"WE PLAY FOR GREAT STAKES "
Bellamy, travel-stained and weary, arrived at his rooms at two o'clock on the following afternoon to find amongst a pile of correspondence a penciled message awaiting him in a handwriting he knew well. He tore open the envelope.
DAVID DEAR, - I have just arrived and I am sending you these few lines at once. As to what progress I have made, I cannot say for certain, but there is a chance. You had better get the money ready and come to me here. If R. could only escape from Streuss and those who watch him all the time, I should be quite sure, but they are suspicious. What may happen I cannot tell. I do my best and I have hated it. Get the money ready and come to me.
LOUISE.
Bellamy drew a little breath and tore the note into pieces. Then he rang for his servant. "A bath and some clean clothes quickly,"he ordered. "While I am changing, ring up Downing Street and see if Sir James is there. If not, find out exactly where he is. Imust see him within half an hour. Afterwards, get me a taxicab."The man obeyed with the swift efficiency of the thoroughly trained servant. In rather less than the time which he had stated, Bellamy had left his rooms. Before four o'clock he had arrived at the address which Louise had given him. A commissionaire telephoned his name to the first floor, and in a very few moments a pale-faced French man-servant, in sombre black livery, descended and bowed to Bellamy.
"Monsieur will be so good as to come this way," he directed.
Bellamy followed him into the lift, which stopped at the first floor. He was ushered into a small boudoir, already smothered with roses.
"Mademoiselle will be here immediately," the man announced. "She is engaged with a gentleman from the Opera, but she will leave him to receive Monsieur."Bellamy nodded.
"Pray let Mademoiselle understand," he said, "that I am entirely at her service. My time is of no consequence."The man bowed and withdrew. Louise came to him almost directly from an inner chamber. She was wearing a loose gown, but the fatigue of her journey seemed already to have passed away. Her eyes were bright, and a faint color glowed in her cheeks.
"David," she exclaimed, "thank Heaven that you are here!"She took both his hands and held them for a moment. Then she walked to the door, made sure that it was securely fastened, and stood there listening for a moment.
"I suppose I am foolish," she said, coming back to him, "and yet Icannot help fancying that I am being watched on every side since we landed in England. I detest my new manager, and I don't trust any of the servants he has engaged for me. You got my note?""Yes," he answered, "I had your note - and I am here."The restraint of his manner was obvious. He was standing a little away from her. She came suddenly up to him, her hands fell upon his shoulders, her face was upturned to his. Even then he made no motion to embrace her.
"David," she whispered softly, "what I am doing - what I have done - was at your suggestion. I do it for you, I do it for my country, I do it against every natural feeling I possess. I hate and loathe the lies I tell. Are you remembering that? Is it in your heart at this moment?"He stooped and kissed her.
"Forgive me," he said, "it is I who am to blame, but I am only human.
We play for great stakes, Louise, but sometimes one forgets.""As I live," she murmured, "the kiss you gave me last is still upon my lips. What I have promised goes for nothing. What he has promised is this - the papers to-night.""Unopened?""Unopened," she repeated, softly.
"But how is it to be done?" Bellamy asked. "He must have arrived in London when you did last night. How is it they are not already at the Embassy?""The Ambassador was commanded to Cowes," she explained. "He cannot be back until late to-night. No one else has a key to the treaty safe, and Von Behrling declined to give up the document to any one save the Ambassador himself."Bellamy nodded.
"What about Streuss?"
"Streuss and the others are all furious," Louise said. "Yet, after all, Behrling has a certain measure of right on his side. His orders were to see with his own eyes this envelope deposited in the safe by the Ambassador himself.""He returns to-night!" Bellamy exclaimed quickly.
She nodded.