ica," I whispered.

"Why! Desmond!" she said.

A regular hubbub echoed from below. Voices were crying out, doors were
banging, there was the sound of feet.

The girl was speaking, saying in her low and pleasant voice phrases that
were vague to me about her surprise, her delight at seeing me. But I did
not listen to her. I was straining my ears towards that volume of
chaotic noises which came swelling up from below.

"Monica!" I interrupted swiftly, "have you any place to hide me? This
place is dangerous for me.... I must get away. If you can't save me,
don't stay here but get away yourself as fast as you can. They're after
me and if they catch you with me it will be bad for you!"

Without a word the girl turned round to the room she had just left. She
beckoned to me, then knocked and went in. I followed her. It was a big,
pleasant bedroom, elegantly furnished with a soft carpet and silk
hangings, and I know not what, with shaded lights and flowers in
profusion. Sitting up in bed was a stout, placid-looking woman in a pink
silk kimono with her hair coquettishly braided in two short pigtails
which hung down on either side of her face.

Monica closed the door softly behind her.

"Why, Monica!" she exclaimed in horror--and her speech was that of the
United States--"what on earth ...?"

"Not a word, Mary, but let me explain...."

"But for land's sake, Monica...."

"Mary, I want you to help...."

"But say, child, a man ... in my bedroom ... at this time o' night...."

"Oh, shucks, Mary! let me talk."

The distress of the woman in bed was so comic that I could scarcely help
laughing. She had dragged the bed-clothes up till only her eyes could be
seen. Her pigtails bobbed about in her emotion.

"Now, Mary dear, listen here. You're a friend of mine. This is Desmond
Okewood, another, a very old and dear friend of mine too. Well, you
know, Mary, this isn't a healthy country these times for an English
officer. That's what Desmond here is. I didn't know he was in Germany. I
don't know a thing about him except what he's told me and that's that
he's in danger and wants me to help him. I met him outside and brought
him right in here, as I know you would want me to, wouldn't you, dear?"

The lady poked her nose over the top of the bed-clothes.

"Present the gentleman properly, Monica!" she said severely.

"Captain Okewood ... Miss Mary Prendergast," said Monica.

The lady's head, pigtails and all, now appeared. She