at Mr. Conne
and coming nearer with every step. Of course, Mr. Conne would stop him
anyway, but---- To mention that piercing stare and that ear after the
man had been stopped for the more tangible reason--there would be no
triumph in that.

Tom's hand trembled like a leaf and his voice was unsteady as he turned
to Mr. Conne, and said.

"This one coming down--the one that's looking at you--he looks like--and
I notice----"

"Put your hands down, my man," called Mr. Conne peremptorily, at the
same time leaping with the agility of a panther up past the descending
throng. "I'll take those."

But Tom Slade had spoken first. He did not know whether Mr. Conne's
sudden dash had been prompted by his words or not. He saw him lift the
heavy spectacles off the man's ears and with beating heart watched him
as he came down alongside the lieutenant.

"Going to throw them away, eh?" he heard Mr. Conne say.

Evidently the man, seeing another's glasses examined, had tried to
remove his own before he reached the place of inspection. Mr. Conne, who
saw everything, had seen this. But Tom had spoken before Mr. Conne moved
and he was satisfied.

"All right, Tommy," said Mr. Conne in his easy way. "You beat me to it."

Tom hardly knew what took place in the next few moments. He saw Mr.
Conne breathe upon the glasses, was conscious of soldiers slackening
their pace to see and hear what was going on, and of their being
ordered forward. He saw the two men who were with Mr. Conne standing
beside the tall lieutenant, who seemed bewildered. He noticed (it is
funny how one notices these little things amid such great things) the
little ring of red upon the lieutenant's nose where the glasses had sat.

"There you are, see?" he heard Mr. Conne say quietly, breathing heavily
upon the glasses and holding them up to the light, for the benefit of
his colleagues. "B L--two dots--X--see--Plain as day. See there, Tommy!"

He breathed upon them again and held them quickly up so that Tom could
see.

"Yes, sir," Tom stammered, somewhat perturbed at such official
attention.

"Look in the other one, too, Tommy--now--quick!"

"Oh, yes," said Tom as the strange figures die away. He felt very proud,
and not a little uncomfortable at being drawn into the centre of things.
And he did not feel slighted as he saw Mr. Conne and the captive
lieutenant, and the other officials whom he did not know, start away
thoughtless of anything else in the stress of the