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poor fellow. His hasty action has given me the pleasure of seeing `
`
you all face to face." `
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`
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He fancied that his words caused some discomposure among the `
`
group, but the watchful German stilled it with a wave of his `
`
hand. `
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`
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"Dead men tell no tales," he said evenly. `
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`
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"Ah," said Tommy, "but I'm not dead yet!" `
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"You soon will be, my young friend," said the German. `
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An assenting murmur came from the others. `
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Tommy's heart beat faster, but his casual pleasantness did not `
`
waver. `
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`
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"I think not," he said firmly. "I should have a great objection `
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to dying." `
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`
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He had got them puzzled, he saw that by the look on his captor's `
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face. `
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"Can you give us any reason why we should not put you to death?" `
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asked the German. `
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"Several," replied Tommy. "Look here, you've been asking me a `
`
lot of questions. Let me ask you one for a change. Why didn't `
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you kill me off at once before I regained consciousness?" `
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The German hesitated, and Tommy seized his advantage. `
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`
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"Because you didn't know how much I knew--and where I obtained `
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that knowledge. If you kill me now, you never will know." `
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But here the emotions of Boris became too much for him. He `
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stepped forward waving his arms. `
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`
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"You hell-hound of a spy," he screamed. "We will give you short `
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shrift. Kill him! Kill him!" `
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There was a roar of applause. `
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"You hear?" said the German, his eyes on Tommy. "What have you `
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to say to that?" `
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"Say?" Tommy shrugged his shoulders. "Pack of fools. Let them `
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ask themselves a few questions. How did I get into this place? `
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Remember what dear old Conrad said--WITH YOUR OWN PASSWORD, `
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wasn't it? How did I get hold of that? You don't suppose I came `
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up those steps haphazard and said the first thing that came into `
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my head?" `
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`
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Tommy was pleased with the concluding words of this speech. His `
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only regret was that Tuppence was not present to appreciate its `
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full flavour. `
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`
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"That is true," said the working man suddenly. "Comrades, we `
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have been betrayed!" `
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`
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An ugly murmur arose. Tommy smiled at them encouragingly. `
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`
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"That's better. How can you hope to make a success of any job if `
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you don't use your brains?" `
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`
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"You will tell us who has betrayed us," said the German. "But `
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that shall not save you--oh, no! You shall tell us all that you `
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know. Boris, here, knows pretty ways of making people speak!" `
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`
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"Bah!" said Tommy scornfully, fighting down a singularly `
`
unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach. "You will neither `
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torture me nor kill me." `
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`
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"And why not?" asked Boris. `
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`
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"Because you'd kill the goose that lays the golden eggs," replied `
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Tommy quietly. `
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`
`
There was a momentary pause. It seemed as though Tommy's `
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persistent assurance was at last conquering. They were no longer `
`
completely sure of themselves. The man in the shabby clothes `
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stared at Tommy searchingly. `
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`
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"He's bluffing you, Boris," he said quietly. `
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`
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Tommy hated him. Had the man seen through him? `
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`
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The German, with an effort, turned roughly to Tommy. `
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`
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"What do you mean?" `
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`
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"What do you think I mean?" parried Tommy, searching desperately `
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in his own mind. `
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`
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Suddenly Boris stepped forward, and shook his fist in Tommy's `
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face. `
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`
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"Speak, you swine of an Englishman--speak!" `
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`
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"Don't get so excited, my good fellow," said Tommy calmly. `
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"That's the worst of you foreigners. You can't keep calm. Now, I `
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ask you, do I look as though I thought there were the least `
`
chance of your killing me?" `
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`
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He looked confidently round, and was glad they could not hear the `
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persistent beating of his heart which gave the lie to his words. `
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`
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"No," admitted Boris at last sullenly, "you do not." `
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"Thank God, he's not a mind reader," thought Tommy. Aloud he `
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pursued his advantage: `
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`
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"And why am I so confident? Because I know something that puts `
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me in a position to propose a bargain." `
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`
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"A bargain?" The bearded man took him up sharply. `
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`
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"Yes--a bargain. My life and liberty against----" He paused. `
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`
`
"Against what?" `
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The group pressed forward. You could have heard a pin drop. `
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`
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Slowly Tommy spoke. `
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`
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"The papers that Danvers brought over from America in the `
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Lusitania." `
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`
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The effect of his words was electrical. Every one was on his `
`
feet. The German waved them back. He leaned over Tommy, his face `
`
purple with excitement. `
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`
`
"Himmel! You have got them, then?" `
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`
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With magnificent calm Tommy shook his head. `
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`
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"You know where they are?" persisted the German. `
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Again Tommy shook his head. "Not in the least." `
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`
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"Then--then----" angry and baffled, the words failed him. `
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`
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Tommy looked round. He saw anger and bewilderment on every face, `
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but his calm assurance had done its work--no one doubted but that `
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something lay behind his words. `
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`
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"I don't know where the papers are--but I believe that I can find `
`
them. I have a theory----" `
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`
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"Pah!" `
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Tommy raised his hand, and silenced the clamours of disgust. `
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`
`
"I call it a theory--but I'm pretty sure of my facts--facts that `
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are known to no one but myself. In any case what do you lose? If `
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I can produce the papers--you give me my life and liberty in `
`
exchange. Is it a bargain?" `
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`
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"And if we refuse?" said the German quietly. `
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`
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Tommy lay back on the couch. `
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`
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"The 29th," he said thoughtfully, "is less than a fortnight `
`
ahead----" `
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`
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For a moment the German hesitated. Then he made a sign to `
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Conrad. `
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`
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"Take him into the other room." `
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`
`
For five minutes, Tommy sat on the bed in the dingy room next `
`
door. His heart was beating violently. He had risked all on this `
`
throw. How would they decide? And all the while that this `
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agonized questioning went on within him, he talked flippantly to `
`
Conrad, enraging the cross-grained doorkeeper to the point of `
`
homicidal mania. `
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`
`
At last the door opened, and the German called imperiously to `
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Conrad to return. `
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`
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"Let's hope the judge hasn't put his black cap on," remarked `
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Tommy frivolously. "That's right, Conrad, march me in. The `
`
prisoner is at the bar, gentlemen." `
`
`
`
The German was seated once more behind the table. He motioned to `
`
Tommy to sit down opposite to him. `
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`
`
"We accept," he said harshly, "on terms. The papers must be `
`
delivered to us before you go free." `
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`
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"Idiot!" said Tommy amiably. "How do you think I can look for `
`
them if you keep me tied by the leg here?" `
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`
`
"What do you expect, then?" `
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`
`
"I must have liberty to go about the business in my own way." `
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The German laughed. `
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`
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"Do you think we are little children to let you walk out of here `
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