Published by Good Press, 2019

       [email protected]

      EAN 4057664629395

Table of Contents

       CHAPTER I

       I SEEK A BED IN ROTTERDAM

       CHAPTER II

       THE CIPHER WITH THE INVOICE

       CHAPTER III

       A VISITOR IN THE NIGHT

       CHAPTER IV

       DESTINY KNOCKS AT THE DOOR

       CHAPTER V

       THE LADY OF THE VOS IN'T TUINTJE

       CHAPTER VI

       I BOARD THE BERLIN TRAIN AND LEAVE A LAME GENTLEMAN ON THE PLATFORM

       CHAPTER VII

       IN WHICH A SILVER STAR ACTS AS A CHARM

       CHAPTER VIII

       I HEAR OF CLUBFOOT AND MEET HIS EMPLOYER

       CHAPTER IX

       I ENCOUNTER AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE WHO LEADS ME TO A DELIGHTFUL SURPRISE

       CHAPTER X

       A GLASS OF WINE WITH CLUBFOOT

       CHAPTER XI

       MISS MARY PRENDERGAST RISKS HER REPUTATION

       CHAPTER XII

       HIS EXCELLENCY THE GENERAL IS WORRIED

       CHAPTER XIII

       I FIND ACHILLES IN HIS TENT

       CHAPTER XIV

       CLUBFOOT COMES TO HAASE'S

       CHAPTER XV

       THE WAITER AT THE CAFE REGINA

       CHAPTER XVI

       A HAND-CLASP BY THE RHINE

       CHAPTER XVII

       FRANCIS TAKES UP THE NARRATIVE

       CHAPTER XVIII

       I GO ON WITH THE STORY

       CHAPTER XIX

       WE HAVE A RECKONING WITH CLUBFOOT

       CHAPTER XX

       CHARLEMAGNE'S RIDE

       CHAPTER XXI

       RED TABS EXPLAINS

CHAPTER I

       Table of Contents

I SEEK A BED IN ROTTERDAM

       Table of Contents

      The reception clerk looked up from the hotel register and shook his head firmly. "Very sorry, saire," he said, "not a bed in ze house." And he closed the book with a snap.

      Outside the rain came down heavens hard. Every one who came into the brightly lit hotel vestibule entered with a gush of water. I felt I would rather die than face the wind-swept streets of Rotterdam again.

      I turned once more to the clerk who was now busy at the key-rack.

      "Haven't you really a corner? I wouldn't mind where it was, as it is only for the night. Come now … "

      "Very sorry, saire. We have two gentlemen sleeping in ze bathrooms already. If you had reserved … " And he shrugged his shoulders and bent towards a visitor who was demanding his key.

      I turned away with rage in my heart. What a cursed fool I had been not to wire from Groningen! I had fully intended to, but the extraordinary conversation I had had with Dicky Allerton had put everything else out of my head. At every hotel I had tried it had been the same story—Cooman's, the Maas, the Grand, all were full even to the bathrooms. If I had