The Washington times., 1938-03-30

member we are Intelligence,
Deuxieme Bureau concluded his
We had precious time before us
in which to enjoy the glorious
countryside of Normandy, before
returning to our respective duties
my two companions, Captain
Herve and Captain Bron to their
desks at the rue de IUniversite;
I to Switzerland and my secret
activities there. =.
1t was when we drew up IN
frontof the Hotel in Caudebec
that we noticed the huge tlat
touring car with the gay little
Stars and Stripes fluttering In
the breeze on the bonnet.
SOME HUSTLERS
"Americans!" Captain Bror
breathed ecstatically, SapriSti, byt
these people are huStlers. Persh
ing and his staff only just arrived
in Paris and here they are already
in Normandy"
The three men who sat at g
table on the wide hotel balcony
overlooking the Seine were un-
mistakably military" thougt
their uniforms were unfamiliar
With the impulsiveness OF theli
race, my two companions nteral4S
bounced on the strangers, lntro
duced themselves and fired a nun
dred excited questions at them
The Americans seemeN to know al
a glance what my companions
were and volunteered the lntorma
ton that they too were "1ntell
gence," on a special mission.
Soon we were all seated together
and having jolly meal In the
dazzling sunshine.
The two Frenchmen being In
the Thank God for Americans
mood, there was little that they
would not tell, and our new
friends were, naturally and leglt'
mately, extremely inquisitive.
AND THE LADY?
Suddenly one of the Americans
turned to me: And the lady. ..2
he drawled.
Was it a sixth SesnSe or a con
genial sense of caution which
prompted me? I gave a kick under
the table, to warn my neighbor
Captain Herve and answered Smil
ingly:
"Oh, the lady is just one of the
tmpedimenta which a French of
ficer can always be relied upon tC
pick up by the way. In fact, I have
no business other than pleasure
here-I'm just a friend trailing
along E" And went on to ex
plain at some length that I livet
in Switzerland by choice, in orde
to be as far from the war as pos
sible.
Gee whiz. what do you knov
about that" the American Captail
sounded interested, but was
fancy, or did he really give me a
extra keen and speculative glanc,
do you mean that you actual
hobnob with BocheS over there?
he asked in an awed voice.
IF by that you mean Germans
yeS-I associate with them quit
freely-and why not?" I retorte
with dignity. "I am a cosmopol
tan and an internationalist.
It was Capt. Bron who respont
ed: "Ahem, no need to give you
self away like this" he grunte
ungraciouSly, "one of these day
you'll overdo that internationalil
stuff and we'll come down on yo
like a ton of bricks ="
Once more, the conversation b
came general, but there was
strange feeling of constraint
the air and my two French Q
ficerS bore me obviously a gruds
for my absurd little by-play. M
so the Americans, however. Tht
were gay and reckless, sparklir
and witty.
The lunsheon drew to a clo'
and the three men rose. I locke
up at them, and suddenly som
thing I had not given a thought
before struck neither name
They had introduced themselv
as Captain Jones, Leutenal
Smith and Lieutenant Brown.
The coincidence of three sue
very commonplace and noncol
initial names struck me as Strang
They were, they said, procee
Ing to Rouen at once.
We accompanied them to the
car and saw them start.
It was at that moment that o.
chauffeur, Amedee, Joined Il
group and volunteered an opinic
on our new friends.
"Sauf vot respect" he drawlI
out of the corner Of his mout