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Without any actual perception of what it might mean, he felt the thrill of imminent danger, connected it with that soft footfall behind him, and swung round in time to seize a deadly uplifted hand which seemed to end in a shimmer of dull steel. His assailant flung himself upon Lutchester with the lithe ferocity of a cat, clinging to his body, twisting and turning his arm to wrest it free.
Lutchester," Jimmy declared, wringing his hand with American cordiality. "Dicky's an old pal of mine one of the best. We graduated in the same year from Harvard." Conversation for a few minutes was platitudinous. Van Teyl, although he showed few signs of his recent excesses, was noisy and boisterous, clutching at this brief escape from a situation which he dreaded.
You see, my ball but there, I mustn't bore you now. I must look after my opponent and stand him a drink. We shall meet again, I daresay." Lutchester passed on, and Pamela glanced up at her brother. "Is he a sphinx or a fool?" she whispered. "Don't ask me," Van Teyl replied. "Seems to me you were a bit rough on him, anyway.
"That is the one thing that always sets me thinking about you. What did you do it for? How did you know what it meant to me?" "Divination, I imagine," Lutchester answered, "or perhaps I was thinking what it might mean to Mr. Fischer." She looked at him and her face was a study in mixed expressions.
"Oh, yes, we know one another!" Lutchester admitted drily. "I shall have to ask you both for your names and addresses," the official continued. "I think I won't ask you any more questions at present. Seems to me headquarters had better take this on." "I shall be quite at your service," Lutchester promised. The man made a few more notes, saluted, and took his leave.
"You and I know well," Lutchester continued, "that ambassadors are but the figureheads in the world's history. Speak to me of the things which concern our nations, Nikasti. Tell me of the letter you bear to the Emperor. You have nothing to lose. Sit down and talk to me, man to man. You have heard Germany. Hear England.
"Because," Lutchester replied, "if he had not been actuated by personal motives, he would never have sought you out as an intermediary. There are other sources open to him, by means of which he could make equally sure of reaching the President's ear. His idea was to impress you. It was foolish but natural." Pamela was deep in thought. There was an angry spot of colour burning in her cheek.
"Fischer's trump card," Lutchester observed. "He hasn't shown you a certain autograph letter yet, I suppose?" She shook her head. "He may have shown it to Uncle Theodore. I'm afraid he doesn't mean to approach me again. He seems to have completely changed his attitude towards me since the night he saw us at the Ritz-Carlton dining together.
"You haven't heard, then?" "I have heard nothing. How should I hear?" "I took him straight back to my rooms after we left you," Lutchester began. "He was in an awful state of nerves and drugs and drink. Then I put him to bed as soon as I could, and rang up a pal of mine at the War Office to take him in hand." "Do you believe," she asked curiously, "that he had really been robbed of his formula?"
"To continue," Lutchester said, playing with a little ornament upon the mantelpiece, "you have an appointment within half an hour, I believe with Mr. Paul Haskall, who is a specialist in explosives, having an official position with the American Government." She had ceased to struggle any longer with her surprise. She looked at him fixedly but remained silent.
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