It was a matter of only a couple of days until they reported that "The St. Marie" was in perfect shape and could stand a trip around the world. There was to be a great convention of all the nations on aviation in Paris and Robert decided that he wanted to be there for it, but the main incentive for the trip was his dream. Robert had no trouble in securing letters of introduction to prominent people in London and Paris. When he said good-bye to Walter and Edna, they wished him God-speed, told him that they hoped his dream would become a reality and that he would find Marie, but they knew that he was not the same Robert of old. He acted as tho his spirit was broken. On the morning of February 2nd, 1929, Robert started his flight to Paris and arrived there promptly in the evening and went to visit some friends and acquaintances. After talking over the war situation and his forecasts of the great war yet to come, he decided to visit friends in London. England and Russia were waging their battles in the air and doing very little land fighting. Despite the good start that England had made, Russia and her allies were getting the best of the victory. Robert found London very uninteresting. Up to this time he had heard nothing of Marie and decided to return to Paris. On a beautiful sunshiny morning in the latter part of February, 1929, Robert was walking down a prominent business street in Paris with no special objective in mind. He was feeling sick and gloomy and was walking with his head down, looking at the street. Suddenly he saw a form approaching very closely, and like a flash, a woman quickly passed him. He was sure it was Marie. His heart was in his throat. He turned around quickly to follow her but she had disappeared. Just as she passed him she dropped a letter on the street and he picked it up, put it in his pocket and rushed on down the street, hoping to find her, but after exhausting himself running around, fighting his way thru the crowds, without a glimpse of her, he decided to open the letter. When he opened it it was written in a foreign language which he did not understand. He was not sure whether it was Marie's handwriting or not. His first thought was to go immediately to an interpreter and have the letter read. On second thought, he decided that it might be something confidential and that he would go to an old friend who lived in Paris and ask him to interpret the letter. Robert called on Louis Renan, stated the circumstance of his meeting Marie on the street and told him about the letter she dropped. His friend gladly consented to read the letter. Robert handed it to him and he glanced over it; handed it back to Robert without a word, told him to get out of his house immediately and never darken the door again. Robert begged for an explanation but in vain. His friend was angry and determined and pushed Robert out of the door. Robert walked slowly back to his hotel, disappointed, mystified, and heart-broken.