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that such a thing could happen in this comfortable civilized world, created for her and her

kind. "Lanny, they can't do that!"

"They do what they see fit, dear."

"But it ruins our cruise! It leaves us stranded!"

"They probably have our friends in prison somewhere; and they may be beating and abusing

them."

"Lanny, how perfectly unspeakable!"

"Yes, but that won't stop it. We have to figure out some way to save them."

"What can we do?"

"I don't know yet. I'll have to go to Berlin and see what has happened."

"Lanny, you can’t go into that dreadful country!"

"I can't refuse, dear. Don't forget, we have been Johannes's guests; we were going to be his

guests another whole year. How could we throw him down?"

She didn't know what to say; she could only sit staring at him. She had never thought that life

could play such a trick upon her and her chosen playmate. It was outrageous, insane! Lanny

saw her lips trembling; he had never seen her that way before, and perhaps she had never

been that way before.

For that matter, he didn't like it any too well himself. But it was as if fate had got him by

the collar, and he knew he couldn't pull loose. "Get yourself together, darling," he said.

"Remember, Johannes is Hansi's father, and Hansi is my sister's husband. I can't let them see

that I'm yellow."

"But Lanny, what on earth can you do? Those Nazis control everything in Germany."

"We know some influential people there, and I'll ask their advice.

The first thing, of course, is to find out what has happened, and why."

"Lanny, you'll be in frightful danger!"

"Not too great, I think. The high-ups don't want any scandals involving foreigners, I feel

sure."

"What do you expect me to do? Go with you?"

"Well, it's not a holiday. You might prefer to go to Bienvenu with Baby. You could have your

mother come; or you could take Baby and visit her."

"I wouldn't have a moment's peace, thinking you might be in trouble. I haven't the least idea

what I could do, but I think I ought to be with you."

"I have no doubt there'll be ways to help. The fact that you have money impresses the

Germans—and that includes the Nazis."

"Oh, Lanny, it's a horrid nuisance and a disappointment! I thought we were going to have

such fun!"

"Yes, dear, but don't let Hansi or Bess hear you say that. Remember what it means to them."

"They should have thought of this long ago. But they wouldn't let anybody tell them. Now

they see the results of their behavior— and we are expected to pay for it!"

"Dear, there's no reason to suppose that they have been the cause of the trouble."

"There must be some reason why Johannes is picked on, and not other rich Jews. The fact

that one of his sons is a Communist and the other a Socialist certainly must have made him

enemies."

Lanny couldn't deny that this was so; but he said: "Please don't mention it now, while Hansi

and Bess are half beside themselves with grief. Let's go and get their family out, and then we'll

be in position to talk to them straight."

"Yes, but you won't!" said Irma, grimly. She would go with him into the lion's den, but she

wouldn't pretend that she liked it! And when it was over, she would do the talking herself.

X

The adult members of the family had no sleep that night. The six sat in conference, going

over and over what meager data they had, trying to anticipate the future and to plan their

moves. A distressing thing, to have their happiness for a year upset, and to be "stranded" here in

Calais; but they were well-bred persons and concealed their annoyance. Beauty couldn't bear

letting her darling go into danger, and for a while insisted that she must go along and put her

social powers to work. But Lanny argued no—he wasn't in the least worried for himself, and in

a few days the yacht might be freed and their plans resumed. Let the family stay here for a few

days, and serve as a clearing house for communicating with their friends in the outside world.

If the worst proved true, and a long siege was to be expected, Marceline and Frances could be

taken back to Juan, and the Dingles and Hansi Robins could go to Paris—or perhaps Emily

would shelter them at Sept Chênes.

Lanny got Jerry Pendleton on the phone in the middle of the night. Jerry was still in Paris,

having bills to pay and other matters to settle. The plan had been for him to drive his car home,

and the chauffeur to drive the Mercedes, the car of Irma and Lanny. But now Lanny ordered

Jerry to remain in Paris, and the chauffeur to leave at once for Calais; with fast driving he

could arrive before noon, and Lanny and Irma would take the car and set out for Berlin. They

were going alone, since neither the chauffeur, Bub Smith, nor Feathers was any good for

Germany, not knowing the language. "If you were worth your keep you would have learned

it," said Irma to the secretary, taking out her irritation on this unfortunate soul.

Lanny sent cables to his father and to Rick, telling them what had happened. He guessed that

in times such as these a foreign journalist might prove a powerful person, more so than an

industrialist or an heiress. Lanny saw himself in a campaign to arouse the civilized world on

behalf of a Jewish Scbieber and his family. His head was boiling with letters and telegrams,

manifestoes and appeals. Robbie would arouse the businessmen, Uncle Jesse the Communists,

Longuet and Blum the Socialists, Hansi and Bess the musical world, Zoltan the art lovers,

Parsifal the religious, Beauty and Emily and Sophie and Margy the fashionable, Rick the

English press, Corsatti the American—what a clamor there would be when they all got going!

Taking a leaf from his father's notebook, Lanny arranged a code so that he could

communicate with his mother confidentially. His letters and telegrams would be addressed to

Mrs. Dingle, that being an inconspicuous name. Papa Robin would be "money" and Mama

"corsets"—she wore them. Freddi would be "clarinet," and Rahel "mezzo." Lanny said it was to be

assumed that all letters and telegrams addressed to him might be read by the Nazis, and all

phone calls listened to; later he might arrange a secret way of communication, but nothing of the

sort could come to the Hotel Adlon. If he had any thing, private to impart, he would type it on

his little portable machine and mail it without signature in some out-of-the-way part of Berlin.

Beauty would open all mail that came addressed to Lanny, and forward nothing that was

compromising. All signed letters, both going and coming, would contain phrases expressing

admiration for the achievements of National Socialism.

"Don't be surprised if you hear that they have converted me," said the playboy turned serious.

"Don't go too far," warned his mother. "You could never fool Kurt, and he's bound to hear

about it."

"I can let him convert me, little by little."

Beauty shook her lovely blond head. She had done no little deceiving in her own time, and

had no faith in Lanny's ability along that line. "Kurt will know exactly what you're there for,"

she declared. "Your best chance is to put it to him frankly. You saved his life in Paris, and you

have a right to ask his help now."

"Kurt is a Nazi," said Lanny. "He will help no one but his party."

Irma listened to this conversation, and thought: "This can't be real; this is a melodrama!"

She was frightened, but at the same time began to experience strange thrills. She wondered: