life hung by a thread in this very
room only a minute ago. Do you know why I intervened to save
you?"

Desmond smiled. All his habitual serenity was coming back to him.
He found it hard to realize that this old brother officer of his,
blowing rings of cigarette smoke at him across the table, was an
enemy.

"I don't suppose it was because of the love you bear me," replied
Desmond.

And he rubbed the bump on his head.

Strangwise noted the action and smiled.

"Listen here," he resumed, planking his hands down on the table
and leaning forward, "I'm ready and anxious to quit this spying
business. It was only a side line with me anyway. My main object
in coming to this country was to recover possession of that
diamond star. Once I've got it back, I'm through with England..."

"But not with the army," Desmond broke in, "thank God, we've got
a swift way with traitors in this country!"

"Quite so," returned the other, "but you see, my friend, the army
hasn't got me. And I have got you! But let us drop talking
platitudes," he went on. "I'm no great hand at driving a bargain,
Desmond--few army men are, you know--so I won't even attempt to
chaffer with you. I shall tell you straight out what I am ready
to offer. You were given the job of breaking up this
organization, weren't you?"

Desmond was silent. He was beginning to wonder what Strangwise
was driving at.

"Oh, you needn't trouble to deny it. I never spotted you, I
admit, even when the real Bellward turned up: that idea of
putting your name in the casualty list as 'killed' was a
masterstroke; for I never looked to find you alive and trying to
put it across me. But to return to what I was saying--your job
was to smash my little system, and if you pull it off, it's a
feather in your cap. Well, you've killed two of my people and
you've arrested the ringleader."

"Meaning Behrend?" asked Desmond.

"Behrend be hanged! I mean Nur-el-Din!"

"Nur-el-Din was not the ringleader," said Desmond, "as well you
know, Strangwise!"

"Your employers evidently don't share your views, Desmond," he
replied, "all the documents were found on Nur-el-Din!"

"Bah!" retorted Desmond, "and what of it? Mightn't they have been
planted on her in order to get her arrested to draw the suspicion
away from the real criminal, yourself?"

Strangwise laughed a low, mellow laugh.

"You're devilish hard to convince," he remarked. "Perhaps you'll
change your mind about it when I tell you tha