There's some nasty business afoot, and he found out too much
and lost his life over it. But I am ready to take my oath that it is
ordinary spy work. A certain great European Power makes a hobby of her
spy system, and her methods are not too particular. Since she pays by
piecework her blackguards are not likely to stick at a murder or two.
They want our naval dispositions for their collection at the Marineamt;
but they will be pigeon-holed--nothing more.'
Just then the butler entered the room.
'There's a trunk-call from London, Sir Walter. It's Mr 'Eath, and
he wants to speak to you personally.'
My host went off to the telephone.
He returned in five minutes with a whitish face. 'I apologize to
the shade of Scudder,' he said. 'Karolides was shot dead this evening
at a few minutes after seven.'
CHAPTER EIGHT
The Coming of the Black Stone
I came down to breakfast next morning, after eight hours of blessed
dreamless sleep, to find Sir Walter decoding a telegram in the midst
of muffins and marmalade. His fresh rosiness of yesterday seemed a
thought tarnished.
'I had a busy hour on the telephone after you went to bed,' he
said. 'I got my Chief to speak to the First Lord and the Secretary
for War, and they are bringing Royer over a day sooner. This wire
clinches it. He will be in London at five. Odd that the code word
for a SOUS-CHEF D/ETAT MAJOR-GENERAL should be "Porker".
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