have been in the pay of Germany
for many years, but what you don't know is how they got me in the toils
and kept me in, dragging me down from one degradation to another! They
have dragged me down so far at last that I am not much more use to
them. If we were in British territory they would simply expose me to
the British government and save themselves the trouble of ending my
career. They did that to Mrs. Winstin Willoughby, and Lord James Rait,
and fifty others; it was so easy to put incriminating evidence against
them in the hands of the public prosecutor. Lord James Rait died in
Dartmoor Prison--a common felon. I shall not! But believe me--I am
certain as I sit here that they only wait for my return to British
East! To have me murdered here might start inconvenient rumors that
would lead to unanswerable questions! It was proposed to me to-day
that I should return to British East on the launch!"

"Then why talk about escaping?" Fred wondered. "Why not go?"

"Because," she hissed emphatically, "don't you see, you stupid!--if
they send me back it will be to my doom! My one chance is to escape
from their clutches--get into touch with British officials--and save
the situation by telling my own tale first!"

Fred was in no hurry to be convinced. I was already for accepting her
story and helping her out; but that was perhaps because I was a sick
man, too recently recovered from the gates of death to care to be hard
on any one.

"I still don't see your danger," Fred told her. "In all my life I fail
to recall a single instance of the British courts passing a severe
sentence on a spy. If you'll excuse my saying so, your story about
Lord James Rait is incorrect. I recall the case well. He got a
twenty-year sentence for forgery."

"True!" she answered. "And Mrs. Winstin Willoughby was sentenced to
fifteen years for theft! Lord James did forge--in the way of business
for the German government! Jane Winstin Willoughby did steal--for the
same blackguard masters! Do you think they will expose me as a spy?
That would be too clumsy, even for such bullies as they are! Do you
suppose they could have dragged me down to this without some sword held
over me? They can prove that I committed a crime in England several
years ago. Oh, yes, I am a criminal! I raised a check. It was a
check on a German bank, given to me by a German on behalf of a
countryman of his. I needed money desperately, and the man who brought