard and pair of
piercing eyes-asked in a nasal and by
no means an inaudIble tone for Room
y. AS ne spoke little fat man who
was standing just behind him started
perceptibly. and shot hirdlike glance
at the speaker.
Then in execrable French he too
asked for Room X.
Hes not French" said the secre-
rary excitedly to the manager. THAT
last one was another BOche."
The manager thOughtfully twirled
his pince-nez between his fingers.
1.-TWO Germans and an American"
He looked a little apprehenSive. s'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 des-
tined TO be uttered. Even as he spoke
the door again swung open. and a man
with a thick white scarf around hts
neck, so pulled up as almost com
pletely TO cover his face, came in. AL
that the manager could swear to a.
regards the newcomers appearance
was a pair OF deep-set. steel gray eyes
which seemed TO bore through him.
You got my letter this mOrning7"
'Nsieur lie COmte de Guy?" The
manager bowed deferentially and
rubbed his hands together. Every
thing Is ready. and three guests haV,
arrived
aGood. I will go to the room a
once"
AS he followed his guide his eye
swept round the lounge. Save for tWs
or three elderly women OF doubt4u
hationalitY, and msR In the Amerl
can Red Cr6ss. the TssSs was dsssst