“No—no—” And the Captain explained about the Madame then. “She had been operating here in Paris for more than three years and the French had been unable to get a thing on her.... We tried and found enough to arouse our suspicions, but she was too clever to fall for any of our decoys. She ruined one of our best men: we set him on her trail and damned if he didn’t come back ten days later to report that he was convinced she was on the level and that he intended to marry her! We sent him away for a rest.... Then we set up the sergeant here, hoping that his boyishness would intrigue her—and it did.... On the basis of information the sergeant obtained, we built up a case against her, located and identified her accomplice who was masquerading as an army chaplain, even to taking the name of a chaplain from Kentucky who has never been in Paris at all but is on the books as being in France.... And we gave the facts to the French and let them put her away.... She is not an American, although she must have spent a good many years there. She’s a German by birth and her maid is probably German. The chaplain is known to the French service and was identified by the finger prints on an envelope which the sergeant managed to acquire. The money was coming to this chaplain from England and Holland and being turned over to the Madame through the maid, who was supposed to be in love with this chaplain.... A very pretty mess altogether, and we’re obliged to this young fellow for our success in catching them.” “What will happen to them?” I asked. “Will they shoot the Madame?” “Nobody knows,” he replied. “But I doubt if they do. The Allies are on the go now. We’ve a preponderance of man power and equipment. It’s just a matter of time before Hindenburg and Ludendorff will be beaten under.... So perhaps our friend, the Madame, will be spared. If she had been caught a year ago, there’d be no question about her end. It makes all the difference in the world who’s winning the war, you know.” Just then the General appeared and the Captain said, “What’s on for to-night? Why don’t the two of you come along over to my place and we’ll hunt up some excitement. I’ve been working hard and need a little relaxation—and besides, you haven’t told me anything about your sister.” I said, “All right—at seven, then,” and he saluted and left us, just as the General got in the car. Chilblaines wanted to know if that was the man who was supposed to be so clever and the General told him it was. “One of the best men we’ve got in France,” explained the General. “And a good looking, upstanding officer at that.” When we were alone, Ben wanted to know how come: “What’s the idea of a Captain wantin’ to go on a party with two common bums like us?” “He’s a friend of my sister’s,” I explained. “And a darned good sport.... He’ll be in civies probably, so we won’t feel uncomfortable.... And he knows all the dives in Paris, Ben.”