Evening star., 1925-05-05

81 am" he replied.
THE inventor of yellow cross gas?''
1.-The adapter, let US say"
THE murderer of Raoul Duplessy," "
continued Rehmy, gazing at him
steadily
The Professor emitted a short sigh.
Il think we are wandering little
from the point" ne said. II have
first of all to thank you both for
having made such excellent use of
your opportunities during the last
"A hours. You have done admira bic
service"
lie paused and turned to me with
a mocking smile.
Did you really think. my dear Capt
Preston, that your ingenious opera
tions in this city of Hanover were
unknown TO me? You do me an in
justice. | have been following your
operations with the deepest interest
and in the confident expectation that
YOU were an emisSary far more likely
10 succeed with the distinguished per-
son to whom you were accredited than
the late lamented Won Emmerich, who,
l fear, was considerably less prepos
sesSing and less intelligent than your
self. l have now the honor to con-
gratulate you on your remarkable
success. You have obtained the sig
nature we so greatly needed, and
which l was somewhat doubtful of
securing by our own unaided efforts" ="
So he had been playing with me.
He had been watching me from first
TO last, and when / had lone his
work for him he had pounced. I had
been congratulating myself on having
displayed a certain amount OF in
genuity and presence of mind, and all
the time | had been working into
his hands.
He evidently read my thoughts. He
stepped forward and, bending down.
looked into my face. l tried TO stare
back at him. but even then I could
donicaIly.
rs it bitter. my little Englishman?"
he said. Did you really think that
you had outwitted us?
And you, Capt. Rehmy," he con-
tinued, turning TO my friend, ''did
YOU really think that your academic
methods could prevail against the re-
sources of a scientific brain?''
He threw back his head and his
pale face flushed. His triumph was
complete, and he knew it so well that,
for an instant, he dropped his mask
and allowed me a glimpse of the real
man beneath.
I could find no words with which
10 answer him and, indeed when /
had first entered the room and per
ceived him, | had decided to let
Rehmy do all the talking that was
necessary. l was 50 disgusted with
myself, and so utterly cast down at
the manner in Whici- | had been
duped that l felt that f / took any
further hand in the game myself I
should probably make our position
even worse than it was already.
Rehmy, however, even in that bit
ter moment. was equal to the Pro
fessor He lifted his head and stared
at him unflinchingly.
My compliments, Herr Professor,
he said: you confirm our national
impression of your countrvmen as a
race which leaped from the primeval
forest straight into a well appointed
labora tory"
The professor flushed and his eyes
narrowed TO two Sits.
The worse for YOU. Capt. Rehmy,
if that impression be well founded 4"
he said softly.
could see that Rehmy's shot had
gone home and that the Professor S
al1nor was pierced. He turned,
however. with an admiral BILE assump-
ton of suavity and walked to a hang
ing wooden ring. upon which he de-
posted Ahasuerus.
AS he turned back again, the door
was flung open. and Fritz entered,
evidently in a state of high excite
ment.
Herr Predecessor. he began, and
then stopped short at the sight of us.
"DonnerwetterP' he cried. You've
got them"
He came swiftly down the room and
shook the Professor violently by the
hand.
The Professor eyed him coldly
II have, as you see, my dear Maj.
Adler, retrieved yet another of your
unfortunate blunders," he said, after
a noticeable pause.
Fritz stepped back from the Pro-
fessor his momentary satisfaction at
finding us both by the heels effectively
snubbed.
1T wasn't my fault he said, EN-.
ploying his usual formula when things
went wrong. The initial blunder