“There’s no ‘go on,’” he explained. “Nor would it help matters if there were. This letter is spurious; there is nothing to find from it, even if we could translate it. It’s intended as a plant; either for us or for the Marquis; but I fancy, for us—so with your permission we will waste no time on it further than to keep alert for its purpose. When were you to receive the five thousand dollars?”
“I don’t know!” she laughed.
“And the appointment to the German Secret Service?”
“I don’t know; she didn’t say and I didn’t ask. I was too much occupied with meeting her on her own ground and playing the game. I was crazy to get the letter so I could show it to you.”
“Which doubtless was what she too wanted; I can’t see through her scheme—unless it is to muddy the water while the main play is being pulled off. And our men haven’t discovered a single material thing, though they have had Spencer and all the rest of the gang under shadow since the morning after the cab affair.”
The telephone buzzed. Mrs. Clephane answered it.
“Yes, Mr. Harleston is here,” she said, passing the receiver to him.
“Hello!” said Harleston.
“Can you make it convenient to drop around here sometime this evening?” Major Ranleigh inquired.
“Will ten o’clock do?”