"I saw it in her writing-desk this morning," replied Virginie, "while she was telling me what I must do. She was explaining to me how I must get you to tell me the secret of it if I could, without of course allowing you to think it was here. I do not think she put it back in the safe. She is so sure of herself that she has no fear of its being discovered."
"Then it ought to be possible to get it somehow or other," mused Patricia. "Who is this maid, Melanie, that you speak of, Virginie, and where do you think she is now?"
"Melanie has been Madame Vanderpoel's servant for many years," answered the girl. "She is the only one among them all who cares in the slightest for me. I think she is quite fond of me, though she has never said so. She is a strange, silent woman."
"Is she a German?" questioned Patricia.
"Yes, by birth, but she lived so long in Belgium that I think she came to feel more Belgian than German. I think she secretly hates all this spy-work, but she is bound to Madame Vanderpoel by many obligations and she dare not make a protest. Madame at one time gave her a great deal of money to help her family, who were in great need, and Melanie is very loyal to her. But she has always been fond of me ever since I was a baby, and I feel sure that she resents at times, the way they treat me. I only feel this for she never has said one word. I do not think she would dare let them know it. She is probably in the kitchen now, for she has to get the meals as well as wait on Madame. There are no other servants around. Madame will not have them, lest they discover too much. Hermann Klausser is not a servant. He is one of the worst of them,—the spies,—but he drives the car and acts to the world as Madame's chauffeur."
"Well, if Melanie is in the kitchen and the rest of them out of the way," said Chet, "it ought to be a pretty good time to swipe that sketch. Do you think you'd dare go in an' cabbage it, little miss, or shall I try? It would be safer an' quicker for you, if you think you don't mind, because you know where the desk is, an' this here Melanie wouldn't think it so strange to see you goin' in an' out. But if you don't care for the job, I'll try my hand at it. But we got to be quick, whatever we do, 'cause the madame may be back any minute. How about it?"
"Oh, I will try it," assented Virginie. "It would be far better for me, since I know its location and can go in and out freely."
Patricia gave her a hug and murmured, "You darling!" and she was just about to set forth on her quest, when Chet cried, "Hold on!" and laid a detaining hand on her arm. The sound of a motor was heard tearing madly up the road, and in another moment Madame's car had swung into the driveway.
"Can you beat that for luck!" snorted Chet. And Virginie huddled back against Patricia with a little moan of despair.