Okewood of the Secret Service [109]
to Barbara who remained apparently lifeless in her chair, "bring her round. And then I think she'd better go to bed."
"But what about the treatment to-night" asked Mrs. Malplaquet.
Strangwise smiled mysteriously.
"I'm not sure that any further treatment will be required," he said.
In the meantime, Bellward had leaned over the girl and with a few passes of his hand had brought her back to consciousness. She sat up, one hand pressed to her face, and looked about her in a dazed fashion. On recognizing Desmond she gave a little cry.
"Take her away!" commanded Strangwise.
Bellward had unfastened the ropes binding her feet, and he and Mrs. Malplaquet between them half-dragged, half-lifted the girl (for she was scarcely able to walk) from the room.
When the door had closed behind them, Strangwise pointed to a chair and pulled out his cigarette case. "Sit down, Desmond," he said, "and let's talk. Will you smoke?"
He held out his case. A cigarette was the one thing for which Desmond craved. He took one and lit it. Strangwise sat down on the other side of a curiously carved ebony table, his big automatic before him.
"I guess you're sharp enough to know when you're beaten, Desmond," he said. "You've put up a good fight and until this afternoon you were one up on me. I'll grant you that. And I don't mind admitting that you've busted up my little organization--for the present at any rate. But I'm on top now and you're in our power, old man."
"Well," replied Desmond shortly, "what are you going to do about it?"
"I'm going to utilize my advantage to the best I know how," retorted Strangwise, snapping the words, "that's good strategy, isn't it, Desmond? That's what Hamley and all the military writers teach, isn't it? And I'm going to be frank with you. I suppose you realize that your life hung by a thread in this very room only a minute ago. Do you know why I intervened to save you?"
Desmond smiled. All his habitual serenity was coming back to him. He found it hard to realize that this old brother officer of his, blowing rings of cigarette smoke at him across the table, was an enemy.
"I don't suppose it was because of the love you bear me," replied Desmond.
And he rubbed the bump on his head.
Strangwise noted the action and smiled.
"Listen here," he resumed, planking his hands down on the table and leaning forward, "I'm ready and anxious to quit this spying business. It was only a side line with me anyway. My main object in coming to this country was to recover possession of that diamond star. Once I've got it back, I'm through with England..."
"But not with the army," Desmond broke in, "thank God, we've got a swift way with traitors in this country!"
"Quite so," returned the other, "but you see, my friend, the army hasn't got me. And I have got you! But let us drop talking platitudes," he went on. "I'm no great hand at driving a bargain, Desmond--few army men are, you know--so I won't even attempt to chaffer with you. I shall tell you straight out what I am ready to offer. You were given the job of breaking up this organization, weren't you?"
Desmond was silent. He was beginning to wonder what Strangwise was driving at.
"Oh, you needn't trouble to deny it. I never spotted you, I admit, even when the real Bellward turned up: that idea of putting your name in the casualty list as 'killed' was a masterstroke; for I never looked to find you alive and trying to put it across me. But to return to what I was saying--your job was to smash my little system, and if you pull it off, it's a feather in your cap. Well, you've killed two of my people and you've arrested the ringleader."
"Meaning Behrend?" asked Desmond.
"Behrend be hanged! I mean Nur-el-Din!"
"Nur-el-Din was not the ringleader," said Desmond, "as well you know, Strangwise!"
"Your employers evidently don't share your views, Desmond," he replied, "all the documents were found on Nur-el-Din!"
"Bah!" retorted Desmond, "and what of it? Mightn't they have been planted on her in order to get her arrested to draw the
"But what about the treatment to-night" asked Mrs. Malplaquet.
Strangwise smiled mysteriously.
"I'm not sure that any further treatment will be required," he said.
In the meantime, Bellward had leaned over the girl and with a few passes of his hand had brought her back to consciousness. She sat up, one hand pressed to her face, and looked about her in a dazed fashion. On recognizing Desmond she gave a little cry.
"Take her away!" commanded Strangwise.
Bellward had unfastened the ropes binding her feet, and he and Mrs. Malplaquet between them half-dragged, half-lifted the girl (for she was scarcely able to walk) from the room.
When the door had closed behind them, Strangwise pointed to a chair and pulled out his cigarette case. "Sit down, Desmond," he said, "and let's talk. Will you smoke?"
He held out his case. A cigarette was the one thing for which Desmond craved. He took one and lit it. Strangwise sat down on the other side of a curiously carved ebony table, his big automatic before him.
"I guess you're sharp enough to know when you're beaten, Desmond," he said. "You've put up a good fight and until this afternoon you were one up on me. I'll grant you that. And I don't mind admitting that you've busted up my little organization--for the present at any rate. But I'm on top now and you're in our power, old man."
"Well," replied Desmond shortly, "what are you going to do about it?"
"I'm going to utilize my advantage to the best I know how," retorted Strangwise, snapping the words, "that's good strategy, isn't it, Desmond? That's what Hamley and all the military writers teach, isn't it? And I'm going to be frank with you. I suppose you realize that your life hung by a thread in this very room only a minute ago. Do you know why I intervened to save you?"
Desmond smiled. All his habitual serenity was coming back to him. He found it hard to realize that this old brother officer of his, blowing rings of cigarette smoke at him across the table, was an enemy.
"I don't suppose it was because of the love you bear me," replied Desmond.
And he rubbed the bump on his head.
Strangwise noted the action and smiled.
"Listen here," he resumed, planking his hands down on the table and leaning forward, "I'm ready and anxious to quit this spying business. It was only a side line with me anyway. My main object in coming to this country was to recover possession of that diamond star. Once I've got it back, I'm through with England..."
"But not with the army," Desmond broke in, "thank God, we've got a swift way with traitors in this country!"
"Quite so," returned the other, "but you see, my friend, the army hasn't got me. And I have got you! But let us drop talking platitudes," he went on. "I'm no great hand at driving a bargain, Desmond--few army men are, you know--so I won't even attempt to chaffer with you. I shall tell you straight out what I am ready to offer. You were given the job of breaking up this organization, weren't you?"
Desmond was silent. He was beginning to wonder what Strangwise was driving at.
"Oh, you needn't trouble to deny it. I never spotted you, I admit, even when the real Bellward turned up: that idea of putting your name in the casualty list as 'killed' was a masterstroke; for I never looked to find you alive and trying to put it across me. But to return to what I was saying--your job was to smash my little system, and if you pull it off, it's a feather in your cap. Well, you've killed two of my people and you've arrested the ringleader."
"Meaning Behrend?" asked Desmond.
"Behrend be hanged! I mean Nur-el-Din!"
"Nur-el-Din was not the ringleader," said Desmond, "as well you know, Strangwise!"
"Your employers evidently don't share your views, Desmond," he replied, "all the documents were found on Nur-el-Din!"
"Bah!" retorted Desmond, "and what of it? Mightn't they have been planted on her in order to get her arrested to draw the