r enjoyed motoring more in my
life."
"You are all very foolish," Thomson said slowly. "I am going to tell you
something now, dear, which you may not believe, but it is for your good,
and it is necessary for me to have some excuse for the request I am
going to make. Granet is under suspicion at the War Office."
"Under suspicion?" Geraldine repeated blankly.
"Nothing has been proved against him," Thomson continued, "and I tell
you frankly that in certain quarters the idea is scouted as absurd. On
the other hand, he is under observation as being a possible German spy."
Geraldine for a moment sat quite still. Then she broke into a peal of
laughter. She sat up, a moment later, wiping her eyes.
"Are you really serious, Hugh?" she demanded.
"Absolutely," he assured her, a little coldly.
She wiped her eyes once more.
"Hugh, dear," she sighed, patting his hand, "you do so much better
looking after your hospitals and your wounded than unearthing
mare's-nests like this. I don't think that you'd be a brilliant success
in the Intelligence Department. As to the War Office, well, you know
what I think of them. Captain Granet a German spy, indeed!"
"Neither the War Office nor I myself," Thomson continued, "have arrived
at these suspicions without some reason. Perhaps you will look at the
matter a little more seriously when I tell you that Captain Granet will
not be allowed to return to the Front."
"Not be allowed?" she repeated. "Hugh, you are not serious!"
"I have never been more serious in my life," he insisted. "I am not in
a position to tell you more than the bare facts or I might disclose some
evidence which even you would have to admit throws a rather peculiar
light upon some of this young man's actions. As it is, however, I can do
no more than warn you, and beg you," he went on, "to yield to my wishes
in the matter of your further acquaintance with him."
There was a moment's rather curious silence. Geraldine seemed to be
gazing through the walls of the room. Her hands were clenched in one
another, her fingers nervously interlocked.
"I shall send for him to come and see me the first thing to-morrow
morning," she decided.
"You will do nothing of the sort," Thomson objected firmly.
She turned her head and looked at him. He was conscious of the
antagonism which had sprung up like a wall between them. His face,
however, showed no sign.
"How do you propose to prevent me?" she asked, with ominous calm
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