L.P.M. : The End of The Great War Part 15

"But, Count von Hemelstein," he continued, "what can I do for you? We Americans, you know, do not always insist upon a formal introduction.

As we say, 'Any friend of a friend of mine.'"

"Also, you are wrong on one point," said the Count, with a little chuckle. "I have had the pleasure of meeting you. It was a trifle informal, I must admit, but you were just as charming as you are now, and I think I am indebted to you to the amount of several s.h.i.+llings.

In the end, you did leave me rather abruptly, and seemed offended at something I had done; but I trust you have recovered from that by this time." Edestone could hear him laughing heartily.

"You have met me?" repeated Edestone, completely mystified. "When and where?"

"Today; in London. Indeed, I am in London now."

"In London, Count von Hemelstein?" Involuntarily Edestone lowered his voice. "But I say, isn't that taking a bit of a chance for a German officer? Where are you speaking from now, may I ask?"

The Count was laughing so, that just at first he could not answer; but after a moment he managed to control his amus.e.m.e.nt.

"I am in the next booth to you," he said.

When he spoke again, his tone had lost all trace of levity and become hard and direct like that of a man charged with a distasteful duty, yet with which he was determined not to let his feelings interfere.

"In regard to our meeting today," he said; "I was in disguise. In short, I was the taxi-driver whom you gave the slip this afternoon by the aid of that cur, Schmidt. And now, Mr. Edestone, you must realize what it is I want." In a more conciliatory tone, he added: "I can see no reason, however, why we should not settle this matter as between gentlemen."

"Please be more explicit," returned Edestone, quietly.

"In brief, then, I am authorized by my Government to meet, and even double or quadruple any offer for your invention made by the English Government. I will take your word of honour. All that you have to do is to say now, on your word as a gentleman, that you will sell it to my Government, and you can return to your friends. My Government will then communicate with you, and close with you at your own price."

"And if I decline the proposition?" said Edestone.

"Then I fear I shall be compelled to use force; and much as I may regret to do so, I will tell you that I am prepared to stop at nothing.

"You are now," he went on, "locked in that solid oak booth, with its strong double doors, perfectly sound-proof. The operator at the switchboard is my man. He can by pulling a wire uncork a bottle which is concealed in your booth and asphyxiate you in one half minute."

But if he had expected the American to show any trepidation as a result of his threats, he soon found out his mistake. Edestone's reply was as insouciant as if he had been merely commenting on the weather.

"Really, this is quite interesting, Count von Hemelstein," he said. "I might almost call you a man after my own heart. That bottle trick is so simple and yet effective that I, as an inventor, cannot help but compliment you. I am wondering just what chemical you have employed.

There are of course a dozen or more that would answer your purpose; but as their action varies greatly in the effect upon the victim, I am naturally curious."

"Does that mean that you are about to decline my offer?" demanded the Count sharply. "Have a care, Mr. Edestone. I am not merely trying to frighten you, as you may suppose. The facts are just as I have stated them, and I shall not hesitate to----"

"a.s.suredly, my dear Count," Edestone broke in. "I have never doubted that for a moment. Nor am I going to refuse your proposition--that is, not definitely. Instead, I have been so pleased by the charming manner in which you have presented this little matter that I desire to submit a counter-proposition. Only, I must beg you to urge your modest friend with the weak eyes out there at the switchboard to be a little careful with that wire. Judging from the atmosphere in this booth, his bottle has been leaking for some time."

"Come, come, Mr. Edestone." The Count's voice rose nervously, showing the strain under which he was labouring. "I have already told you that this is no joke. If it is your game to play for time, in the hope that some one may come to release you, or that you may discover the manner in which the bottle is secreted, you are going to be disappointed. I must do my work quickly. If I do not have your answer at once, I will give the signal and take your instrument away from you by force."

"It is not time I want, but air." Edestone gave a little gasp. "You yourself have spent more time than I, with your kind explanations as to how I may avoid what would be to me a most distressing accident.

However, since celerity is what you want, I hasten to say that I have not my instrument, nor indeed any instrument with me."

"Not with you?" snapped the Prussian angrily. "Where is it, then?"

"Ah! That is my counter-proposition. Count von Hemelstein, if I promise to tell you, on my word of honour, where you may find this instrument of mine that contains the entire secret of my invention--and it is near at hand where, if you are a brave man, you can easily get it,--if I do this, will you, on your side, give me your word as a gentleman, that you will immediately open this booth?

"I may add," he went on, as von Hemelstein seemed to hesitate, "that this is my last and only proposition, and you can take that or nothing. I will die here in this box before I will sell my invention to any European Government; but you may have it as a free gift, Count, if you have the nerve to go after it. There is a challenge to your boasted Prussian valour! Are you a sport, Count von Hemelstein, or are you not?"

Von Hemelstein wavered no longer. From what Edestone told him, he argued that the inventor must have left his instrument with some of his subordinates, probably Black and Stanton, and relied upon them to protect it; and it stung him to think that the American should believe a German officer would falter at such odds--a couple of electricians, mere Yankee artisans.

"Yes," he growled hoa.r.s.ely. "I accept your terms. It is a bargain."

"On your honour?"

"On my word of honour as a Prussian officer and a gentleman."

"Well, then, hurry up and open this door. It is getting stifling in here; and, besides, Rebener will be growing anxious about me."

"But, first, your information. Where is the instrument?"

"Oh, the instrument?" It was now Edestone's turn to laugh. "Why, that is lying on the floor under the table in Mr. Rebener's dining-room. I dropped it there, when I came out to answer your telephone call, and I also gave instructions to the sentries on guard at the door of the apartment to shoot any one who attempted to pa.s.s in or out during my absence. You are doubtless a brave man, but I do not think you are prepared to tackle a whole company of British cavalry.

"And now," he concluded, "I have kept to my bargain. Will you kindly open the door?"

A muttered German imprecation, like a snarl of baffled chagrin, was his only answer. But a moment later the door to his booth swung open, and he was free.

As he stepped out, he found the lights in the room turned on, and the man at the switchboard gone. He also noticed that the door to the adjoining booth was shaking, as if someone had just jerked it open and had pa.s.sed out hurriedly, and, as he came out into the corridor, he thought he glimpsed the figure of a man hastily disappearing down the staircase. So far as any other evidence went, except for his wilted collar and heaving lungs, the whole experience might have been a dream.

He returned quietly to the dinner table, and stooping over, as if to pick up his napkin, recovered the instrument and slipped it into his trousers pocket.

"Lord Denton" and "Karlbeck" kept staring at him with puzzled, almost incredulous faces.

"Did you find your friend on the wire?" finally ventured "Lord Denton," leaning across the table toward him.

"No; it was another gentleman speaking for him," smiled Edestone, "a mere visitor to England like myself. I took the liberty of asking him to join us, but he declined. He is, I fancy, leaving the country very shortly--probably going to Berlin."

A little gasp from behind him caused him to turn in his seat. It came from the hotel proprietor who, entering the room by the rear door, stood rooted in amazement at the sight of Edestone, his jaw dropping, his eyes as big as saucers.

Edestone regarded him a moment; then turned to his host.

"What silly-looking waiters you have in this hotel, Rebener," he said.

"That fellow yonder doesn't appear to have brains enough to be even a German spy."

The real waiter, overhearing this compliment to his employer, clapped his hand over his mouth and dived for the pantry, just managing to get through the swinging door before he exploded.

The self-satisfied Bombiadi also overheard, and although he endeavoured to appear unconscious, a dull red flush crept up over his cheeks, and after s.h.i.+fting for a moment from one foot to the other, he left the room.

"Lord Denton" and "Karlbeck" exchanged glances out of the corners of their eyes; and Rebener, although he made out to grin at the speech, s.h.i.+fted a little uneasily in his chair.

But Edestone, who, under his quiet exterior, possessed a rather mischievous spirit, was not yet through with them.

"As I was saying when I was called to the telephone," he leaned across the table toward the _incognito_ Royal Duke, "the desire of Your Royal Highness--pardon me, I mean, of 'Lord Denton'--is of course to see England victorious in this contest; but that may mean years of fighting and an appalling loss of men and money. Such true patriots as yourself and 'Mr. Karlbeck' must see that it would be far better to end the war now, provided that a lasting peace can be ensured, and that I think I can guarantee with my discovery. I should be delighted, therefore, to co-operate with you gentlemen to that end, and if you would advocate the proposition that England allow me to go to Berlin with something to show that she is willing to enter into _pour parlers_, I shall bring pressure to bear on Germany to make some liberal answer."

"Lord Denton," however, seemed no longer interested in the matter, and was unable to concentrate his attention; while "Mr. Karlbeck" made no attempt to hide the fact that he was disgusted gusted with the evening, and wished to see it end as soon as possible.

Rebener, seeing his dinner a failure, although not quite understanding the cause, like many a nervous host compelled to face a tableful of distinguished guests who do not hesitate to show that they are bored, did the silliest thing possible under the circ.u.mstances, and drank more than he should.