"That reception clerk was along. He was most apologetic--they know me here, you see. He told me how a fellow had made a desperate attack upon a gentleman on the floor below and had got away. They thought he must be hiding somewhere in the hotel. I told him I'd been sitting here for an hour chatting with Miss Prendergast and that we hadn't heard a sound. They went away then!" "You won't catch any Deutschers fooling Mary Prendergast," said the jovial lady in the bed; "but, children, what next?" Monica spoke--quite calmly. She was always perfectly self-possessed. "My brother is stopping with me in our apartment in the Bendler-Strasse," she said. "You remember Gerry, Des--he got all smashed up flying, you know, and is practically a cripple. He's been so much better here that I've been trying to get an attendant to look after him, to dress him and so on, but we couldn't find anybody; men are so scarce nowadays! You could come home with me, Des, and take this man's place for a day or two ... I'm afraid it couldn't be longer, for one would have to register you with the police--every one has to be registered, you know--and I suppose you have no papers that are any good--now." "You are too kind, Monica," I answered, "but you risk too much and I can't accept." "It's no risk for a day or two," she said. "I am a person of consequence in official Germany, you know, with my husband A.D.C. to Marshal von Mackensen: and I can always say I forgot to send in your papers. If they come down upon me afterwards I should say I meant to register you but had to discharge you suddenly ... for drink!" "But how can I get away from here?" I objected. "I guess we can fix that too," she replied. "My car is coming for me at two--it must be that now--I have been at a dance downstairs--one of the Radolin girls is getting married to-morrow--it was so deadly dull I ran up here and woke up Mary Prendergast to talk. You shall be my chauffeur! I know you drive a car! You ought to be able to manage mine ... it's a Mercédès." "I can drive any old car," I said, "but I'm blessed ..." "Wait there!" cried this remarkable girl, and ran out of the room. For twenty minutes I stood and made small talk with Miss Prendergast. They were the longest twenty minutes I have ever spent. I was dead tired in any case, but my desperate position kept my thoughts so busy that, for all my endeavours to be polite, I fear my conversation was extremely distraught. "You poor boy!" suddenly said Miss Mary Prendergast, totally ignoring a profound remark I was making regarding Mr. Wilson's policy, "don't you go on talking to me! Sit down on that chair and go to sleep! You look just beat!" I sat down and nodded in the arm-chair. Suddenly I was awake. Monica stood before me. She drew from under her cape a livery cap and uniform.