y sight!" growled Dumoulin.

The commandant felt he must have a breath of fresh air, collect his
thoughts, and calm down before resuming conduct of the case.

"We shall continue this interrogation in ten minutes' time," he
announced and left the room.

* * * * *

The short interval had done its work. The commandant had calmed down,
Fandor had regained his self-possession. No longer was it an irascible
officer facing an inimical accused: two men, fellow-citizens, were
prepared to argue and talk together.... The formal interrogation
recommenced.

"Fandor," began the commandant in an amiable tone, "you have evidently
been drawn on by unforeseen events to commit irregularities. Name your
accomplices!"...

Fandor replied in a similar tone.

"No, Commandant, I have not been drawn into the spy circle really, nor
have I practised spying.... I considered it right to assume the
personality of Corporal Vinson solely to obtain information regarding
the relations this unfortunate maintained, compulsorily and quite
against his better judgment, with the agents of a foreign power. When
I had obtained the facts I sought, my intention was to leave the law
to deal with them."

"In other words," said Dumoulin: "you aimed at playing the
counter-spy!"

"If you like to put it so!"

The commandant smiled ironically.

"They always say that!... In the course of my career, Monsieur Fandor,
I have had to examine three or four spy cases: well, the defence of
the guilty man is always the same--you have taken up an identical
position: I sell secret documents in exchange for more important
ones!... This system of defence will not hold water!"

"I cannot take up any other position!" declared Fandor.

"The Council will take that at its proper value," announced the
commandant.

Fandor was asking himself how he was going to get out of a position
that was growing worse, and that in a very curious way!

The commandant's next question struck a shrewd blow at the accused.

"Fandor--How about those accomplices you refuse to name?... Have they
not remunerated you for your pains?"

"What do you mean to imply by that?" demanded Fandor.

"Have they not given you money?"

"No!"

"Think carefully, and be frank!"

Fandor ransacked his memory.... Ah!... What of that interview in the
printing works of the Noret brothers? Would it be best in accordance
with his aims to deny it? It went against the grain of his