."

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," called Colonel Walton.

A moment later there entered a man of foreign appearance, with dark
well-brushed hair, sallow skin and the deprecating manner of one who is
in a country where he is not quite sure either of the customs or of the
language. For a moment he stood smiling.

Malcolm Sage caught Colonel Walton's eye. Upon Thompson's face there
spread a grin of admiration.

"Wonderful, Finlay," said Colonel Walton. "Wonderful."

"You think it is like?" enquired he who had been addressed as Finlay.

"Wonderful," repeated Colonel Walton, "but," he added a moment after,
"it's a dangerous game."

Finlay shrugged his shoulders in a manner that was almost aggressively
un-English. He possessed one remarkable characteristic, once he had
assumed a personality, he continued to be that man until he finally
relinquished the part.

"He'll put you to sleep if you make a mistake," said Sage with
uncompromising candour.

Again the shrug of the shoulders.

"That ring," said Sage, pointing to a flat gold band on the third
finger of the left hand in which were set three turquoises in the form
of a triangle. "What do you make of the inscription?"

"I do not know," said Finlay with the finnicking inflection of one
talking in a strange tongue.

"What about Deutsches ueber alles?" suggested Walton.

"Ah! you have discovered."

"Perfect," said Sage, "absolutely perfect. You're a genius, Finlay."

With a smile and a half-shrug of his shoulders, Finlay deprecated the
compliment.

"Where are you going to stay?" enquired Colonel Walton.

"At the Ritzton with John Dene, same floor if possible," said Sage.
"He starts from the Tower to-morrow. Released, you know."

Colonel Walton nodded. "By the way, Thompson, you didn't happen to
drop any finger prints about in Waterloo Place?"

"Rubber gloves, sir," said Thompson with a smile.

Malcolm Sage nodded.

"It would embarrass us a bit if you got lodged in Brixton prison," said
Colonel Walton.

"No chance of that, sir," was the confident retort.

"The account will be in the papers this afternoon, I understand."

Malcolm Sage nodded.

"Well, Finlay," said Walton, "off you go and the best of luck. If you
bring this off you ought to get a C.B.E."

"Gott in himmel!" cried Finlay in such tragic consternation, that both
Colonel Walton and Sage were forced to smile.

"No, sir," said Sage drily, "we must guard Department Z