Evening star., 1921-04-04
PROLOGUE.

and on the very day that Brit
ish cavalry division marched into
Cologne. with flags flying and
bands playing as the conquerors OF
beaten nation, the manager OF the
Hotel Rationale in Bern received
letter. Its contents appeared to puz-
xle him somewha for having read II
twics he rang the bell on his desk
to summon his secretary. Almost I'M
mediately the door opened. and
young French girl came into the room.
Monsieur rang" She stood in front
of the managers desk, awaiting in
strt tons.
Have we ever had staying in the
hotel a man called lie Comte de Guy!
He leaned back in his chair and look
ed at her through his pince-nez
The secretary thought for a mo-
ment and then shook her head.
Not as far as I can remember" she
said
DO we know anything about him :?
Has he ever fed here. or taken pri-
vate room?
Again the secretary shook her head
mot that / know of
The manager handed her the letter;
and waited in silence until she had
read it.
TT seems on the face of it pecu-
liar request from an unknown man.
ne 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 X.
The secretary nodded in agreement
TT can hardly be a hoax. she re-
marked after a short silence.
NO" The manager tapped his teeth
with his pen thoughtfully. But il by
chance it was. it would prove an ex,
pensive one for US. l wish ] could
think who this Comte de Guy is
He sounds like q Frenchman. she
answered. Then after a pause:
supposs. you'll have to take 1T sen-
ous1y?"
him. Would you send the maitre
d'hotel to me at once.
Whatever may have been the man
ayers misgivingA they were certain
~ not shared by the head waiter as
he left the office, after receiving his
instructions. War and short rations
had not been conducive to any par
ticularly lucrative business in his
sphere: and the whole sound OF the
proposed entertainment seemed to
Moreover, he was a man who loved
:his work, and free hand over pre-
pairing dinner was . Joy In itself
Undoubtedly he personally would
meet the three guests and the mys-
FERROUS comte de Guy; he personally
would see that they had nothing to
complain of In the matter Of the serv-
ice at dinner.
And 30 at aboat tvtnsy minutes
A~rmlv>0 hail the
manager wzs lowering round the
maitre dhotel, and the 00c1etaHy was
hoverinE around both. At f1ve-and-
twenty minutes past the first guest
He was a peculiar looking man. In
q big fur coat. reminding one ire
sistihly Of a goldfish.
IT was to be taken to Room K" The
French secretary stinened involun-
tarily as the maitre dhotel stepped
obsequiously forward. Cosmopolitan
as the hotel was. even now she could
never hear German spoken without an
inward shudder of disgust
"a Boche," she murmured In dis
gust to the manager as the hrSt ar
rival disappeared through the swing
doors at the end of the lounge 1t is
TO be regretted that that worthy man
was more occupied in shaking himself
by the hand. at the proof that the
letter was bona fide. than in any med
ttation on the guests nationally.
: Almost Immediately afterwaN the
second and third members Of the par
~ arrived. They did not come to-
Eether, and what seemed peculiar to
$dent1y strangers to one another.
(. The leading one-a tall gAuut man
with ragged beard and a pair OF
piercing eyes-asked in q nasal and
Room K. AS he spoke = little fat man
who was standing just behind him
started perceptibly. and shot bird
like glance at the speaker.
Then in execrable French he. too.
asked for Room X
Hes not French" said the secre-
.tary excitedly to the manager as the
:tll-assorted pair were led out of the
lounge by the head waiter. THAT
last one was another boche."
; The manager thoughtfully twtrled
his pince-nez between his fingers
Two Germans and an American"
He booked a little appreh enstve. Let
us hope the dinner will appease
.eyesybody; Cd; on otneEwise| esEwsise|E w,... ,.x.
entertained WITH regard to GAs fnrni-
.ture in Room x. <hey were not des-
tined 70 be uttsrsd- Even ~ bespoke
the door again swung open, and man
with q thicI white scarf around his
neck. 80 pulled up as almost COM
pletely to cover his face. came in. A
soft hat wA9 palled down wen over
his ears and all that fhe manager
could swear to as regards the new
rcomerB appearance was a pair OF
-deep-set, steel-gray eyes which SEEM
ed to bore through him.
You got my letter this morning."
''M'sieur lie Comte de Guy?" The
manager bowed deferentially and rub
bed his hands together. "Everything
is ready. and your three guests have
arrived"
: Good. I will go to the room at
once"
The maitre d'hotel stepped forward
to relieve him Of his coat. but the
count waved him away.
II will remove il later" he remark
ed shortly. Take me to the room"
As he followed his guide his eyes
swept round the lounge. Save for two
or three elderly women Of doubtful
nationality. and a man in the Ameri-
can Red Cross, the place was desert
ed; and as he passed through the
swing doors he turned to the head
waiter.
Business good he asked.
No-business decidedly vas not
good. The waiter was voluble. Busi-
ness had never been so poor in the
memory OF man. But il was to
be hoped that the dinner would be to
Monsieur lie Comte's liking. He
personally had superintended it, Z.
Also the wines.
IF everything is to my satisfaction
you will not regret it," said the count
tersely. But remember one thing.
After ahe coffee has been brought in.
do not wish to be disturbed under
any circumstances whatever" The
door, and the count repeated the last
few words. Under no circumstances
whatever"
''Mais certainement. Monsieur lie