“Now, Miss Varney,” said the Secret Service Agent, “this way, please.”
He opened the middle window. The girl stepped through, and he was about to follow when he caught sight of a messenger entering the room. Leaving the window, he retraced his steps.
“Where did you come from?” he said abruptly to the young man.
“War Department, sir.”
“Carrying despatches’?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You know me, don’t you?”
“I’ve seen you at the office, sir, and——”
“I’m here on Department business,” said Arrelsford. “All you have to do is to keep quiet about it. Weren’t you stopped in the hall?”
“Yes, sir, but I had a despatch from the President that had to be delivered to Lieutenant Foray.”