“What makes you think, sir, I’m such a fool as that?” asked Jack, gazing at the Washington correspondent in great astonishment.

“One sometimes has to use a good deal of caution, even in offering well-intended information,” replied the Washington correspondent, “Benson, I’ve been stationed at the national capital for eight years, now.  I meet all kinds of people, and I see a good many others whom I don’t get to know, and don’t want to know, and yet I become familiar with their histories.”

“I don’t doubt that, sir,” Jack assented.  “The life of a Washington correspondent must be full of interesting things and experiences.”

“Washington itself is full of foreign spies,” pursued Graham, studying the ash on the end of his cigar.  “After a newspaper man has been in Washington a while he begins to have people pointed out to him who are either known or believed to be in the employ of foreign governments for the purpose of getting information that our national authorities would much rather conceal.”

“That must be true,” agreed Benson.  “And I suppose there are some very clever men engaged in that peculiar line of business.”

“Some of the smartest of them are not men, but women,” continued Mr. Graham.  “Men, perhaps, direct them, but the women spies, when they are young and good-looking, can usually coax a lot of information.”

“Oho!  I’d like to get a look, some time, at one of these clever women spies,” declared Jack, much interested.

“That’s just what I’m coming to,” pursued the Washington correspondent.  “I hope you won’t be offended, Benson, but I understand you have already paid some attention to one of the brightest women in this line.”

“Mlle. Nadiboff?” cried Jack, guessing instantly what the other sought to convey.

“Yes,” nodded Graham.  “Though I believe, when I first saw her, eight years ago, she was using some other name than Nadiboff.”

“Eight years ago,” smiled Jack, “she must have been about thirteen years old.  Do they employ, spies at such a tender age?”

“Eight years ago,” retorted Graham, “this young woman was, I should say, about twenty-one years old.  I am aware that she looks hardly older to-day.  When I saw you with her ten minutes ago it was the first hint I had that she was in Florida.”

“So she’s a spy?” muttered Jack Benson, speaking more to himself.  “Then I can understand why she seemed so anxious to interest me.  I was not wrong about that.”

“No,” laughed Graham.  “Beyond a doubt the young woman is very anxious to please you, and to keep your interest.  You happen to command a type of submarine torpedo boat in which all the world is at present much interested.  By the way, I wonder if Mlle. Nadiboff, as you call her, works under the directions of the same chief?  He was a man—­”

Here the Washington correspondent gave a description that caused Jack Benson to exclaim: