"Oh, yes," replied Renoux, much amused. "Miss Dunois, as you call her, sent her trunks away this evening."
Barres, surprised and annoyed, halted on the landing:
"No. There was nothing in them of interest to us," said Renoux naïvely. "I sent a report when I sent on to Washington the papers which you secured for us."
Barres paused before his studio door, key in hand. They could hear the gramophone going inside. He said:
"I don't have to ask you to be fair, Renoux, because the man who is unfair to others swindles himself, and you are too decent, too intelligent to do that. I am going to present you to Thessalie Dunois, which happens to be her real name, and I am going to tell her in your presence who you are. Then I shall leave you alone with her."
He fitted his latchkey and opened the door.
Westmore was trying fancy dancing with Dulcie on one side, and Thessalie on the other--the latter evidently directing operations.
"You're a fine one! Where have you been?" began Westmore. Then he caught sight of Renoux and became silent.
Barres led his comrade forward and presented him:
"A fellow student of the Beaux Arts," he explained, "and we've had a very jolly evening together. And, Thessa, there is something in particular that I should like to have you explain to Monsieur Renoux, if you don't mind...." He turned and looked at Dulcie: "If you will pardon us a moment, Sweetness."
She nodded and smiled and took Westmore's arm again, and continued the dance alone with him while Barres, drawing Thessalie's arm through his, and passing his other arm through Renoux's, walked leisurely through his studio, through the now open folding doors, past his bedroom and Westmore's, and into the latter's studio beyond.
"Thessa, dear," he said very quietly, "I feel very certain that the worst of your troubles are about to end----" He felt her start slightly. "And," he continued, "I have brought my comrade, Renoux, here to-night so that you and he can clear up a terrible misunderstanding.
"And Monsieur Renoux, once a student of architecture at the Beaux Arts, is now Captain Renoux of the Intelligence Department in the French Army----"
Thessalie lost her colour and a tremor passed through the arm which lay within his.