head.

Without a word Armitage leaned forward and seized the man by the arm.

"Come to my room with me," he said.

There was great dignity in the man's voice as he placed his hand
admonishingly upon Jack's arm.

"Don't do that. I am quite ready to go with you."

But Jack's fingers closed more tightly.

"I am glad you feel that way," he said grimly, "because I want to talk
to you. However, I think I 'll make sure. Come on."

At the stairs he gently pushed the man ahead of him and followed him to
his door. He switched on the light and then, mindful of the watchman
on the grounds below, threw a heavy towel over the globe.

"Now, Herr Turnecki, or Koltsoff's secretary, or anything you please to
call yourself," he said indicating a chair,--he himself stood at the
bureau filling his pipe,--"tell me what I can do for you."

The man bowed, and for a moment they gazed at each other. Armitage
could not dismiss an impression of suspicion concerning him, but aside
from something familiar in face and figure and in some of the tones of
his voice, he was unable to place him. The putative Austrian seemed to
read Jack's thoughts.

"Let me first prove," he said at length, "that I am friendly to
you--and perhaps to your interests. I recognized you this morning as
an American naval officer I had met two years ago in Vienna. It is my
business not to forget faces. You must be aware that I have not
informed my--" he grimaced--"master of your identity."

"That is true," said Armitage ruefully. "As a detective I appear to be
about as much of a success as a farmer at the helm of a battleship."

"Ah, well," observed the other, "it is a business." He looked at
Armitage closely. "I admire the United States. Can I be of service?"

"Perhaps," said Armitage, "but you spoke of similar interests. What
can I do for you?"

"Nothing, I fear," said the Austrian. "You must know that recently
this man Koltsoff purchased, in some way, the mobilization plans of our
army on our northeastern, that is, the Russian frontier. Possession of
these by Russia will seriously affect the attitude of our chief, Baron
Aehrenthal, toward the State Department at St. Petersburg. So close
was the espionage, in which I have played no small part, that he was
unable to get them out of his hands before his vessel sailed for New
York from Fiume. I fear now, however, that such is not the case."

"You mean he has mailed or expressed them?" asked Jack.