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Page 33
And now, for the first time, the startling truth struck me full in
the face as Hughes smiled down at his victim.
"Inspector Bray," he said, "or Von der Herts, as you choose, I
arrest you on two counts: First, as the head of the Wilhelmstrasse
spy system in England; second, as the murderer of Captain
Fraser-Freer. And, if you will allow me, I wish to compliment you
on your efficiency."
Bray did not reply for a moment. I sat numb in my chair. Finally
the inspector looked up. He actually tried to smile.
"You win the hat," he said, "but you must go to Homburg for it. I
will gladly pay all expenses."
"Thank you," answered Hughes. "I hope to visit your country before
long; but I shall not be occupied with hats. Again I congratulate
you. You were a bit careless, but your position justified that. As
head of the department at Scotland Yard given over to the hunt for
spies, precaution doubtless struck you as unnecessary. How unlucky
for poor Fraser-Freer that it was to you he went to arrange for your
own arrest! I got that information from a clerk at the Cecil. You
were quite right, from your point of view, to kill him. And, as I
say, you could afford to be rather reckless. You had arranged that
when the news of his murder came to Scotland Yard you yourself would
be on hand to conduct the search for the guilty man. A happy
situation, was it not?"
"It seemed so at the time," admitted Bray; and at last I thought I
detected a note of bitterness in his voice.
"I'm very sorry--really," said Hughes. "To-day, or to-morrow at
the latest, England will enter the war. You know what that means,
Von der Herts. The Tower of London--and a firing squad!"
Deliberately he walked away from the inspector, and stood facing
the window. Von der Herts was fingering idly that Indian knife
which lay on his desk. With a quick hunted look about the room, he
raised his hand; and before I could leap forward to stop him he had
plunged the knife into his heart.
Colonel Hughes turned round at my cry, but even at what met his
eyes now that Englishman was imperturbable.
"Too bad!" he said. "Really too bad! The man had courage and,
beyond all doubt, brains. But--this is most considerate of him.
He has saved me such a lot of trouble."
The colonel effected my release at once; and he and I walked down
Whitehall together in the bright sun that seemed so good to me after
the bleak walls of the Yard. Again he apologized for turning
suspicion my way the previous day; but I assured him I held no
grudge for that.
"One or two things I do not understand," I said. "That letter I
brought from Interlaken--"
"Simple enough," he replied. "Enwright--who, by the way, is now
in the Tower--wanted to communicate with Fraser-Freer, who he
supposed was a loyal member of the band. Letters sent by post
seemed dangerous. With your kind assistance he informed the captain
of his whereabouts and the date of his imminent arrival in London.
Fraser-Freer, not wanting you entangled in his plans, eliminated you
by denying the existence of this cousin--the truth, of course."
"Why," I asked, "did the countess call on me to demand that I alter
my testimony?"
"Bray sent her. He had rifled Fraser-Freer's desk and he held that
letter from Enwright. He was most anxious to fix the guilt upon
the young lieutenant's head. You and your testimony as to the
hour of the crime stood in the way. He sought to intimidate you
with threats--"
"But--"
"I know--you are wondering why the countess confessed to me next
day. I had the woman in rather a funk. In the meshes of my
rapid-fire questioning she became hopelessly involved. This was
because she was suddenly terrified she realized I must have been
watching her for weeks, and that perhaps Von der Herts was not so
immune from suspicion as he supposed. At the proper moment I
suggested that I might have to take her to Inspector Bray. This
gave her an idea. She made her fake confession to reach his side;
once there, she warned him of his danger and they fled together."
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