CONTENTS
| CHAPTER | PAGE | |
| I | The Twenty-fifth of September | [1] |
| II | France in Mourning | [14] |
| III | Two Great Men Meet | [31] |
| IV | The Allies at Work | [47] |
| V | At the Café des Voyageurs | [60] |
| VI | The Mysterious Signals | [77] |
| VII | The Hut in the Grove | [88] |
| VIII | The Second Installation | [108] |
| IX | Checkmate | [124] |
| X | The Land of Freedom | [137] |
| XI | Shipmates | [147] |
| XII | Under Russian Rule | [158] |
| XIII | In the Wireless House | [170] |
| XIV | The Message | [182] |
| XV | A Word of Warning | [196] |
| XVI | A Charge To Keep | [208] |
| XVII | The First Conference | [221] |
| XVIII | The Substitute Sentry | [239] |
| XIX | The Second Conference | [256] |
| XX | The Prince Seeks Diversion | [269] |
| XXI | On the Education of Princes | [283] |
| XXII | The Events of Monday | [296] |
| XXIII | The Landing | [310] |
| XXIV | Pachmann Scores | [321] |
| XXV | The Trap | [334] |
| XXVI | The Turn of the Screw | [346] |
| XXVII | The Voice at the Door | [357] |
| XXVIII | Crochard, the Invincible! | [370] |
| XXIX | The Escape | [382] |
| XXX | Council of War | [397] |
| XXXI | The Alliance Ends | [407] |
| XXXII | Strasbourg | [420] |
THE DESTROYER
CHAPTER I
THE TWENTY-FIFTH OF SEPTEMBER
Monsieur Aristide Brisson, the fat little proprietor of the Hotel du Nord—a modest house facing the Place Puget at Toulon—turned uneasily in his sleep, as though fretted by a disturbing dream; then he awoke with a start and rubbed his eyes. A glance at the dark windows showed that the dawn was yet far distant, and he was about to turn over and go thankfully to sleep again when a sudden remembrance leaped into his brain. In an instant, he had bounded from the bed, struck a match, and, after a look at his watch, lighted a candle. Then he returned to the bed, and, without compunction, grasped the plump arm of Madame Brisson, who was sleeping peacefully, and shook her roughly.