Blenkiron was now sitting bolt upright with his chin in his hands.  There was no shadow of melancholy in his lean face.

’I say I call you, Herr Graf von Schwabing.  I’m going to put you wise about some little things.  You don’t carry arms, so I needn’t warn you against monkeying with a gun.  You’re right in saying that there are three places in these walls from which you can shoot.  Well, for your information I may tell you that there’s guns in all three, but they’re covering you at this moment.  So you’d better be good.’

Ivery sprang to attention like a ramrod.  ‘Karl,’ he cried.  ‘Gustav!’

As if by magic figures stood on either side of him, like warders by a criminal.  They were not the sleek German footmen whom I had seen at the Chalet.  One I did not recognize.  The other was my servant, Geordie Hamilton.

He gave them one glance, looked round like a hunted animal, and then steadied himself.  The man had his own kind of courage.

‘I’ve gotten something to say to you,’ Blenkiron drawled.  ’It’s been a tough fight, but I reckon the hot end of the poker is with you.  I compliment you on Clarence Donne.  You fooled me fine over that business, and it was only by the mercy of God you didn’t win out.  You see, there was just the one of us who was liable to recognize you whatever way you twisted your face, and that was Dick Hannay.  I give you good marks for Clarence . . .  For the rest, I had you beaten flat.’

He looked steadily at him.  ’You don’t believe it.  Well, I’ll give you proof.  I’ve been watching your Underground Railway for quite a time.  I’ve had my men on the job, and I reckon most of the lines are now closed for repairs.  All but the trunk line into France.  That I’m keeping open, for soon there’s going to be some traffic on it.’

At that I saw Ivery’s eyelids quiver.  For all his self-command he was breaking.

’I admit we cut it mighty fine, along of your fooling me about Clarence.  But you struck a bad snag in General Hannay, Graf.  Your heart-to-heart talk with him was poor business.  You reckoned you had him safe, but that was too big a risk to take with a man like Dick, unless you saw him cold before you left him . . .  He got away from this place, and early this morning I knew all he knew.  After that it was easy.  I got the telegram you had sent this morning in the name of Clarence Donne and it made me laugh.  Before midday I had this whole outfit under my hand.  Your servants have gone by the Underground Railway—­to France.  Ehrlich—­well, I’m sorry about Ehrlich.’

I knew now the name of the Portuguese Jew.

‘He wasn’t a bad sort of man,’ Blenkiron said regretfully, ’and he was plumb honest.  I couldn’t get him to listen to reason, and he would play with firearms.  So I had to shoot.’

‘Dead?’ asked Ivery sharply.

’Ye-es.  I don’t miss, and it was him or me.  He’s under the ice now—­where you wanted to send Dick Hannay.  He wasn’t your kind, Graf, and I guess he has some chance of getting into Heaven.  If I weren’t a hard-shell Presbyterian I’d say a prayer for his soul.’