"Behold!" he said. "They are copies. All that I sketched that night near
Ranceville, all that I wrote--I did not once, but twice. These I carried
openly, to be found if I were captured. But those you hold went hidden
in the sole of my boot, which was hollowed for them, so that if I were
taken and then escaped, they might go too!"
I had read of such devices, I remembered vaguely. There was a story of a
young French captain who had tried the trick in Champagne and succeeded
with it, a rather famous exploit. Then I thought of something else. I
got up slowly.
"You have two sets of papers?" I repeated.
"As you see, Monsieur."
"Then I'll take one of them," said I.
Miss Falconer was looking at me in a puzzled fashion. As for the duke,
his brows drew together; his figure straightened; the cool glint grew in
his eyes.
"Monsieur," he stated somewhat icily, "such things as these are not
souvenirs. When they leave my possession they will go to the supreme
command."
"Certainly," I agreed, unruffled. "That will do admirably for the first
package; but about the second--no doubt Miss Falconer told you that
we have German guests downstairs? Perhaps she forgot to mention the
leader's name, though.
Pages:
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258