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Page 56
"Return to Dreymarsh at once? But Cranston is away. There is
nothing for me to do there in his absence."
"He will be back on Wednesday or Thursday night," was the confident
reply. "He will bring with him the plan of his latest defenses of
a town on the east coast, which our cruiser squadron purpose to
bombard. We must have that chart."
Lessingham listened in mute distress.
"Could you possibly get me relieved?" he begged. "The fact is--"
"We could not, and we will not," Hayter interrupted fiercely.
"Unless you wish me to denounce you at home as a renegade and a
coward, you will go through with the work which has been allotted
to you. Your earlier mistakes will be forgiven if that chart
is in my hands by Friday."
"But how do you know that he will have it?" Lessingham protested.
"Supposing you are right and he is really responsible for the
minefields you speak of, I should think the last thing he would
do would be to bring the chart back to Dreymarsh."
"As a matter of fact, that is precisely what he will do," Hayter
assured his listener. "He is bringing it back for the inspection
of one of the commissioners for the east coast defense, who is
to meet him at his house. And I wish to warn you, too, Maderstrom,
that you will have very little time. For some reason or other,
Cranston is dissatisfied with the secrecy under which he has been
compelled to work, and has applied to the Admiralty for recognition
of his position. Immediately this is given, I gather that his
house will be inaccessible to you."
Lessingham sat, his arms folded, his eyes fixed upon the fire.
His thoughts were in a turmoil, yet one thing was hatefully clear.
Cranston was not the unworthy slacker he had believed him to be.
Philippa's whole point of view might well be changed by this
discovery--especially now that Cranston had made up his mind to
assert himself for his wife's sake. There was an icy fear in
his heart.
"You understand," Hayter persisted coldly, "what it is you have
to do?"
"Perfectly. I shall return by the afternoon train," was the
despairing reply.
"If you succeed," Hayter continued, "I shall see that you get the
usual acknowledgment, but I will, if you wish it, ask for your
transfer to another branch of the service. I am not questioning
your patriotism or your honour, Maderstrom, but you are not the
man for this work."
"You are right," Lessingham said. "I am not."
"It is not my affair," Hayter proceeded, "to enquire too closely
into the means used by our agents in carrying out our designs.
That I find you in London in company with the wife of the man
whom you are appointed to watch, may be a fact capable of the
most complete and satisfactory explanation. I ask no questions.
I only remind you that your country, even though it be only your
adopted country, demands from you, as from all others in her
service, unswerving loyalty, a loyalty uninfluenced by the
claims of personal sentiment, duty, or honour. Have I said
enough?"
"You have said as much as it is wise for you to say," Lessingham
replied, his voice trembling with suppressed passion.
"That is all, then," the other concluded. "You know where to send
or bring the chart when you have it? If you bring it yourself, it
is possible that something which you may regard as a reward, will
be offered to you."
Lessingham rose a little wearily to his feet. His farewell to
Hayter was cold and lifeless.
He left the hotel and started on his homeward way, struggling with
a sense of intolerable depression. The streets through which he
passed were sombre and unlit.
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