"In justice to her, I must say that she believed so at the time, but there were irregularities in it which would probably invalidate it if brought to the test, and I think she is now aware of it."
"You have met her since?"
"Oh yes. We have been on friendly terms for some years past."
"And you believe she could solve the question that is troubling us all, if she would?"
"I think it likely, but--you must see," and he addressed himself more particularly to Jack--"that most women, in such a case, would lie through thick and thin to establish their own cause."
"I don't know," said Jack doubtfully. "I suppose it is possible."
"It is certain. However, the solution to the puzzle may come otherwise,"--they knew what he meant--"so now we will drop the matter, and you must think of me as little unkindly as you can. Jean-Marie," to an orderly outside, "bring us fresh coffee and more cognac."
"Do you know that Canrobert lost three thousand of his men up in the Dobrudscha?"
"Three thousand!" gasped Jim.
"They got into some swamp full of rotting horses and dead Russians and consequent pestilence, and the men died like flies."