Here Ensign Dave Darrin broke off abruptly, coloring deeply.
"I beg your pardon, sir," he apologized hurriedly. "I had no right to ask you such a question."
"I have no objection to answering you," said the Amba.s.sador seriously.
"Of course my men will make every effort to find out what Gortchky is up to here, if he comes to Paris, but I do not know how well they will succeed. In the game of making trouble between nations Emil Gortchky is an old and wary bird. It may very likely be that the fellow is coming to Paris only to try to draw my secret service men into the worst kind of a wild-goose chase leading only to clues that are worse than worthless. Gortchky, in other words, may be on his way to Paris only to draw our attention away from vital moves about to be made elsewhere by other members of his rascally band. Of course, on due complaint, we could have him arrested as a spy, and it would go hard with him here in Paris before a military court. But in that case there are others in the band of plotters whom we do not know and cannot locate. So, for very good reasons, we prefer to have Gortchky at large."
"I would like immensely to see Gortchky in Paris," Dave muttered.
"Perhaps you will have your wish," replied Mr. Caine, with an odd smile.
Soon after that the interview came to an end, but Dave and Dan remained in the Emba.s.sy building through the day. An attendant was sent out to get them what they needed in linen and other small items.
Dinner was to be served at seven o"clock, and, as Mr. Caine did not wish the presence of the young officers from the Mediterranean Fleet in his house to be known, it was arranged that they should dine in a smaller room alone with Mr. Lupton.
At six, however, the Amba.s.sador sent in haste for Dave to come to his office.
"That invitation doesn"t seem to include me," remarked Dalzell, rather ruefully, as he glanced up from a book he was reading in the Emba.s.sy library.
"I"m afraid it doesn"t," Dave returned.
Mr. Caine was at his office desk, holding a telegram sheet in his hand.
"Gortchky is expected in town at 7.30 this evening, Mr. Darrin,"
announced the Amba.s.sador.
"Is there anything that I can do in this matter, sir?" Darrin asked, after a pause.
"You may go and watch for Gortchky, if you think it possible to do so without his detecting you," Mr. Caine replied slowly.
"The opportunity would delight me beyond measure," Dave rejoined quickly. "I suppose I had better take a taxicab that I may be ready to give effective chase in case Emil Gortchky uses that kind of transportation."
"I can supply you with a taxicab and with a chauffeur who can be trusted," replied the Amba.s.sador. "The driver I have in mind is a highly intelligent fellow who has many times been employed by me. And you can dismiss him at any point, or retain him as long as you wish.
The bill for the taxicab charges will be sent to the Emba.s.sy. How soon do you wish to have this taxicab here?"
"Perhaps I should have it at once," Dave replied. "Gortchky would know me in these clothes at first glance, so it would be advantageous if I arranged to disguise myself. On the streets, as we came here, I noticed not a few young men wearing baggy suits of clothes of most un-American cut. They wore also flowing neckties, and some of them had blue eyegla.s.ses. There are so many of these young men about that one more would hardly attract Gortchky"s attention. That style of dress would make a good disguise for me."
"The young men you describe are largely students and artists," replied the Amba.s.sador. "A disguise of that kind would be less conspicuous than any other."
"Then, sir, if the chauffeur can come here soon, he will have time to take me to stores where I can get the articles of apparel I need, and I shall still have plenty of time to meet Emil Gortchky if he reaches Paris this evening. I will go and tell Mr. Dalzell about Gortchky being expected to arrive here to-night."
"Tell Mr. Dalzell, if you wish, but you had better not take him with you," replied Mr. Caine. "Two young men would attract more attention than one. I am approving of your undertaking this because, to date, you have learned more about this conspiracy than any three of the secret service men whom I have at my orders."
Dave hurried away to Dan, who was highly disappointed at being left out of the evening"s work.
"But I have the joke on you, anyway," Danny Grin suddenly declared.
"How so?" asked Dave.
"I shall have my dinner," laughed Dalzell; "you won"t have any."
"I could forget my meals for three whole days to stay on the trail of Gortchky," Dave answered, simply.
Then he hurried out, for the arrival of the taxicab was now announced.
Darrin had a minute"s conversation with the chauffeur, after which he entered the car.
One thing the young ensign quickly discovered, and that was that on the smooth pavements of Paris, and in the well-ordered traffic, taxicabs travel at a high rate of speed. Within five minutes he had been set down at the door of a shop in which he found it possible to buy every item of his disguise, even to shoes, for Darrin suddenly remembered that his footwear was plainly American.
In fifteen minutes more Dave Darrin emerged from the store. In one hand he carried his discarded clothing, packed in a new bag, which he turned over to the chauffeur for safe keeping. All of his money, except a small sum, he had left behind at the Emba.s.sy.
If any policeman had seen him enter the shop and come out again presenting so changed an appearance, and if for that reason the policeman should question him under the impression that Darrin might be a spy, Dave decided that he would rely upon his chauffeur to declare that he had been hired at the American Emba.s.sy. That statement would remove suspicion.
"You had better kill time for a few minutes," Dave explained to the chauffeur, who understood English. "It is not desirable to reach the railway station earlier than 7.20."
Accordingly the young ensign enjoyed a brief, rapid panoramic view of a considerable part of Paris. The driver, accustomed to taking Americans about who were strangers in the city, frequently turned his head to offer information as to the places or points of interest that they were pa.s.sing.
"It"s a shame that Danny boy isn"t here to enjoy all this," Dave told himself. "Even this way of seeing Paris would be a great treat to him."
Almost to the second of 7.20 the taxicab drew up as one of a long line of similar vehicles under the bright lights of the railway station.
Alighting, Ensign Darrin, feeling rather well concealed in his disguise, and looking out through his blue-lensed eyegla.s.ses, strolled about, careful not to saunter into the most brilliantly lighted spots.
Presently he heard a train enter the station. A thin stream of pa.s.sengers filtered out. Dave promptly shifted his position and watched the arrivals, who later came out in a more compact throng.
And there was Emil Gortchky, at last, with no more marked hand luggage than a light cane, which he swung jauntily.
"I hope you don"t look my way, my fine bird!" uttered Ensign Darrin under his breath. "But if you do, your observation won"t do you much good."
A hand beckoned from a taxicab. Emil Gortchky, who had been on the lookout, sauntered over to the vehicle and clasped the hand of M. le Comte de Surigny.
"Surigny, the ungrateful!" uttered Dave disgustedly to himself. "I induced you to spare your own worthless life, and then when you found life sweet once more, you turned against me! I hope you did not notice me as you sat in that cab."
By this time Dave was at the side step of his own taxicab. A few words to the chauffeur, and he entered.
Surigny"s cab drew out of the line, gliding away. The one in which Dave sat gave chase at a cautious distance.
Soon the speed of the leading cab increased, and the pursuing one followed at the same speed. After a considerable run both cabs turned into the broad, well-lighted Boulevard Haussman.
For some blocks both cabs ran along. Then the one ahead turned in before an imposing-looking building with a gleaming white marble front.
"The Grand Prix Club," explained Dave"s chauffeur, glancing back as he stopped on the other side of the boulevard some distance to the rear.
It was the Count of Surigny who left the cab, which then started forward.
"Is there gambling going on in that club?" asked Darrin, as his man started the car forward again.
"Naturally," replied the chauffeur, shrugging his shoulders.
"It is easy to understand, then," Dave muttered to himself. "Poor Surigny is no longer his own master in anything, for he is a slave to the gambling craze that ruins so many lives. Gortchky furnishes the young man with money for gambling--lends it to him, of course, and thus keeps the Count desperately in his debt. And so the young Count has to do, when required, the bidding of the scoundrel who gloats over the helplessness of his dupe. Poor Surigny!"
Into less handsome avenues and streets the taxicabs now turned. Then a distinctly shabby looking part of Paris was unfolded to the gaze of the young naval officer.