The Kingdom of the Blind [13]
at his smoking-cabinet and bringing out some cigarettes. "Try one of these, won't you?"
"Not just now, thanks."
There was a moment's pause. Major Thomson seemed in no hurry to explain himself.
"Jolly luncheon party, wasn't it?" Granet remarked, lighting a cigarette for himself with some difficulty. "What an idiot it makes a fellow feel to be strapped up like this!"
"From what one reads of the fighting around Ypres," the other replied, "you were lucky to get out of it so well. Let me explain, if I may, why I have paid you this rather untimely call."
Captain Granet nodded amiably. He had made himself comfortable in an easy-chair and was playing with the dog, who had jumped on to his knee.
"I had some conversation on Thursday last," Major Thomson began, "with the Provost-Marshal of Boulogne. As you, of course, know, we have suffered a great deal, especially around Ypres, from the marvellous success of the German Intelligence Department. The Provost-Marshal, who is a friend of mine, told me that there was a special warning out against a person purporting to be an American chaplain who had escaped from Belgium. You don't happen to have heard of him, I suppose, do you?"
Captain Granet looked doubtful.
"Can't remember that I have," he replied. "They've been awfully clever, those fellows, though. The last few nights before our little scrap they knew exactly what time our relief parties came along. Several times we changed the hour. No use! They were on to us just the same.
Major Thompson nodded.
"Well," he continued, "I happened to catch sight of a man who exactly resembled the photograph which my friend the Provost-Marshal showed me, only a few minutes ago, and although I could not be sure of it, I fancied that he entered this building. It occurred to me that he might be paying a call upon you."
"Upon me?" he repeated.
"He is an exceedingly plausible fellow," Thomson explained, "and as you are just back from the Front, and brought dispatches, he might very possibly regard you as a likely victim."
"Can't make bricks without straw," Granet laughed, "and I know no more about the campaign than my two eyes have seen. I was saying only yesterday that, unless you have a staff billet, it's wonderful how little the ordinary soldier picks up as to what is going on. As a matter of fact, though," he went on, twisting the fox terrier's ear a little, "no one has called here at all except yourself, during the last hour or two. There aren't many of my pals know I'm back yet."
"Are there many other people living in the building?" Major Thomson asked.
"The ground-floor here," the other replied, "belongs to a prosperous cigarette manufacturer who lives himself upon the first floor. This is the second and above us are nothing but the servants' quarters. I should think," he concluded thoughtfully, "that you must have been mistaken about the fellow turning in here at all."
Thomson nodded.
"Very likely," he admitted. "It was just a chance, any way."
"By-the-bye," Granet inquired curiously, looking up from the dog, "how did you know that I roomed here?"
"I happened to see you come in, or was it go out, the other day--I can't remember which," Major Thomson replied.
The telephone upon the table tinkled out a summons. Granet crossed the room and held the receiver to his ear.
"This is Captain Granet speaking," he said. "Who are you, please?"
The reply seemed to surprise him. He glanced across at his visitor.
"I shall be delighted," he answered into the instrument. "It is really very kind of you. . . .About a quarter past eight? . . . Certainly! You'll excuse my not being able to get into mufti, won't you? . . . Ever so many thanks. . . . Good-bye!"
He laid down the receiver and turned to Thomson.
"Rather a coincidence," he observed. "Seems I am going to see you to-night at dinner. That was Miss Geraldine Conyers who just rang up--asked me if I'd like to meet her brother again before he goes off. He is spending the afternoon at the Admiralty and she thought
"Not just now, thanks."
There was a moment's pause. Major Thomson seemed in no hurry to explain himself.
"Jolly luncheon party, wasn't it?" Granet remarked, lighting a cigarette for himself with some difficulty. "What an idiot it makes a fellow feel to be strapped up like this!"
"From what one reads of the fighting around Ypres," the other replied, "you were lucky to get out of it so well. Let me explain, if I may, why I have paid you this rather untimely call."
Captain Granet nodded amiably. He had made himself comfortable in an easy-chair and was playing with the dog, who had jumped on to his knee.
"I had some conversation on Thursday last," Major Thomson began, "with the Provost-Marshal of Boulogne. As you, of course, know, we have suffered a great deal, especially around Ypres, from the marvellous success of the German Intelligence Department. The Provost-Marshal, who is a friend of mine, told me that there was a special warning out against a person purporting to be an American chaplain who had escaped from Belgium. You don't happen to have heard of him, I suppose, do you?"
Captain Granet looked doubtful.
"Can't remember that I have," he replied. "They've been awfully clever, those fellows, though. The last few nights before our little scrap they knew exactly what time our relief parties came along. Several times we changed the hour. No use! They were on to us just the same.
Major Thompson nodded.
"Well," he continued, "I happened to catch sight of a man who exactly resembled the photograph which my friend the Provost-Marshal showed me, only a few minutes ago, and although I could not be sure of it, I fancied that he entered this building. It occurred to me that he might be paying a call upon you."
"Upon me?" he repeated.
"He is an exceedingly plausible fellow," Thomson explained, "and as you are just back from the Front, and brought dispatches, he might very possibly regard you as a likely victim."
"Can't make bricks without straw," Granet laughed, "and I know no more about the campaign than my two eyes have seen. I was saying only yesterday that, unless you have a staff billet, it's wonderful how little the ordinary soldier picks up as to what is going on. As a matter of fact, though," he went on, twisting the fox terrier's ear a little, "no one has called here at all except yourself, during the last hour or two. There aren't many of my pals know I'm back yet."
"Are there many other people living in the building?" Major Thomson asked.
"The ground-floor here," the other replied, "belongs to a prosperous cigarette manufacturer who lives himself upon the first floor. This is the second and above us are nothing but the servants' quarters. I should think," he concluded thoughtfully, "that you must have been mistaken about the fellow turning in here at all."
Thomson nodded.
"Very likely," he admitted. "It was just a chance, any way."
"By-the-bye," Granet inquired curiously, looking up from the dog, "how did you know that I roomed here?"
"I happened to see you come in, or was it go out, the other day--I can't remember which," Major Thomson replied.
The telephone upon the table tinkled out a summons. Granet crossed the room and held the receiver to his ear.
"This is Captain Granet speaking," he said. "Who are you, please?"
The reply seemed to surprise him. He glanced across at his visitor.
"I shall be delighted," he answered into the instrument. "It is really very kind of you. . . .About a quarter past eight? . . . Certainly! You'll excuse my not being able to get into mufti, won't you? . . . Ever so many thanks. . . . Good-bye!"
He laid down the receiver and turned to Thomson.
"Rather a coincidence," he observed. "Seems I am going to see you to-night at dinner. That was Miss Geraldine Conyers who just rang up--asked me if I'd like to meet her brother again before he goes off. He is spending the afternoon at the Admiralty and she thought