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few people in Europe who didn't have Jewish blood, even those who despised the outcast

race. For two thousand years the Jews had been scattered over the old Continent like

thistledown in the wind; and the most carefully tended family trees don't always show what

pollen has fallen upon them.

X

Lanny thought: What is the old man going to make of this? He can hardly believe that I

planted it on him; that I knew about his uncle Antoniades! No, he will know that the thing

must be genuine, and when he cools off he will realize that he wasn't quite

a gentleman. Maybe he'll want to beg Tecumseh's pardon and have another try for the

duquesa.

Lanny decided that this would be interesting; so he sat down and wrote a note to be mailed

in Dieppe:

My dear Sir Basil:

I am truly sorry that the seance turned out to be so disturbing. I want to assure you that I am

not telling anyone about it. I have seen many inaccuracies appear at sittings, and I have no

interest in spreading them. You may count upon me in this.

Also he wrote a note to Rick, as follows:

I wish you would see if you can find someone to do a job of research for me; that is, go

through the records of Old Bailey prison during the 1870's and see if there is an entry of a

prisoner by the name of Sahar, or Zahar, or Zaharoff. I enclose check for ten pounds to start it

off, and if you will let me know the cost from time to time, I'll send more. Please say nothing

about this, except to the dependable person you employ.

It wasn't going to be so easy to keep quiet about that afternoon's events. Beauty's curiosity had

been aroused, and Irma's also. Fortunately Lanny had time to get over his own excitement,

and to let Madame get over her bad feelings. He told his family that he had tried an

experiment with someone who was interested, but the tests had not been conclusive, there

were certain matters which had to be looked up, and then a second test might be made; he

would tell them all about it later on. This was far from satisfactory, but he stuck to it, and

pretty soon there were other seances, and other matters to talk about. Every now and then

Beauty or Irma would say: "By the way, whatever became of that Dieppe affair?" Lanny would

answer: "It hasn't been settled yet."

From Zaharoff he received no reply.

XI

The trim white Bessie Budd steamed away—or, to be exact, was propelled by crude oil, burning

in a Diesel engine. At Bremerhaven the owner and his younger son were waiting, both proud

and happy—the latter especially so, because he was a father and his fatherhood was new and

shiny. How Freddi adored that gentle, sweet wife, and how he shivered with delight while gazing

upon the mite of life which they had created! Nearly three months had passed since he had

seen them both, and a newborn infant changes a lot in that time. The other Robins, including

Bess and the nursemaid, stood by when Freddi came aboard, sharing his happiness, of which he

made quite a show, not being an Anglo-Saxon.

They all had a right to share, because this lovely infant was a prize exhibit of their dairy farm,

so carefully supervised. Both father and grandfather had to certify themselves free of all diseases

before they came on board, and there were to be no contaminating kisses, no demoralizing

pettings, pokings, or ticklings. Wash your hands before you permit an infant to clutch your

finger, for you can observe that the first thing he does is to convey your collected germs to his

mouth.

Freddi had worked tremendously hard all year, and had got himself the coveted title of

doctor. He was a handsome fellow, not quite so tall as his brother, but having the same large

dark eyes and serious expression. He lacked Hansi's drive—he was never going to be a famous

man, only an earnest student and teacher, a devoted husband and father. Not so Red as Hansi

and Bess, but nearer to Lanny's shade; he still had hopes of the German Social-Democrats, in

spite of the timidity and lack of competence they were displaying. Freddi had said that he was

studying bourgeois economics in order to be able to teach the workers what was wrong with it.

Already he and a couple of his young friends had set up a night school along the lines of

Lanny's project in the Midi. A non-party affair, both the Socialists and the Communists took

potshots at it, greatly to Freddi's disappointment. The workers were being lined up for class

war, and there was no room for stragglers between the trenches.

Johannes had bad news for them. Business conditions in Germany were such that it was

impossible for him to set out across the Atlantic. He wanted them to go without him, and

the rest of the Robin family were willing to do this because of the promises they had made. But

the Budds knew that the purpose for which the yacht existed was to get Papa away from

business cares, and they knew that the Robins would have a hard time enjoying themselves

without him. Beauty talked it over with Lanny and his wife, and they agreed not to accept