Part 7 (2/2)

But the old man was the pick of the lot He was sheer brain, icy, cool, calculating, as ruthless as a steam hammer Now that my eyes were opened I wondered where I had seen the benevolence His jaas like chilled steel, and his eyes had the inhu, and every second a greater hate welled up in my heart It almost choked me, and I couldn't anshen er could I endure their company

'Whew! Bob! Look at the ti your train Bob's got to go to town tonight,' he added, turning tonow as false as hell I looked at the clock, and it was nearly half-past ten

'I am afraid he must put off his journey,' I said

'Oh, daht you had dropped that rot I've siive any security you like'

'No,' I said, 'you must stay'

At that I think they ame was desperate Their only chance had been to convincethe fool, and that had failed But the old ht to content you, Mr Hannay' Was it fancy, or did I detect some halt in the smoothness of that voice?

There lanced at him, his eyelids fell in that hawk-like hood which fear had stamped on my hts were out A pair of strong ar the pockets in which a ht be expected to carry a pistol

'SCHNELL, FRANZ,' cried a voice, 'DAS BOOT, DAS BOOT!' As it spoke I sao ofdark h it, and over the low fence before a hand could touch hirappled the old chap, and the rooures I saw the plump one collared, but my eyes were all for the out-of-doors, where Franz sped on over the road towards the railed entrance to the beach stairs One ate of the stairs locked behind the fugitive, and I stood staring, with ht take to descend those steps to the sea

Suddenlyhimself on the wall There was a click as if a lever had been pulled Then cah theI saw a cloud of chalky dust pouring out of the shaft of the stairway

So ateyes

'He is safe,' he cried 'You cannot follow in tioneHe has triumphedDER SCHWARZE STEIN IST IN DER SIEGESKRONE'

There was more in those eyes than any common triumph They had been hooded like a bird of prey, and now they flamed with a hawk's pride A white fanatic heat burned in the I had been up against This man was more than a spy; in his foul way he had been a patriot

As the handcuffs clinked on his wrists I said my last word to hiht to tell you that the ARIADNE for the last hour has been in our hands'

Three weeks later, as all the world knoent to war I joined the New Arot a captain's coht off But I had done my best service, I think, before I put on khaki