"Why, only Peter Stoger and Virginie. But she didn't take it, I know. I will never, never believe such a thing of her!"
"Sure she didn't!" agreed Chet. "It must have been Peter. Of course it was Peter, don't you see? 'Cause if he's Franz, he sends a note afterward to the madame that he's got it, an' they all beat it out of here. Can't get it any straighter than that!"
"But what has poor little Virginie to do with all this?" wondered Patricia, distractedly. "Surely—surely she can't be working with a lot of horrid spies. What is the explanation?"
"You can search me!" rejoined the boy. "I ain't on to the dope about that little mam'selle an' never was. She's a plum deep mystery, she is. But one thing is sure—"
At that moment the telephone bell rang again, and they both jumped nervously. Patricia went to it and took down the receiver. There was a faint, "Hello!" to which she responded, and then silence.
"Why, that's queer!" she said in an aside to Chester. "Nobody seems to answer. And the voice that said hello first seemed so faraway and scared—"
"Hello! hello!" she exclaimed again, turning to the receiver. "Yes, yes, this is Patricia.... Oh, Virginie! is it you?... Oh, I can't hear you very well. Can't you speak a little louder?... You can't?... What is that you say?... You want to warn me.... What about? I don't understand.... There is danger?... Who is in danger?... I am?... We both are?... Oh, can't you tell me more plainly? Where are you?... You are ... where?"
"Oh!" cried Patricia, turning to the listening boy. "She hung up the receiver without telling me!"
CHAPTER X
A COUNCIL OF WAR
They stared at each other a moment in bewilderment. It was Chester who spoke first.