the skylight and, placing the chair on top of it, scrambled

"What about it?" asked Desmond sharply.

"Merely this; the cipher is in five figure groups, addressed to a four figure group and signed by a six figure group..."

"That happens to be the current secret code of the German Great General Staff. If you were to tap a German staff message out in France to-day, ten to one it would be in that code. Curious coincidence, isn't it?"

When one is angry, to be baffled in argument does not have a sedative effect as a rule. If we were all philosophers it might; but being merely human beings, cold reason acts on the inflamed temperament as a red rag is said to affect a bull.

Desmond, sick with the sense of failure and his anxiety about Barbara, was in no mood to listen to reason. The, cold logic of his brother infuriated him mainly because Desmond knew that Francis was right.

"I don't care a damn for the evidence," vociferated Desmond; "It may look black against Nur-el-Din; I daresay it does; but I have met and talked to this girl and. I tell you again that she is not a principal in this affair but a victim!"

"You talk as if you were in love with the woman!" Francis said mockingly.

"If pity is a form of love," he replied in a low voice, "then I am, for God knows I never pitied any woman as I pity Nur-el-Din! Only you, I suppose," he added bitterly, "are too much of the policeman, Francis, to appreciate anything like that!" Hot tempers run in families and Francis flared up on the instant.