22 
LAND & WATER 
August 31, 1916 
[Continued from page 20) 
to tliink. I made up my mind to keep perfectly mum. Yes, 
even if they tried thumbscrews. 1 liad no kind of story, but 
I resolved not to give anything away. As I turned the 
handle, I wondered idly wliat kind of sallow Turk or bulging- 
necked German we should find inside. 
It was a pleasant room with a polished wood floor, and a 
big fire burning on the hearth. Besides the fire a man lay 
on a couch, with a little table drawn up beside him. On that 
table was a small glass of milk and a number of patience 
cards spread in rows. 
I stared blankly at the spectacle, till I saw a second figure. 
It was the man in the skin-cap, the leader of the dancing 
maniacs. Both Peter and I backed sharply at the sight and 
then stood stock still. 
For the dancer crossed the room in two strides and gripped 
both of my hands. 
" Dick, old man," he cried, " I'm awfully glad to see you 
again ! " 
CHAPTER XII 
Four Missionaries See Light in Their Mission 
A SPASM of incredulity, a vast relief, and that sharp 
joy which comes of reaction chased each other 
across my mind. I had come suddenly out of very 
black waters into an unbelievable calm. I dropped 
into the nearest chair and tried to grapple with something 
far beyond words. 
" Sandy," 1 said, as soon as I got my breath, " you're 
an incarnate devil. You've given Peter and me the fright 
of our lives." 
" It was the only way, Dick. If I didn't come mewing like 
a torn cat at your heels yesterday, Rasta would have liad 
you long before you got to j-our hotel. You two have given 
me a prettj' an.\ious time, and it took some doing to get you 
safe here. However, that is all over now. Make yourselves 
at home, my children." 
" Over ! " 1 cried incredulously, for my wits were stiU 
wool-gathering. " What place is this ? " 
" \ou may call it my humble home," it was Blenkiron's 
sleek voice that spoke. " We've been preparing for you. 
Major, but it was only yesterday I heard of your friend." 
\ introduced Peter. 
' Mr. Pienaar," said Blenkiron. " Pleased to meet you. 
Well, as I was observing, you're safe enough here, but vou've 
cut it mighty fine. Officially a Dutchman called Branilt was 
to be arrested this afternoon and lianded over to the German 
authorities. When Germany begins to trouble about that 
Dutchman she will find difficulty in getting the body, but 
such are the languid ways of an Oriental despotism. Mean- 
time the Dutchman will be no more. He will have ceased 
upon the midnight without pain, as your poet sings." 
" But I don't understand," I stammered. " Who arrested 
us ? " 
" My men," said Sandy. " We have a bit of a graft here, 
and it wa.sn't difficult to manage it. Old Moellendorff will 
be nosing after the busmess to-morrow, but he will find the 
mysicry too deep for him. That is the advantage of a Govern- 
ment run by a pack of adventurers. But, by Jove, Dick, 
we hadn't any time to spare. If Rasta had got you, or the 
Germans had had the job of lifting you, your goose would 
have been jolly well cooked. I had some unquiet hours this 
morning." 
The thing was too deep for me. I looked at Blenkiron 
sliUffling his patience cards with his old sleepy smile, and 
Sandy, dressed like some bandit in melodrama, his lean face 
as brown as a nut, his bare arms all tatooed with crimson 
rings and the fo.x skin f)elt drawn tight over brow and ears. 
It was still a nightmare world, but the dream was getting 
pleasanter. Peter said not a word, but I could see his eyes 
heavy with his own thoughts. 
Blenkiron hove himself from the sofa and waddled to a 
cupboard. 
" You boys must be hungry," he said. " My duo-denum 
has been giving me hell as tisual and I don't eat no more than 
a squirrel. But I laid in some stores, for I guessed you 
would want to stoke up some after your travels." 
He brought out a couple of Strassburg pies, a cheese, a 
cold chicken, a loaf and three bottles of champagne. 
" Fizz," said Sandy, rapturously. " An 1 a dry Heidsieck, 
too ! We're in luck, Dick, old man." 
I never ate a more welcome meal, for we had starved in 
that dirty hotel. But I had still the odd feeling of the hunted, 
and before I began I asked about the door. 
" That's all right." said Sandy. " My fellows are on the 
stairs and at the gate. If tlie Metreb are in possession, you 
may bet that other people will keep off. Your past is blotted 
out, clean vanished away, and you begin to-morrow morn- 
ing with a clean sheet. l>lcnkiion's the man vou've got 
to thank for that. He was pretty certain you'd get here, 
but he was also certain that you'd arrive in a hurry with a 
good many inquiries behind you. So he arranged that you 
should leak away and start afresh." 
" Your name is Richard Hanau," Blenkiron said, " born 
in Cleveland, Ohio, of German parentage on both sides. One 
of our brightest mining-engineers, and the apple of Guggen- 
heim's eye. You arrived this afternoon from Constanta, 
and I met you at the packet. Tue clothes for the part are 
in your bedroom next door. But I guess all that can wait, for 
I'm an.xious to get to business. We're ncjt hereon a joy ride, 
.Major, so 1 reckon we'll leave out the dime-novel adventures. 
I 'm just dying to hear them, but they'll keep. I want to know 
how our mutual inquiries have prospered." 
He gave Peter and me cigars, and we sat ourselves in arm- 
chairs in front of the blaze. Sandy squatted cross-legged on 
the hearthrug and lit afoul old briar pipe, which lie extricated 
from a poucli among his skins. And so bsgan that con- 
xersation which had never been out of my thoughts for four 
hectic weeks. 
" If I presume to begin," said Blenkiron, " it's because I 
reckon my story is the shortest. I have to confess to you, 
gentlemen, that 1 have failed." 
He drew down the corners of his mouth till he looked a 
cross between a music hall comedian and a sick child. 
" If you were looking for something in the root of the hedge 
you wouldn't want to scour the road in a higli-spsed auto- 
mobile. And still less would you want to get a bird's eye 
view in an aeroplane. That parable about fits my case. I 
had been in tlie clouds and I've been scorching on the pikes, 
but what I was wanting was in the ditch all the time, and I 
naturally missed it . . . I had the wrong stunt. Major. 
Ivvas too high up and refined. I've been processing througli 
Europe hke Barnum's Circus, and living with Generals and 
Transparencies. Not that I haven't picked up a lot of noos, 
and got some very interesting sidelights on high politics. 
But the thing I was after wasn't to be found on my beat, for 
those that knew it weren't going to tell. In that kini of 
society they don't get drunk and blab after their tenth cock- 
tail. So I guess I've no contribution to make to quieten 
Sir Walter BuUivant's mind, except that he's dead right. 
Yes, sir, he has hit the spot and rung the bell. There is a 
mighty miracle-working proposition being floated in these 
jxirts, but the promoters are keeping it to themselves. They 
aren't taking more than they can help in on the grouiiJ 
floor." 
Blenkiron stopped to light a fresh cigar. He was leaner 
than when he left London and there were pouches below his 
eyes. I fancy his journey had not been as fur-lined as he 
made out. 
" I've found out one thing and that is that the last dream 
Germany will part with is the control of the Near East. That 
is what your statesm?n don't figure enough on. She'll give 
up Belgium and Alsace-Lorraine and Poland but by God she'll 
never give up the road to Mesopotamia till you have her by 
the throat and make her drop it. Sir Walter is a pretty 
bright-eyed citizen and he sees it right enough. If the 
worst happens, Kiiser will fling' overboard a lot of ballast in 
Europe and it will look like a big victory for the AUies, but 
he won't be bc.iten if he has the road to the East safe. Ger- 
many's like a scorpion. Her sting's in her tail, and that tail 
stretches way down into Asia. 
" I got that clear, and I also made out that it wasn't going 
to be dead easy for her to keep that tail healthy. Turkey's 
a bit of an anxiety, as you'll soon discover. But Germany 
thinks she can manage it, and I won't say she can't. It 
depends on the hand slie holds, and she reckons it a good one. 
I tried to find out, but they gave me nothing but eyewash. I 
had to pretend to be satisfied, for the j-Kwition of John S. 
wasn't so strong as to allow him to take liberties. If I asked 
one of the highbrows he looked wise and spoke of the might 
of German arms and German organisation and German staff- 
work. I used to nod my head and get enthusiastic about 
these stunts, but it was all soft soap. She has a trick in hand 
—that much I know, but I'm darned if I can put a name to it. 
1 pray to God you boys have been cleverer." 
His tone was quite melancholy, and I was mean enough to 
ffd rather-glad. He had been the professional with the best 
ctiance. It would be a good joke if the amateur succeeded 
where the expert failed. 
(To bt contmuid) 
Ri<gim':ntal tokens have suffered the usual eclipse of too 
much popularity, but one of the newest notions is all the 
s im5 a charming one. Tiny regimental badges in diamonds 
and enamel are mounted on a narrow band of black moire or 
a regimental ribbon and mule into a fascinating wristlet. 
Many people prefer these diamond-mounted ribbon wristlets 
to the more conventional bracelet, and the fancy promises to 
be more than a passing one. 
