It was more than an hour after he observed her arrival at the Naval Ball before Owen had the privilege of a greeting from Mlle. de Longeon, and then it was only a smile as she passed him on the arm of a distinguished looking foreign diplomat.
Owen saw that she spoke a quiet word to her escort, who turned and looked at Owen. She beamed brightly at Owen, who smiled back at her, and moved slowly toward the door of the conservatory into which she and the diplomat had disappeared. He was surprised, a moment later, to see Pauline rush by him, with a little laugh.
"Is anything the matter?" Owen called.
"Nothing you can help. Stay right where you are," she cried.
Owen laughed his understanding and moved over to where Harry and
Lucille were talking with Ensign Summers.
Meanwhile, Pauline, in the darkest recess of the conservatory was pinning together a broken garter. As she started back to the ballroom she was surprised to hear voices near her.
There was something about their foreign accent that roused the ever-venturous, ever-curious interest of Pauline. She crept along a row of palms and peered through an aperture. Mlle. de Longeon and the diplomat were talking together as they paced the aisle of palms on the other side. Pauline crept nearer.
Presently the voice of the diplomat became distinguishable.
"It is all arranged. The thing is to be done in Submarine B-2 tomorrow. All you have now to do is—"
Pauline could not catch the final words.