The Lamar register., 1921-05-18
PROLOGUE

In the month of December, 1913
and on the very day that British
cavalry division marched into Cologne.
with flags flying and bands playing
as the conQuerorz OF a beaten nation.
the manager Of the Hotel Rationale
In Berne received letter. Its con-
tents appeared to puzzle him some
what, for having read It twice he
rang the bell Oh his desk 10 summon
his secretary. Almost Immediately
tie door opened, and young French
girl came into the room.
Monsieur rangT'
Have We ever had staying In the
hotel a man called lie Comte de Guyr
He leaned back In his chair ana
looked at her through his pincenez.
The secretary thought for Il mo-
ment and then shook her head. mot
as far as can remember" she said.
DO we know anything about hiInf
Has he ever fed here, Or taken q prt'
vate roomf
Not that ] know Of"
The manager handed her the letter.
and waited in silence until she had
read II.
''It seems on the face Of II q pecu-
liar request from an unknown man."
he remarked as she laid II down. "A
dinner of four covers; no expense 10
be spared. Wines specified and II
not in hotel to be obtained. A private
room at haif-past seven shsrp. 0ussts
to ask for room K"
The secretary nodded In sgrssmsnt
1T can hardly be q hoax" she 70
marked after 9 short silence.
no" The manager tapped bis
teeth with his pen thoughtfully. But
II By any chance II WA IL would
prove an expensive one for ua
wish could think who this Comts Dc
Guy Is"
He took OF his pince-nes 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 walter as he
left the ONCE after receiving his In
structions. War and short rauons
had not been conducive to any partic-
ulariy 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 dhotel was
lowering around the hall-porter. the
manager was lowering round the
naitre d'hotel. and the secretary was
. n A.
twenty minutes past the first guest
He was a peculiar-lookins man, in
a big fur coat. reminding ous irrs-
sistibly Of Goldfish.
"I wish TO be taken to Room K"
The French secretary stiffened invol-
unfairly as the meitre 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.
Amos Immediately sfterward 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-s tall gaunt man
with ragged beard and a pair OF
piercing eyes-asked In q nasal and by
no means an inaudible tone for Room
Y. As he spoke 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 secre-
tary excitedly to the manager. THAT
last one was another Boche."
The manager thoughtfully twirisc
his pince-nez between his fingers.
Two Germans and an American
He looked a little apprehensive. Let
us hope the dinner will sppesss every
body. Otherwise-
But whatever fears he might hav>
entertained with regard to the furni
ture In Room X. they were not dss
tined to be uttered. Even as he spok,
the door again swung open, and a mar
with a thick white scarf around hi
neck, SO pulled up as almost com
pletely TO cover his face, came in. Al
that the manager could swear to al
regards the newcomers appearance
was q pair Of deep-set, stesl-sray sye'
which seemed TO bore through him.