d that in a manner which will not be pleasant to those
concerned in this outrage."

"Provided you get a chance. Spies are not given much shrift hereabouts."
This was said with deliberate malevolence.

"Would you dare?" challenged Carter who realized to the full what the
menace implied.

"It would be but an incident, monsieur," replied his jailer in a casual
manner. "You would be numbered among the missing in the big events of
to-morrow. Enough time has been wasted on you, Monsieur of the White
Police," he said, as if dismissing discussion. "We must to business."

At a nod from him, the two peasant soldiers threw themselves upon the
helpless prisoners, and ruthlessly rifled their persons of all
belongings, which were placed upon the table before the Gray Man.
Straining till the big veins in their arms stood out in ridges and the
sweat poured from their brows, the captives were helpless against the
indignities put upon them.

Carrick's shirt was torn open. The Krovitzer soldiers stood dumbfounded
at the sight of the star which hung upon the Cockney's breast. As though
its appearance had countermanded all previous orders, they turned
puzzled faces to their superior, who also saw the emblem.

Into those sneering eyes crept a pallid fear, while his face grew ashen.
Approaching the Cockney he laid a trembling finger on the star.

"Your name?" he asked hoarsely.

"Tod Carrick," was the sullen reply.

A slight start followed this, as though the answer had matched his
anticipations.

Instantly, the training and duplicity of years reasserted themselves.
The habitual mask once more settled upon his inscrutable countenance. He
turned to Carter who had been an attentive though puzzled observer of
this by-play.

"I was surprised," he explained, "but only for an instant, to see your
companion wearing the badge of our most noble order. I should not have
been as there is no moral distinction between a thief and a spy."
Encouraged by his own words, he tore the medal from its resting place,
while Carrick groaned impotently.

"I'll make you sweat for this," growled the Cockney.

"What authority have you for this?" asked Carter with forced calmness as
the Gray Man commenced a leisurely perusal of his private papers.
Without deigning a reply, their self-constituted judge completed his
task; carefully folding the various documents he had been reading, he
looked up complacently.

"Authority," he replied with a rising inflecti