Evening star., 1950-09-21

instant, MaglS looked surprised.
He puckered his forehead. THE
creek?" he echoed. "Ah, but yes
the creek That was our saliva
ton. of truth"
This rowboat how many
oars?"
"It had two only, sir. And
these are the hands that rowed
it," He stretched out his mus
cular fists.
Strong and intelligent hands,"
I said.
Hands BeIied Mans Story.
He smirked, turned over his
palms. AS I thought. there was
not a callous or blister on them
and this the man who had rowed
more than 100 miles!
"One last question. Magis. Why
did one so astute as yourself put
to sea in bright red boat. visible
by air for miles?"
He grunted scornfully.
Better a red boat than no
boat. We took that risk"
I dismissed him, sat back in
my chair. These men, palpably,
had not come to England by
escape boat. How, then, had
they come? Dropped by para
chute? Not likely. I knew that
my adversary, Herr Strauch, was
not mad enough to drop any more
spies by parachute. We had
caught so many.
My phone bell rang a
harassed high official of Military
Intelligence. Important people
are getting damned impatient"
he said. I'VE must know, old
man, how these three fellows got
into England past all our de-
fenses. What's the secret? Has
the Boche got a counter-screen
against radar?"
Questions Got Nowhere.
"Give me two more days." !
answered. Then I called all three
Frenchmen back together. This
time I regarded them coldly. 1T
was a grey boat-a brown boat
a red boat" I said. 1T was
sailboat-a motor-boat-a row.
boat i. Idiots-it was not a boat
at all!
st would like to remind you
that in this land the penalty for
spies is that they have a rope
put around their necks."
The three were silent. All
afternoon and into evening I
probed at them. BY midnight, I
had won nothing. Time was run
ming short. Military Intelligence
H. @. had twice phoned. They
were being pressed by a Very
Important Person indeed.
I sent Magis to the dentention
camp at the Brompton Oratory
School. On my orders he was
put for "a hours in an utterly
dark cell. Then I spoke to the
camps intelligence officer. "To-
morrow morning" I said. II want
all the officers in full service
dress, with Sam Browne belts and
revolvers. Prepare a large room
with tables and books on military
law. We shall put on a mock
court
Leader Taken Before Court"
Magis, next day, was ushered
breakfastless, dazed even by the
watery grey daylight, into large
room. He found himself before
a long table covered with a green
baize.
Seated, silent, wooden-faced.
were all the officers of the camp.
Before each, a black revolver lay.
muzzle pointed towards the
prisoner.
I presided over this formidable
assembly. Two sentries with bay
onets fixed crashed brass-shod
rifle butts to the bare floor.
Speaking French, said: "Magis
for such was the name you gave
us-that dark cell where you
spent "a hours was perhaps the
condemned cell. Only one way
leads out from it the road
to the gallows. Your tale was a
lie. We draw only one possible
conclusion. You were sent here
by the Germans-our enemies.
The penalty for spying is death" !"
There was a terrible silence.
Death" said, unless you tell
us how you entered Britain. I am
giving you a last chance to tell
us the truth"
Death Penalty Pronounced.
I took out my watch and put
t on the table in front of me. "You
have two minutes" I said.
In the room of the mock trial
Magis stood sullen, lips clampeo
shut, listening to a watch thai
licked like the heart of a mar
afraid.
4WO ul11luIcS. 4OuT dIlSWGT
Magis,' said. He shook his head
Il have nothing to say"
I rose, covered my head with a
square of black silk cloth I had
brought with me and solemnly
pronounced the death sentence.
After the guards had marched
their prisoner out the officers
around the table looked at me in
embarrassed silence. It seemed
as though the bluff had failed.
Give me two minutes more,
gentlemen" said. trying to hide
my uneasiness.
The seconds licked by 90
seconds. Then came a knock at
the door. One Of the soldiers had
returned.
"The prisoner would like to
know II ha could haya a Fe,x,