grew suspicious--a spy has to be, for he
carries a weapon that has only one cartridge in it.

Marie Louise waited for him to explain his purpose till the suspense
began to show; then she said, bluntly:

"What mischief are you up to now?"

"Mitschief--me?" he asked, all innocently.

"You said you wanted to see me."

"I always want to see you. You interest--my eyes--my heart--"

"Please don't." She said it with the effect of slamming a door.

She looked him full in the eyes angrily, then remembered her
curiosity. He saw her gaze waver with a double motive.

It is strange how people can fence with their glances, as if they were
emanations from the eyes instead of mere reflections of light back and
forth. But however it is managed, this man and this woman played their
stares like two foils feeling for an opening. At length he surrendered
and resolved to appeal:

"How do you feel about--about us?"

"Who are us?"

"We Germans."

"We are not Germans. I'm American."

"Then England is your greater enemy than Germany."

She wanted to smile at that, but she said:

"Perhaps."

He pleaded for his cause. "America ought not to have joined the war
against the _Vaterland_. It is only a few Americans--bankers who
lended money to England--who wish to fight us."

Up-stairs Jake's heart bounded. Here was a fellow-spirit. He listened
for Marie Louise's response; he caught the doubt in her tone. She
could not stomach such an absurdity:

"Bosh!" she said.

It sounded like "Boche!" And Nicky flushed.

"You have been in this Washington town too long. I think I shall go
now."

Marie Louise made no objection. She had not found out what he was up
to, but she was sick of duplicity, sick of the sight of him and all he
stood for. She did not even ask him to come again. She went to the
door with him and stood there a moment, long enough for the man who
was shadowing Nicky to identify her. She watched Nicky go and hoped
that she had seen the last of him. But up-stairs the great heart of
Jake Nuddle was seething with excitement. He ran to the front window,
caught a glimpse of Nicky, and hurried back down the stairs.

Abbie called out, "Where you goin'?"

Jake did not answer such a meddlesome question, but he said to Marie
Louise, as he brushed past her on the stairs:

"I'm going to the drug-store to git me some cigars."

Nicky paused on the curb, looking for a cab. He had dismissed his own,
hoping to spend a long while