Page:Ruth of the U.S.A. (IA ruthofusa00balm).pdf/299

 fashion; but he was not in uniform and his bearing was that of student or professional man, rather than of the military.

When the car stopped he did not wait for the driver or one of the servants, who now had come out upon the terrace, but he himself opened the door and stood back quickly, staring at Ruth anxiously and rubbing together his fat red hands.

"Herr Adler?" Ruth asked as she stood up.

"Yes, gnädiges Fräulein. You have come from the captain?"

Her drenched condition was witness to the fact, and Ruth observed that, besides, his little eyes sought the packets of papers and the memorandum book which she held.

"I have come from America and more recently from France," Ruth said, stepping down. They were alone now as Adler walked with her across the terrace. "I have come from Lucerne with Captain von Forstner."

"Yes, gnädiges Fräulein, I know; I know. And he is dead, they tell me. It is true that he is dead?"

"He is dead," Ruth confirmed. And she saw that the fact of von Forstner's death bore far different consequences to Adler than to Dittman. The secretary was charged now with responsibilities which had been his master's; it was these, more than the physical accident of von Forstner's death, which overwhelmed and dismayed him. "But I have recovered his reports and personal memoranda," Ruth assured.

"Yes, yes. That is very fortunate."

"Which I shall go over with you as quickly as I can