"Ridder gave you some papers. The stewardess saw him. She came ashore and watched you while your luggage was being inspected. She knows you have driven to the American Consulate. Your porter told her--the fool! Do you know what she is up to?"
"I--I can--guess. I think you had better go--quick!" she added as the Consulate door opened and Guild came out. And she fumbled in her purse for a coin, thrust it hastily through the window, and turned in confusion to meet the young man's sternly questioning eyes.
"For what, Karen? For money or information?"
The girl winced and avoided his gaze. The cab wheeled in a short circle and moved off through the rain again.
"Which was it he wanted, Karen?" repeated Guild quietly. "Was it money or--something else he wanted?"
"Yes. Because I have just learned over the Consulate telephone that German agents are now attempting to do what you refrained from doing last night."
"I mean the papers I took by highway robbery. There is a difference," he added. "But both are robbery, and I thought _you_ were above such things."
"No, you are not!" he retorted sternly. "What you were too fastidious to do for yourself last night--take the papers when you thought I was asleep--you had done for you this morning by a steward!"
"Why do you deny it? What do you mean? Don't you know that while I was busy in the writing-room a steward upset my ink, scattered my papers, stole the envelope containing the papers I took from you, and left me a sealed envelope full of tissue paper?"
"Your stewardess told me over the telephone a few moments ago. Karen, you are untruthful!"
She caught her breath; the tears flushed in her eyes:
"I am _not_ untruthful! It does look like it but I am not! I did not know that the deck steward had robbed you. He came to my door and gave me the papers, saying that he had picked them up in the corridor outside our--my--door! I did not engage anybody to steal them--if it _is_ stealing to recover--my own--property----"
"That deck steward is a spy, but I don't understand how he could have known that I had taken the papers from you."
"I don't know either," she said excitedly. "But everybody knew everything on board that ship. It was a nest of spies."
His grim features relaxed. "I'm sorry I charged you with untruth, Karen. I never shall again. But--what was I to think?"