PROLOGUE IT was 2 p.m. on the afternoon of May 7 , 1915 .
The _ Lusitania _ had been struck by two torpedoes in succession and was sinking rapidly , while the boats were being launched with all possible speed .
The women and children were being lined up awaiting their turn .
Some still clung desperately to husbands and fathers ; others clutched their children closely to their breasts .
One girl stood alone , slightly apart from the rest .
She was quite young , not more than eighteen .
She did not seem afraid , and her grave , steadfast eyes looked straight ahead .
“ I beg your pardon . ”
A man ’s voice beside her made her start and turn .
She had noticed the speaker more than once amongst the first-class passengers .
There had been a hint of mystery about him which had appealed to her imagination .
He spoke to no one .
If anyone spoke to him he was quick to rebuff the overture .
Also he had a nervous way of looking over his shoulder with a swift , suspicious glance .
She noticed now that he was greatly agitated .
There were beads of perspiration on his brow .
He was evidently in a state of overmastering fear .
And yet he did not strike her as the kind of man who would be afraid to meet death !
“ Yes ? ”
Her grave eyes met his inquiringly .
He stood looking at her with a kind of desperate irresolution .
“ It must be ! ” he muttered to himself .
“ Yes -- it is the only way . ”
Then aloud he said abruptly : “ You are an American ? ”
“ Yes . ”
“ A patriotic one ? ”
The girl flushed .
“ I guess you ’ve no right to ask such a thing !
Of course I am ! ”
“ Do n’t be offended .
You would n’t be if you knew how much there was at stake .
But I ’ve got to trust some one -- and it must be a woman . ”
“ Why ? ”
“ Because of ‘ women and children first .
’” He looked round and lowered his voice .
“ I ’m carrying papers -- vitally important papers .
They may make all the difference to the Allies in the war .
You understand ?
These papers have _ got _ to be saved !
They ’ve more chance with you than with me .
Will you take them ? ”
The girl held out her hand .
“ Wait -- I must warn you .
There may be a risk -- if I ’ve been followed .
I do n’t think I have , but one never knows .
If so , there will be danger .
Have you the nerve to go through with it ? ”
The girl smiled .
“ I ’ll go through with it all right .
And I ’m real proud to be chosen !
What am I to do with them afterwards ? ”
“ Watch the newspapers !
I ’ll advertise in the personal column of the _ Times _ , beginning ‘ Shipmate . ’
At the end of three days if there ’s nothing -- well , you ’ll know I ’m down and out .
Then take the packet to the American Embassy , and deliver it into the Ambassador ’s own hands .
Is that clear ? ”
“ Quite clear . ”
“ Then be ready -- I ’m going to say good-bye . ”
He took her hand in his .
“ Good-bye .
Good luck to you , ” he said in a louder tone .
Her hand closed on the oilskin packet that had lain in his palm .
The _ Lusitania _ settled with a more decided list to starboard .
In answer to a quick command , the girl went forward to take her place in the boat .
CHAPTER I .
THE YOUNG ADVENTURERS , LTD .
“ TOMMY , old thing ! ”
“ Tuppence , old bean ! ”
The two young people greeted each other affectionately , and momentarily blocked the Dover Street Tube exit in doing so .
The adjective “ old ” was misleading .
Their united ages would certainly not have totalled forty-five .
“ Not seen you for simply centuries , ” continued the young man .
“ Where are you off to ?
Come and chew a bun with me .
We ’re getting a bit unpopular here -- blocking the gangway as it were .
Let ’s get out of it . ”
The girl assenting , they started walking down Dover Street towards Piccadilly .
“ Now then , ” said Tommy , “ where shall we go ? ”
The very faint anxiety which underlay his tone did not escape the astute ears of Miss Prudence Cowley , known to her intimate friends for some mysterious reason as “ Tuppence . ”
She pounced at once .
“ Tommy , you ’re stony ! ”
“ Not a bit of it , ” declared Tommy unconvincingly .
“ Rolling in cash . ”
“ You always were a shocking liar , ” said Tuppence severely , “ though you did once persuade Sister Greenbank that the doctor had ordered you beer as a tonic , but forgotten to write it on the chart .
Do you remember ? ”
Tommy chuckled .
“ I should think I did !
Was n’t the old cat in a rage when she found out ?
Not that she was a bad sort really , old Mother Greenbank !
Good old hospital -- demobbed like everything else , I suppose ? ”
Tuppence sighed .
“ Yes .
You too ? ”
Tommy nodded .
“ Two months ago . ”
“ Gratuity ? ” hinted Tuppence .
“ Spent . ”
“ Oh , Tommy ! ”
“ No , old thing , not in riotous dissipation .
No such luck !
The cost of living -- ordinary plain , or garden living nowadays is , I assure you , if you do not know ---- ” “ My dear child , ” interrupted Tuppence , “ there is nothing I do _ not _ know about the cost of living .
Here we are at Lyons ’ , and we will each of us pay for our own .
That ’s it ! ”
And Tuppence led the way upstairs .
The place was full , and they wandered about looking for a table , catching odds and ends of conversation as they did so .
“ And -- do you know , she sat down and _ cried _ when I told her she could n’t have the flat after all . ”
“ It was simply a _ bargain _ , my dear !
Just like the one Mabel Lewis brought from Paris ---- ” “ Funny scraps one does overhear , ” murmured Tommy .
“ I passed two Johnnies in the street to-day talking about some one called Jane Finn .
Did you ever hear such a name ? ”
But at that moment two elderly ladies rose and collected parcels , and Tuppence deftly ensconced herself in one of the vacant seats .
Tommy ordered tea and buns .
Tuppence ordered tea and buttered toast .
“ And mind the tea comes in separate teapots , ” she added severely .
Tommy sat down opposite her .
His bared head revealed a shock of exquisitely slicked-back red hair .
His face was pleasantly ugly -- nondescript , yet unmistakably the face of a gentleman and a sportsman .
His brown suit was well cut , but perilously near the end of its tether .
They were an essentially modern-looking couple as they sat there .
Tuppence had no claim to beauty , but there was character and charm in the elfin lines of her little face , with its determined chin and large , wide-apart grey eyes that looked mistily out from under straight , black brows .
She wore a small bright green toque over her black bobbed hair , and her extremely short and rather shabby skirt revealed a pair of uncommonly dainty ankles .
Her appearance presented a valiant attempt at smartness .
The tea came at last , and Tuppence , rousing herself from a fit of meditation , poured it out .
“ Now then , ” said Tommy , taking a large bite of bun , “ let ’s get up-to-date .
Remember , I have n’t seen you since that time in hospital in 1916 . ”
“ Very well . ”
Tuppence helped herself liberally to buttered toast .
“ Abridged biography of Miss Prudence Cowley , fifth daughter of Archdeacon Cowley of Little Missendell , Suffolk .
Miss Cowley left the delights ( and drudgeries ) of her home life early in the war and came up to London , where she entered an officers ’ hospital .
First month : Washed up six hundred and forty-eight plates every day .
Second month : Promoted to drying aforesaid plates .
Third month : Promoted to peeling potatoes .
Fourth month : Promoted to cutting bread and butter .
Fifth month : Promoted one floor up to duties of wardmaid with mop and pail .
Sixth month : Promoted to waiting at table .
Seventh month : Pleasing appearance and nice manners so striking that am promoted to waiting on the Sisters !
Eighth month : Slight check in career .
Sister Bond ate Sister Westhaven ’s egg !
Grand row !
Wardmaid clearly to blame !
Inattention in such important matters can not be too highly censured .
Mop and pail again !
How are the mighty fallen !
Ninth month : Promoted to sweeping out wards , where I found a friend of my childhood in Lieutenant Thomas Beresford ( bow , Tommy ! )
, whom I had not seen for five long years .
The meeting was affecting !
Tenth month : Reproved by matron for visiting the pictures in company with one of the patients , namely : the aforementioned Lieutenant Thomas Beresford .
Eleventh and twelfth months : Parlourmaid duties resumed with entire success .
At the end of the year left hospital in a blaze of glory .
After that , the talented Miss Cowley drove successively a trade delivery van , a motor-lorry and a general !
The last was the pleasantest .
He was quite a young general ! ”
“ What blighter was that ? ” inquired Tommy .
“ Perfectly sickening the way those brass hats drove from the War Office to the _ Savoy _ , and from the _ Savoy _ to the War Office ! ”
“ I ’ve forgotten his name now , ” confessed Tuppence .
“ To resume , that was in a way the apex of my career .
I next entered a Government office .
We had several very enjoyable tea parties .
I had intended to become a land girl , a postwoman , and a bus conductress by way of rounding off my career -- but the Armistice intervened !
I clung to the office with the true limpet touch for many long months , but , alas , I was combed out at last .
Since then I ’ve been looking for a job .
Now then -- your turn . ”
“ There ’s not so much promotion in mine , ” said Tommy regretfully , “ and a great deal less variety .
I went out to France again , as you know .
Then they sent me to Mesopotamia , and I got wounded for the second time , and went into hospital out there .
Then I got stuck in Egypt till the Armistice happened , kicked my heels there some time longer , and , as I told you , finally got demobbed .
And , for ten long , weary months I ’ve been job hunting !
There are n’t any jobs !
And , if there were , they would n’t give ‘ em to me .
What good am I ?
What do I know about business ?
Nothing . ”