The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-12-30
PROLOGUE

In the month Of December, 1918
and on the very day that a British
cavalry division marched into Cologne
with flags flying and bands playing
as the conquerors Of 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 on his desk to summon
his secretary. Almost Immediately
the door opened, and a young French
girl came into-the room.
Monsieur rangT'
Have we ever had staying In the
hotel man called lie Comte de Guy2"
He leaned back in his chair and
looked at her through his plnce-nez.
The secretary thought for mo-
ment and then shook her head. "Not
as far as i can remember" she said.
do we know anything about himf
Has he ever fed here, or taken prt-
waite rooiD?"
'Not that ! know Of"
The manager handed her the letter,
and waited In silence until she had
read It.
1T seems on the face of 1t q 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.
ut can hardly be hoax" she re-
marked after a short silence.
mo" The manager tapped his
teeth with his pen thoughtfully. "But
Ii by any chance II was, 1t would
prove an expensive one for u.s.
wish could think who this Comte de
Guy Is"
He took of his pince-nez and laid
them on the desk In front of him.
"Send the maltre 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 ratlons
had nor 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 maltre d'hotel was
lowering around the hall-porter, the
manager was lowering round the
msitre dhotel, and the secretary was
towering around both. At fve-and-
twenty minutes past the first guest
arrived.
He was a peculiar-looking man, in
q big fur coat, reminding one ire
sistibly Of Goldfish.
Il wish to be taken to Room K"
The French secretary stiffened invol-
unfairly as the maitre d'hotel stepped
Obsequlously 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-
or, 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 pair of
piercing eyes--asked In a nasal and by
no means an Inaudlble tone for Room
x. As he spoke little fat man who
was standing just behind him started
perceptibly, and shot birdlike glance
iat the speaker.
Then In execrable French he too
asked for Room X.
Hes not French" said the secre-
tary excitedly to the manager. THAT
last one was another Boche."
The manager thoughtfully twirled
his pince-neE between his fingers.
1.-TWO Germans and an American"
he 'aalxed a little aDprehensive. LET