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00:00You
00:38I returned from the city on that May afternoon in 1914, pretty well disgusted with life.
00:44I'd been three months in England and was fed up with it.
00:47I couldn't get enough exercise, and the amusements of London seemed as flat as soda water that had been left
00:53standing in the sun.
00:54And Richard Hanni, I kept telling myself, you have got yourself into the wrong ditch, my friend, and you had
01:01better climb out.
01:03Made me bite my lips to think of the plans I had been building up those last years in South
01:07Africa.
01:09I'd made a fortune as a mining engineer, and I had figured out all kinds of ways of enjoying myself.
01:14My father had brought me out of Scotland as a young man, and I had never been home since.
01:18So England was a sort of Arabian Nights to me.
01:21And I counted on stopping there for the rest of my days, but from the first I was disappointed with
01:27it.
01:29In about a week I was tired of seeing sights, and in less than a month I had had enough
01:33of restaurants, theatres, and race meetings.
01:37Here I was, solidly middle-aged, with enough money to have a good time, yawning my head off all day.
01:45On my way home, I turned into my club, had a long drink, and read the evening papers.
01:52There was an article about Karolidis, the Greek premier.
01:56I rather liked the chap. He seemed honest, at least.
02:00But I gathered that they hated him pretty deeply in Berlin and Vienna.
02:04One paper said that he was the only barrier between Europe and Armageddon.
02:10The night was fine and clear as I walked back to my flat in Portland Place.
02:14I was just fitting my key into the door when I noticed a man at my elbow.
02:18I had not seen him approach, and the sudden appearance made me start.
02:22He was a slim man with a short brown beard and small, piercing blue eyes.
02:27I recognised him as the occupant of a flat on the top floor.
02:30Can I speak to you? He said. May I come in for a minute?
02:34He was steadying his voice with an effort, and his hand was pawing at my arm.
02:38I got my door open and motioned him in.
02:41He fastened the chain with his own hand.
02:44I'm very sorry, he said humbly.
02:46It's a mighty liberty, but you look the kind of man who would understand.
02:50Say, will you do me a good turn?
02:52I'll listen to you, I said. That's all I'll promise.
02:56I was getting worried by the antics of this nervous little chap.
03:00There was a drinks tray on a table beside him, from which he filled himself a stiff whisky.
03:05He drank it off in three gulps and cracked the glass as he set it down.
03:09Pardon me, he said. I'm a bit rattled tonight.
03:11You see, I happen at this moment to be dead.
03:16I sat down in an armchair and lit my pipe.
03:20What does it feel like? I asked.
03:23I was pretty certain that I had to deal with a madman.
03:26A smile flickered over his drawn face.
03:29Oh, I'm not mad. Yet.
03:32Say, sir, I've been watching you, and I reckon you're an honest man and not afraid of playing a bold
03:37hand.
03:38I need help worse than any man ever needed it, and I want to know if I can count you
03:42in.
03:43Get on with your yarn, I said, and I'll tell you.
03:46He seemed to brace himself for a great effort, and then started on the most bizarre rigmarole I had ever
03:54heard.
03:56Here's the gist of it.
03:58He was an American from Kentucky, involved in politics, and I took him for a sharp, restless fellow who always
04:04wanted to get down to the roots of things,
04:07and who had gotten a little further down than he wanted.
04:12Behind all the governments in Europe, there was a big subterranean movement going on, engineered by very dangerous people.
04:19He'd come on it by accident.
04:22It fascinated him.
04:24He went further, and then he got caught.
04:28I gathered that most of the people in it were the sort of educated anarchists that make revolutions, but that
04:34beside them, there were financiers who were playing for money.
04:39The aim of the whole conspiracy was to get Russia and Germany at loggerheads.
04:45He had another drink, and I mixed it for him myself, for I was getting interested in the beggar.
04:51So I said,
04:53Why are you dead?
04:55He smiled.
04:57I'm coming to that, but I've got to put you in wise about a lot of things first.
05:01If you read your newspapers, I guess you know the name of Constantine Carolides.
05:07I sat up at that, for I had been reading about him that very afternoon.
05:12He is the man that has wrecked all their games.
05:15He is the one big brain in the whole show, and he happens also to be an honest man.
05:21On the 15th day of June, he is coming to this city.
05:25The British Foreign Office has taken to having international tea parties, and the biggest of them is due on that
05:31date.
05:33Carolides will be murdered then, and there will be nothing between us and Armageddon.
05:38But it's not going to come off if there's a certain man who knows the wheels of the business alive
05:45right here in London on the 15th of June, and that man is going to be your servant, Franklin P.
05:51Scudder.
05:54He sat, blinking like an owl, fluttering with nerves, and yet desperately determined.
06:01By this time, I was pretty well convinced that he was telling the truth.
06:06It was the wildest sort of narrative, but I had heard in my time many steep tales which turned out
06:12to be true, and I had made a practice of judging the man rather than the story.
06:18Once I had discovered this plot, said Scudder, I realized that there was only one way to put my pursuers
06:24to sleep.
06:25I had to die.
06:28I told the man that valets me that I was feeling pretty bad, and got myself up to look like
06:32death.
06:33Then I got a corpse—you can always get a body in London—and made it up to look like me.
06:39The jaw was the weak point in the likeness, so I blew it away with a revolver.
06:44I watched from my window till I saw you come home, and then I slipped down the stair to meet
06:48you.
06:48And now, all I need is to stay dead until the 15th of June.
06:56I thought for an instant or two.
06:59Right. I'll trust you for the night. Just one word, Mr. Scudder.
07:03I believe you're an honest man, but if you're not, I should warn you that I'm a handyman with a
07:09gun.
07:10I made him up a bed in my smoking room and sought my own couch, more cheerful than I had
07:15been for the past month.
07:17Things did happen occasionally, even in this God-forgotten metropolis.
07:23They found Scudder's corpse the following day.
07:27Caused a huge commotion in the building. Suicide, they reckoned.
07:30This cheered Scudder up no end, and the first two days he stayed with me in that back room, he
07:35was very peaceful.
07:37He read and smoked a bit, made a heap of jottings in a black notebook.
07:42And every night we had a game of chess, at which he beat me hollow.
07:47But on the third day, I could see he was beginning to get restless.
07:51Say, Hanny, he said, I judge I should let you a bit deeper into this business.
07:57I should hate to go out without leaving somebody else to put up a fight.
08:01And he began to tell me in detail what I had only just heard vaguely.
08:06I did not give him very much close attention.
08:09The fact is, I was more interested in his own adventures than in his high politics.
08:14I remember that he was very clear that the danger to Karolides would not begin till he had got to
08:20London,
08:20and would come from the very highest quarters, where there would be no thought of suspicion.
08:27The name, Julia Chechenyi, seemed important, though I had no real idea how that fitted in.
08:34He talked, too, about an organisation called the Black Stone.
08:39And he described, very particularly, somebody that he never referred to without a shudder.
08:46An old man with a young voice, who could hood his eyes like a hawk.
08:53The next day, I went out to dinner and came back about half past ten.
08:58I had a cigar in my mouth, I remember, as I pushed open the smoking room door.
09:03The lights were not lit, which struck me as odd.
09:06I wondered if Scudder had turned in already.
09:10I snapped the switch, but there was nobody there.
09:13Then I saw something in the far corner which made me drop my cigar and fall into a cold sweat.
09:21My guest was lying sprawled on his back.
09:25There was a long knife through his heart, which skewered him to the floor.
09:51I sat down in an armchair and felt very sick.
09:56Scudder's poor, staring white face on the floor was more than I could bear, and I managed to get a
10:02tablecloth and cover it.
10:03Then I staggered to the cupboard, found the brandy, and swallowed several mouthfuls.
10:12I was in this soup.
10:13That was pretty clear.
10:15The men who knew what he knew had found him, but he had been in my apartment for four days,
10:21and his enemies must have reckoned that he had confided in me, so I would be the next to go.
10:28It took me an hour or two to think this out.
10:30Scudder was gone, but he had taken me into his confidence, and I was pretty well bound to carry on
10:36his work.
10:37I must vanish somehow, and keep vanish till the end of the second week in June.
10:42Then I must somehow find a way to get in touch with the government people and tell them what Scudder
10:47had told me.
10:50My first job was to keep going for the next three weeks.
10:53I reckoned that two sets of people would be looking for me, Scudder's enemies, to put me out of existence,
10:59and the police who would want me for Scudder's murder.
11:04My notion was to get off to some wild district.
11:08I calculated that it would be less conspicuous to be a Scot, and less in line with what the police
11:14might know of my past.
11:16I fixed on Galloway as the best place to go, and a search informed me that a train left St
11:21Pancras at 7.10 the next morning.
11:24I went to bed and slept a troubled two hours.
11:28I got up at four and opened my bedroom shutters.
11:31I hunted out a well-used tweed suit and a pair of strong-nailed boots.
11:35I put my pipe in my pocket and filled my pouch from the tobacco jar on the table.
11:40As I poked into the tobacco jar, my fingers touched something hard,
11:45and I drew out Scudder's little black pocketbook, in which he was always scribbling.
11:50That seemed to me a good omen, and I put it in my pocket.
11:55I lifted the tablecloth from the body and was amazed at the peace and dignity of the dead face.
12:03Goodbye, old chap, I said.
12:07I'm going to do my best for you.
12:11At first, I thought there was no one in the street.
12:14Then I caught sight of a policeman a hundred yards down, and a loafer shuffling past on the other side.
12:20There was not a second to spare.
12:22As soon as I got to Euston Road, I took to my heels and ran.
12:25At St Pancras, I had no time to take a ticket.
12:28A porter told me the platform as I entered it.
12:30I saw the train already in motion.
12:32Two station officials blocked the way, but I dodged them and clambered into the last carriage.
12:37Three minutes later, we were roaring through the northern tunnels, an irate guard interviewing me.
12:44He wrote out for me a ticket to Newton Stewart, a name which had suddenly come back into my memory,
12:50and conducted me to a third-class smoker, occupied by a sailor and a lady with a child.
12:58He went off grumbling, and as I mopped my brow, I observed to my companions in my broadest Scots
13:04that it was a sore job catching trains.
13:08The impotence of that, Gerd, said the lady bitterly.
13:12The sailor morosely agreed, and I started my new life in an atmosphere of protest against authority.
13:19I had a solemn time travelling north that day.
13:23I got out Scudder's little black pocket book and studied it.
13:27It was pretty well filled with jottings, chiefly figures, though now and then a name was printed in.
13:32Now, I was certain that Scudder never did anything without a reason,
13:36and I was pretty sure that there was a cipher in all of this.
13:41I tried for hours, but none of the cipher revealed itself to me.
13:45Then I fell asleep and woke at Dumfries, just in time to bundle out and get into a slow Galloway
13:51train.
13:53The only occupants of the carriage were an old shepherd and his dog, a wall-eyed brute that I mistrusted.
14:00My plan had been to get out at some quiet station down the line,
14:05but the train suddenly gave me a better chance, for it came to a standstill at the end of a
14:09rough, flowing river.
14:11I opened the door and dropped quickly into a tangle of hazels which edged the line.
14:17It would have been all right, but for that infernal dog.
14:22Under the impression that I was decamping with its master's belongings,
14:26it started to bark, and all but got me by the trousers.
14:30This woke up the shepherd, who stood bawling at the carriage door,
14:34in the belief that I had committed suicide.
14:36I crawled past the stream and reached the cover of a thicket,
14:40where I peered back and saw the guard and several passengers staring in my direction.
14:47I could not have made a more public departure if I had left with a bugler in a brass band.
14:54It was a gorgeous spring evening, with every hill showing as clear as cut amethyst.
15:00The air had the rooty smell of bogs, but it was as fresh as mid-ocean,
15:04and had the strangest effect on my spirits.
15:08I might have been a boy out for a spring holiday tramp instead of a man, much wanted by the
15:14police.
15:15But then I saw that which set my pulses racing.
15:19Low down on the south was a monoplane, climbing into the heavens.
15:24I was certain that aeroplane was looking for me, and that it did not belong to the police.
15:30I started to question my choice of the countryside as a hiding place.
15:37Presently, I reached a kind of pass where a solitary house smoked in the twilight.
15:41The road swung over a bridge, and leaning on the parapet was a young man.
15:46He jumped around as my step rung on the keystone,
15:49and I saw a pleasant, sunburnt, boyish face.
15:53Is that place an inn, I asked.
15:55At your service, he said politely.
15:59He gave me a room at the back of the house,
16:01and the following day I began in real earnest to study Scudder's notebook.
16:05I'd worked out it was a numerical cipher,
16:08and by an elaborate system of experiments,
16:11I had pretty well discovered what were the nulls and the stops.
16:15The trouble was the key word.
16:18And when I thought of the odd million words that he might have used,
16:22I felt pretty hopeless.
16:23But about three o'clock, I had a sudden inspiration.
16:27The name Julia Cecchene flashed across my memory.
16:32Scudder had said it was the key to the Carolides business,
16:35and it occurred to me to try it on a cipher.
16:39It worked.
16:41The five letters of Julia gave me the position of the vowels.
16:45A was J, the tenth letter of the alphabet,
16:49and so represented by Roman numeral X in the cipher.
16:54E was U, and so on.
16:58Cecchene gave me the numerals for the principal consonants.
17:02I scribbled that scheme on a bit of paper and sat down to read Scudder's pages.
17:10In half an hour, I was reading with a whitish face.
17:15I glanced out of the window and saw a big touring car coming up the glen towards the inn.
17:20Ten minutes later, the innkeeper slipped into the room.
17:22There's two chaps below looking for you, he whispered.
17:26They're in the dining room having whiskeys and sodas.
17:30My plan had been to lie hidden in my bedroom and chance my luck,
17:34but now I had a better idea.
17:35I scribbled a line of thanks to my host,
17:38opened the window and dropped quietly into a gooseberry bush.
17:42There stood the touring car,
17:44very spick and span in the morning sunlight.
17:47I started her, jumped into the chauffeur's seat and stole gently out onto the plateau.
17:52Almost at once the road dipped so that I lost sight of the inn,
17:55but the wind seemed to bring me the sound of angry voices.
18:00You may picture me driving that car for all she was worth over the crisp moor road,
18:05half dazed and anxious,
18:07for I was thinking desperately of what I had found in Scudder's pocketbook.
18:12The whole story was in the notes.
18:14The story, and one strange phrase which occurred half a dozen times,
18:20inside brackets,
18:2239 steps was the phrase.
18:25And at its last time of use it ran,
18:2839 steps, I counted them,
18:32high tide, 10.17pm.
18:36I could make nothing of that.
18:39The first thing I learned was that there was no question of preventing a war.
18:43That was coming as sure as Christmas.
18:46Carolides was booked all right,
18:48and was to hand in his checks on June 14th.
18:51I gathered from Scudder's notes that nothing on earth could prevent that.
18:55The second thing was that this war
18:57was going to come as a mighty surprise to Britain.
19:01The third thing
19:02was that all this depended on a meeting
19:05which was due to happen on June 15th,
19:08a very important meeting between French and British officials was taking place,
19:13in which Britain would give France a statement
19:16on the disposition of the home fleet to mobilize in the case of war.
19:22But on that same day,
19:24there were to be others in London,
19:26others whom Scudder called the Black Stone.
19:30They represented not our allies,
19:32but our deadliest foes,
19:34a German spy organization,
19:36and the information destined for France
19:39was to be diverted to their pockets.
19:42And it was to be used a week or two later,
19:45with great guns and swift torpedoes,
19:47suddenly in the darkness of a summer night.
19:52War in Europe.
19:54It seemed impossible.
19:57Just then,
19:58I heard a noise in the sky,
20:00and lo and behold,
20:01there was that infernal airplane
20:04rapidly coming towards me.
20:06Down the hill I went like blue lightning.
20:09Suddenly on my left,
20:10I heard the hoot of another car.
20:12I did the only thing possible,
20:13and ran slap into the hedge.
20:15The car slithered through the hedge like butter,
20:18and then gave a sickening plunge forward.
20:20I leapt onto the seat,
20:21and was saved by the branch of a hawthorn,
20:24while a ton or two of expensive metal dropped,
20:27with an almighty smash,
20:29fifty feet to the bed of a stream.
20:31As I scrambled to my feet,
20:33a hand took me by the arm,
20:36and I found myself looking at a tall young man in goggles.
20:40who kept whinnying apologies.
20:43He insisted on taking me to his house for a meal,
20:46and a few minutes later,
20:48we drew up before a comfortable-looking shooting box set
20:51among pine trees.
20:53We had a hot supper,
20:55and then drank grog
20:56in a big cheery smoking room with a crackling fire.
21:00He was a politician called Sir Harry,
21:03and he talked endlessly and nonsensically
21:06about Britain and Germany,
21:08and how the German menace was an invention
21:12made to oppress the British people.
21:14You could see the niceness of the chap
21:16shining out from behind the muck,
21:17and I thought the time had come for me
21:19to put my cards on the table.
21:21Listen, Sir Harry, I said,
21:22I've something pretty important to say to you.
21:25You're a good fellow,
21:26and I'm going to be frank.
21:28Where on earth did you get all that rubbish?
21:32His face fell.
21:34Boy, I got most of it out of the progressive magazine.
21:37But you surely don't think
21:38Germany would ever go to war with us?
21:42I'll ask that question in six weeks,
21:44and it won't need an answer, I said.
21:47If you'll give me your attention for half an hour,
21:51I'm going to tell you a story.
22:17I can see yet that bright room
22:19with the deer heads on the walls,
22:22Sir Harry standing on the stone curb of the hearth,
22:25and myself lying back in the armchair, speaking.
22:28It was the first time I had ever told anyone the exact truth,
22:32and it did me no end of good.
22:35So you see, I concluded,
22:37you have got here in your house
22:39the man that is wanted for murder.
22:42Your duty is to send for the police and give me up.
22:45I don't think I'll get very far.
22:47There'll be an accident,
22:48and I'll have a knife in my ribs in an hour or so after rest.
22:52He watched me, and with a smile,
22:55You're no murderer, and you're no fool,
22:57and I believe you're speaking the truth.
22:59I'm going to back you up.
23:01Now what can I do?
23:03First, I've got to get in touch with the government people
23:06sometime before the 15th of June.
23:08He pulled his moustache.
23:11I'll write to the permanent secretary at the foreign office.
23:13He's my godfather, and one of the best going.
23:16He sat down at the table and wrote to my dictation.
23:20The gist of it was that if a man turned up before June 15th,
23:24he was to entreat him kindly.
23:26The man would prove his bona fides by whistling Annie Laurie.
23:31Good, said Sir Harry.
23:33That's the proper style.
23:34You'll find my godfather, his name Sir Walter,
23:38down at his country cottage on the Kennet.
23:40Now, what's next?
23:42Hmm.
23:44You're about my height.
23:46Lend me the oldest suit you've got.
23:48Anything will do, so long as the colour is the opposite of the clothes I'm wearing now.
23:52Well, then show me a map of the neighbourhood.
23:55The map gave me some notion of my whereabouts and told me the two things I wanted to know.
24:02Where the main railway to the south could be joined,
24:05and what were the wildest districts near at hand.
24:08By two o'clock in the morning,
24:10I was pedalling diligently up steep roads of hill gravel,
24:14till the skies grew pale.
24:17As the mists cleared before the sun,
24:20I found myself in a wide green world of glens,
24:23falling on every side.
24:26Then,
24:27I heard once again that ominous beat in the air,
24:31and saw an aeroplane coming up from the east.
24:33It flew very low,
24:35and now the observer on board caught sight of me.
24:38The next thing I knew,
24:40he was speeding eastwards again,
24:41till he became a speck in the blue morning.
24:44My enemies had located me.
24:48That made me do some savage thinking.
24:51If you are hemmed in on all sides in a patch of land,
24:54there's only one chance of escape.
24:56You must stay in the patch,
24:58and let your enemies search it,
25:00and not find you.
25:02That was good sense,
25:03but how on earth was I to escape notice
25:06in that tablecloth of a place?
25:09Then,
25:10on a tiny wisp of road,
25:12beside a heap of stones,
25:14I found the roadman.
25:17He was a wild figure,
25:19about my own size,
25:20but much bent,
25:22with a week's beard on his chin
25:23and a pair of big horn spectacles.
25:27He'd just arrived,
25:28and was wearily flinging down his hammer.
25:32Confoon the day I ever left the herding,
25:35he said,
25:35as if to the world at large.
25:37There I was my own maester.
25:39Now I'm a slave to the government,
25:42tethered to the roadside.
25:44I asked him what was the trouble.
25:47The trouble is,
25:49I'm no sober,
25:52he moaned.
25:53My doctor was married last night,
25:55and me and some others
25:56sat down to the drinking.
25:58It's easy speaking,
26:00but I got a postcard yesterday,
26:02saying that the new road surveyor
26:04would be round the day.
26:06Then I had an inspiration.
26:09Does the new surveyor know you,
26:11I asked?
26:12Know him?
26:13He's just been a week at the job.
26:16Well,
26:16back to your bed,
26:18I said,
26:18and sleep in peace.
26:19I'll take on your job for a bit
26:21and see the surveyor.
26:23He stared at me blankly.
26:25Then,
26:25as the notion dawned
26:26on his fuddled brain,
26:28his face broke
26:29into the vacant,
26:30drunkard smile.
26:32You're the bully,
26:33he cried.
26:34It'll be easy enough,
26:35manage,
26:36take the barry,
26:36and wheel enough metal fee
26:38beyond quarry
26:40down the road.
26:41My name's Alexander Turnbull,
26:43and I've been seven year
26:45at the trade.
26:46I borrowed his spectacles
26:48and filthy old hat,
26:50stripped off my jacket
26:51and waistcoat,
26:52and gave him them
26:52to carry home.
26:54He indicated my simple tasks,
26:56and without more ado,
26:57set off at an amble bedwards.
27:02I remembered an old scout
27:03in Rhodesia
27:04called Peter Pina.
27:06He was the best scout
27:07I ever knew,
27:08and before he had
27:09turned respectable,
27:10he had been pretty often
27:11on the windy side
27:12of the law.
27:14Peter once discussed
27:15with me the question
27:16of disguises,
27:17and he had a theory
27:18which struck me
27:19at the time.
27:21He said,
27:22barring absolute certainties
27:24like fingerprints,
27:26mere physical traits
27:27were little used
27:28for identification
27:29if the fugitive
27:31really knew his business.
27:33The only thing
27:34that mattered
27:35was what Peter
27:36called atmosphere.
27:39If a man
27:41could get into
27:42perfectly different surroundings
27:43from those in which
27:45he had been first observed,
27:46and,
27:47this is the important part,
27:49really play up
27:51to those surroundings,
27:52and behave as if
27:53he had never been
27:54out of them,
27:55he would puzzle
27:56the cleverest detectives
27:57on earth.
27:59So,
28:00I shut off
28:01all other thoughts
28:02and made my mind
28:03dwell lovingly
28:04on sleep
28:05in a box bed.
28:07Suddenly,
28:08a crisp voice
28:09spoke from the road,
28:10and looking up,
28:11I saw a little car
28:12and a round-faced
28:13young man
28:13in a bowler hat.
28:14Are you Alexander Turnbull?
28:16he asked.
28:17I'm the new
28:18county road surveyor.
28:19This is a fair bit
28:21of road, Turnbull,
28:22and not badly engineered.
28:24Clearly,
28:25my get-up
28:25was good enough,
28:26for the dreaded
28:27surveyor
28:28didn't linger.
28:30I went on
28:31with my work.
28:33Just before midday,
28:35a big car
28:36stole down the hill.
28:38Its three occupants
28:39descended
28:40as if to
28:41stretch their legs
28:42and sauntered
28:43towards me.
28:44Two of the men
28:46I had seen before
28:47from the window
28:47of the inn,
28:48one lean and sharp,
28:50the other comfortable
28:51and smiling.
28:52The third
28:53had the look
28:54of a countryman,
28:55a vet,
28:56perhaps,
28:57or a small farmer.
28:59Morning,
28:59said the last.
29:00That's a fine,
29:01easy job of yours.
29:03I had not looked up
29:04when they approached,
29:05and now,
29:06when accosted,
29:08I slowly
29:09and painfully
29:10straightened my back,
29:12spat vigorously,
29:13and regarded them
29:15steadily
29:15before replying,
29:17There's more jobs
29:19and there's better,
29:20I said sententiously.
29:22I would rather
29:24hae yours,
29:25sitting o' day
29:26on your hinterlands
29:27and the cushions.
29:29It's you
29:29and your muckle cores
29:31that wreck my roads.
29:33Again,
29:34the sleek one
29:34addressed me.
29:35Did you see
29:36anyone pass
29:37early this morning?
29:38He might be on a bicycle
29:39or he might be on foot.
29:42I very nearly
29:43fell into the trap
29:44and told the story
29:45of a bicyclist
29:46hurrying past
29:47in the grey dawn,
29:48but I had a sense
29:49to see my danger.
29:50I pretended
29:51to consider
29:52very deeply.
29:54Hmm.
29:56I wasnae up
29:57very early,
29:58I said.
29:59You see,
30:00my doctor
30:01was married
30:02last night
30:03and we kept
30:03it up late.
30:05I opened
30:06the house door
30:07about saving
30:08and there was
30:08nobody on the road
30:09since then.
30:12Hmm.
30:13Let us get on,
30:14he said
30:16in German.
30:18This fellow
30:18is all right.
30:21One of them
30:22gave me a cigar,
30:23which I smelt
30:24gingerly
30:24and stuck
30:25in Turnbull's bundle.
30:26They got into their car
30:27and were out of sight
30:28in three minutes.
30:29My heart
30:30leaped
30:31with an enormous relief
30:32but I went on
30:33wheeling my stones.
30:35It was as well.
30:37For ten minutes later
30:38the car returned,
30:39one of the occupants
30:40waving a hand to me.
30:42Those gentry
30:43left nothing to chance.
30:47I stayed in my post
30:48till five o'clock.
30:50By that time
30:51I had resolved
30:52to take my chance
30:53of getting over the hills
30:54in the darkness.
30:56I spent the night
30:57on a shelf
30:57on the hillside.
30:59It was a cold business
31:00for I had neither jacket
31:01nor waistcoat.
31:03They were in the roadman's keeping
31:05as was Scudder's
31:06little book,
31:07my watch
31:07and worst of all
31:08my pipe and tobacco pouch.
31:11I woke
31:12very cold and stiff
31:14about an hour
31:14after dawn
31:15and raised myself
31:17up in my arms
31:17and looked down
31:19into the valley
31:19and that one look
31:21set me lacing up
31:22my boots
31:22in mad haste
31:23for there were men
31:25below
31:25spaced out
31:26on the hillside
31:27like a fan
31:27and beating
31:28the heather.
31:29I put on a great spurt
31:31and got off my ridge
31:32and down
31:33into the moor.
31:34I crossed the stream
31:35and came out
31:36on a high road
31:36which made a pass
31:37between two fields.
31:39After a few hundred yards
31:41the grass stopped
31:42and it became
31:43a respectable road.
31:45Clearly
31:45it ran to a house
31:47and I began to think
31:48of doing the same.
31:49and hitherto
31:50my luck had held
31:51and it might be
31:52that my best chance
31:54would be found
31:54in this remote dwelling.
31:56I stalked
31:57over the border
31:58of coarse hill gravel
32:00and entered
32:01the open veranda door.
32:04Within
32:05was a pleasant room
32:07with a knee-hole desk
32:08in the middle
32:09and seated at it
32:10a benevolent
32:12old gentleman.
32:15You seem
32:16in a hurry
32:17my friend
32:18he said
32:19slowly
32:20his fingers
32:21tapping lightly
32:22on his knees.
32:24I nodded
32:25towards the window.
32:26It gave a prospect
32:28across the moor
32:29and revealed
32:29certain figures
32:30straggling through
32:31the heather.
32:32Ah, I see
32:34he said.
32:35A fugitive
32:36from justice, eh?
32:38Well,
32:39we'll go into it
32:40at our leisure.
32:41Meantime
32:42I object
32:42to my privacy
32:43being broken in upon
32:45by the clumsy
32:46rural policeman.
32:48Go into my study
32:50and you will see
32:51two doors facing you.
32:52Take the one on the left
32:53and close it behind you.
32:55You will be perfectly safe.
32:59And this extraordinary
33:00man took up
33:02his pen again.
33:03I did as I was bid
33:04and found myself
33:05in a little dark chamber
33:07which
33:07smelled of chemicals.
33:09The door
33:10had swung behind me
33:12with a click
33:12like the door
33:13of a safe.
33:15Once again
33:16I had found
33:16unexpected sanctuary.
33:18All the same,
33:19I was not comfortable.
33:21There was
33:22there was something
33:23about the old gentleman
33:25which
33:26puzzled
33:26and
33:27rather terrified me.
33:29He'd been too easy
33:31and ready
33:31almost as if
33:32he had expected me
33:33and his eyes
33:34had been horribly
33:35intelligent.
33:37Then there was a click
33:38and the door
33:39stood open.
33:40I merged
33:40into the sunlight
33:41to find the master
33:42of the house
33:43sitting in a deep armchair
33:44in the room
33:45he called his study
33:46and regarding me
33:47with curious eyes.
33:50They have gone.
33:52I convinced them
33:53that you have
33:53crossed the hill.
33:54This
33:55is a lucky morning
33:56for you,
33:57Mr. Richard Hannay.
33:59As he spoke
34:00his eyelids
34:02seemed to tremble
34:03and to
34:04fall a little
34:05over his keen
34:06grey eyes
34:07and a flash
34:08the phrase of Scudders
34:10came back to me
34:10when he had described
34:11the man he most
34:12dreaded in the world.
34:14He had said
34:14that he could
34:15hood his eyes
34:16like a hawk.
34:19I saw that I had
34:20walked straight
34:20into the enemy's
34:21headquarters.
34:23Carl,
34:24he spoke a German
34:25to a man
34:25in the doorway,
34:26you will put
34:27this fellow
34:27in the storeroom
34:28and you will be
34:29answerable to me
34:29for his keeping.
34:31I was marched
34:32out of the room
34:33with a pistol
34:34at each ear.
34:51The storeroom
34:52was as black
34:52as pitch
34:53but the windows
34:54were heavily
34:55shuttered.
34:57I sat down
34:58in that chilly
34:58darkness
34:59and a very
35:00miserable frame
35:00of mind.
35:02I tried the shutters
35:03but they were
35:03the kind that
35:04locked with a key
35:04and I couldn't
35:05move them.
35:06But as I circumnavigated
35:08the room
35:09I found the door
35:10of a wall cupboard,
35:11what they call
35:12a press in Scotland.
35:15There was a multitude
35:16of odd things there.
35:17I found a match or two
35:19in my trouser pockets
35:20and struck a light.
35:21It was out in a second
35:22hand, but it showed me
35:24enough.
35:25There were a box
35:26of detonators
35:27and a lot of cord
35:29for fuses
35:29and inside a cardboard
35:31box lay half a dozen
35:33little grey bricks.
35:37I hadn't been a mining
35:38engineer for nothing
35:39and I knew Lentonite
35:40when I saw it.
35:42After that I sat down
35:43to think.
35:45It was a mighty risk.
35:49But against it
35:50was an absolute certainty.
35:55The remembrance of Scudder
35:57decided me.
35:58I got a detonator
35:59and fixed it
36:00to a couple of feet
36:01of fuse.
36:01Then I took a quarter
36:03of Lentonite brick
36:04and buried it
36:05in a crack in the floor.
36:07I ensconced myself
36:08just below the sill
36:09of the window
36:10and lit the fuse.
36:12There was a dead silence.
36:13Only a shuffle
36:14of heavy boots
36:15in the passage.
36:17I commended my soul
36:18to my maker
36:19and wondered where
36:20I would be
36:20in five seconds.
36:24A great wave
36:26of heat
36:27seemed to surge
36:27upwards from the floor
36:29and hang
36:30for a blistering instant
36:31in the air.
36:33Then I think
36:34I became unconscious.
36:35But my stupor
36:36can only have lasted
36:37beyond a few seconds.
36:40I felt myself
36:41being choked
36:42by thick yellow fumes
36:43and staggered
36:44blindly away
36:45from the house.
36:46The storeroom
36:47was in ruins
36:48and my captors
36:49were, for now,
36:50out cold on the ground.
36:53I saw on the far
36:54side of the house
36:54stood an old
36:55stone dovecot.
36:56I figured my captors
36:58would look for me
36:59on the moor,
36:59so I got to the back
37:01of the dovecot
37:01and prospected
37:02a way of ascent.
37:05That was the hardest
37:06job I had ever
37:07taken on.
37:08My shoulder and arms
37:10ached like hell
37:11and I was so sick
37:13and giddy
37:13that I was always
37:14on the verge
37:14of falling.
37:15But I managed
37:17it somehow.
37:19All that lone
37:20blistering afternoon
37:22I laid baking
37:23on the dovecot
37:24rooftop.
37:26Thirst was my
37:27chief tormentor.
37:28My tongue was
37:29like a stick
37:30and by night time
37:31the thirst was
37:32too great
37:32to allow me
37:33to tarry.
37:34I started to descend.
37:36Halfway down
37:37I heard the back
37:38door of the house
37:38open and saw
37:39the gleam of a lantern
37:41against the mill wall.
37:43Then the light
37:44disappeared
37:45and I dropped
37:45as softly
37:46as I could
37:47onto the hard
37:47soil of the yard.
37:49Ten minutes later
37:50I was in a little
37:51field with my face
37:52in the spring
37:53soaking down
37:54pints of the
37:55blessed water.
37:57My plan
37:58was to seek
37:59the roadman's cottage
38:00recover my garments
38:01and especially
38:02Scudder's notebook
38:03and then make
38:04for the train station.
38:06It seemed to me
38:07the sooner I got
38:08in touch with
38:08Sir Walter
38:09the better.
38:11I pass over
38:13the miseries
38:13of that night
38:14among the wet hills.
38:15There were no stars
38:16to steer by
38:17and I had to do
38:18the best I could
38:19from my memory
38:19of the map.
38:20Twice I lost my way
38:22and had some nasty
38:23falls into peat bogs.
38:25The last bit
38:26was completed
38:27with set teeth
38:28and a very light
38:29and dizzy head
38:30but I managed it
38:32and in the early dawn
38:33I was knocking
38:34at the roadman's door.
38:36Turnbull,
38:37the roadman himself,
38:38opened it to me
38:39and before I knew
38:41he was helping me
38:42off with my clothes
38:43and putting me
38:43to bed
38:44in one of the
38:44two cupboards
38:45that lined
38:46the kitchen walls.
38:50He was a true
38:51friend in need,
38:51that old roadman.
38:54For the better part
38:55of ten days
38:56he did all
38:56the rough nursing
38:57I needed,
38:58never even
38:59sought my name.
39:01On the twelfth day
39:02of June
39:02I judged myself
39:03well enough
39:04to leave Turnbull's
39:05care.
39:06A cattle truck,
39:07two trains
39:08and a night
39:08at a humble inn later
39:09and I was walking
39:11in a land
39:12of lush water meadows
39:13and slow reedy streams.
39:17I fell to whistling
39:19as I looked
39:19into the soothing
39:20green depths
39:21and the tune
39:22which came to my lips
39:23was Annie Laurie.
39:34A fisherman
39:35came up
39:36from the waterside
39:37and as he neared me
39:38he too began
39:39to whistle.
39:41He nodded to me
39:42and I thought
39:43I had never seen
39:44a shrewder
39:45or better tempered face.
39:48That's my house
39:49he said
39:49pointing to a white gate
39:51a hundred yards on.
39:52Go round
39:53to the back door
39:55I did
39:56as I was bidden.
39:57I found
39:58a pretty cottage
39:59with a perfect
39:59jungle of lilac
40:01flanking the path.
40:02I made my way
40:03inside
40:04and sat down
40:04in a chintz covered chair.
40:07The fisherman
40:08identified himself
40:09with Sir Walter.
40:11He believed
40:12in me
40:12though why
40:13why he did
40:14I could not guess.
40:16I knew
40:17I looked
40:17a wild
40:18haggard
40:18and filthy fellow.
40:21When Sir Walter
40:22appeared
40:22having changed
40:23out of his
40:23fisherman's garbs
40:24and into a suit
40:25the sight of him
40:26so respectable
40:27and secure
40:28the embodiment
40:29of law
40:30and government
40:30made me feel
40:32even more
40:32of an interloper.
40:36I told him
40:37the story
40:37from start
40:38to finish
40:39and if there was
40:40ever any doubt
40:41in his mind
40:41after listening
40:42to me
40:43it was ended
40:45when the butler
40:46entered the room.
40:48There's been a trunk
40:49call Sir Walter
40:50said the butler
40:52Carolides
40:53has been shot
40:53dead this evening
40:54at a few minutes
40:56after seven.
41:00You would think
41:01I would have slept
41:02uneasily
41:03but the comfortable
41:04bed and the newfound
41:05ally in Sir Walter
41:06did me no end
41:07of good.
41:08I came down
41:09to breakfast
41:10next morning
41:10after eight hours
41:11of blessed
41:12dreamless sleep
41:13to find Sir Walter
41:14decoding a telegram
41:15in the midst
41:16of muffins
41:17and marmalade.
41:19I had a busy
41:20hour on the telephone
41:21after you went
41:22to bed
41:22he said.
41:23I got my chief
41:24to speak to the
41:25first sea lord
41:26of the secretary
41:26for war
41:27and they are
41:28bringing Royer
41:28the French official
41:29over a day sooner.
41:31He will be in
41:32London at five.
41:35We made our way
41:36to London
41:37in Sir Walter's car.
41:38It was a soft
41:40breathless
41:40June morning
41:41with a promise
41:42of sultriness
41:43later.
41:45I felt curiously
41:46at a loose end.
41:47At first it was
41:48very pleasant
41:49to be a free man
41:50able to go
41:50where I wanted
41:51without fearing
41:52anything
41:52but by dinner time
41:54an abominable
41:55restlessness
41:56had taken possession
41:57of me.
41:58It seemed as if
41:59a voice kept
42:00speaking in my ear
42:01telling me to be
42:02up and doing.
42:03The upshot was
42:04at about half past
42:05nine I made my way
42:06to Sir Walter's
42:07London house
42:07in Queen Anne's gate.
42:09I found myself
42:10in the foyer
42:11supervised under
42:12the stern eye
42:13of the butler
42:13who had informed
42:14me Sir Walter
42:15was otherwise
42:16engaged.
42:18I hadn't waited
42:19long till the butler
42:20let in another
42:21visitor.
42:22While he was
42:23taking off his
42:24coat I saw
42:25who it was.
42:26He couldn't
42:27open a magazine
42:28or a newspaper
42:29without seeing
42:30that face.
42:31The grey beard
42:32cut like a spade
42:33the firm
42:34fighting mouth
42:35and the keen
42:35blue eyes.
42:37The first
42:37sea lord
42:38Sir Aloha.
42:40He passed
42:41my alcove
42:42and was ushered
42:42into a room
42:43at the back
42:43of the hall.
42:45Then as time
42:46crept on
42:47to half past
42:48ten the door
42:49of the back
42:50room opened
42:50and the first
42:51sea lord
42:51came out again.
42:54He woke
42:54past me
42:56and in passing
42:57he glanced
42:57in my direction
42:59and for a second
43:01we looked
43:02at each other
43:03in the face.
43:04Only for a second
43:06but it was enough
43:07to make my heart
43:08jump.
43:10I had never
43:11seen the great
43:11man before
43:12and he had
43:12never seen me
43:13but in that
43:14fraction of time
43:15something sprang
43:16into his eyes.
43:17You can't mistake
43:18it.
43:18It's a flicker
43:19a spark of light
43:20a minute shade
43:22of difference
43:22which means
43:23one thing
43:24and one thing
43:25only.
43:26Recognition.
43:28Not a moment
43:28could be lost
43:29so I marched
43:29boldly to the door
43:30of the back room
43:31and entered
43:32without knocking.
43:33Five surprised
43:34faces looked up
43:35from round the table.
43:36There was Sir Walter
43:37and four others
43:38who I recognized
43:39from the papers.
43:40The war minister
43:41the admiralty official
43:42general with Stanley
43:43and a short
43:44stout man
43:45with bushy eyebrows.
43:48Royer
43:49the French official.
43:51Sir Walter's face
43:52showed surprise
43:53and annoyance.
43:55This is Mr. Hannay
43:56whom I have spoken
43:57to you
43:57he said apologetically
43:59to the company.
44:00I'm afraid Hannay
44:01this visit
44:02is ill-timed.
44:04I was getting back
44:05my coolness.
44:07That remains
44:08to be seen
44:08sir
44:09I said
44:09but I think
44:10I may be
44:10in the nick
44:11of time.
44:12For God's sake
44:13gentlemen
44:13tell me
44:14who went out
44:14here a minute ago.
44:16Lord Allower
44:16Sir Walter
44:17said reddening
44:18with anger.
44:19It was not
44:20I cried
44:21it was his
44:21living image.
44:23It was not
44:23Lord Allower
44:24it was someone
44:25who recognized me
44:26someone I have
44:27seen in the last
44:28month.
44:29A member
44:30of the Black Stone.
44:48Sir Walter
44:49got up
44:49and left the room
44:50while we looked
44:50blankly
44:51at the table.
44:53He came back
44:54in ten minutes
44:54with a long face.
44:55I have spoken
44:57to Allower
44:57he said
44:58had him out
44:58of bed
44:59very grumpy.
45:00He's been
45:01at home
45:01all afternoon
45:02ill
45:03but it's
45:04madness
45:04broke in
45:05General
45:05Winstanley.
45:06Do you mean
45:06to tell me
45:07that another
45:07man came
45:07here
45:08and I
45:08didn't
45:08detect
45:09the
45:09imposter?
45:10Don't
45:10you see
45:10the cleverness
45:11of it
45:11I said?
45:12You took
45:13Lord Allower
45:13for granted.
45:15It was
45:15natural
45:15for him
45:16to be
45:16here
45:16and that
45:17put you
45:17all
45:17to sleep.
45:19Then the
45:19Frenchman
45:20spoke
45:20very slowly
45:21and in
45:21good
45:21English.
45:23The young
45:23man is
45:23right.
45:24His
45:25psychology
45:25is good
45:26and another
45:27thing must
45:27be said.
45:28I talked
45:29freely
45:30when that
45:30man was
45:31here.
45:32I told
45:32him
45:32something
45:33of the
45:33military
45:34plans
45:34of my
45:34government.
45:36That
45:36information
45:37would be
45:37worth
45:37many
45:38millions
45:38to our
45:39enemies.
45:40My
45:41friends
45:41I see
45:42no other
45:42way.
45:43The
45:44man
45:44who
45:44came
45:44here
45:45and
45:45his
45:46confederates
45:46must be
45:47taken
45:47and taken
45:48at once.
45:49These
45:49men
45:50must not
45:50cross
45:51the
45:51sea.
45:54Royer's
45:55grave
45:55good
45:56sense
45:56seemed
45:56to pull
45:56us
45:57all
45:57together.
45:58He
45:58was
45:58the
45:58man
45:59of
45:59action
45:59among
45:59the
45:59fumblers.
46:00But I
46:01saw
46:02no hope
46:02in any
46:02face
46:03and I
46:03felt
46:03none.
46:04But where
46:05among
46:05the fifty
46:06million
46:06of these
46:07ports
46:07and within
46:07a dozen
46:08hours
46:08were we
46:09to lay
46:09hands
46:09on the
46:10three
46:10cleverest
46:11rogues
46:11in
46:11Europe?
46:12Then
46:13suddenly
46:14I
46:14remembered
46:14Scudder's
46:15notebook.
46:16Thirty-nine
46:17steps
46:17I
46:17shouted.
46:18Thirty-nine
46:19steps.
46:19I
46:20counted
46:21high tide
46:21ten
46:22seventeen
46:22p.m.
46:25The
46:25gentleman
46:25regarded
46:26me
46:26nonplussed.
46:27Don't
46:27you
46:28see
46:28it's
46:28a
46:28clue?
46:30Scudder
46:30knew
46:30where
46:30these
46:31fellows
46:31were
46:31going
46:31to
46:31leave
46:31the
46:32country
46:32though
46:32he
46:32kept
46:32the
46:33name
46:33to
46:33himself.
46:34Tomorrow
46:34was
46:35the
46:35day
46:35and
46:35it
46:35was
46:35some
46:35place
46:36where
46:36the
46:36high
46:36tide
46:37was
46:37at
46:37ten
46:37seventeen
46:38where
46:39the
46:39devil
46:39can
46:39I
46:39get
46:39a
46:39book
46:39of
46:40tide
46:40tables?
46:41A
46:42book
46:42was
46:43procured
46:43and we
46:44scoured
46:44it.
46:45There
46:46were
46:46hundreds
46:46of
46:47entries
46:47and so
46:47as far
46:48as I
46:48could
46:48see
46:49ten
46:49seventeen
46:50might
46:50cover
46:50fifty
46:51places.
46:54Here's the
46:54most I
46:55can make
46:55of it,
46:55I said.
46:57We
46:57have
46:58got
46:58to
46:58find
46:58a
46:58place
46:59where
46:59there
46:59are
47:00several
47:00staircases
47:01down
47:01to
47:01the
47:01beach,
47:02one
47:03of
47:03which
47:03has
47:04thirty
47:04nine
47:04steps.
47:05I
47:06think
47:06it's
47:06a
47:07place
47:07of
47:07open
47:07coast
47:08with
47:08big
47:08cliffs
47:09somewhere
47:09between
47:10the
47:10wash
47:10and
47:10the
47:10channel.
47:11Also,
47:12it's
47:13a
47:13place
47:13where
47:13full
47:13tide
47:14is
47:14at
47:14ten
47:14seventeen
47:15tomorrow
47:15night.
47:18Around
47:18one in
47:19the
47:19morning,
47:19a man
47:20by the
47:20name
47:21of
47:21Scaife
47:21who
47:21had
47:22been
47:22in
47:22the
47:22Navy
47:23was
47:23summoned
47:23and
47:23he
47:24proclaimed
47:24Bradgate,
47:25a big
47:26chalk
47:26headland
47:27in
47:27Kent
47:27to
47:27be
47:28the
47:28most
47:28likely
47:28place
47:29as it
47:30had
47:30villas
47:30with
47:30staircases
47:31down
47:31to
47:32a
47:32private
47:32beach.
47:33I
47:34tore
47:34open
47:34the
47:34tide
47:34tables
47:35and
47:35found
47:35Bradgate.
47:37High
47:37tide
47:37there
47:38was
47:38at
47:38ten
47:38seventeen
47:39p.m.
47:39on
47:40the
47:40fifteenth
47:40of
47:40June.
47:43A
47:43pink
47:43and
47:44blue
47:44June
47:44morning
47:45found
47:45me
47:46at
47:46Bradgate
47:46with
47:46Scaife.
47:48We
47:48got
47:48from a
47:49house
47:49agent
47:49a
47:49key
47:49for
47:50the
47:50gates
47:50of
47:50the
47:50staircases.
47:51I
47:52walked
47:52with
47:52them
47:52along
47:52the
47:53sands
47:53and
47:53waited
47:54in
47:54a
47:54nook
47:55of
47:55the
47:55cliffs.
47:57When Scaife
47:58returned,
47:59I could
47:59tell you
48:00my heart
48:00was in
48:00my mouth.
48:01He read
48:02aloud
48:02the
48:03number
48:03of
48:03the
48:03steps
48:03of
48:04the
48:04different
48:04stairs.
48:05Forty-two,
48:06forty-seven,
48:07thirty-five,
48:09twenty-nine,
48:10and thirty-nine.
48:12I almost
48:13got up
48:14and shouted.
48:15We
48:15hurried back
48:16to the
48:16town
48:16and sent
48:17a wire
48:17for
48:17half
48:17a dozen
48:18men.
48:18After
48:19lunch,
48:19I saw
48:20the
48:20thing
48:20I
48:20had
48:20hoped
48:21for
48:21and
48:21had
48:21dreaded
48:22to
48:22miss.
48:23A
48:23yacht
48:23came up
48:24from
48:24the
48:24south
48:24and
48:25dropped
48:25anchor
48:25pretty
48:26well
48:26opposite
48:26the
48:27house
48:27with
48:27thirty-nine
48:28steps,
48:28which
48:29Scaife
48:30had
48:30discovered
48:30belonged
48:31to
48:31a
48:31Mr.
48:32Appleton,
48:33a
48:33retired
48:33stockbroker.
48:35Then I
48:36set to
48:36watching
48:37the
48:37house.
48:38Two
48:39figures
48:39were having
48:40a game
48:40of
48:40tennis.
48:42One
48:42was an
48:43old
48:43man,
48:43the
48:44other
48:44was a
48:45younger
48:45fellow
48:46wearing
48:46club
48:46colours.
48:48They
48:48played
48:49with
48:49tremendous
48:49zest,
48:50like
48:50two
48:51city
48:52gents
48:52who
48:52wanted
48:52hard
48:52exercise
48:53to
48:53open
48:53their
48:54paws.
48:55Presently,
48:56a third
48:56fellow
48:57arrived,
48:57a young
48:58man with
48:58a bag
48:58of
48:59golf
48:59clubs
48:59slung
49:00on his
49:00back.
49:00He
49:01strolled
49:02round
49:02to
49:02the
49:02tennis
49:02lawn
49:03and
49:03was
49:03welcomed
49:04riotously
49:04by the
49:04players.
49:05They
49:06all
49:06went
49:06into
49:07the
49:07house
49:07and
49:07left
49:08me
49:08feeling
49:08a
49:08precious
49:09idiot.
49:10These
49:11men
49:11might
49:11be
49:11acting,
49:12but
49:12if
49:12they
49:12were,
49:14where
49:14was
49:14their
49:15audience?
49:15They
49:16didn't
49:16know I
49:17was
49:17sitting
49:17thirty
49:18yards
49:18off
49:18in a
49:19rhododendron.
49:20It
49:20was
49:20simply
49:21impossible
49:21to
49:22believe
49:22that
49:22these
49:23hearty
49:23fellows
49:23were
49:24anything
49:24but what
49:24they
49:24seemed,
49:25three
49:25ordinary
49:26game
49:27playing
49:27suburban
49:28Englishman.
49:29But suddenly
49:30I remembered
49:31old Peter
49:31Pina
49:32and how
49:33only one
49:33thing
49:34mattered
49:34in the
49:34game
49:35of
49:35disguises,
49:37atmosphere.
49:38The
49:39recollection
49:39of Peter's
49:40talk gave
49:40me the
49:41first real
49:41comfort
49:41that I
49:42had had
49:42that day.
49:43Peter
49:43had been
49:44a wise
49:44old
49:44bird,
49:45and these
49:46fellows
49:46I were
49:46after
49:46were about
49:47the
49:47pick
49:47of
49:47the
49:47aviary.
49:48What
49:49if they
49:49were
49:49playing
49:50Peter's
49:50game?
49:52Scaife's
49:53men
49:53would be
49:53in place
49:54by now,
49:54but there
49:55was no
49:55sign
49:55of a
49:56soul.
49:57The
49:57house
49:57stood
49:57as
49:58open
49:58as
49:58a
49:58marketplace
49:59for
49:59anybody
49:59to
50:00observe.
50:02Feeling
50:02the
50:02greatest
50:03fool
50:03on
50:03earth,
50:04I
50:04opened
50:05the
50:05gate
50:05and
50:05rang
50:05the
50:05bell.
50:07The
50:07old
50:08man's
50:08manner
50:08was
50:09perfect.
50:11Did
50:11you
50:11wish
50:11to
50:12see
50:12me?
50:12He
50:13said
50:13hesitatingly.
50:14Though
50:14I
50:15hadn't
50:15an ounce
50:15of
50:16confidence
50:16in
50:16me,
50:17I
50:17forced
50:17myself
50:17to
50:17play
50:18the
50:18game.
50:19I
50:19think
50:19we've
50:19met
50:20before,
50:20I
50:20said,
50:21and I
50:21guess
50:21you
50:21know
50:21my
50:22business.
50:23Maybe,
50:24maybe,
50:25said the
50:25old
50:25man,
50:26I
50:26haven't
50:26a
50:27very
50:27good
50:27memory.
50:28By
50:29now,
50:29the
50:29other
50:29two
50:30had
50:30gathered
50:30around
50:31him,
50:31curiously,
50:32while I
50:33made
50:33nothing
50:34of it.
50:34One
50:35was
50:35bold
50:36and
50:36old,
50:37one
50:37was
50:38stout,
50:38one
50:39was
50:39dark
50:40and
50:40thin.
50:41There
50:41was
50:42nothing
50:42in
50:42appearance
50:42to
50:43prevent
50:43them
50:44being
50:44the
50:44three
50:44who
50:45had
50:45hunted
50:45me
50:45in
50:45Scotland,
50:46but
50:46there
50:46was
50:46nothing
50:46to
50:47identify
50:47them.
50:48Well,
50:48then,
50:49I
50:49said,
50:49and
50:50all
50:50the
50:50time
50:50I
50:50seemed
50:50to
50:51be
50:51talking
50:52pure
50:52foolishness
50:53to
50:53myself.
50:54I
50:54have
50:54come
50:55to
50:55tell
50:55you
50:55that
50:55the
50:55game's
50:56up.
50:56I
50:57have
50:57a
50:57warrant
50:57for
50:57the
50:58arrest
50:58of
50:58you
50:58three
50:58gentlemen.
51:00Arrest,
51:00said
51:01the
51:01old
51:01man,
51:02and
51:02he
51:02looked
51:02really
51:02shocked.
51:03Arrest?
51:04Good
51:04God,
51:04what
51:04for?
51:05For
51:05the
51:06murder
51:06of
51:06Franklin
51:07Scudder
51:07in
51:07London
51:08on
51:08the
51:08twenty
51:08third
51:09day
51:09of
51:09last
51:09month.
51:11After
51:11that,
51:19do
51:19you
51:20propose
51:20to
51:20march
51:21us
51:21off
51:21to
51:21the
51:21police
51:22station?
51:22asked
51:22the
51:23plump
51:23one.
51:24I
51:24have
51:24the
51:24right
51:24to
51:25ask
51:25to
51:25see
51:25your
51:25warrant,
51:26but
51:26I
51:26don't
51:27wish
51:27to
51:27cast
51:27aspersions
51:28upon
51:29you.
51:29We
51:30are
51:30only
51:30doing
51:30your
51:31duty,
51:32but
51:32you'll
51:33admit
51:33it's
51:33horribly
51:33awkward.
51:35Meantime,
51:36I vote
51:37we have
51:37a game
51:38of
51:38bridge.
51:38We've
51:39been
51:39wanting
51:39a
51:39fourth
51:40player.
51:40Do
51:40you
51:41play,
51:41sir?
51:43I
51:44accept
51:44it,
51:44as if
51:45it
51:45had
51:46been
51:46an
51:46ordinary
51:46invitation
51:47at
51:47the
51:47club.
51:48The
51:49whole
51:49business
51:50had
51:50mesmerized
51:51me.
51:52We
51:53went
51:53into
51:53the
51:54smoking
51:54room
51:54where
51:54a
51:55card
51:55table
51:55was
51:55set
51:56out.
51:56I
51:57took
51:57my
51:57place
51:57at
51:57the
51:57table
51:58in
51:58a
51:58kind
51:59of
51:59dream.
52:00The
52:01window
52:01was
52:01open
52:01and
52:02the
52:02moon
52:02was
52:02flooding
52:03the
52:03cliffs
52:03and
52:04sea
52:04with
52:04a
52:04great
52:04tide
52:05of
52:05yellow
52:05light.
52:06Then
52:08something
52:08awoke
52:09me.
52:10The
52:10old
52:10man
52:11laid
52:11down
52:11his
52:11hand
52:12to
52:12light
52:12a
52:12cigar.
52:13He
52:13didn't
52:14pick
52:14it
52:14up
52:14at
52:14once
52:14but
52:15sat
52:15back
52:15for
52:15a
52:15moment
52:16in
52:16his
52:16chair
52:16with
52:16his
52:17fingers
52:18tapping
52:18on
52:19his
52:19knees.
52:21It
52:21was
52:22the
52:22movement
52:22I
52:22remembered
52:22when
52:23I
52:23had
52:23stood
52:23before
52:24him
52:24in
52:24the
52:24moorland
52:24farm
52:25with
52:25the
52:25pistols
52:26of
52:26the
52:26servants
52:27behind
52:27me.
52:27A
52:28little
52:28thing
52:28lasting
52:29only
52:29a
52:29second
52:29and
52:30the
52:30odds
52:30were
52:30a
52:30thousand
52:31to
52:31one
52:31that
52:31I
52:31might
52:31have
52:32had
52:32my
52:32eyes
52:32on
52:32my
52:32cards
52:33at
52:33the
52:33time
52:34and
52:34missed
52:34it
52:34but
52:35I
52:35didn't
52:35and
52:36in
52:36a
52:36flash
52:36the
52:37air
52:37seemed
52:37to
52:37clear.
52:38Some
52:39shadow
52:40lifted
52:40from
52:40my
52:40brain
52:41and
52:41the
52:41three
52:41faces
52:42seemed
52:42to
52:42change
52:43before
52:43my
52:43eyes
52:44and
52:44reveal
52:44their
52:44secrets.
52:46The
52:46young
52:46one
52:46was
52:47the
52:47murderer.
52:47His
52:48knife
52:48I
52:48felt
52:49certain
52:49had
52:49skewered
52:50Scudder
52:50to
52:50the
52:50floor.
52:51His
52:52kind
52:52had
52:52put
52:53the
52:53bullet
52:53in
52:53Cadillides.
53:01could
53:02assume
53:02when
53:02he
53:02pleased
53:04but
53:04the
53:04old
53:05man
53:05was
53:05the
53:05pick
53:06of
53:06the
53:06lot.
53:07He
53:07was
53:08sheer
53:08brain
53:09icy
53:10cool
53:12calculating
53:13as
53:14ruthless
53:14as
53:15a
53:15steam
53:15hammer
53:16and
53:17now
53:17that
53:17my
53:17eyes
53:18were
53:18opened
53:18I
53:19wondered
53:19where
53:19I
53:19had
53:20seen
53:20the
53:20benevolence.
53:21I
53:21blew
53:22my
53:22whistler
53:22and
53:23in
53:23an
53:23instant
53:23the
53:23lights
53:24were
53:24out.
53:24Schnell
53:25France
53:25cried
53:26a
53:26voice.
53:26Das
53:26bolt
53:27Das
53:27bolt
53:27As
53:28it
53:28spoke
53:29I
53:29saw
53:29two
53:30of
53:30scaphes
53:30fellows
53:30emerge
53:31on
53:31the
53:31moonlit
53:31lawn.
53:32The
53:33young
53:33dark
53:33man
53:34leapt
53:34for
53:34the
53:34window
53:34and
53:35was
53:35through
53:35it
53:35and
53:35over
53:36the
53:36low
53:36fence
53:36before
53:36a
53:37hand
53:37could
53:37touch
53:37him.
53:38I
53:38grappled
53:38the
53:38old
53:39chap
53:39and
53:39the
53:39room
53:39seemed
53:40to
53:40fill
53:40with
53:40figures.
53:42Suddenly
53:42my
53:42prisoner
53:43broke
53:43from
53:43me
53:43and
53:44flung
53:44himself
53:44on
53:44the
53:44wall.
53:45There
53:45was
53:46a
53:46click
53:46as
53:46if
53:46a
53:46lever
53:47had
53:47been
53:47pulled.
53:48Then
53:48came
53:49a
53:49low
53:49rumbling
53:50far
53:50far
53:51below
53:51the
53:51ground
53:51and
53:52through
53:52the
53:52window
53:52I
53:53saw
53:53a
53:53cloud
53:53of
53:53chalk
53:54dust
53:54pouring
53:55out
53:55of
53:55the
53:55shaft
53:56on
53:56the
53:56stairway.
53:58Someone
53:59switched
53:59on the
53:59light.
54:00The
54:00old
54:01man
54:01was
54:01looking
54:01at
54:02me
54:02with
54:02blazing
54:03eyes.
54:03He
54:04is
54:04safe.
54:05He
54:06cried.
54:06You
54:06cannot
54:07follow
54:07in
54:08time.
54:08He
54:08is
54:08gone.
54:09The
54:10black
54:10stone
54:10will
54:11triumph.
54:12Der
54:12schwarze
54:13stein
54:13ist
54:14in
54:14der
54:15sieger's
54:15krone.
54:18There
54:19were
54:19more
54:19in
54:19those
54:19eyes
54:20than
54:20any
54:20common
54:21triumph.
54:22They
54:22had
54:22been
54:23hooded
54:24like
54:24the
54:24bird
54:24of
54:24a
54:25prey
54:25and
54:25now
54:25they
54:25flamed
54:26with
54:26a
54:26hawk's
54:27pride.
54:29A
54:29white
54:30fanatic
54:31heat
54:31burned
54:32in
54:32them
54:32and
54:33I
54:33realized
54:34for
54:34the
54:34first
54:34time
54:35the
54:35terrible
54:35thing
54:36that
54:36I
54:36had
54:36been
54:36up
54:36against.
54:38This
54:38man
54:38was
54:39more
54:39than
54:39a
54:39spy.
54:41In
54:41his
54:42foul
54:42way
54:44he
54:45had
54:45been
54:45a
54:45patriot.
54:47As
54:48the
54:48handcuffs
54:49clinked
54:49on
54:49his
54:50wrists
54:50I
54:51said
54:51my
54:52last
54:52words
54:52to
54:52him.
54:53I
54:54hope
54:54France
54:55will
54:55bear
54:55his
54:55triumph
54:56well.
54:57I
54:58ought
54:58to
54:58tell
54:58you
54:58that
54:58your
54:59yacht
54:59for
55:00the
55:00last
55:00hour
55:01has
55:02been
55:02in
55:02our
55:02hands.
55:08Seven
55:09weeks
55:09later
55:09as
55:11all
55:11the
55:11world
55:11knows
55:12we
55:13went
55:13to
55:13war.
55:15I
55:15joined
55:16the
55:16army
55:16in
55:16the
55:16first
55:17week
55:17annoying
55:17to
55:17my
55:17experience
55:18got a
55:18captain's
55:19commission
55:19straight
55:19off.
55:23But
55:31I
55:32had
55:32done
55:32my
55:32best
55:33service
55:33I
55:34think
55:35before
55:35I
55:35put
55:36on
55:36khaki.
55:36me.
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