killed--you remember--three years
ago?"

"I have forgotten--Neudeck--an Austrian?"

"A German--Neudeck was selling military plans to the Russians--Goritz!"

Koulas sprang to his feet triumphantly--"Goritz! It was Goritz who
discovered him----"

Renwick was listening eagerly, and Koulas turned with a shrug. "Nothing
much, my friend. And yet--a coincidence perhaps--Goritz, Neudeck, Dukla.
Goritz--Strahni--'the center of the map--at the top.' It might be worth
trying."

"I shall try it. There is nothing else for me to do. The Pass is used
for transport?"

"No. The line of communication is through Mezo Laborcz."

"It will be risky----"

"Not unless you make it so. With luck you shall bear a letter to General
Lechnitz (which you need never deliver) as a writer for a newspaper."

"That can be managed?"

"I hope--I believe--I am confident."

Renwick smiled. Herr Koulas was something of a humorist.

"Tell me more of this Neudeck case," asked the Englishman.

"There is unfortunately little more to tell. Neudeck was a German baron
with military connections, not too rich and not above dishonesty. Goritz
traced the plans to Schloss Szolnok, an ancient feudal stronghold which
an elder Baron Neudeck had bought----"

"In the Dukla?"

"--in the Dukla--where some Russian officers were invited for the
shooting. They did not know how little they were to enjoy it----" Koulas
chuckled and blew a cloud of smoke--"for Goritz shot Neudeck before
their very eyes, and took the plans back to Germany. This is secret
history--a nine days' wonder--but it passed and with it a clever
scoundrel who well deserved what he got."

"And since his death who lives in Schloss Szolnok?"

"I don't know." He laughed again. "You jump very rapidly at conclusions,
my friend."

"Time passes. I must jump at something. I am going to Dukla
Pass--tomorrow if you will help me."

"That goes without saying. For the present you shall go to bed and sleep
soundly. I would like to go with you, but alas--I am not so young as I
was and I can best serve all your interests here."

Renwick shook Koulas by the hand and took the bedroom candle that was
offered him.

"Good night," he said. "I pray that no harm may come to you from this
imprudence of mine."

"Do not worry, my friend. I am well hedged about with alibis. Good
night."

The next evening after dark Renwick, now Herr Max Schoff of the _Wiener
Zeitung_, supplied with a pass which Herr Koulas by