head-lines, reproduced to the mind's eye from the Washington
newspaper which he had so exhaustively studied.

THIS TURK A QUICK JUMPER
Telfik Bey, Guest of Turkish Embassy, Barely
Escapes a Speeding Motor-Car

No arrest, it appeared, had been made. The "story," indeed, was
brief, and of no intrinsic importance other than as a social note.
But to Average Jones it began to glow luminously.

"Who is Telfik Bey?" he inquired.

"He isn't. Up to yesterday he was a guest of this hotel."

"Indeed! Skipped without paying his bill?"

"Yes--ah. Skipped--that is, left suddenly without paying his bill,
if you choose to put it that way."

The tone was significant. Average Jones' good natured face became
grave.

"Oh, I beg your pardon, Tommy. Was he a friend of yours?"

"No. He was, in a sense, a ward of the Department, over here on
invitation. This is what has almost driven me crazy."

Fumbling nervously in the pocket of his creaseless white waistcoat
he brought forth a death notice.