Page 94 - A Hero of Liége

"It won't bear thinking of, will it?" said Granger. "That fellow is rather long
with the coffee."

They waited, discussing the probable course of the war. After a while

Granger summoned the head waiter.

"Our waiter has been over long fetching our coffee," he said. "Will you stir

him up?"

In a minute or two the head waiter returned, carrying the coffee himself.

"Pardon, messieurs," he said. "Gustave was suddenly taken sick, and is not

able to serve at present."

"I have lost this trick," said Granger ruefully, when they were again alone.
"While I had my eye on the German, he evidently had his eye on me. And
for once the German was the quicker to act. Well, we all have our ups and

downs-- I might have said our exits and our entrances: exit spy, enter
staff-officer, who is looking for you, Monsieur Pariset, if I am not

mistaken."

A Belgian captain was threading his way across the room, looking quickly

from table to table, here and there acknowledging or returning a greeting,
but briefly, in the manner of one preoccupied. His glance suddenly falling

on Pariset, he smiled, and came directly towards him.

"I heard that you were here," he said. "Have you finished?"

"Yes."

"Then give me a minute privately."

His eyes rested for a moment on Kenneth and Granger, whom he did not
know.

"Certainly," said Pariset. "Let me introduce my friends."