"That reminds me, said Blaine, fishing in his own pockets. "Here are
some photos, maps and so on that I got from those two dead Germans,
Bauer and his pilot. They may be of service up at headquarters."
And he handed them over, Buck supplementing them with a few he too had
taken on his various ventures within the last day or two.
CHAPTER XIX
CONCLUSION
Two days later a couple of rather spruce looking young men alighted
from an eastern train in Paris and, strolling forth in the crowd of
passengers, looked about them rather curiously.
Both had passed through the French capital before, but more as
strangers and foreigners than as ally Americans, visiting a city famed
as the center of all that is best in French history and tradition.
"Looks much like little old New York," remarked Buck, "only I don't see
so many skyscrapers."
"I like that!" said Blaine. "I never did fall in love with fifty-story
shacks that seem to resent the sunlight down here below. I wish Stan
could be with us, don't you?"
"Yep! But I bet he's satisfied with the nursing he's getting off that
pretty Chicago girl we left him with. What we better do? Wait for
something to happen?"
"'Looks that way. Our wire said for us to wait at the depot." And
Blaine, looking curiously around, happened to be turned the wrong way
when a uniformed porter came up to Bangs, touched his cap and said:
"Pardon, messieurs, but will you come with me?" And be presented a
card upon which was engraved the name of Senator Walsen. Under this
was hastily penciled in a feminine hand: "We are waiting. Please follow
the porter." That was all.
Buck, slightly confused, tugged at Blaine's sleeve, saying:
"Come on! They're waiting for us - somewhere."
With a start of surprise Blaine obeyed, and each bearing his hand-bag,
they set out dumbly after the station official who had already picked
up a couple of suit-cases.
For a minute or more they threaded the mixed throngs of civilians,
officials, soldiers of all grades and many nationalities, together with
trainmen, guards, gendarmes and what not, to a line of waiting cabs,
taxies, motor-cars just beyond a series of high iron gates. At one of
these a sentry, together with a railway official, examined their
tickets, and more important still their passes or permits. After this,
both sentry and guard, respectfully saluting, stood aside and the
porter took them to a big gray limousine drawn up near by. A uniformed
driver sat in front, while the porter placed the luggage in a rear rack
and climbed up behind himself.
All this was comparatively unnoticed, for the door opened and two
lovely faces peered out as the young men came up.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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