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"I am not by nature a spy, Professor Kennedy, but—well, sometimes oneis forced into something like that." Maude Euston, who had sought outCraig in his laboratory, was a striking girl, not merely because shewas pretty or because her gown was modish. Perhaps it was her sincerityand artlessness that made her attractive.
She was the daughter of Barry Euston, president of the ContinentalExpress Company, and one could readily see why, aside from the positionher father held, she should be among the most-sought-after young womenin the city.
Miss Euston looked straight into Kennedy's eyes as she added, withoutwaiting for him to ask a question:
"Yesterday I heard something that has made me think a great deal. Youknow, we live at the St. Germaine when we are in town. I've noticed forseveral months past that the lobbies are full of strange,foreign-looking people.
"Well, yesterday afternoon I was sitting alone in the tea-room of thehotel, waiting for some friends. On the other side of a huge palm Iheard a couple whispering. I have seen the woman about the hotel often,though I know that she doesn't live there. The man I don't rememberever having seen before. They mentioned the name of Granville Barnes,treasurer of father's company—"
"Is that so?" cut in Kennedy, quickly. "I read the story about him inthe papers this morning."
As for myself, I was instantly alive with interest, too.
Granville Barnes had been suddenly stricken while riding in his car inthe country, and the report had it that he was hovering between lifeand death in the General Hospital. The chauffeur had been stricken,too, by the same incomprehensible malady, though apparently not sobadly.
How the chauffeur managed to save the car was a miracle, but he broughtit to a stop beside the road, where the two were found gasping, aquarter of an hour later, by a passing motorist, who rushed them to adoctor, who had them transferred to the hospital in the city. Neitherof them seemed able or willing to throw any light on what had happened.
"Just what was it you overheard?" encouraged Kennedy.
"I heard the man tell the woman," Miss Euston replied, slowly, "thatnow was the chance—when any of the great warring powers would welcomeand wink at any blow that might cripple the other to the slightestdegree. I heard him say something about the Continental ExpressCompany, and that was enough to make me listen, for, you know, father'scompany is handling the big shipments of gold and securities that arecoming here from abroad by way of Halifax. Then I heard her mention thenames of Mr. Barnes and of Mr. Lane, too, t