第96章

"Didn't you know, Barling, hadn't you heard, about Captain Strangwise's escape from a German prisoners of war camp?""No, sir!" replied the gunner.

"There was a good deal about it in the papers.""I've not got much eddication, sir," said Barling, "that's w'y Inever took the stripe and I don't take much account of the newspapers an' that's a fact!""Well, go on!" the Chief bade him.

"It was pretty dark in the streets and I follered him along without his seeing me into the main-road and then down a turnin'...""Laleham Villas," prompted Mr. Marigold.

"I wasn't payin' much attention to were he was leadin' me," said Barling, "what I wanted to find out was what he was up to!

Presently he turned in at a gate. I was closer up than I meant to be, and he swung in so sudden that I had to drop quick and crouch behind the masonry of the front garden wall. My leave pass must a' dropped out o' my pocket and through the railin's into the garden.

"Well, the front door must a' been on the jar for th' orficer here just pushes it open and walks in, goin' very soft like. Icrep' in the front gate and got as far as the door w'ich was a-standin' half open. I could 'ear the stair creakin' under 'im and I was just wonderin' whether I should go into the house w'en I hears a bang and wi' that someone comes aflyin' down the stairs, dodges through the front hall and out at the back. I see him come scramblin' over the back gate and was a-goin' to stop him thinkin' it was th' orficer here w'en I sees it is a tubby little chap, not big like the Captain. And then it come over me quite sudden-like that burglary and murder had been done in the house and wot would I say if a p'liceman come along? So I slipped off and went as hard as I could go back to the old Union Jack Club.

"The next mornin' I found I'd lost me leave paper. I was afraid to go and report it in case it had been picked up, and they'd run me in for this murder job. That's how I come to desert, gentlemen, and spoilt a eighteen years' conduct sheet without a entry over this murderin' spy here!"Gunner Barling broke off abruptly as though he had committed himself to a stronger opinion than discipline would allow. It was the Chief who broke the silence following the termination of the gunner's story.

"Strangwise," he said, "hadn't you better tell us who you are?""He's an officer of the Prussian Guard," Desmond said, "and he was sent over here by the German secret service organization in the United States to get a commission in the British Army. When a good man was wanted to recover the Star of Poland for the Crown Prince, the secret service people in Berlin sent word to Strangwise (who was then serving with the gunners in France) to get himself captured. The German military authorities duly reported him a prisoner of war and then let him 'escape' as' the easiest and least suspicious means of getting him back to London!"The Chief smiled genially.

"That's a dashed clever idea," he observed shrewdly, "'pon my word, that's bright! That's very bright! I should like to compliment the man who thought of that!""Then you may address your compliments to me, Chief," said Strangwise.

The Chief turned and looked at him.

"I've met many of your people in my time, Strangwise," he said, "but I don't know you! Who are you?"Strangwise laughed.

"Ask Nur-el-Din, " he said, "that is to say, if you haven't shot her yet!""And if we have?" asked the Chief.

Desmond sprang tip.

"It isn't possible!" he cried. "Why, the woman's a victim, not a principal! Chief...""What if we have?" asked the Chief again.

A curious change had come over the prisoner. His jaunty air had left him and there was an apprehensive look in his eyes.

"I would have saved her if I could have," Strangwise said, "but she played me false over the jewel. She imperiled the success of my mission. You English have no idea of discipline. To us Prussian officers an order stands above everything else. There is nothing we would not sacrifice to obey our orders. And my order was to recover the Star of Poland for His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, Lieutenant Colonel in the Regiment to which I have the honor to belong, the First Regiment of Prussian Foot Guards.

But Nur-el-Din plotted with our friend here and with that little fool upstairs to upset my plans, and I had no mercy on her. Iplanted those documents in her dress--or rather Bellward did--to draw suspicion away from me. I thought you English would be too flabby to execute a woman; but I reckoned on you putting the girl away for some years to come. I would have shot her as I shot Rass if..." His voice trembled and he was silent.

"If what?" asked the Chief.

"If she hadn't been my wife," said Strangwise.