"Bedad," said O'Dowd, "it beats the devil. There's something big in
this thing, Mr. Barnes,--something a long shot bigger than any of us
suspects. The extraordinary secrecy of these fellows, their evident
gentility, their doubtful nationality--why, bedad, it sounds like a
penny-dreadful thriller."
"You'll find that it resolves itself into a problem for Washington to
solve," said De Soto darkly. "Nothing local about it, take my word for
it. These men were up to some international devilment. I'm not saying
that Germany is at the back of it, but, by Jove, I don't put anything
beyond the beggars. They are the cleverest, most resourceful people in
the world, damn 'em. You wait and see if I'm not right. There'll be a
stir in Washington over this, sure as anything."
"What time was it that you heard the shots up at Green Fancy?"
ventured Barnes.
"Lord love you," cried O'Dowd, "we didn't hear a sound. Mr. Curtis,
who has insomnia the worst way, poor devil, heard them and sent some
one out to see what all the racket was about. It wasn't till half an
hour or so ago that De Soto and I were routed out of our peaceful
nests and ordered,--virtually ordered, mind you,--to get up and guard
the house.
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