The Lost Naval Papers

hardly a step broke the long silence of the night. Early in the morning-at six B.S.T.-Cary slipped out of bed, stole down to his study, and pulled open the deep drawer in which he had

nothing of glamour in the Secret Service, nothing of romance, little even of excitement. It is a cold-blooded exercise of wits against wits, of spies against spies. The amateur plays a

a place we know of, and shadowed by us tight as wax. We now know all his associates-the swine have not even the excuse of being German. He burgled your flat himself while one of his gang watched outside. Never mind where I was; you would be surprised if

Cary. "The obvious thing

ill be in t

n instant of Dawson or of one of his troupe. He busied himself with a strong pair of marine glasses, and now and then asked innocent questions of the ship's deckhands. He had evidently himself once served as a sailor. One deckhand, an idle fellow to whom Hagan was very civil, told his questioner quite a lot of interesting details about the Navy ships, great and small, which could be seen upon the building slips. All these details tallied strangely with those recorded in Cary's Notes. The trip up and down the river was a great success for Hagan and for Dawson, but for Cary it was rather a bore. He felt somehow out of the picture. In the evening Dawson called at Cary's o

are still strictly private. But you should see the chase through to a f

u that my sympathies are steadily going over to Hagan. The p

d Dawson, with g

ssengers or passing deckhands. Again a sailor seemed disposed to be communicative; he pointed out more than one monster in steel, red raw with surface rust, and gave particulars of a completed power which would have surprised the Admiralty Superintendent. They would not, however, have surprised Mr. Cary, in whose ingenious brain they had been conceived. This second trip, like the first, was declared by Dawson to have been a great success. "Did you know me?" he asked. "I was a clean-shaven naval doctor, about as unlike the army colo

become of Hag

see," said

assistant, I can always escape and follow up my own victims. This man Hagan is a black heartless devil. Don't waste your sympathy on him, Mr. Cary. He took money from us quite lately to betray the silly asses of Sinn Feiners, and now, thinking us hoodwinked, is after more money from the Kaiser. He is of the type that would sell his own mother and buy a mistress with the money. He's not worth your pity. We use him and his like for just so long as they can be useful, and then the jaws of the trap close. By letting him take those faked Notes we have done a fine stroke for the Navy, for the Yard, and for B

is sleeping-coach. Come in here." He pulled Cary into No. 4, shut the door, and pointed to a small wooden knob set a few inches below the luggage rack. "If one unscrews that knob one can see into the next berth, No. 5. No. 6 is fitted in the same way, so that we can rake No. 5 from both sides. But, mind you, on no account touch those knobs until the train is mov

f light stabbed the darkness of his berth, and putting his eye with some difficulty to the hole-one's nose gets so confoundedly in the way-he saw Hagan comfortably arranging himself for the night. The spy had no suspicion of his watchers on both sides, for, after settling himself in bed, he unwrapped a flat parcel and took out a bundle of blue papers, which Cary at once recognised as the originals of his st

ast. Never again will I set a trap for even the worst of my fellow-creatures." He put back the knob, went to bed, and passed hal

l. He explained his strange conduct. "Two of my men," said he, as he wallowed in tea and fried soles-one cannot get Dover soles in the weary North-"who travelled in ordinary compartments, are after Hag

utes the bell would ring, and a whisper of Hagan's movements steal over the wires into the

him. The other two spies, with the copies, haven't turned up yet, but they are all right. My men will see them safe across into Dutch territory, and make sure t

and why you carry on s

d, could not but feel

ice system and in the

it appeared, do unto t

chose t

e is a damned unbenevolent neutral we must prove his intention to sell the papers to Germany. Then we can deal with him by secret court-martial.[1] The journey to Holland will prove this intention. Hagan has

Note: This conversatio

p out of their clutches. Dawson was very civil and pleasant, but I was in fact as tightly held upon his string as was the wretched Hagan. So I went on to Holland with that quick-change artist, and watched him come on board the steamer at Parkeston Quay, dressed

wson could not have laid hands upon him. He would have been a neutral citizen in a neutral country, and no English warrant would run against him. But between Hagan and the gangway suddenly interposed the tall form of the ship's captain; instantly the man was ringed about by officers, and before he could say a word or move a hand he was gripped hard and led across the deck to the steamer's c

s colour had ebbed back a little from his overcharged heart, and he had drunk deep of th

best of it, my poor friend. This is Mr. Richard Cary, and you have not for a

he whole affair, that which justifies to my mind the whole rather grubby business. Let me give you two dates. On May 25 two copies of my faked Notes were shepherded through to Holland and reached the Germans; on May 31 was fought the Battle of Jutland. Can the brief space between these dates have bee

for I wished to bring the narra

her think that I have here Hagan's epitaph." He took out his pocket-book, and drew forth a slip of

tly tried by court-martial at the Westminster Guildhall was found guilty and sente

*

dirt of November in the North. I desired neither to write nor to read. My one overpowering longing was to go to sleep

brought me a card. "A gentleman," said she, "wishes to see you. I sa

written the name of that detective officer whom in my story I had called William Dawson, and in the corner were t

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ok a cigarette. I breathed more freely. He could not design my immediate arrest, or he would not have accepted of even so slight a hospitality. We sat upon opposite sides of the fire, Dawson saying nothing, but watching me in that unwinking cat-like way of his which I find

ind me out?" I

and I saw a puzzled look come into h

out that I wrote a

ed Mr.-er-Richard Cary for your real name and address, and he had to give

in the least. I had taken precautions, and you would have f

ck up all you writing people-you are an infernal nuisa

was in my favour, and I saw another opportun

oldiers and the police. For who would then write of your exploits and pour upon your heads the bright light of fame?

e story to my Chief-just to put myself straight with him. I said that it

and the little Dawsons-if there are any-have worshipped you as a god. There is nothing so flattering as the sight of oneself in solid black print upon nice white paper. Confess, now. A

en I have seen a har

te," said I, "and take a

d had ceased for the moment to dominate me as a terrible engine of the law. But I had heard too much of Dawson from Cary to be under any illusion. He could be chaffed, even made ridiculous, without mu

ou will tell me to what happy circums

bt, to future enlarged editions-but these words of mine pulled him up short. Instantly

sent an object of suspicion to the local police, who assure me, that though you are known to have access to much secret information, yet that you have never made any wrongful use of it. You have,

ear no malice. Ask me what you please,

uctance, "that anything which you say may, at so

y in warning me, and you are so plainly hopeful that I shall incriminate mysel

ng workmen, and among higher folk than workmen, who can be bought. You may take it as certain that little of importance is done or projected in this country of which enemy agents do not know. But their difficulty is to get it through to their paymasters, within the limit of time during which the information is useful. There are scores of possible channels, and it

holar, Mr. Dawson,"

e watch the correspondence of suspected persons, but you may be interested to learn that during the

angrily. "You exceed your power

innocent. I am gratified to learn that your two sons in the Service are happ

sperated at his inquisitiveness. After all, there are things in private l

s outrage to continu

ties believe you to be, your correspondence will pass untouched. It is of no use for you to fume or try to kick up

on of me or you would not tel

ht of that at once,"

nd conceded the

keep the despatch of food in the hands of official organisations. Since there are now some 30,000 of military prisoners, in addition to interned civilians at Ruhleben, the number and complexity of the parcels have made it m

practical method of communication

hat some one in Birmingham begins to send parcels addressed to this lately deceased prisoner, his name, unless Birmingham is very vigilant, will get upon the lists there as that of a new live prisoner. The parcels addressed to this name will go straight into the hands of the German Secret Service, and a channel of communication will have been opened up between some one in Birmingham and the enemy in Germany. Prisoners are frequently dying, new

ved. "Have you evidence that what

e officers themselves belong. In accordance with the new orders all the parcels for this lieutenant-which usually consisted of bread, chocolate, and tins of sardines-were examined. The bread was cut up, the chocolate broken to pieces, and the tins opened. If the parcel contained nothing contraband, fresh supplies of bread, chocolate and sardines to take the place of those destroyed in examination were put in, and the parcel forwarded. For the first two weeks nothing was found, but in the third parcel, buried in one of the loaves, was discovered a cutting from an evening newspaper which at first sight seemed quite innocent. But a microscopic search revealed tiny needle pricks in certain words, and the words

etic, and I was pleased to observe that his harsh pr

ten upon the labels, was found not to exist. Both name and address were false. It was a hot scent, and I was delighted, after a week of waiting, to see another parcel come in. Th

but how could one conceal a paper in bread or

ixture of chocolate paste and white of egg. When thoroughly dried in a warm place, chocolate thus treated will stand very close scrutiny. I did not trouble to look for signs of disturbance in either loaves or eggs; it was quicker and easier to break them up. I then addressed my attention to the sardine tins, which from the first had seemed the most likely hiding-places. A very moderately skilled mechanic can unsold

strongly of white lead. Upon it were two neatly made drawings and some li

ecogni

een completed for the Grand Fleet. Below we have the number and calibre of the guns, the thickness and extent of the armour, the length, breadth, and depth of the vessel

t paper before?" asked Dawson, with

? No.

n laughed softly. "You will understand my question directly, but for the moment let us g

ad some acquaintance with engineers and their

, and the writing is that of a draughtsman. One can t

bly locked up; we picked him out of the drawing office at --" he named a famous yard in w

cause-drink, women, or the pressure

a man over military age, and has, so far as the police can learn, no special emba

f wonder has the schwei

e paper was his work. He said that for years past he had given particulars of ships under construction to the same parties as on this occasion. He admitted that to do so was contrary to regulations, especially in wartime, but thought that under the circumstanc

middle-aged man, employed in highly confidential work in a great shipyard, not only to break faith and l

u have never seen tha

is time slowly a

t!" I said. "

ght, and spoke. "That is what interests me just now. For, you see, this very indiscreet and reprehensible swinehound of a draughtsman, who is at present in my lo

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NQUI

yous life. I arose, filled and lighted a large calabash pipe, and passed a box of cigars to the detective. "Throw that stump away and take another," said I. "I owe you more than a cigar or two." He stared at me, took what I offered, and his face relaxed into a grin. "It is pleasant to see that you are a man of humour, Mr. Dawson," I observed, when we were again seated comfortably on opposite sides of the fire. "In my day I h

g. When I told the Chief Constable, the manager of the shipyard, and the Admiral Superintendent of Naval Work that you were the guilty party, they all roa

ft for Portsmouth in August. In July-" I broke off hurriedly, lest I should tell my visitor too much. "It has taken our frie

Admiral said, though he

eers. We are law breakers by instinct and family tradition. When we get an officer of the law on toast, we lik

tified in arresting you. I have a w

uty for an indefinite time? 'Detained' would be the strict truth and the mot juste. If you would kindly lock me up, say, for three years or the duration of the war I should be your debtor. I have often thought that a prison, provided that one were allowed unlimited paper and the use of a typewriter, would be the most charming of holidays-a perfect rest cure. There are three books in my he

t he prepared the descrip

pon the peach-touch it, and it is gone for ever. There is a faint glimmer of the truth at the back of my

, a man who was employed by you in connection with shipyard inquiries. He was infor

hings to do: first to find out the real seducer, who is probably also the despatcher of the parcels to the late lieutenant of Northumberland Fusiliers, and se

unished. The Admiral

ipped. I can see, Dawson, from the tactful skill with which you have dealt with me that discretion is among your most distingu

y own view," repl

escribed by our e

e the police try to make a man incriminate himself; in England we try our hardest to prevent him. That may be very right and just in peace time against ordinary law breakers; but war is war, and spies are too dangerous to be treated tenderly. We have cross-examined the man, and bull

ust look for is some one over military age who has left me or been dismissed-probably dismissed. When a British subject, of decent education and once

others as no one knows better than the police. Look out for the name and

doubt give you, b

were ten years ago, and we will track him down i

r-general of those of common qualities-but would it not be well to warn all the Post Offices, s

s, but no news has yet come to me. I will lunch with you, as you so kindly suggest, and afterwards I want you to come with me to see the draughtsman in the lockup. You may be able to shake his confounded obstinacy. Run the pathetic stunt. Say if he keeps silent that you

e to have a lick and a polish, as he put it-"I am incline

m off and keep him quiet for a bit, I should be deeply grateful." She then fell into a discussion with Dawson of the most conveniently situated prisons. Mrs. Copplestone dismissed Dartmoor and Portland as too bleakly situated, but was pleased to approve of Parkhurst in the Isle of Wight-which I rather fancy is a House of Detention for women. She insisted that the climate of the Island was suited to my health, and wrung a promise from Dawson that I should, if possible, be interned there. Dawson's manners and conversation surprised me. His homespun origin was evident, yet he had developed an easy social style which was neither familiar nor aggressive. We were in his

him sometimes. Mother and me?" Dawson gripped his hair-we were the maddest

e a nice man. I love you. Now show

ghter he was compelled to draw forth a pretty shining pair of steel wristlets and permit Jane to put them on. They were much too large for her; she could sl

g over our coffee, when Jane demanded to be shown a real ar

got there, and, looking up, met the coldly triumphant eyes of the detective. I realised then exactly how the professional manhunter glares at the prey into whom, after many days, he has set his claws. My wife gasped and clutched at my elbow, little Jane screamed, and for a few seconds even I thought that the game had b

d. "He only did it to please me. Thank you, Colonel, though you did frighten me just a weeny bit at first

ant towards a general of division-shed a new light upon Dawson's pre-eminence in his Service. "A telegram for you, sir." Dawson seized it, was about to tear it open, remembered suddenly his hostess, and bowed towards her. "Have I your permiss

y wife, who had again beco

lf to the exclusion of all other duties. This telegram informs me t

e is at your disposal, Dawson

sman who made that plan of the battleship. Good-bye Mrs. Copplestone, and thank you very much for your hospitality. Your husband goes with me." My wife shook hands with Dawson, and politely saw him off the premis

*

mprehended trap. It was a police photograph. Then I began to read the dossier, but got no farther than the first paragraph. In it was set out the man's name, those of his wife and children, his employment, record of service, and so on. What arrested my researches was the maiden name of the wife, which, in accordance with the northern custom, had been entered as a part of her legal description. The name awoke in me a recollection of a painful incident within my experience. I saw before me the puf

the missing thread in my hands, he gave in at once. "What relation is -- to your wife?" I asked. He had risen at my entrance, but the question went through him like a bullet; his pale face flushed, he s

's brother," m

he was no longe

, I

e, clinging to the good name of his wife and her family, clutching at any device to throw the sleuth-hounds of the law off the real scent. He had given his brother-in-law f

best to help

ms, and he groaned and panted under the torture of te

ed like a child over his own cleverness. I neither obtained from him thanks for my assistance nor apologies for his suspicions. It was Dawson, Dawson, all the time. Yet I found his egotism and unrelieved vanity extraordinarily interesting. As we sat together in his room waiting for the Carlisl

t Carlisle-he would be afraid to trust an accomplice-our job will be done. If not, I will pull a drag net through this plac

k at him through the peephole, and if it is our man-" One glance was enough. Before me I saw him whom I had expected to see. He and his cargo of whisky bottles h

fell upon it, exposed its contents of bread, chocolate, and sardine tins, and called for a can opener. He shook the tins one by one beside his ear, and then, selecting that which gave out no "flop" of oil, stripped it open,

he evidence against him were not suff

devil of a draughtsman d

tat. If he helps us, we will help him. And now we w

e with cheerful badinage. "So you are in the hands of the police at last, Coppl

ermans I can respect," said he, "even those that pretend to be our friends. But one of

ood, Admiral, why you were so very confident that Mr. Copplestone here had no hand in this business

strange creature from an unknown world. "Mr.

"But is a man a white angel because

e over the new battleship Rampagious, and after our inspection we both lunched with the builders and discussed her design and arma

old me this before

things yet to learn. I had in my mind to give you a lesson, especially as I owed you some punishment for y

y. "Punishment! Imper

Admiral stiffly, "be

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ture-weeks occupied in tracing out the threads connecting his wretch of a prisoner with the German agents upon what Dawson called his "little list"-he paid several visits both to my house and my office. His happiness demanded that he should read to me the many letters which poured in from high officials of the C.I.D., from the Chief Commissioner, and on one day-a day of days in the chronicles of Dawson-from the Home Secretary himself. To me it seemed that all these astute potentates knew t

lub I chanced u

r friend Dawson

He has a pocket full of letters which he has read to me till I know them by heart. If I did not know that he was a first-class man I should set him

me to you in dis

le; some of them may be Dawson in his various i

hange his hair from light to dark, to make it lank or curly, short or long. He does it; how I don't know. He alters the shape of his nose, his cheeks, and his chin. I suppose that he pads them out with little rubber insets. He alters his voice, and his figure, and even his height. He can be stiff and upright like a drilled soldier, or loose-jointed and shambling like a tramp. He i

score off Dawson. He i

oint which adorned the ears of our animal ancestors. Dawson's ancestor must have been a wolf or a bloodhound. Whenever now I have a strange caller who is not far too tall or far too short to be Dawson, if a stranger stops me in the street to ask for a direction, if a porter at a station dashes up to help me with my bag, I go for his ears. If the lobes are attached to the cheekbones and there is a pronounced blob in the fold at the top, I address the man instantly as D

calls, which, I expect, will be to-mor

e genuine article-but is he? Cary's description of him is most unlike the man whom we see here. I expect that he has a different identity for every place which he visits. If he told me that at any mo

I should not have been surprised to learn that one or two of the waitresses were in his pa

east coast he dropped in upon me. He had finished his researc

laid on the word "Secret" would have annoyed the Central Office at Potsdam. I have given the detected British spy the name of Menteith after that of the mo

The agent got from Menteith one or two bits of news by pretending a disbelief in his sources of intelligence, and then, when the fool had committed himself, threatened to denounce him to the police unless he took service with him altogether. Money, of course, passed, but not very much. The Germans who employ spies so extensively pay them extraordinarily little. They treat them like scurvy dogs, for whom any old bone is good enough, and I'm not sure they are not right. They go on the principle that the white trash who will sell their country need only to

ws that he was ashamed to use the money upon himsel

rything. 'I ought to have left him long ago,' she said, 'but I tried to save him. Thank God we have no children,' That

ted the justice, the necessity, of my sentence. "Can you not give him another chance?" she had asked. "No," I had answered sadly. "He has exhausted all the chances." W

re gentle with her,

brute. Gentle! It was as much as I could do not to kiss the woman, as your little daughter kissed me, and to pr

e is a nice man. He has a little girl like me. Her name is Clara. Her birthday is next month. I shall save up my pocket money and send Clara a present. I like Colonel Dawson better even than dear Bailey." I tore my hair, for "Bailey" is a wholly imaginary friend of little Jane, whom I invent

ered to take the food parcel to the Post Office. The German agent who used him had no notion of risking his own skin. Then followed the discovery and the arrest of the draughtsman who had drawn the plan. Those who had seduced Menteith forbade him to come near them. They slipped away into hiding-which profited them little since all of them were on our string-after threatening Menteith that

he principa

ey don't know that we know them; when they do know, their number will go up, for they will be then of no further

risoners get by w

htsman, I expect, will be let off with eighteen months of the Jug. We are just, but not harsh. My birds don't interest me much once they have been caught; it is the catching that I enjoy. Down in the south, where I have a home of my own-which I haven't seen during the past year except occasionally for an hour or two-I used to grow big show chrysanthemums. All through the processes of rooting the cuttings, repotting, taking the buds, feeding up the plants, I never could endure any one to touch th

rsted for more of the same vintage. He never in so many words asked me to write this book, but his eagerness to play Dr. Johnson to my Boswell appeared in all our relations. He was communicative far beyond the limits of official discretion. If I now disclosed half, or a qu

arting, "and if anything good turns up on the North-East co

rive to manag

ng has happened here. A cruiser which had come in for repair was due to go out this morning. She was ready for sea the night before, the officers and crew had all come back from short leave, and the working parties had cleared out. Then in the middle wa

Dawson himself. It ran

ot. Come

aid I. "Sabota

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FF

ad been reduced to about fifteen miles an hour. I had expected to get in to dinner, but it was eleven o'clock before I reached my destination. I had not even the satisfaction of seeing a raid, for the Zepps, made cautious by recent heavy losses, had turned back before c

, and Cary began to enlighten me upon the details of the gra

he same to him. I told him that you were on the way, and he wants to give you the

inquired drily. "It seems to me that

nderstand why he lavishes

As a matter of fact, he cares not a straw for my beaux yeux; his motives are crudely selfish. He thinks that it is in my power to contribute to the greater

He demanded from me your name and address, and swore that if I ever again disclosed to you official secret

tician is an ardent, disinterested patriot, and every soldier or sailor a knightly hero of romance. Human beings, Cary, are made in streaks, like bacon; we have our fat streaks and our lean ones; we can be big and bold, and also very small and mean. Your great man and your national hero can become v

ming and going, life on board is stripped of the most ordinary comforts and conveniences, there is inevitably some falling off in strict supervision. Lack of space, lack of facilities for moving about the ship, lack of any regular routine. You will understand. Just as the expansion in the New Army and the New Navy has made it possible for unknown enemy agents to take service in the Army and the Navy, so the dilution of labour in the shipyards has made it possible for workmen-whose sympathies are with the enemy-to get employment about the warships. The danger is fully recognised, and that is where Dawson's widespread system of counter-espionage comes in. There is not a trade union, a

en? One can't turn a policeman into a skilled

ese men everywhere-in shipyards, in shell shops, in gun factories, in aeroplane sheds, everywhere. They take a leading part in the councils of the unions wherever they go, for they add to their skill as workmen a pronounced, even blatant parade of loyalty to the interests of trade unions and a tasty flavour of socialist principles. Dawson is perfectly cynically outspoken to me over the business which, I confess, appals me. In his female agents-of which he has many-he favours what he ca

ot like using gas or liquid fire, but we are compelled to use them. We do not like espionage, but we must employ it. As one who loves this fair land of England beyond everything in the world, and as one who would do anything, risk anything,

tion against utter barbarism. We are by instinct clean fighters. If in the stress of conflict we stoop to foul methods, can we ever wash away th

most interesting affair of the Antinous. I presume one of Dawson's men was working, unknown to his fellows, with the care and maintenance party, and another, equally unknown, with the engineers who were busy upon the gearing of the turbines. Man

was the main cable between the switch room and the conning tower which was cut, and it was one cable laid alongside a dozen others. Now who could know that this was the gun cable, and the only one in which damage might escape detection while the ship was in harbour? At sea there is constant gun drill, during which the electrical controls and the firing-tubes are always tested, but in harbour the guns are lying idle most of the time. It was evidently the intention of the enemy, who cut these wires, that the Antinous should go to sea before the defect was discovered, and that her fire control should be out of action till the wiring system could be repaired. That very serious disaster was prevented by the preliminary testing during the night before sailing, but the enemy has been successful in delaying the departure of an invaluable light cruiser for two days. In these days, when the war of observation is more important even than the war of fighting, the services of light cruisers cann

surmised was true-Cary's Dawson and Copplestone's Dawson were utterly unlike. Dawson winked at me, glanced towards Cary, and shook his head; from which I gathered that he did not desire his appearance to be the subject of comment. I therefore greeted him without remark, and, as he sat down under the electric lights, examined him in detail. This Dawson was ten years older than the man whom I had known and fenced with. The hair of this one was lank and grey,

t again. Permit me to say that I con

at the unconscious Ca

takes a bit

s, Mr. Dawson?" a

e captain laughed. The man's father and grandfather were in the English merchant service, and though his people originally came from Saxony, he is no more German than we are ourselves. Besides, my experience is that an Englishman with an inherited German name is the very last man to have any truck with the enemy. He is too much ashamed of his forbears for one thing; and for another he is too dead set on living down his beastly name. So we will rule out the Lieutenant R.N.R. My own man, who is a petty officer R.N.V.R., and has worked on a lot of ships which have come in for repairs, says that the temper among the workmen in the yards is good now. It was ugly when dilution of labour first came in, but the wages are so high that all that trouble has settled down. I have had what you call sabotage in the shell and gun shops, but never yet in the King's ships. We have had every possible cutter of the wires on the mat before the Captain and me. We have looked into all their records, had their homes visited a

ntinous is all righ

airs. There are always a dozen here of various craft, usually small stuff. While the man who cut those wires is unknown I shall be in a perfect fever, and so will the Admiral-Superintendent. We'll get the be

hiteness of his face were not wholly due to disguise. He had not been to bed since he ha

d get some sleep. Even your brain cannot work continuously without res

on me a look which was almost affectionate. I really began to believe that Dawson li

s' sleep and then to work once more. This time I am up against a man who i

on's example. It is past one, and my head is buzzing with queer ideas. Perhaps, after all, the Germans hav

*

eet pipe of the day, when the telephone bell rang. Cary took off the e

orefoot, which had been ripped up when she ran down that big German submarine north of the Orkneys-Yes, I know; she was due to go out some time to-day. What

t and was floated out yesterday. Her full complement joined her last night. Dawson says that he was called up at eight-o'clock by the news that her gun-

problem very much more easy. I am glad that he is cheerful, for I feel exuberantly happy myself. I was kept awake half the night

ur idea? Te

notions to ourselves until they turn out to be right, and then we declare that we saw through the problem from the fir

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SSW

e to maintain an air of lofty superiority. I must have aggravated him intensely, unpardonably, for I was his guest. He ought to have kicked me out. Yet he bore with me like the sweet-blooded kindly angel that he is, and when at the end it appeared that I was right after all, Cary was

"is out on the rampage. He ought by rights to sit here directing the staff and leave the outside investigations to me. He is a high-up man, almost a deputy assistant commissioner, and has n

ds and where the disguises begin. The man I met up

There's an inspector at the Yard who was at school with him down Hampshire way, and ought to know what he is really like, but even he has given Dawson up. He says that the old man does not

od story out of that

wson told me once that I knew the real

"you may bet your last shirt he was humbugging you.

he at now

hat man says. But he's the most successful detective we've got in the whole Force. He's sure to be

the office and the genuine article will be out on the rampage. He is a man who

nnection and to hold forth to the elect. The privilege of "sitting under him" had been enjoyed more than once by the assistant, who retailed to us extracts from Dawson's favourite sermon on "Truth." His views upon Truth were unbending as armour plate. "Under no circumstances, not to save oneself from imminent death, not to shiel

When Dawson preaches, his eyes blaze, his voice breaks, and he will fall on his knees and pray for the souls of those w

in dead earnest when he preaches on Truth, and he is in just as dead earnest when, stripped of every moral scruple, he pursues a spy or a criminal. In pursuit he is ruthless as a Prussian, bu

grey pamphlet. It was marked "For Office Use Only," and was entitle

place, and jumped to attention as Dawson entered. He surveyed us with those searching, unwinking eyes of his-for we had the air

o thought only of ships. "The

ay. We can't have her delayed by any hanky tricks, not even if we have to put the whole detective force on board of her. Still, I'm not so anxious as I was. This Antigone business has cleared things up a lot, and one can sift out the impossible from the possible. To begin with, the Antinous was in for repairs to her geared turbines, and the Antigone for damage to her forefoot. Enginee

it seemed that my daring theory had

but, to make sure, I sent Petty Officer Trehayne on board at eight o'clock to keep a sharp look-out and to see all the harbour party off the vessel. He re

a.m.," inte

rt me with all the force under his command; the General of the District has the same orders. But it isn't force we want so much as brains-Dawson's brains. I have been beaten twice, but not the third time. I've told the Yard that if the Malplaquet is t

re, and drew inspiration and joy from the heaviness of the bet which he

ne were both damaged by the same man, and that h

ll you what I think,"

passing over the snu

ht they are no help. I believe in facts-facts brought out by constant vigilance. Unsleeping watchfulness and universal suspicion,

you goin

uet presently, and I'm not going to sleep till she is safel

what ca

or a moment he hesitated, and then, recollecting the high post to

one of the Ma

pass among the men for half an hour without discovery. They are a class apart, they talk their own language, cherish their own secret traditions, live

Plymouth, and served afloat for three years. I was then drafted into the Naval Police. Afterwards I was recommended for detective

you will ever surprise me again. Not even if

, I have not been a minister, but I ha

not talk even though they may wonder that any man should want to do twenty-four hours of duty per day. The Marines are the closest, faith-fullest, and best discipli

e Antinous, and to some slight extent also in the Antigone, and that if anything goes wrong with the Malplaquet he will be dismissed. I shall be sorr

ome from? His name sou

rtsmouth and in the torpedo factory at Greenock. A first-class engineer and electrician and a

of Dawson's plans while the talk went on

ache since you were in the north; you could

off quicker than one can put it on again. False hair is the devil; I have never used it yet and nev

ggestion to a man of your experience it would be that none of your men here, not even your chief assistant or Trehayne, should kn

f. He will be in the ship, but he won't know that I am there too. The Commander must know and the Major of Marines, for I shall want a uniform and the free run of the ship, so as to be posted where I like. The Marine S

on presented him to us and then took him aside for instructions. When he had finished, both men rejoined us, and the conversation became light and general. Trehayne, though clearly suffering from nervous strain after his recent professional failures, talked with the ease and detachment of a highly cultivated man. It appeared that he had been educated at Blundell's School, had lost his parents at about sixteen, had done a course in some electrical engineering shops at Plymouth, and when twenty years old had

French I love. My vocabulary is extensive, but my accent abominable-i

ne. "Mais vous parlez francais tres bien,

I protested, and the

d draw a uniform and rifle out of the marine stores. It will be quite like old times. You won't see me un

rallel lines with mine; did he even suspect that I had formed any idea at all? I could not inquire, for I dislike being laughed at, especially by this man Dawson. I had nothing to go upon, at least so little that was palpable that anything which I might say would be dism

PTE

ARINE

In spite of my interest in the subject my soul revolted at the forbidding pile of manuscript. I promised to read the proofs and criticise them with severity, but as for the M.S.-no, thanks. Poor Cary needed all his sweet patience to put up with me. By eleven o'clock we had become unendurable to one another, and I gladly welcomed his s

that, Cary, you wil

oning to the yard where the Malplaquet was fittin

been through the China troubles as a lieutenant in the Monmouth-afterwards sunk by German shot off Coronel-knew von Spee, von Mueller, and other officers of the Pacific Squadron, and spoke of them with enthusiasm. "They sunk some of our ships and we wiped out theirs. That was all in the way of business. We loved them in peace and we loved them in war. They were splendidly loyal to us out in China-von Spee actually transferred some of his ships to

nding us off with torpedo attacks until the night came down, and then clean vanished. We got in some return smacks after dark at stragglers, but it was very difficult to say how much damage we did. Not much, I expect. Still it was a good battle, as decisive in its way as Trafalgar. It proved that

This very afternoon. You s

oved to be quite pliable. Cary's reputation for discretion must be very high in the little village where he lives if it is able to guarantee so disreputable a scribbler

ked everywhere for a Marine sentry whom I could identify by mark of ear as Dawson. I never saw him, but Trehayne passed me twice, and I found myself again admiring his splendid young manhood. He was not big, being rather slim and wiry than strongly built, but in sheer beauty of

ng tower-the twin holy of holies in a commissioned ship-and slipped away, escaping the Captain b

cially, I expect, Mrs. Cary-to go early to bed. That ill-used lady, to whom we

bject, except the one which had kept us awake at night, when a servant entered and announced that a soldier was at the door with a mess

trimmed dark moustache. His hair, also very dark, was cropped close to his head. Standing there with his hands upon the red seams of his trousers, his chest well filled out, and his face weather tanned, he looked a proper figure of a sea-goi

ary; "in two minutes

a position of tactical advantage on the Marine's port bea

u do it?" He could not think of an expletive mild enough for Mrs. Cary's ears. "There's something about me that I can't hide. What is it? If you don't t

hold her tongue. Some day perhaps, if you are good, I will show you how the trick is done. But not yet. I want to have something to bargain with when

way from feeling triumphant. No, thank you, Mrs. Cary, I have had my b

this morning," he said. "They all thought, and think still, that I was a messenger from the Malplaquet, which, by the way, is well down the river safe and sound. Just wait a minute." He walked into a corner of the room, moved his hands quickly between his side pockets and his face, and then returned. Except for the dark hair and moustache and the brown skin, he had become the Dawson of t

ttle curious as any woman I have met, and we will leave her at that if you don't mind. The best thing about our women is that they don't care tuppence about naval and military details. If they did, and once started prying with that keen scent and indomit

rt. He tended to

o revert to one big female creature, le

private of Marines has the ordering about of two officers. But Dawson is Dawson; no common man. They did as I told them, and were glad to do it. I had extra light bulbs put on all over the lower decks and every dark corner lit up-except one. Just one. And this one was where the four gun-cables ran out of the switch-room and lay alongside one another before they branched off to the fore and after turrets and to the port and starboard side batteries. That was the most likely spot which any one wanting to cut the gun-wires would mark

in dryly. "When they are wrong they mislead y

Shut up, Copplest

put through tests which would have shown up at once any wires that had been tampered with. After the shore party had cleared out about nine o'clock on the Thursday, no officer or man was allowed to leave the ship without a special permit from the Commander. This was all dead against the sanitary regulations of the harbour, but I had the Admi

hore party had all gone, how was it that

eyes in the ship. Of all the simple-minded, unsuspicious beggars in the world, give me a pack of naval ratings! I wouldn't have one of them for sentries-that is why the fifty

food, for twenty-six hours. Two Marine sentries took my place whenever I was away. I had my rifle and bayonet, and stood back in a corner of a bulkhead where I couldn't be seen. The hours were awful long; I stood wi

done," I said. "What you fee

Navy cap and overalls stopped just opposite my dark hole between two bulkheads. His face was turned from me, as he looked carefully up and down the lighted way. He stood there quite still for some seconds, and then stepped backwards towards me. I could see him plain against the light beyond. He listened for another minute or so, and, satisfied that no one was near, spun on his heels, whipped a tool from his dungaree overalls, and reached up to the wires which ran under the deck beams overhead. In spite of my aching joints and sore feet I was out in a flash and had my bayonet up against his chest. He didn't move till my point was through his clothes and into h

d with his knife, though the cigar was drawing perfectly well, an

eyes answered with a last flash; then they faded right out and he fell flat on the steel deck. He had died on his feet; his will kept him upright to the end; that was a Man. He lived a Man's life, doing what he thought his duty, and he died a Man's death.... I blew my whistle twice; up clattered a Sergeant with the Marine Guard and stopped where that figure on the deck barred their way. 'Get a stretcher,' I said, 'and send for the doctor. But it won't be any use. The man's dead.' The Sergeant asked sharply for my report, and sent off a couple of men for a stretcher. 'Excuse me, Sergeant,' I said, in my best detective officer voice, 'I will report direct to your Major and the Commander. I am C

ehayne," said I calmly-a

wonderful intuition; but he didn't, not a scrap. Even Cary was at first disappointing, though he w

the orders of his superiors as we all have to do. He gave his life, and it was for his country's servi

at Dawson, who was brooding in his chair with his thoughts far away. He was still seeing tho

ht seem. Then when Dawson told us that he had sent Trehayne into the Antigone and that he was the one factor common to both vessels-the workmen and the maintenance part were all different-I began to feel that my wild theory might have something in it. I didn't say anything to you, Cary, or to Dawson-he despises theories. Afterwards Trehayne came in and I spoke to him, and he to me, in French. He did not utter a dozen words altogether, but I was absolutely certain that his French had not been learned at an English public school and during

en I had quite finished, and was basking in the respectful admiration em

e. "But answer one qu

to the

it was to make sure that the sh

ad not been with me a month before I was watching him as closely as any cat. I hadn't been a Marine and served ashore and afloat without knowing a born gentleman when I see one, and knowing, too, the naval stamp. Trehayne was too much of a gentleman to have become a workman in the Vernon and at Greenock without some very good reason. He said that he was an orphan-yes; he said his parents left him penniless, and he had to earn his living the best way he could-yes. Quite good reasons, but they didn't convince me. I was certain

o the far side of the room. I had never till that moment complete

Cary's box, and sat down. "You see, I have a letter from him. I f

oy. He was an enemy officer on Secret Service; there is no dishonour in that. If he were alive, I could

ocket, and handed it to me. "R

TER

YNE'S

rained engineer. There was no trace in the script of nervousness or of hesitation. He had carried out his Orders, he saw clearly that the path which he had trod was leading him to the end of his journey, but he made no complaint. He was a Latin, and to the last possessed that loftiness of spirit wedded to sombre fatalism which is the heritage of the Latins. He was at war with his kindred of Italy and France, and with the English among whom

eagerly, waiting for

could not see it. He could not wholly conceal his emotion, but he would not l

*

ector William

I

self out to be. I have been useful to you. I have eaten your salt, and have served you as faithfully as was consistent with the supreme Orders by which I direct my action. With you I have run down and captured German agents, wretched lumps of dirt, whom I loathe as much as you do. Those who have sworn fidelity to this fair country of England, and have accepted of her citizenship-things which I have never done-and then in fancied security have spied upon their adopted Mother, I loathe and spit upon. I have taken the police oath of obedience to my superiors, and I have kept it, but I have never sworn allegiance to His Majesty your King, whom I pray that God may preserve though

*

e Holy See of the dominions bestowed upon it by God, we have no part or lot. Yet when I have met Italian officers, and those too of France, as I have frequently done during my cruises afloat, I have felt with them a harmony of spirit which I

*

I know that language well, of course, but it is not my mother tongue. Italian or French, and afterwards English-I speak and write all three equally well; which of the thre

at county which is the home and breeding-ground of your most splendid Navy. I was born again, a young Elizabethan Englishman. My story to you of my origin was true in one particular-I really was educated at Blundell's School at Tiverton. Whenever-and it has happened more than once-I have met as Trehayne old schoo

*

hink that your Navy holds those of a foreign naval service as more nearly of kin to themselves than civilians of their own blood. The bond of a common profession is more close than the bond of a common nationality. I do not doubt that my father sent much information to our Embassy in London-it was what he was employed to do-but I am sure that he did not basely betray the wonderful confidence of his hosts. Our countries were at peace. My father is no Prussian; he is a chivalrous gentleman. I am sure that he did not send more than his English naval friends were content at the time tha

as gazetted as a sub-lieutenant in the engineering branch of the Austrian Navy. My next two years were spent afloat. Although I did not know it, I had already been marked out by my superiors for the Secret Ser

anhood, I was seconded for service here, and

*

ed. It seemed to me that to our party of three had been added a fourth, the spirit of Trehayne, and that he anxiously waited there yonder in the shad

*

ocialist meetings-I, a member of one of the oldest families in Trieste. Though a Catholic, I bent my knee in the English Church, and this was not difficult, for I had always attended service in the chapel at Blundell's. To you, my friend, I can say this, for you are of some strange sect which consigns to the lowest Hell both Ca

g ignoble in my love, for she was a queen among women, but in myself for permitting the hot blood of youth to blind my eyes to the duty claimed of me by my country. When war became imminent, I was not recalled, as I had hoped to be, since I wished to fight afloat as became my rank and family. I was ordered to take such steps as most effectively aided me to observe the English plans and preparations, and to report when possible to Vienna. In other words, I was ordered to act in your midst as a special intelligence officer-what you would call a Spy. It was an honourable and dangerous service which I had no choice but to accept. My dreams of love had gone to wreck. I could have deceived the woman whom I loved, for she would have trusted me and believed any story of me that I had chosen to tell. But could I, an officer, a gentleman by birth and I hope by practice, a secret enemy of England and a spy upon her in the hour of her sorest trial, could I remain the lover of an English girl without telling her fully and frankly exactly what I was? Could I have committed this frightful treason to love and remained other than an object of scorn and loathing

*

relation of the sun, maybe, but not the godlike creature himself. For six months, in this cold desolate spot, among a people strangely unlike the English of Devon, though they are of kindred race, I laboured for six months in the Torpedo Factory. I lived meanly in one room, for my Austrian pay and allowance had stopped when War cut the channels of communication. I cou

pon me, and I was forced to accept a position which I could never by any scheming have achieved. Those whom the gods seek to destroy, they first drive mad-you are a very trustful unsuspicious folk, all except you to whom I write. But even you did not, I am sure, suspect m

and I have been taught at school in England always to play the game. Though I wore the uniform of the R.N.V.R., it was as a disguise and cloak of my police office; I was never attested. I have never, never, never sworn allegiance

unning low. What I shall do when they are exhausted I cannot tell. Perhaps, who knows, they will last my time. As for the rest, that packet of Treasury Notes which has been my police pay, unexpended, will you take it, my friend, and pay it to the fund for

*

moral scruple. He must, I think, have read the letter many times before he had handed it to me. Cary looked troubled and uneas

*

ith your Mr. Churchill to Antwerp, and was interned in Holland, was a friend of mine at Greenock, well known to me, I wrote to him constantly, though he never received and was never meant to receive my letters. They were all addressed to the care of a house in Haarlem where lived one of our Austrian agents who was placed under my orders. All letters addressed by me to my friend were received by him and forwarded post haste to Vienna. Do you grasp the simplicity and subtlety of the device? My friend was on the lists of those interned in Holland, no one here knew where he lodged, the address used by me was as probable as any other; what more natural and commendable than that I should write to cheer him up a bit in exile, and that I should send him books and illustrated magazines? If it had been noticed by the postal authorities in Holland that my friend did not live at the address which I used, it would have been supposed that I had made a mistake, and no suspicion would have been attracted to me. But how did my letters, books, and magazines containing information, the most secret and urgent, pass through the ce

sky appeared the orders which I had expected. I read what was written, and I have not suffered greater pain-no, not upon that day when I fled from Portsmouth without a word of good-bye to the woman who possessed my heart. For I learned then that my country, the proud, clean-fighting Austria, had given up its soul into the keeping of the filthy Prussian assassins. I was directed to damage or delay every warship upon which I worked, to employ any means, to blow up unsuspecting English seamen-not in the hot blood of battle, but secretly as an assassin. A step in rank was promised for every battleship destroyed. Had these foul Orders admitted of no loophole through which my honour might with difficul

board the Antigone. She was closely watched, the task was very difficult, and dangerous; I was within the fracti

d. She was my last chance as she was your own. But what to me were risks? I had lost my love, and my country

*

ut be sure of this-if we meet in the Malplaquet, the fowler and the bird, it will be for the last time. You may catch me, but you will not take me. For a long time past I have provided against just such an outcome as this. Upon my uniform tunics, upon my overalls, I have fixed buttons, hollowed out, each of which contains enough of cyanide of potassium to kill three men. If I were court-martialle

e honour

edient

TRE

*

ehayne still seemed to be waiting. I thought for a few minutes, and then rose to my feet. "He was an officer on secret servi

" said

the locket and the ring, and I will write a

id not withhold from an erring son the beautiful consolation of her ritual. Cary and I openly attended the funeral. Dawson was officially in bed, suffering from his much-desir

RT

ME G

PTE

AN AND

sport. He trumpets his successes, but he never speaks of his failures-he buries them so deeply that he forgets them himself. He veils his plans, movements, and personal appearance in a fog of mystery. None, not even his closest associates, know what he would be at until a job is completely finished, and finished successfully. Thus when he s

tar role. Dawson himself foolishly introduced me to her nearly two years later; he did not anticipate that we should become friendly, confidential, that we should discuss him and his little ways over cups of tea, made the sweeter by the clandestine nature of our frequent meetings. He had not allowed for the fascinations of t

*

ll assistance in your power. She is one of my team." That was all, but my curiosity was piqued. I had heard much of Dawson's team of feminine assistants-rudely called by rivals his "harem"-and I was eager to meet one of them. I ordered Madame Gilb

. From the feathers of her black picture hat to the tips of her black velvety shoes she was French-clad, the French of Paris, and wore her clothes like a Frenchwoman. She was dressed-bien habillee, bien gantee, bien coiffee. Her hair was red copper, her skin-the "glad neck" of her dress showed a lot of it-had the colour and bloom, the cream and roses, of Devon. Her eyes were very large and of a deep violet A

y uncontrolled will. "Madame," said I shamelessly, "as you are strong be merciful; let me off as lightly as you can." She laughed, and eyed me with interes

I fear, but what you may ask befor

her more than three secrets which I was pledged never to rev

k the terrible delightful siren, say "no" to her once, and you will be saved! She entered, and though my knees shuddered as I rose to greet her, my mien was bold and warlike. She warmly squeezed my hand, and I returned the attention with empressement. For a few minut

sible for me to accede to your wishes." It was done, and I br

of a deeply disappointed child. "Oh, Mr. Copplestone,

f my faithful chair and held to

uch a question. You really sho

d glittered with a moisture which was not of tears, and she lau

much you would stan

her as much as ever, but she was no longer the all-devouring siren. I could say

of tea so as to wash from your mouth th

d Madame Gilb

where we could drink tea and nibble cakes, and talk without bei

have asked me many questions," I said. "May I ask one of you? Wha

the countries which had been privileged to play a part in her origin and education. "My father was a Swede-one; my mother was an Irishwoman-two. I was born at Cork in Ireland, but remember nothing about it, for my father died w

"to sentimentalise over the fringes of the United

ough I went to a convent school there. I speak French rather

ou first came to me your accent was distinctly foreign, French or Italian. I am afraid that you are a wicked

most effective,"

ic, my husband's faith, but for my mother's Protestant-Irish prejudices. She was of the Irish Ch

most as complicated

mother died. I had a little money, I was known to the Embassy in Paris as one who could pass indifferently as English, or French, or Italian. I wanted to strike a blow for all my countries, a

with knitted brows; "I am n

ct. My Swedish father doesn't count, as I never adopted Sweden when I came of age. My domicile before marriage was France,

many agreeable tea-d

nd I took

ought her out untarnished. She has played her part gallantly, serenely, in the service of the Alliance; I should be a poor creature if I judged her by British provincial standards. Among other stories she told me the tale which I will repeat to the reader. Here and there

*

orthern shipyards-and Madame Gilbert sat opposite to him in an attitude deliberately provocative. She sat back in a comfortable chair facing the light, her legs were crossed, and she displayed a great deal more of bea

, and for us to lose. I am convinced-and G.H.Q. agrees-that there are many officers, especially in the French and Belgian armies, who were planted there years before the war for the precise purpose to which they are now put. Even in our own Army, which is expanding so rapidly, the same thing is possible, even probable. An infantry officer spy can do little-he knows nothing of the Staff plans, and cannot get into communication with the enemy at all readily, without arousing suspicion. I went into the whole thing at the Front, and I put my finger, as I always do, upon the danger spot-the Flying Corps. Those who fly constantly over our own and the enemy's lines have comp

for an instant, and flashed at Dawson wit

you have said, word f

rt co

lecting and conveying information, one flying spy would be worth a hundred spies on foot. For them to perceive is to act. I therefore conclude positively that they have agents in the flying squadrons of France and Belgium, and possibly even in our own. So I told the C. in C., and he agreed with me. He was good enough to say that he would never have

sweet," said M

, swelled out his chest and felt hims

hen war broke out, lots still remain. If you only knew how many we laid by the heels and keep shut up without any trial, or nonsense of that sort, you would be surprised. It is only since the Defence of the Realm Act was passed that England has become a free country. We keep a drag-net going continually, we have hundreds of agents in all sus

mother was Irish, I was educated in France from the age of three to eighteen, I married an Italian. Brusse

ow. Entertain him, fascinate him, let him entertain you; fool him as you would fool me if I let you; worm out his secrets, if he has any. If you get upon a promising track, go strong; let the man make love to yo

ntract," murmured M

ough them pretty quickly. Most of them will be the genuine article upon whom you need not waste much

y, "that you do not expect

s without a flicker. "Bless my immortal soul," he muttered, "she is getting at me again." Then aloud

men in my time, Mr. Dawson, but I have n

n," Madame Gilbert went on, after a thoughtf

e French or Belgian flying officers, who from time to time visit London, there are any whose connections and movements will repay close watching here and at the Front. Sift them out. When you get upon a track which seem

rly, "and I will not be-too squeamish

ng and speaking in savage disrespect of Dawson, his immediate chief. "This English Dawson, with whom it is my misfortune to work, is of all men the most impossible. He is clever, as the Devil, but secretive-my faith! He tells me nothing. He lives in disguise of body and mind. There are twenty m

e language. "With pleasure, in the way of business. I have been place

t you can pass as a French officer or a

for the Flying Corps, served in it at the outbreak of war, but was invalided after that confounded accident which spoilt my nerve. I fell two hundred feet into the sea, and passed thirty hours in the bitter water before a destroyer picked me up. Thirty hours, my friend. My nerve went, and I was besides crippled by rheumatism of the heart. Then I was for a few

most reconcile me to that detestable Dawson, but not quite. He is of the provincial English, what you call a Nonconformist-bah! He is clever, but bourgeois. He grates upon me; for I, his subordina

ry loyal subordinate," obs

l France and come here to this foggy London to aid this flat-footed homme de bout, Dawson, in his researches. Yet he tells me nothing. He disguises

it. What is now the game that you want to play off on

d within the Flying Corps of us, the Belgians, and the English are observers in the pay of Germany. It is an idea most splendid. For if it is true, what greater opportunity could be given to any spies! To fly over our lines, to learn of everything, and then to convey the news to the enemy by way of the air! If he had told me of this most perspicuous of theories, I would have aided him with all

he old times of the D

lis

f cet homme tres sale, Dawson. I do not know his plans. They will be shrewd, but without imagination, without flair. He will watch, with his eyes of a cat, the French and Belgian flying

m of women-his harem, as it is call

and the so protruding teeth! Who would

have as many pretty women in

le, are possible. But they conceal themselves most assidu

ate as regards our women. But I don

orward and spoke s

te-women who appear to be French and yet are not French. I will speak to the Chief, not to Dawson, but to the Great Chief of us all. You shall be dressed in the tenue of a French flying officer; you shall avoid French or Belgian officers who might ask questions the most embarrassing. You shall make the acquaintance of women who appear to be French, yet who are not French. Grip on to these, my friend, ente

this speech for, though French in educa

sounds mean and grubby, ugh! Not qui

re in the most delicious of proportions. And you call my offer mean and grubby, meprisable et crotte! I do not ask you to consort with those of the demi-monde. The women who are of most danger to our countries are not court

ontempt with which he e

's l

y, vainly perhaps, to be a gentleman. It seems to me a dirty bus

cret Service. Content yourself. Think always that it is for la belle France or for le bel Angleterre, for la grande Alliance. You have qualifications unusual; you are young, handsome, an

to work off on the old man. Since you command, I will obey. I

to begin a war, and yet when you fight you are, of all people, the most unwilling to stop. When we French and the Russians yonder have supped of this war to the dregs, you English will just have begun to find your appetites. Stop? you will cry.

st; I cannot say

PTE

SSIVE FR

meet with any French or Belgian flying officers who seemed likely to be German agents, and Captain Rust failed to discover a siren who appeared to be French and yet was not French, and who aroused any plausible suspicion that she dwelt in the central web of German intrigue. Madame began to think that for once the impeccable Dawson had despatched her upon a wild goose chase, and Rust became convinced that Froissart's vivid longing to score off the detested Dawson had misled him in the selection of the means to bring about this much-desired consummation. They told me little of these wanderings, but when I asked for details of their first meeting, the one wi

n to fill up, but none ventured to approach any one of three empty places at Madame's table. She was, as usual, perfectly dressed-though she assures me that her clothes cost next to nothing. "It is the wearing of them, my friend,

king for a table, but could not find one that was empty. She waited until he paused not far from her, and then, sweeping her eyes slowly over the crowded tables, brought them to rest upon his face. He was quite an attractive-looking young man. There was an appeal in his dark eyes as they met hers; he was imploring her of her gracious kindness to per

itting down at once,"

ish with my four place

accurate English, and

en

ting himself opposite t

is of my country

cond mother-tongue. "I am of Paris. If you had not been French I should

not to be hurried; there was plenty of time, and one did not often have the happiness to meet a French officer in this dreary London. She enveloped him in her meshes of kindliness, and he responded by thinking to himself that she was the loveliest, most friendly creature whom he had ever met. Madame knows a great deal more of military details than most male civilians, but when she talk

Madame was all eager attention-what did she know of the marques of aeroplane engines!-"It was a day of rotten luck for me. I spotted nothing, and late in the afternoon my engine began to overheat and miss fire. I did my utmost to struggle towards Do--, Dunkirk, but the beastly thing gave out altogether, and down I dropped into the sea. I had an ordinary land plane without floats, and was obliged to cut myself clear and keep up as best I could with my air belt. It was

" she explained long afterwards, "as if there was still life in his poor

you will again fly fo

permit me to fly again-for France.... And you, madame, who ar

for France-at Le Grand Couronne. That was eight months ago, and I am still inconsolable. I love to meet the brother officers of my dear lost husband. He was killed by a shell, close beside his general, and I do not eve

houghts of that unknown grave upon Le Grand Couronne!-and bega

will grieve for me

am old, made old by illness and sorrow." She was a picture of g

I am called," stammered he, "Captain Rouille." It was the best that he could

tle while the steel of your courage will shine bright once more. I am Madame Gilbert; my husband was of the Territorial Army-a Captain also." She had thought to have made him a

one hope, madame, to meet you again. Your kindness ha

n come here to drink the English tea

iously. "It is possible," re

*

ashamed of yourself. To deceive an invalided flying officer with your tale of the Captain of T

ve which fetched him,"

y could you not have

a French officer would have done? Why again should he hesitate over his name, and then give so impossible a one as Rouille? No, I had discerned plainly that M. le Capitaine Rouille, whatever he might be, was not the man he pretended that he was. He spoke French perfectly, but he was not in the French flying service. He was English. I recolle

"did you begin by telling lies

orm," said he, "and I

you made of it,

tain that she was not French. She spoke perfectly, but there was a little accent, a delightful accent, that told me she was Irish. That soupcon of a brogue which gives so delicate a spice to her English appears also in her French. My mother was an Irish woman, though I have never lived in Ireland. You know that all the Irish, especially those of America or of France, are watched most

h, from what I learn, you somew

*

and paid-to exercise in the defence of their countries. It may be conceded that one of them was more or less honest. Rust, I am convinced, had persuaded himself-he has no marked ability or attractions of any kind that I can discern-that his duty impelled him to watch Madame with exceeding closeness of attention. That his strong inclinations marched with his duty may be allowed him as a privilege; the plea of duty was not, I believe, merely an excuse. But what can one say in defence of Madame, one who has stored within her little copper-covered h

a French officer, opened the door and handed her out. It was, of course, Captain Rust, who had waited palpitating upon the curb for some

wholly convincing. Madame, who knew France and the French Army up and down, became more thoughtful and more puzzled. It was plain that Rust had really served in the ranks of the Army, and had been at St. Cyr. Yet he was an Englishman and an officer of the English Flying Corps! She asked further questions, innocent, flattering questions, seeking to discover what had happened to him after his course at St. Cyr. He did his best, but he was of inconsiderable agility of mind and deficient in imagination. He had been, he

uestion in the most natural, sympathetic way. It was a facer for Rust, who regretted that he had been so communicative at that first meeting "I was lent to the Naval Wing," he explained, and avoided to particularise

itous practice amongst the friendless poor. A most noble parent! Her mother, too, a saint and angel, had gone aloft shortly after seeing her daughter, Madame, happily married to a maker of caloriferes (anthracite stoves). "I am unworthy of those so noble parents," wailed Madame in broken tones. It was not until they were about to separate that Madame Gilbert herself threw him a bone of truth designed to test his appetite for curiosity. "I m

ert, "to give yourself away so completely? He migh

him, attended theatres, traversed in motors your pleasant countryside, flirted, until I had become a very old woman, and there would have been nothing to show for all my exertions. I remembered the instructions of Mr. Dawson, I recalled to myself my duty, I was compelled to discover who and what was this

*

adame and which had become the inseparable and ostentatious "gooseberry" at their meetings. Madame declared that it was stuffed with papers the most secret. "The English Government would be desolated if they passed for one moment out of my hands." This despatch-case played parts quite human. It was perpetually provocative of Rust's curiosity, and a reminder that the agreeable pastime of making love to Madame was not an end in itself, but a mean

e, as a direct hint that she was willing to pass three days in a seaside hotel with a young man! Mais, non. Ce serait une betise incroyable! I can imagine her hints, increasing in strength as she beat against the obtuse heaviness of Rust's int

roke into a proposal delivered with many hesitations and many apologies. Why should not they travel to Brighton on the Friday evening and draw solace for their weary souls from a Saturday, Sunday, and possibly Monday, at Brighton? Madame became a frozen statue of offended womanhood! What, mon Dieu, had she done that he should conceive her to be a light woman? She, the never-to-be-comforted widow of the incomparably gallant hero of anthracite stoves and le Grand Couronne. She had been too unsuspicious, too trustful; their pleasant acquaintance must end upon the instant; the too-gross insult which he had put upon her could never be pardoned. Rust was borne away and overwhelmed in the flow of her sad reproaches. Abjectly he grovelled: He regard the ineffable Madame Guilbert as a light woman! Perish the thought! He, to whom she had been an angel of kindness and discretion! He cast a slur upon the shining brightness of her reputation! Rust had never in his life been so eloquent. Madame listened with satisfaction. She might in time, after long years, forgive him, but not yet. The insult, however unintended, was too

most of this touching scene, but, knowing Madame a

PTE

BRI

ared within her own appartement when his cab drove up to the doors. Rust then booked his room, one upon the second floor. He took that which was offered, and did not observe that Madame's room was also au seconde. But he did notice-he could not help it-that the imposing lady in charge of the hotel office was French. "Ah, monsieur le capitaine," said she, beaming caresses u

e that both the rooms, yours and Rust's, were upon the second floor. Is it in this way, you s

rman thoroughness, I shall prepare a numbered and annotated catalogue of Madame Gilbert's looks and tones. Though it cannot teach her s

d Madame, "for the allotm

netrate the unfathomable duplicity of woman. But I am convinced that had you wished it, you

most affecting one, conducted in voluble French in the full blaze of publicity in a crowded hotel lounge. The English audience was impressed and honestly sympathetic; our insular reserve has been melted in the fires of war. "It is a French lady, poor thing, who has lost her husband," they whispered, the one to another, "and that handsome fellow in ordinary evening-dress is her man's brother officer, who was with him at the last, and who brought the sad news to her. How sweet she looks, and how tenderly sympathetic he is!" The eyes of the men had already been drawn to Madame's royal beauty and those of the

brushed out the long, rich, copper hair the two chattered unceasingly of France and the Army of steel-hearted poilus which held the frontiers of civilisation away yonder in Picardy, Artois, Champagne, and the Vosges. Marie herself had a man out there of whose welfare she had heard nothing since the war began. She had

agon of virtue in defence of her honour. "I gave my heart," said she to me quite seriously, "to the Signor Guilberti, one far, far different from le mari imaginaire of le Grand Couronne. Until, if ever, I give my heart again no man shall possess me. I play, I kiss, I philander-as you call it-but what are these trifles? Des bagatelles, rien de

uperior that she could make him believe or disbelieve precisely as she chose. She made him think that she had come to Brighton for companionship, and as a proof of her kindly forgive

have tried to grab the despatch-case and ravish its secrets. But he would not have done what he did, at the risk of compromising the bloom of her so precious reputation, if she had not delibera

rencontre in the lounge had sped to his ears; he had wept copiously before his sympathetic staff, and declared that the bereaved widow and the so gallant captain should lack for nothing in his hotel. "If

Had they embraced in public, and wept many times a day upon one another's necks, the staff-half of which was French-would have deemed the exhibition most seemly and fitting, and the English, though embarrassed, w

th frank, steady eyes, commented thus upon the attitude of le patron and his assistants towards them. "They wrapped us about

er eyes she had added the devastating "Tank"-her despatch-case. She worked its mysteries unceasingly. When it was not under her own hand it reposed-during meal times, for example-in the steel safe of le patron. All except one

-place seemed too delicate a spot to be used as a general store. Madame frowned at the allusion

uced him nearly to tears, and then, in kindly consolation, permitted him to hold her hand. Both as a pret

ght. Under my pillow, mon ami." She dwelt upon that pillow, and raised in the mind of Rust a charming vision of a white lace-edged surface upon which was spread out a lovely disorder of red copper hair. She so worked upon him that his emotions and his duties became inextricably mixed. Somehow he must secure that paper and solve the baffling problem of the wonderful widow who appeared to be French, and yet was not French. His brain by itself could not have conceived of a means, but Madame assisted to stimulate its imagination as she had done the beating of his heart. "It was wrong of you, mon ami" she said, in gentle reproof, "to select a room upon the same floor as mine, it was a proceeding bold and not a little indelicate, which might have compromised my precious reputation had I not been secure in

elf-and she deeply enjoys the blatant crudity of cinematic drama. "It is so entirely unlike life that it transports one to another world," says she. "Here in this strange visionary world of the pictures one lives in a maelstrom of emotions. Boys and girls meet, embrace, and marry all within the space of a few minutes upon the screen and of an hour or two of dramatic action. Children are conceived and born by some lightning process which it woul

emas will always be most popular-however dull may be the pictures-so long as boys an

not love one ano

ng, but we made ourselves int

ine Guilbert? But to be burned, helpless, while rescue was cut off from me by a locked door! I shrink from so terrible a fate." Subtlety, she had discovered, was thrown away upon the obtuseness of Rust. She was compelled to be brutally plain, and so she drove into his thick head the tempting fact that nothing interposed during the hours of darkness between his eager hands and the paper which she had taught him to covet. If she awoke and mistook his motives-if she thought that he had ventured into her room with designs upon her honour-Rust felt sure that her kind heart would forgive

er in a quiet corner. Other guests were in the garden, but it had become tacitly agreed among them that Madame and Rust-the "dear French things"-should be permitted to console one another in seclusion. No one could perceive that the black-sleeved arm of Rust had found a happy resting-place around Madame's black-covered waist, or that her glowing head was not far from his shoulder. Her Paris evening frock was cut low, though never by the fraction of an inch would

did she seem to suspect his intentions. But her right arm lifted slowly up, she gently grasped his hand in hers, pressed it kindly for a moment, and then, still holding it, removed his arm from her shoulder to her waist. "Your coat sleeve scratches my shoulder," she murmured. Rust, who had instantly released the paper when Madame took his hand, never again got an opportunity of touching it, for she kept her arm pressed over his during the whole time that they sat together.

athsome details,

gh it was approaching midnight the faithful Marie was waiting to assist her toilet. "Ah, madame," sighed Marie in her frank Parisienne fashio

ff upon that wearisome old story about the blown-up Territorial bore of le Grand Couronne. Fidelity to the scattered corpse of a husband-un mari assommant, mon Dieu, pas

, Marie," said Madame, as she dismissed the

nd the light switch were close to her hand upon the bedside table, and snuggled down contentedl

tity, but he shivered at the prospect of her wrath should she awake and catch him in the act. "She would have thought the worst of me, and, like you, Copplestone, I cherish her beautiful friendship as

over her, and his fingers felt for the pillow. They touched her hair, and she knew that the moment for action had come. Out stretched her arm, holding the pistol well clear of his body, for she was loath to hurt him, and a sharp report within a couple of feet of his side frightened Rust more thoroughly than had the hottest of "crumps" in Flanders. He sprang away, and darted for the door; but in an instant the lights went up, and a loud, commanding voice-utterly unlike Madame's soft musical social tones-called

Upon my dressing-table behind you is a small vase supporting a rose. I will cut off its stem," She quickly moved the pistol, and fired. "You may turn round." He obeyed

ejection, and resumed. "I have rung the bell, and in a moment there will be a mos

, but why it had been set he could not guess. Who was this calmly capable, straight-shooting widow who, with the copper hair fall

tron himself. They clustered in a group by the door. "I think," said Madame serenely, "that we have enough. Marie, the house is full; shut the door and lock it." The order was obeyed. "Now," went on the commanding voice from the bed, using French for the effective shutting ou

had suggested-brought the silk dressing-gown and robed Madame, who skipped out of bed for the purpose. Then the fair juge d'ins

n French, "please tell these oth

ther and sniggered. The patron lifted up his hands in amazement. Mon Di

her French audience, condescended to explain. "I am sure," she said, "that Cap

oaned the patron. "C'est incroy

I have dared to think of such a thing. Madame Gilbert is a lady of th

pistol, this scene so public! They are lovers, beyond doubt, yet they spring upon my hotel thi

r bed, and held it up. "Was

st, "for that

of a bewildered chorus, "Why should not madame have given it to

d you w

fession of your love?" Madame missed not a word which dribbled from the lips of the poor, puzzled patron,

nt it?" repeate

said that it contained the

secrets which concern th

ind upon the lips of lovers? By now they should, had they not b

wit to invent a plausible story, and to such men there is only

ecause I am a member o

; the patron raised his clenched hands, and roared like a furious beast. Rust, a brave man, shrank for a long, startled moment. His flesh quivered,

ret Service

! Madame, raise your pistol; shoot-shoot instantly for the honour of France!" The man, a fat, comfort

le series of incidents during her commerce with Rust; she penetrated to the h

ve injustice for which you must pray his forgiveness sur le champ. He is a soldier of France, and of our noble Allies, the En

of expression. Rust, who began to grasp something of the truth, also broke into a laugh, and the amusement of the principals brought instant conviction to the audience. The repentance of those who had thirsted for Rust's blood a moment since

d the brave captain, their mistakes and misunderstandings removed, are again lovers of the fondest. Let us go, my

ench which had been spoken. They explained the scene satisfactorily to themselves by the one word, "Fr

aptain away and lock him into his room or my reputation is gone for ever. T

reposterous closing of the scene,

*

surely for Rust. In the eyes of the little world of the hotel nothing had been changed. They retained

ollowed naturally. You were such an one as I looked for, and I was of the kind pictured by the imaginative Froissart. It has all been most amusing, especially when one reflects that t

that you will refuse to be my guest. All I ask is that you do

e will leave Dawson and Froissart to sort out the responsibility for the whole comedy. It has been a most pleasing experience. Never shall I forget that scene of last night a

limit," muttered R

by him was not the most natural and decorous for us. I am still sore with ex

and helper. He saw her not only as a beautiful and most compelling fascinator, before whom he had grovelled, but as a big-brained and big-souled friend. "She is the only woman whom

efore. As they sat together upon the cliffs towards Rottingdean, he slipped his arm about her waist. Gently, but very decidedly,

ch Madame has recorded of him. There is hope that Rust

, but handsomely conceded that she had carried out her duties with skill and enterprise. "The farce was not your fault," said he; "it was en

r not taking him into your confidence. I have determined to cultivate Froissart, and shall endeavour to pers

eed," said Daw

as saved the detested Dawson from the deeps of humiliation. But we have scored off him most surely. He has shown himself to be a blundering, conceited English pig, and I will

Gilbert thinks a lot of him, and would be pained

o spare the man Dawson, then I will consent, though my heart is rent in fragments. As for you, mon ami, I fear that in her hands you were not a figure o

own opinion," as

RT

IS TO

PTE

N PRE

by Trehayne's letter caused Dawson no small anxiety. He feared lest in rendering this episode I should turn the limelight upon Trehayne and leave the private of Marines in the shadows. Which is precisely what I have done. From his "sick bed" he sent me a letter explaining that his own honourable weakness of sympathy with an enemy s

ish chief. "I have genius," exclaimed Froissart, "of which the sacred dog Dawson has not a particle. I know not whence come his ideas, the most penetrative. It cannot be from son Esprit of which he has none; his brain reposes, without doubt, in his stomach. Yet, ma foi, that man whom I detest and to whom I am a colleague most loyal, is of a practical ingenuity most wonderful. Did you ever learn how he hid the great cruisers Intrepid and Terrific from the watching eyes of

after I pursued my inquiries, pumping Dawson himself-who, for some reason, did not greatly value the affair-tackling others who knew more than they were always willing to tell, even to me their

*

who had already put in force that combination of tight net and loose string which I have described, received a summons from his Chief the moment he arrived at

Dawson. "I have lots to do he

you want help, you can take Froissart, that French detective who has just been sent to us

hip. "I suppose I must toddle round and see what the little man wants t

esented a ship, and each ship was obedient to an order flashed from the big aerials overhead. Here was the Holy of Holies, the nerve ganglion of the English Navy, and here, str

on was announced, an

the country needs you; I need you. You have a great chance this day to show your quality,

ld not well say until he le

ose with me who do not talk. When there is talking to be done-well, I ca

blue uniform appeared. "Will you please tell his lordship that

ip is in his room making out the orders for the Fle

son, who stood at attention, stolid, silent, immovab

tles into his chair, it would take a bomb to lift him out. We are young and active; we must co

the room and down a passage, whence they emerged in

come to us, we have unbent our dignity and

desk upon which was piled many flimsies. It was the great Lord J

cquetot rose from his chair, showing nothing of the infirmities of age. He approached Dawson, loo

t he had in former d

f them. Once a Pongo, always a Pongo." He held out his hand, which Dawson shook diff

ed to Dawson to follow. The First Lord hovered in the ba

ck, coal, and complete with stores. To keep them outside the enemy's observation, and to avoid any risk of mines or submarines in the Irish Channel, they have been sent far out round the west coast of Ireland. Here they are; we get messages from them every hour." He indicated two pins. Just t

Dawson, deeply interested

re all out, so that they will steer a bit

of getting the news of the disaster," re

ened and his mouth drew into a stiff line. It

or the work which they have to do. After leaving England it will be a month before the Squadron, of which they are to form the chief part, will be concentrated in the South Seas. For two days at Devonport, and for four weeks while at sea, there must be the completest secrecy if our plans are to succeed. Without absolute secrecy we

rder," said Daws

order," asserted Lor

e thing must be done,"

ut, and we fail to c

e effect upon the publi

n lose their perfect,

E

faith in the Navy,"

e thing," said

I don't see at present how the arrival, docking, and sailing of the battle-cruisers

kyard hands will know that they are there. We will haul them out also in the middle of the night, and they will be clear away by daybreak, forty-eight hours after arrival. Coal and other stores are on the spo

away from his post without our knowing and shadowing him. It is not easy to get any information out of the country nowadays. The secret wireless stories are all humbug. Wireless gives itself away at once. If one wants to get news to the enemy, one has to carry it oneself, or hire some one else to carry it. Most of that which goes we allow to go f

t Lord. "You don't eve

Dawson grimly. "If I

d have my own man as y

dded kindly to Dawson, and laughed in his gri

on't be difficult to make a pretty useful guess. Here is a disaster in the South Seas-which will be published all over the country by to-morrow morning-and here are two of our fastest battle-cruisers summoned in hot haste from Scotland to be cleaned and loaded for a long voyage. Any child, let alone a longshoreman, could put the two things together. 'So the Intrepid and Terrific are off to the South Seas to biff old Fritz in the eye.' That is what

lt away like a fair mirage. "The secret will get out, our plans will fail, and MY Administration,

h to the country," put

we should do everythi

l the inherent diffic

do some ha

rd. When I want to think

nd down my dressing-room before my-" He broke off hastily, but as neither Jacquetot nor Dawson were

mind, my lords

are here for," r

s up something else conspicuous, harmless, and exciting to occupy their minds. In your politics" -turning to the First Lord with an air of simplicity-"when you've made a th

id the First L

South Seas. Everybody would say, 'What cruel luck. If the Terrific and Intrepid hadn't got blown up they would be just right and handy to send down south. As it is-' And then the German agents would somehow get the news to Holland-we would help them all we could in a quiet way-that the Intrepid and Terrific, two fast battle-cruisers, had been nearly lost, and were being patched up at Devonport. The Germans, hearing the glorious news, would hug themselves and say that now was the

ne another. The politician, with his quick House-of-Commons wits, jumped to the idea before his slower thinking expert colleague could sor

submarined-which God forbid," said Jacq

Dawson, whose eyes had begun to flash

y as the Terrific and Intrepid, should be brought into the Sound in broad day and displayed before the eyes of the curious in the Three Towns. The real ships will slip in, be docked and coaled, and slip out again. The two others, upon whom public attention has been concentrated, shall be put aground somewhere in the Sound to be salved with great and leisurely ostentation. We will keep them well away from the Hoe, and allow no one whatever to ap

tsmouth, constructed out of old cargo tramp hulls for the mystification of the enemy. They had already done duty as newly completed battleships, but with a little alteration to the canvas of their funnels, the lath and plaster of their turrets and conning towers, and the wood of their guns, they might be made into perfect likenesses-at a distance-of the Intrepid and Terrific. The ships' carpenters, he explained, could make the changes while the dummies were coming round to Plymouth. Seated at the desk of Lord Jacquetot he wrote the necessary orders in code, his Chief signed them, and they were put at once on the wires for Portsmouth. The sea-cocks, said the Fourth Lord, would be opened twenty miles from land so that the "Intrepid" might come in sadly down by the bows, and the "Terrific" with a list of twent

n truth gets over the water to Holland, and that the English truth

TER

N AND T

those high folks at the Admiralty, but they are not at all small. You have a head on y

cts of the other. Dawson, in spite of his love for the Defence of the Realm Regulations, was still sometimes unconsciously hampered by an ingrained respect for the ordinary law and the rights of civilians; Froissart, like all French detective officers, held the law

those Ministers of Marines was rash; for, unless there is the most perfect execution of your scheme and the most sleepless watching of those whom you call dockyard hands-ceux qui travaillent

em if you think that," r

inquired Froissart blandly; "for, my fait

only. If two know of it there is grave danger. If three, one might a

rs is known to one hundred, two hundred, le bon Dieu knows how many hundreds of dockyard hands,

phold the character of his countrymen in the presence of a foreig

heir patriotism, my fr

won and much be

out of my sight. I have two dozen of my own men working alongside of those dockyard hands, watching them by night and day. We know if a man dr

y straight this time with me, and tell me your plans in detail

I will tell you here and now more of my mind than I have yet shown even to the great Chief of us all. It wil

*

s of its best men the price of Admiralty. The Three Towns mourned with a grief made more bitter by the realisation that the disaster was one which never should have happened. Bad slow English ships had been sent against good fast German ships, and had been sunk with all hands without hurt to the enemy. The Three Towns know the speed and power of every fighting ship afloat, British or foreign, as you or I before the war knew the public form of ev

rely damaged. They were at that moment on their way to the Sound, crippled sorely, yet afloat. Men groaned. Two battle-cruisers blown up in the Channel; what in God's name were two battle-cruisers doing in the mine-strewn Channel when their proper place was in one of the safe eyries overlooking the North Sea? A plausible explanation was offered. The two battle-cruisers had been coming to Plymouth to take in stores that they might speed away south to avenge those other two cruisers sunk by the Germans as had been told in the morning's papers. If this were indeed true, the news was of the worst; England's prestige

hat they were drawing far too much water to be brought into the Hamoaze and over the sill of the dry dock at Devonport, so that no one felt surprise when the battle-cruisers were seen to pull out of the deep fairway and make towards the shore. The purpose was plain to read. They were to be put aground under Mount Edgcumbe, patched up, and pumped dry, and then would go into dock for repairs. It was a job of weeks, and during all that time the Fleet would be short of two battle-cruisers which might have swept the South Seas clear of the German Ensign. It was cruel luck, and the Three Towns had enough to talk of to keep them occupied for many days. Presently more news came, authentic news, and passed rapidly from mouth to mouth. The vessels were the Intrepid, the flagship of Admiral Stocky, and her sister the Terrific, a pair of fast Dreadnought cruisers. They had, as was surmised, been speeding down from Scotland to dock at Plymouth on their way to clean up the mess made in the far South. They had come safely through the Irish Sea and round the Land's End, but when near their journey's end off

*

day-forty at a time-could do all that was needed to the Intrepid and Terrific, and not one man was included who had not served at Devonport for at least ten years. Dawson had been very firm, and the Commander-in-Chief had backed him with full authority. "Don't make any mistake," said Dawson. "Among even one hundred and twenty, though picked in this way, there will be some few who would sell us if they could. One would have to go back more than t

is eyes. "My word," exclaimed he, "you must be some Marine! Come along quick to the Admiral." So Dawson went, not a little nervous-the moment his foot trod the decks of a King's ship all his assurance dropped off, his old sense of discipline flowed back over him, and an Admiral became a very mighty potentate indeed. Ashore Dawson could face up to the Lord Jacquetot himself; on board ship a two-ring lieutenant was to him a god! He followed the Commander, and was ushered into the Admiral's presence. "What!" cried Stocky, stern in manner always, but very kindly at

hout saying a word handed the letters given him by the First Lord and Jacquetot, adding his official card. The Admiral read the papers slowly and came at last to the card. Then his frowning brows softened, and he sm

w that the Admiral had recognised him. "I can't keep out of the unifo

not yet come. These letters say that you will explain the programme here, and that you have been charged with full responsibi

epid and Terrific are here safe in dock, that they will go out two days hence in the middle of the night, and dash away south to wipe Fritz's flag off the seas. We have picked the dockyard hands with the greatest care, and have them under watch like mice with cats all about them. If a single one o

urrounded by sorrowing patrols. And the Three Towns are dropping salt tears into their beer. It is a fine game, Dawson. I didn't believe much

ne your work, si

ur health down south as soon as our work has been done. For the credit will be yours rather than ours. I will help you all I can; it is my duty and my very keen desire. A man who can make

gly spend two days shut up in a smelly dock, but you may count

what the excuse. The mothers of the lower decks may all die-they always do when a ship is in port-but not a man shall le

*

and put them on their mettle to tackle their men. They will pitch it fine and strong on the honour and patriotism of complete silence, but not neglect to throw in a hint of the Defence of the Realm Act and penal servitude. Never threaten an Englishman, Froissart, but always let him know that behind your fine honourable sentiments there is something devilish nasty. Preach as loud as you can about the beauty of virtue, but don't forget to chuck in a description of the fiery Hell which await

Dawson," grumbled Froiss

n explain them to you. One sees the weak points of a scheme when one has to make it clear to a foreigner. You don't always twig my meaning, Froissart, and so

lising that Dawson could not understand his French, and that he himself could not give words to his feelings in Eng

aller, I shall get into shore rig and spend my days in the public bars. I must know what the Three Towns are talking about, and whether any suspicion of the truth gets wind. I don't think that it can; at least, for some time. The stage management has been too good. Later on there may be some wonderment because none of the men from the Intrepid and Terrific are allowed ashore. A lot of wives and families must be around here, especially as the Intrepid is a Plymouth ship. Of course it must be given out that they are all needed to help with the salvage operations, and no leave is allowed. You, Froissart, might spend your time reading copies of all telegrams s

mean-but what about the dockyard men," inquired Froissart. "Are they

neighbours to come smelling round those dockyard gates. They might see the spotting tops of the cruisers inside. Of course there is a regular forest of masts and gantries showing, and a couple of spotting tops more or less might not be noticed. But my general idea is to concentrate attention on those dear old dummies down at Picklecombe Point. They are the centre of interest, the

Chief himself, had been coming and going all day; the acting of the Navy had been perfect. Dawson blessed the four bones of old Jacquetot, who, when he tackles a job, does it very thoroughly indeed. "I should not be surprised," thought he, "if the Mountain, as that young Jackanapes called him, came trotting down here himself just to make the show complete." And sure enough he did, accompanied by the Fourth Sea Lord who had worked out all the convincing details. Dawson was ordered to meet them in the Admiral's quarters of the Intrepid. He went, looking a very different person from the private of Marines of some thirty hours earlier, and had the honour of

arked, "and not mu

he job for the love of it. There's no sport like it. Our

tory of mine in the Cornhill Magazine, whi

subject. He never w

ut. Dawson felt satisfied with himself, and was confident now that his work in the Three Towns had been well and truly done. The rest could be left to the Navy, and to his Secret Service agents. He sat down to a hearty meal, but was not destined to finish it. First came a messenger from the Officer in charge of the Dockyard, who handed over a sealed note and took a receipt for it

t of Essex. Burnham stood upon the river Crouch, which Dawson had heard of as a famous resort for motor-boats. His eyes gleamed, and he threw up

ram of which I have just had a copy. It was spotted at once at the Bureau, and the man who despatched it has been shadowed by a police office

note which he had rec

it slowly. "The sa

famous resort for motor-boats. We have not finis

PTE

IN AND

the lines I judge that my man, who knows the actual truth about the docking and sailing of the battle-cruisers, wants to reach the East Coast, whence he has means of transmitting the priceless news to Germany. Your man is of one of the Towns; he has seen the dummy cruisers ashore in the Sound; he believes them to be genuine, and he also wants to transmit the news to his paymasters in Germany, He will be an ordinary German agent. The identity of place whither both wish to go is partly a coincidence, and partly explained by its excellence as a jumping-off place for fast motor-boats

mining of the battle-cruisers has been carried to Holland. But how shall we make certain that the sleepless English Nav

hat motor-boat with the news of the great spoof shall be shepherded across most craftily, but when it comes to return will find that the way of transgressors is very hard. Get ready and be off, Froissart; we depend upon your skill and discretion. Get a good view of your man-the police will point him out-before he boards the t

"This is simple police work, which I have don

Western station. I will give you the l

o the Commander-in-Chief for despatch in code to Jacquetot. Not even to Dawson would the Admiralty entrust its private cypher. Then, as

pened the door to the Hook for the late-lamented Hagan, and escorted him across in the mail-boat. We have helped false news over to the Germans scores of times. It is grand sport. My job was something much more tri

just stopping him from going to Essex? At a wo

a fashion which I fin

e feels superior, he l

ll, but it does not always succeed in a crowded district like the Three Towns. If he had got away without me beside him, the man might have reached Essex and done there what he please

to the dockyard. "Who is this man of yours whose mother has died at so very inconvenient a mome

. He makes big wages, and carries them virtuously home to his wife. He has money in the savings bank, and holds Consols, poor chap, on which he must have wasted the good toil of years. I can't imagine any one less likely to take Ge

ast likely to arouse suspicion. How do you know that Maynard hasn't a second establishment hidden away somewhere in the Three T

, that he has no dead mother whom he wants leave to bury, and that he has sold his country for

rvice pass by the Great Western. Say how grieved you are and all the rest of the tosh. Have him up now, and

on got a full sight of him. Maynard was about thirty-five, well set up-for he had served in the Territorials-and looked what he was, a first-rate workman of the best type. Even Dawson, who trusted no one, was slightly shaken. "I have

hich in his case was quite genuine-and disappeared. Dawson jumped into the room again to take a word of far

r, with "commercial gentleman" written all over him, stepped into the same compartment and seated himself in a vacant seat opposite the bereaved workman. It was Dawson in one of his favourite roles. "There is n

d became, not, perhaps shaken in his conviction, but certainly puzzled. "He looked," he explained to me, "like a sick and sorrowful man. One who had really lost a beloved mother far away would look just like that. But so might one who had been unfaithful to a trus

that you are not such

d. Dawson

elf-satisfied, rather oily face followed by the same route. Dawson, who was famished, rejoiced to see Maynard make for the refreshment-room.

cture which he had painted to himself. The man and girl talked together for a few minutes, and then walked slowly arm in arm out of the station towards the village. Dawson picked up his police assistant and followed. He gave no explanation of the reasons for his shadowing of the man Maynard, for he was just beginning to feel uneasy. Slowly the party of four threaded through the pretty little place, bright under the pleasant autumn twilight. Maynard and the girl were in front, Dawson and his policeman followed some fifty yards behind. In a side street, at the door of a small cottage-one of a humble row-the pair of mourners stopped, opened the iron gate, and entered. Dawson waited, watching. He could see through the windows into a little parlour where some half a dozen people, all in deep black, were gathered. Presently, as if they had waited only for the arrival of Maynard-which indeed was the fact-the heavy steps of men clumping down

ys rather fearfully at his superior officer's s

snapped Dawson. "To att

*

, discharging his station duties with the precision of daily habit, had swung into the overpowering orbit of Chief Inspector Dawson, been caught up, dumped without instructions upon an unknown journey in attendance upon an unknown workman. Then when the train had stopped, he had been spewed out upon a strange country platform, led through strange mean streets, and forced with head bared to the autumn chill of evening, to attend the obsequies of a total stranger. At the end, without a word of explanation, still le

a second time. Besides, he knew nothing of the movements of Froissart and his quarry. They had not appeared within the visible horizon of Burnham-on-Crouch, though they had had ample time in which to arrive. I am afraid that his temper got the better of him, and as the night drew on, unsolaced by a word from Froissart, and un

a boisterous, triumphant Froissart, bragging of his

Holland, and the filthy spy is in the strong lock-up. My vigilance, my astuteness, my resource unfathomable, my flair, my soul of an

it!" roa

I took him with my own hands-I, le Comte de Froissart, I bemired my hands by contact with his foul carcase. The boat it flew down the river; ma foi, like a flash of the lightning, going they said thirty knots, presque cinquante kilometres par heure. The glorious Marine Anglaise will se

d the decency to reflect that his colleague Froissart might be hungry upon arrival-and fell to

y special appointment the Boswell of Dawson, yet I do not spare the feelings of my subject. Rather do I go over them with a rake-for the ultimate good of Dawson's variegated soul. He was bitterly jealous, but from natural curiosity yearne

self down beside Dawson before the fire. It was well past midnight, but to these men

t that he was under watch, but he took not risks. He began to perform a voyage designed to throw any man, except one of the vigilance and resource of Froissart, completely off his track. I was not learned in your Metropolitain before this day, but now I know your Tubes as if a map of them were printed in colours upon my hand. At Waterloo that spy, so astute, burrowed into the earth and entered a train of the railway called Bakerloo, in which he journeyed to Golder's Green. Then he crossed a quai and returned to the town called Camden. Again he descended, passed through tunnels, and emerging upon another quai proceeded to Highgate. All the while we three followed, not close, but so that he never escaped from under our eyes. At Highgate he turned about and returned to Tottenham Court Road. Thence he departed by another line to the Bank, and, rising in and ascenseur, emerged upon the pavements of your City. He looked this way and that, not perceiving us who watched, walked warily to the Lord Maire's station of the Mansion House, boarded the District Railway, and did not alight till Wimbledon. It was easy to follow, but my friend, the billets, the tickets, were une grande difficulte. I solved the p

nd the sous-lieutenant struck me violently upon the back and said, ma foi, that I was a 'downy old bird,' It was a compliment tres 'bizarre mais tres aimable. I was, it appeared, an old bird of the downiest plumage. I had noted the name of the house, and the Inspector seized a Directory. 'We have suspected that house for some time,' said he. There is a big boat-house at the bottom of the garden containing a large sea-going motor-boat. The proprietor calls himself English, but does not look like one. He is doubtless a snake, one whom they call naturalise, a viper whom we English have warmed in our bosoms.' So spake the Inspector. The Sub-Lieutenant whistled. He said only, 'Send for little Tommy; it is a job for him.' A call

n into the boat-house, and watch. When the spy and his associates went towards the boat, Tommy was to warn us with a hoot-like an owl-and we were to take charge. At least so I underst

retty little Owl! The minutes passed, perhaps five, perhaps ten, and then quite close we heard the soft low hoot of an owl. The Sub-Lieutenant hooted a reply, and from among some bushes there came out that serene, intrepid infant with the pole! He joined us, and whispered eagerly to the officer. I could not hear what he said. Afterwards the Sub-Lieutenant told me that the men had entered, three had got into the boat, one remaining on land. It was a forty-foot boat, reported Tommy-who seemed of wisdom and knowledge encyclopaedic-it had a big cabin forrard, the engine w

eckoned upon the patrol leader, the little Owl, the Hibou of a Boy Scout so deft and courageous. The spy fled, but into his path sprang the tiny figure of the Owl, his pole in rest like a lance. They met, the man and the little Owl, and the shock of that tourney aroused the echoes of the night. The man, hit in the belly by the point of the pole, collapsed upon the grass, and the Owl, driven backwards by the weight of the man, rolled over and over like un herisson. He was no longer an Owl; he was a round Hedgehog! I was consumed with admiration for the gallant Owl. I got to my feet, I jumped across the lawn, and fell with both knees hard upon the carcase so foul of the spy whom I had pursued all day.

ld be seized and escorted to Harwich. If by mischance it eluded the patrols, it would be captured when it arrived in the river Crouch. All was provided for. The false news has gone to Holland, and Froissart has done good work. I ask for no re

face, for the effort of talking so much English had bro

was not exciting. My man was no spy, and the real news abou

ami." Then occurred that deplorable incident which has already been related. Froissart in his enthusiasm embraced the unresponsive Dawson,

*

," appeared an announcement by the Admiralty that far away in the South Seas the battle-cruisers Intrepid and Terrific, under the command of Vice-Admiral Stocky, had met and sunk the lately victorious German Squadron! It was glorious news, but the Three Towns thought little at the moment of the glory. They urgently hungered for an explanation of the inscrutable means by which two battle-cruisers, mined and cast upon the shoals below Mount Edgecumbe under their very eyes, could race hot foot to the South Seas and there lay out a German squadron. As soon as the winter

RT

TAIN OF

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N REA

istics. Dawson's letters in no respect resembled the man. They were very long, very dull, and very crudely phrased. He had evidently tried to put them into what he conceived to be a literary shape, and the effect was deplorable. One may read such letters, the work of unskilled writers, in the newspapers which devote space to "Correspondence." The writers, like Dawson, can probably talk vividly an

fficial wheel had come, and he was ordered south to resume his duties at the Yard. He was, he told me, taking a last tour of inspection to make certain that the Secret Service net, which he had de

ons," I observed, "that I wonder the

d soon remind me. She always insists that she married a

to visit you, I shal

u w

will come at the ea

will see quite the same person whom you will m

t. But under any guise, Dawson,

uld give six months' pay

that you are here, talk, talk, talk. I want to get the

unveiled, wished me to publish a descriptive sonnet from his pen. I bluntly refused. He was an admirable sculptor, but a

oo free in my ways. "That woman is full of brains," said he, "but she is the artfullest hussy ever made. She will turn any man around her pretty fingers if he g

ars moulded him to her hands like potter's clay. She had mastered him by ingenuously pretending that he st

rong-like you, Daw

s to dam the unprofitable flood of narrative and to divert the current into more fruitful channels. He looks at everything from the Dawson standpoint, and cares for nothing which does not add to the glory of Dawson. Unless he fills the stage, an incident has for him no value or concern. Happily for me the most startling of his exploits, that of bending a timid War Committee of the Cabinet to his will in the winter of 1915-1916, and of bluffing into utter submission nearly a hundred thousand rampant munition workers who were eager to "down tools," fulfils

Navy and the New Army would have been hung up gasping for the ships, the guns, and the supplies upon which they had based all their plans for attack and defence. The danger arose over that still insistent problem-the "dilution of labour." The new armies had withdrawn so many skilled and unskilled workmen from the workshops, and the demands for munitions of all kinds were so overwhelming, that wholly new and strange methods of recruiting labour were urgent. Women must be employed in large numbers, in millions; machinery must be put to its full use without regard for the re

icked up with those prehensile fingers of his many of the most troublesome of the union agitators, and deported them to safe spots far distant, where they were constrained to cease from troubling. Still the danger increased, and he saw that a few days only could intervene between industrial peace and war. Already the manufacture of heavy howitzers for the Spring Offensive had been stopped-by a cunning embargo upon small essential parts-and the moment had arrived for a trial of strength

Chief Inspector of Police was in itself a portent. It revealed h

et his blow in first. I have always found that men will respect an order-they like to be governed-but they despise slop. What the devil's the use of Ministers going North and telling the men h

over the public and try to cheat it out of votes. They can't tell the truth. When hard deadly reality breaks through their web of

hall not need to use it. But I must go North with the proclamation in my pocket or I shall not go North at all. Here is my resignation." D

tarch into their soft backbones, but personally I doubt the possibility. But at least you will get your chance. There is to be a meeting of the War Committee the first thing to-morrow morning an

g risks to oneself. It will be saved by plain, honest men if it is to be saved at all. Our worst enemies are not the Germans, but our flabby-fibred political classes at home. The people are just cryi

eir sheltered lives the

more or less, and was prepared to get it or retire from official life. Those who gave to him authority gave it reluctantly-gave it because they were between the devil and the deep sea. They would gladly have thrown over Dawson, but they could not throw over the civil and military powers who supported him in his demands. And had they thrown him over they would have been left to deal by their incompetent unai

ying to devise some decent civil means to get rid of him. He and his story of the coming strike in the North were a distressful inconvenience, an intolerable intrusion upon a quiet life. When he entered, he was without a friend in

ain speaking. I would compel them to understand that what I offered was a forlorn chance of averting a civil war, and that if they refused my offer they would be left to themselves-not to stamp out a spark of revolution, but to subdue a ro

preferred to stand. His early training held, and he was not comfortable in the pr

papers, looked over them for a few

have replied that the law provides adequate remedies, but to that the retort is made that the men who are at the root of the grave troubles pending snap their fingers at the law. We are pressed to take counsel with you, though why the high officers who communicate with me should, as it were, shift their responsibilities upon the shoulders of a Chief Inspector of Scotland Yard I am at a loss to comprehend. What I would ask of my colleagues is this: who is in fact responsible for the

rs to be on the northern side of the Border, within the jurisdiction of the Secretary for Scotland. It is possible that my right honourable friend who holds that office, and whom I am pleased to see here with us, will answer the Prime Minister's ques

return to London than I revert violently to my English self. A kindly Providence has ordained that the central Scottish Office should be in London, and my urgent duties compel me to reside there permanently. Which is indeed fortunate. It is true that technically my responsibilities cover everything, or nearly every

o agreeably had come full round, and, in colloquial speech, had bi

e exercise of those duties with which he is nominally charged. For, consider my own case. Though I am the First Lord, and attend daily at the Admiralty, I am convinced that the active and accomplished young gentleman whom I had the misfort

all joined except the War Minister a

the Spring Offensive will be off. It is threatened now,

, and shifted uneasily in their chairs. He had an uncomfo

I had given up myself for lost. At one works where I made a speech the audience were armed with what I believe are called monkey wrenches, and showed an almost uncontrollable passion for launching them at my head. I was hustled and wellnigh personally assaulted. Like

s to stick his hands into the northern hornets' nest, or to admit any responsibility for it. All of us, that is, except our courageous and silent friend Mr.

for him to begin," gr

Mr. Dawson," said the P

overing courage and quick decision in the group of Ministers before him. Yet when called upon he made a last effort. If the country were

within forty-eight hours. I can stop it if I go North to-night with the full powers of the Government in my pocket, and with the means fo

e?" snapped th

in first," sai

hed in his tired eyes. "Thrice armed is he who has his quarrel just; and

erly inquired t

rld. When in West Africa one is attacked by a snake, o

sked the War Ministe

es," proudly a

t for him and for the First Lord. He recognised these two as brother fighting men. The others he waved aside as civilian t

over two hundred of them. They contain the head of the snake. Give me powers, a proc

ays prating about mar

ve given to you the am

ct and the Munitions A

I have no patience wit

ry des

rk, except the lash, and that is useless with skilled labour. No one in the North cares a rap for Acts of Parliament, but there is a mystery about martial law which carries terror into the hardest heart and the most stupid brain. I want a signed proclamation of martial law, but I undertake not to issue it unless all o

the one measure of giving full authority to Dawson and of trusting to his energy and skill. "Dawson is a

proclaim martial law and we have to

will be anyhow by Frida

needlessly fearful. Suppose that we prefe

for over a hundred years," retorted Dawson. "You wil

his pile of maps and picked up one on which was marked all the depots and t

To them khaki means their sons and brothers and friends dressed up. I want my own soldier

ighty men! You are going to stop a

less than five years' service, a couple of sergeants, and a lieutenant-a regular pukka lieutenant. Give them to me, and m

First Lord, now fully awake, sat up and stared earnestly at the detective. Those two, the chiefs of the Navy and the Army, had grasped the

ou had asked me for eight thousand, I should not have been surprised." He turned to the Prime Minister. "I

They are in his department. And if it pleases him to dress up as a temporary captai

ar Minister of Daws

s, but to show to the shop stewards. They won't believe that the Cabinet has any spun

with the War Committee, "tact is hardly your strong suit. You could not have asked more plainly to b

, "I had determined to go fighting. I was the

First Lord who, with instant decision, had taken the only means to save his new friend Dawson. He has a delightfully infectious silvery laugh, and the effect was electrical. The War Minister opened his great mouth, and bellowed Ha! Ha! Ha! The Minister of Munitions put his head do

matist, Mr. Dawson,"

e First Lord, as he wiped his eyes d

bled for a few minutes, made a few corrections, and then read out slowly the words

If you will sign that paper, my lord, I n

l Secretaries of State," observed t

if one has regard for strict historical accuracy there

ble you," said t

ed to rule," put in the Scottish Secretary plaintively. "I speak, of

r seat is not safe. No one shall sign except myself, for I have no nee

Minister blandly. "This is not a Cabinet meeting, and we h

fill up the vacant po

ame the

," murmured that high officer of State. "We are up again

ed it carefully and deliberately, and rising up, handed it

d warmly shook hands with the new captain. "You shall be gazetted at o

p your minds?" inquir

War Secretary. The

We must above all things preserve the unity of the Ca

son," whispered

clear

PTE

ON S

d across to the Yard and into the private room of his firm friend the Chief. To him he showed the potent proclamation and recounted the

Chief. "Those two, and another who is dead, saved South Africa; th

run off a couple of hundred placards. The secre

given, and Dawson's priceless proclam

nquired

am convinced that no girl wore her first ball-dress with half the palpitating pride with which Dawson surveyed himself in his captain's kit. When I chaffed him gently, and hinted that the stars of a captain were cheaply come by in these days, he had one retort alw

d him. Dawson was shown at once to the Commandant's quarters, and there explained his requirements. "Eighty men, two sergeants, and a regular lieutenant. Not o

id the Commandant, smiling, "in your profound

utenant. I know the by-ways of Chatham and the perquis

and am proud to see one of us become so great a man. By

not feel that I belonged to the old Corps in khaki. In my

tham at your disposal, though what your particular game is I have not a notion. I won't ask any quest

d at the mess, but never dined with it The old Corps is going with me to do

ave been in every scrap on la

e going to cut off a snake's head and stop a bloody revolution. They've done that s

t," growled the Commandant, "for then

-in-command yourself, sir,"

served with him in the ranks, and he could not withstand their pleadings. When all was settled, Dawson went to the Commandant's quarters to be introduced to his second-in-command, and surprised there that officer endeavouring to squeeze his rather middle-aged figure within the buttoned limits of a subaltern's tunic. Since the senior officers of Marines never go to sea, the Commandant's own official uniform was the field-service khaki of a Staff officer. "It is all right," expl

e under me, sir," c

eut.-commanders, as lots of them are doing, what is to prevent a Colonel of Marin

d eighty Marines," said

have hel

leted the reduction of his rank to that of Captain Dawson's subord

my old Sea Pongos by mixing them up with raw land Tommies." Dawson and his subaltern were moving towards the sleeping-coach in which a double berth had been assigned to them, when two tall gentlemen in civilian dress slipped out of the crowd and stood in their path. Dawson, at t

crowns," replied Dawson, as

hise. Still, if I know our friend Dawson here, there won't be any fighting. You have no idea of his skill as a diplomatist. He tel

what we are to be a

not ours, and we have given him a free hand. You won

iful row after you left us this morning. It did my poor heart good. The P.M. declares that if you put martial law into force, he will hand in his checks to t

it had not been for you and his lordship here, I should

to see you off, for I enjoyed the tussle of this morning beyond words. I would not for anything have missed the P.M.'s face

away like a couple of stage villains, with soft hats pulled down over the

porary stars; not a pukka officer and gentleman like you

night. And as they talked, the Colonel, now a Lieutenant, made the same discovery which had startled Dawson's two powerful supporters of the morning. In the police officer, rough, half-educated, vain, tender of heart, he also had disco

*

em the "employer," the "capitalist," was a greater, because more enduring and insidious, enemy than the Germans. Dilution of labour had become in their eyes a device for destroying all their hardly won privileges and restrictions, and for delivering them bound and helpless to their "capitalist oppressers." To this sorry pass had the perpetual disputes of peace brought the workmen under stress of war! Rates of pay did not enter into the dispute-never in their lives had they earned such wages-its origin led in a queer perverted sense of loyalty to the trade unions, and to those members who had gone forth to fight. "What will our folks say," asked the men of one another, "when they come home from the wa

tache who looked so very professional a soldier, yet Dawson knew them, every man of them, and had moved among them in their works many times. Ten of those present were actually his own agents, working among their fellow unionists and agitating with them-hidden sources of

willing both to fight and to work for a country which was none of theirs-"What has this country done for us that we should bleed and sweat for it? It has starved us and sweated us to make profits out of us, and now in its extremity slobbers us with fair words." At last one man rose, a thin-faced, wild-eyed man, who, under happier conditions, might have been a preacher or a writer, and delivered a speech which was rankly seditious. "The workers," he declared, "are being shackled, gagged, and robbed. Our enemy is not the German Kaiser. Our enemy consists of that small, cunning, treacherous, well-organised, and highly respectable section of the community who, by means of the money

our power is his only wealth. It is also his highest weapon. But the workers need not think of using this weapon so long as they are split and divided into sects and groups and crafts. To be effective they must organise as workers. An organi

eral strike upon the morrow was as certain as that the sun would rise. It was for this moment, this intensely critical moment, that Dawson had worked and fought i

"upon Captain Dawson. He i

about to happen. Dawson pulled down his tunic, settled himself comfortably into his Sam Browne belt, and rested his left hand upon the hilt of his sword.-It was a pretty artistic touch, the wearing of that sword, and exactly characteristic of Dawson's methods.

all were ready, Dawson gave a sharp order. Instantly forty-two rifle-butts clashed as one upon the floor, and the Marines stood at ease. At this moment the door at the far end might have been seen to open, and an officer to slip in who, though white of hair, h

eyed orders," repli

d the Colonel-Commandant of Ch

They would have cheered an irruption of kilted recruits in khaki tunics as the coming of old friends, and would have felt no more than local patriotic hostility towards a detachment of English or Irish soldiers. But these blue men of the Sea Regiment, an integral part of the great mysterious silent Navy, had no part or lot with British workmen "rightly struggling to be free." They represented some outside authority, some potent, overpowering

fter another the self-seekers and fomenters of sedition, who, while he omitted none who were really dangerous, yet included none who were honest though mistaken? As the list drew towar

." There was still some hesitation, and then those upon the proscribed list began to move forward. They would willingly have hidden themselves, had that been possible, but to be known and to be dragged out by those hard-faced Marines would have added

on the table, he drew one forth and held it up so that all might see. It was a large placard, boldly p

er militarism," cried the

ant, remove the prisoners." A sergeant stepped out, the line of Marines before the door divided, and the prisoners were led away. Dawson put the procl

an officer of police, Chief Detective Inspector Dawson of Scotland Yard." He paused to allow time for this astonishing fact to sink in. So that was why he had known the names a

me, but they will not be posted if you have the sense to see when you are beaten. What I have to ask, to require of you, is that to-morrow, at the mass meeting of the men which is to be held, you will advise them to surrender unconditionally, to work hard themselves, and to allow all others to work hard. There must be no more holding up of essential parts of guns, no more writing and talking sedition. Our country needs the whole-hearted service of us all. If you here and now give me your promise that you will use every effort-no perfunctory, but real effort-to stop at once all these threats of a strike, I will let you go now and wish you God-speed. If you fail, then Martial Law will be proclaimed forthwith. Make this very clear to the men. Tell them that you have seen the proclamation, signed by the Field-Marshal himself, and that I, Captain and Chief Inspector Dawson, will post the placards in the streets with my own hands. If you will not give me your promise-I do not ask for any hostages or security, just your

ictate terms, yet now the tables had been turned dramatically upon them. No longer masters, they were in the presence of a Force which at a word from Dawson could hale them forth as prisoners to be dealt

those who cared nothing for their country-and we feel that if you are prepared to use Martial Law and the forces of the Crown against us, that you must be very much in earnest. We feel that you would not do these terrible things unless the need were very urgent. We do not agree that the need is urgent, but if you, representing the Government, say that it is, we have no course open to us

at the hands of your own sons and brothers? Though I stand here with gold stars on my shoulders I am one of you. My father worked all his life in the dockyard at Portsmouth, and I myself as a boy have been a holder-on in a

a regard for them that their hostility melted away before him. This man, who had conquered them, was one of themselves, a "tradesman" like them, one of the Black Squad of Portsmouth, a fellow-worker. He was no tool of the hated "capitalist." If he said that they must all go back to work unconditionally, well they must go. But he was their friend, and

tell me about the mass meeting. There will be more cigarettes

e subaltern, crowded round him spouting congratulations. He soaked in their flatteries as was his habit, and then delivered a lesson upon the management of men which should be printed in letters of gold. "Men are just grown-up children," said he, "and should be treate

s meeting to-morrow?

to-morrow it will be two hundred miles away-and though the body may wriggle, it will be quite harmless. After

ain, vapouring talk, during which steam was blown off. At t

d away over the long wires to the south a

eturning the Marines carriage-paid and undamaged. My c

that you retain rank and pay until the end of the war. So do I. You have done a wonderful piece of wor

the uniform again. Once more, to my knowledge, he served in his well-beloved Corps, but it was then not as Capta

TER

EPHONES FO

ntures of the two battle-cruisers and of Dawson's encounter with the War Committee, and of his triumph over the revolting workmen of the north. I have therefore written, as it were, from hand to mouth, more as one who keeps a vagabond diary than as one who consciously plans a work of art. It is as a diary of personal experiences that this book should be regarded. It has no merit of constructive skill, for I have never known what the future would yield to me of material. When Dawson parted with me to return south to the Yard, and to his deserted family in Acacia Villas, Primrose Road, Tooting, I did not expect to see him again for months, possibly years. But a turn came to the wheel of my destiny as it had done to his. I also was plucked from my northern place of exile and transported

*

reed that the post seemed difficult to fill adequately. "I wish I could chuck it as Froissart did when he went back to Paris. Have you ever seen Madame Gilbert?" he inquired eagerly. I observed that Madame did me the honour to be my friend. "So you know her, do you? She's a clinker of a woman. Hot stuff, but a real genuine clinker. She could do what she pleased with old man Dawson; make him fetch and carry like a poodle. She's the o

e number. The Deputy told me, and promised to inform Dawson of my visit at the earliest moment. "It may be to-day, or next week, or next month. It may not be

t the danger of being "bushed." But with the aid of Dawson's thoughtful plan I found Primrose Road without difficulty. The hour was then 12.15, and the house deserted. Dawson and his family were at chapel. I had forgotten what I had heard months before of Dawson's fervour as a preacher upon Truth until reminded of it by a constable whose beat passed the house. "If you are looking for

engineer, and a telegraph operator. He has been all over the world in the Royal Navy, and could if he liked be commanding a ship now. He's the friend of Ministers and Secretaries of State. He's the best detective that the Yard ever knew, and he preaches to folk here

er. The policeman, though he had heard of the Food Controller, was unconscious of his many activities, which sho

them beat against the fringes by the doors. "The Chief Inspector is on his game to-day," whispered the constable. "He's hitting them fine." From which I judged that the constable had in his youth come from the north, where golf is cheap. It was a disappointment that I could not get in, but perhaps well for the reader. The temptation to record a genuine sermon by D

e constable, nudging me. "Who?" asked I. "The Chief Inspector. There he is with Mrs. Dawson and their little girl." I stared and

o the constable, "that Mrs. Da

to be. Aren

ee properly. That Dawson, is not a

hers! Is there more th

ked the man

gasping. I fear that he now thinks that either I am qu

ver the power of speech, and then walked gravely to the door as if I had

s absurdly inadequate to his services. The higher one rises, the less work one does and the more pay one gets-provided that one begins more than half-way up the ladder. For those like Dawson who begin quite at the bottom,

through. His skin and hair are like the canvas of a painter, always ready to receive pigments and ready also to give them up when treated with skill. I began to understand how Dawson can make to himself a face and appearance of almost any habit or age. He can be fair or dark, dark or fair, old or young, young or old, at will. He carries the employment of rubber and wax insets very far indeed. His nose, his cheeks, his mouth, his chin may be forced by internal packing to take to themselves any shape. I made a hasty calculation that he can change his appearance in seven hundred and twenty different ways. "So many as that?" said Dawson, surprised when I told him. "I don't think that I have gone beyond sixty." I as

chucked into the street. When I got back to the Yard to alter myself-for I had left my tools there-Emma had been telephoning to me to get the wicked stranger arrested for house-breaking.

of a woman whose head reached no higher than Dawson's heart. This was the redoubtable Emma! "Did she really clout you over the

of his Emma is a pitiless giant with a pitchfork, busily thrusting his creatures towards eternal torment; Dawson, in Emma's eyes, is an intrepid salvor with a boat-hook who once a week arduously pulls them out. Dawson married Emma when he was a sergeant of Marines, and I think that he has shown to her his uniform with the three captain's stars. To me she always spoke of him as "the Captain," though I could not be quite sure whether

of his disguises, and in general terms of his work, but there is no fiery enthusiasm for manhunting when Dawson gets home to Tooting. I shall seek him at the Yard, or upon the hot trail; then and then only shall I get from him the full flavour of his genius for detection. Dawson, away from home, is so vain as to be u

for a while, but I confess that in a remorseless continuous film ("featuring" Dawson and Emma) I find them boresome. There is little humour about Dawson and none at all about his dear Emma. I would gladly exchange fifty virtuous Emmas for one naughty Madame Gilbert. We had been talking idly

If you painted your face black and your hair

to tell me the se

to keep him in ignorance of those marks of ear by which I could always be certain of his identity. He had bee

his wolfish ancestors. He fingered them carefully while he thought. At last he made up his mind. "It is the Sabbath," said he, "but when I am on

" I asked, though I

ointment with a sur

E