me quickly in German. I answered him in
English. I fancied for a moment that he seemed annoyed. 'We'd better get
out of this,' he whispered. 'We're within a hundred yards of the German
trenches and they are bringing searchlights up.' 'Who were you talking
to just now?' I asked, as we stole along. 'No one at all,' he answered.
I didn't take the thing seriously for the moment, although it seemed to
me queer. Afterwards I regretted, however, that I hadn't set myself to
discover the meaning of what was apparently a deliberate lie. The next
time I met Granet was at a luncheon party at the Ritz, a few days ago. I
recognised his face at once, although I had only seen it by the flash of
my electric lamp. From that moment I have had my suspicions."

The General nodded. He was looking a little grave.

"It's a hateful thing to believe," he said, "that any one wearing his
Majesty's uniform could ever play such a dastardly part. However, on the
whole I am rather glad that I passed in that request to the War Office.
Anything more we can do for you, Major?"

Thomson took the hint and departed. A few minutes later he was in his
car and on his way back to Boulogne.

CHAPTER XI

Olive Moreton gave a little start as the long, grey, racing car came
noiselessly to a standstill by the side of the kerbstone. Captain Granet
raised his hat and leaned from the driving seat towards her.

"Hope I didn't frighten you, Miss Moreton?"

"Not at all," she replied. "What a perfectly lovely car!"

He assented eagerly.

"Isn't she! My uncle's present to me to pass away the time until I can
do some more soldiering. They only brought it round to me early this
morning. Can I take you anywhere?"

"I was just going to see Geraldine Conyers," she began.

"Do you know, I guessed that," he remarked, leaning on one side and
opening the door. "Do let me take you. I haven't had a passenger yet."

She stepped in at once.

"As a matter of fact," she told him, "I was looking for a taxicab. I
have had a telegram from Ralph. He wants us to go down to Portsmouth by
the first train we can catch this morning. He says that if we can get
down there in time to have lunch at two o'clock, he can show us over the
_Scorpion._ After to-day she will be closed to visitors, even his own
relations. I was just going to see if Geraldine could come."

Granet was thoughtful for a moment. He glanced at the little clock on
the dashboard opposite to him.

"I tell you wha