Part 16 (1/2)

But he stopped upon the very verge of the adventure. Pulling up a chair, he seated himself in it and addressing Ezra, said:

”But let us come to this message which Abdallah gave you. As you came here seeking Master Pennington, which I have no doubt you did, I suppose you brought the writing with you.”

During all which followed Scarlett's entrance with the innkeeper, Pennington's sharp glance kept s.h.i.+fting itself to Ezra. Now he spoke, eagerly:

”In that you bring us to a matter of consequence, sir. During your absence, we held some converse upon this very matter. And our young friend informed me that the dispatch is no longer in his possession.”

Scarlett folded his arms across his chest in an easy sort of way, and replied, lightly:

”I have no real knowledge of this affair, one way or the other, sir. But from your manner, I take it that this circ.u.mstance is irritating.”

”It is more than that,” spoke Pennington. ”It may be fatal. General Gage was expecting--”

But here he checked himself after the manner of a cautious man who has caught himself in the midst of a dangerous admission.

Ezra, however, smiled.

”It is somewhat late,” said he, ”to try and conceal the dispatch's ultimate destination. Major Buckstone saw to my enlightenment at the very start.”

Pennington's hands clenched.

”You saw him then! The old idiot! He would discuss our plans with the colonial council of war itself.”

”I have not the good fortune of this gentleman's acquaintance,” spoke Scarlett, ”but I think I know the type. The bluff old officer-honest as the sun-who knows nothing but his routine and the well ordering of his command. But,” with a careless wave of the hand, ”what matters it? We are all friends, are we not? We are all fairly well gifted with understanding. So a trifle of plain talk will do no harm.”

Pennington pondered and nodded reluctantly.

”In a way,” said he, ”you are right.”

”A frank question or two, when needed, will have no bad result,” said the adventurer. ”And I think if they were applied here and now, we'd come at something of profit, perhaps.”

Pennington's face flushed.

”I am beholden to you, sir,” said he, a trifle bitterly. Then turning to Ezra he said: ”Perhaps you will now tell us how you came to so part with the papers entrusted to you?”

”Is it any great wonder,” said Ezra, ”that I did not safeguard a message given me by people who later sought my life?”

He was determined to be as evasive as possible. If he hoped to come to the true depth and breadth of this spy system, he knew that he must meet craft with craft.

Pennington made no reply to this, but continued to sit and watch. The situation must have puzzled him; clearly he did not understand it.

But Scarlett was ready enough.

”For my part, I blame you but little,” he said. ”It was but a churlish way to treat a messenger.”

There was a short pause; then the spy spoke.

”Might I ask,” he inquired, ”who this mysterious person is to whom you confided this paper?”