“With the secret police, Mademoiselle,” the man said significantly. “The prefect of police at Lyse has sent me to you,” and he bowed again to Ruth.
The matron was evidently somewhat alarmed as well as surprised, but Ruth’s calm manner reassured her to some extent.
“It is all right, Madame,” the American girl told her. “I expected monsieur’s visit.”
“Oh, if mademoiselle is assured——?”
“Quite, Madame.”
The Frenchwoman hurried from the office and left the girl and the secret agent alone. The latter smiled quietly and asked Ruth to be seated.
“It is from Monsieur Joilette, at Lyse, that I come, as I say. He informs me you have the logic of a man—and a man’s courage, Mademoiselle. He thinks highly of you.”
“Perhaps he thinks too highly of my courage,” Ruth returned, smiling.
“Not so,” proceeded Monsieur Lafrane, with rather a stern countenance, “for it must take some courage to tell but half your story when first you went to Monsieur Joilette. It is not—er—exactly safe to tell half truths to the French police, Mademoiselle.”
“Not if one is an American?” smiled Ruth, not at all shaken. “Nor did I consider that I did wrong in saying nothing about Mrs. Mantel at the time, when I had nothing but suspicion against her. If Monsieur Joilette is as wise as I think him, he could easily have found the connection between those two dishonest men from America and the lady.”