From a seat by a table, in the center of the large room, rose a man
somewhat past middle age This man was tall, not very stout, with a
sallow face adorned by a mustache and goatee. The man's eyes were
piercing and black. His hair was also black, save where a slight gray
was visible at the temples.

As Norton entered, the man, who rose, threw a cigarette into the fire
place, then reached over, selected another cigarette and lighted it.
The room was thick with the odor of some foreign tobacco.

"Well, Norton?" challenged this stranger, in a low voice.

"I've been aboard the new submarine, Monsieur Lemaire," replied the
young man. "I went with a party of newspaper writers, pretending to be
one of their calling."

"An excellent idea, Norton. And you saw the very boyish officers of
the boat?"

"Only one of them. The other two were paying a call on board the
gunboat. I saw Somers."

"You gathered some idea of how to pump him for the information wanted,
of course?"

"No; I didn't," retorted Norton, scowling. "I learned, very soon, that
Somers is one whom we want to leave out of our count in getting
information?"