The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-05-26
PROLOGUE

with TIhSS llylHS ana DdluS playing
as the ConqucrOrs Of q 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 1t twice he
rang the bell on his desk to summon
his secretary. Almost Immediately
the door opened, and a 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 p~ince-nez.
The secretary thought for a mo-
ment and then shook her head. "NOt
as far as / can remember" she said.
"Do we know anything about Hmm
Has he cver fed here, or taken a prt-
vate rcOm?'
"NOt that | know Of"
The manager handed her the letter,
and waited in silence until she had
read It.
at seems on the face of 1t a peCu-
liar request from an unknown man."
he remarked as she laid 1t down. "A
dinner Of four covers; no expense TO
be spared. Wines specified and If
not in hotel to be obtained. A private
room at half-past seven sharp. Guests
TO ask for room Y"
The secretary nodded In agreement.
at car 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 de
Guy is"
He took off his pince-nez and laid
them OF 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
structions. War and short rations
had not been conducive to any partlc-
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
lowering around both. At five-and-
twenty minutes past the first guest
He vas a peculiar-loOking man, in
slstibly OF a Goldfish.
81 wish to be 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
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 end a pair of
piercing ~eyes-asked In a nasal and by
no means an inaudible tone for Room
X. 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 Y.
Hes not French" said the score
tary excitedly to the manager. 'That
last one was another Boche."
The manager thoughtfully twirled
his pince-nez between his fingers.
"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 des.
Cneu TO De utteTtu. EVEN us lie spoke
the door again swung open, and a man
with a thick white scarf around his
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 eye.
which seemed to bore through him.
"You got my letter this morningT'
"M'sieur lie Comte de GuyT Th'
manager bowed deferentially ant
rubbed his hands together. Every
thing is ready. and three guests have
arrived"
"Good. I will 60 to the room al
once"
Az he followed his guide his eyes
swept round the lounge. Save for two
lor three elderly women Of doubtful
nationality, and a man In the Ameri-
can Red Crcss. the place wal desert
AAt a------ AA-AuA AAA