Part 56 (1/2)
”Quite so.... Anything fresh?”
Loreuil smiled. ”I have got your man.”
”Sure of it?”
Loreuil seated himself next Juve. He spoke low.
”He calls himself Butler ... says he is Canadian.... He declares he has been in London some time: it is a falsehood. I recognise him perfectly. I had already seen him at Chalons, when he had a connection with the singer Nichoune, and we suspected him of being the author of the leakages in the offices of the Headquarters Staff.”
”That is Corporal Vinson, then?”
”Consequently you must intervene,” said Loreuil.
Juve reflected. After a short silence he said:
”Intervene! You go too fast. Remember we are in a foreign country, and there is no question of a common law crime: Vinson is not accused of murder, simply of treason.
”I like that word 'simply,'” remarked Loreuil ironically.
”Don't take that in bad part,” smiled Juve; ”but it has its importance from an international point of view. I cannot arrest Vinson in England on the pretext that he is a spy.”
”Happily we have foreseen that difficulty,” said Loreuil. ”Butler will accompany us to Belgium. He believes we are Belgians. Belgium means France, as far as we are concerned--the three of us!”
Juve had reached London the evening before. He had found at Scotland Yard several telegrams and a private note from a detective friend, informing him of the arrival of an individual known to be an officer of the Second Bureau.
Juve met Loreuil. The two men, on the same quest, put their heads together. They were soon on the track of Vinson. A man answering to his description had been in London several weeks. This was the truth.
Juve would not admit it. He believed Vinson had arrived in England only a few hours ahead of him.
Loreuil, whose mission did not include the arrest of Vinson, considered he had done his part as soon as he had identified the corporal. Juve would do the rest.
”We are agreed, then!” said Loreuil. ”If I introduce you to Butler as Paul, the theatrical manager, who wishes to engage him as trainer of canaries ... the rest you can manage for yourself.... Be circ.u.mspect!
The fellow is on the lookout!”
”He must leave with me to-night--it is urgent!” insisted Juve.... ”You must help me, Captain!”
Captain Loreuil frowned.
”I must confess I don't like this sort of thing!” said he.
”But this affair is more serious even than you know,” said Juve. ”This Vinson business does not stand alone: it is but a strand in a vast network of mystery and wickedness of the most malignant kind.”
Still the captain was reluctant. To take part in such a sinister comedy; to make a poor wretch tipsy in order to deliver him to the authorities for punishment, wounded the captain's self-respect. Juve overcame his hesitations with the words:
”It is not merely a secret service matter, Monsieur: it is a question of National Defence.”
”I will help you, Monsieur,” was the captain's answer to this, adding: