"Foiled."

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13834, 20 February 1909, Page 1 (Supplement)

"Foiled."

(By J. P. Bewick.)

I. v It was a very muggy afternoon, and, I sat lialf dozing at the writing desk iu my office in Temple Chambers. Suddenly I was aroused by hearing mv name spoken. "Turning quickly round, 1 saw ;i tall mau with a heavy moustache and tlie general bearing of one who has led a strenuous inilitar.v career. He was an entire stranger to me, and his visitwas quite unexpected. To say tlie truth, any visitor who canie on luw ness was, and as for a brief—well, than was stranger still. This will esplaan the fact that I devoted considerably more attention to that hazardous and speculative source of income journalism—than to my own profession. As weekly contributor to a P a which poured sarcasm on the heads or practicallv every living public personage, I had obtained considerable notorietv tinder the pseudonym of A. S. Blake." In the security of my anonvmitv I had, much to my own delight" and to the no little satisfaction of manv juniors, even been bold enough to extract from the idiosyncraeies ot certain officials in the High Court matter for much very trenchant criticism. Mv real name had never been divulged to the public. The "copy" was typewritten and sent direct to the printers without any indication of its source. "With these precautions I always felt secure. It was with no little surprise therefore, that I heard my visitor say: "Mr Macfarlane, I have read with great pleasure, and, of course, interest your articles in Notabilities and Nonsense, and I would like at once to assure vou of the pleasure it is to mo to meet"'Mr A. S. Blake' face to face. I must confess that I was taken by this abrupt entree en matiere. Noting my surprise evidently, my visitor hastened to add: ■ "Of course, my dear sir, I quite understand vour annoyance that this should have "leaked out, but I can assure vou that the knowledge has not gone "far, and I think I can promise vou that it will go no further. "It is very kind of you to volunteer that statement," I stammered. 1 was considerably nettled at the mans somewhat arrogantly suave manner. •"You are, I may remind you, an entire stranger to me. If you have any business, please let us proceed with it. If vou have none, then • please clear out and convey your assumed knowledge of this Blake —whoever Blake mav be —to someone else." ■'Pardon me," ho reohed, keenly, evein"- ine meanwhile, "I forgot to introduce mvself. My name is. Rogers —Clifford "Rogers—private secretary to Sir Edwin Lancelot " "What, Sir Edwin Lancelot, of the Foreign Office, whom " "Precisely, whom you pilloried so delightfullv'as an arrant blunderer only " Confound you and your absurd notion as to the identity, of a contributor to some, gutter organ." I answered sharplv. ■" What exactly do you want here?" ... "Sir Edwin," he continued, ignoring mv interruption, ".agrees with you entirely. He happens to have a very important- commission to carry through, nnd he thinks your astuteness would be of service t<J him and useful to the

ataie. r ~ . , -i " I refuse to Lave anything to do ■with the business, 17 X'said determinedly. "Of course," lie suggested, "you irould be well paid for it." " I don't care if a king s ransom were attached to it. X won t under-

tsko it " "Do YOU remember." he continued slowly and deliberately," '"writing- an article a few weeks, ago about certaingentleman who presides over the very court in which yon appear most.- \\ bat would that person "say, .do you think, if he knew your identity?" "I can't control his speeches. "True, but I am sure you can easily form a pretty accurate notion of what the trend of his remarks would be. Or course, my dear sir, I _ don't profess to know your precise feelings, but I think I may assume that you would seek an occupation bv fishing for eels on the banks of the Styx rather than conduct a case in his court again. Now, come, be reasonable. X have absolute proofs that you are the author of that article. Sir Edwin has sent me for you. Your secret is ours alone, and there is* no reason why it should go further, unless—" he paused impressively —'-unless you provoke Sir Edwin. Now, do you understand?" There are moments in life when discretion is the better part of valour. This was such-a. moment, and I intimated to my visitor that I was ready to listen to him. . • "I have no proposition to place before vou," he informed me. "Sir Ed win will do that himself. It is sufficient to say now that your services \\ ill be required for some days, as you may have to make a journey. I am to instruct you to pack your portmante.ju and present yourself at Sir Edwin s private residence within three hours from now— —that is to say, at lialf-past six this evening. One thing mpre: you are to give reasons for your absejice to 310 one —to no one. Good day! Before I had quite realised it my visitor had vanished as suddenly as he had come. There was no getting away from tlie fact. The man knew that I and Blake were one and the same person. The idea was not very consoling to me, but, at the same time, I had his assurance that he would not use the information. There was no reason, moreover, why I should not accept the commission. X had no ties whatever. There was no business to -detain mo in toun, and anything which savoured of adventure was alwavs welcome. Accordingly, at the appointed time, I presented my card to the footman at Sir Edwin's house and was immediately ushered into his presence. His greeting was affable, although there was just a suspicion of the autocrat about his manner. He seemed, however, in no great lnirry, to come to the point, and before giving me any particulars insisted upon my having diuner with him; as I had not dined. I welcomed the offer. Dinner over, he opened the subject abruptly. "Now, sir." lie said, as be offered mo a cigar. " perhaps you are waiting for an explanation of this peremptory and, to you. I daresay, inexplicable summons." In the first place, then, I may tell you that you are not so entire a stranger either to me or to the Foreign Office as you appear to think. The task I wish you to undertake involves the utmost secrecy and despatch, and not one of our regular staff is of the slightest use. All are too wellknown to our opponents. You are not known to them at all. " L don't suppose,' he continued, " vou are aware —in fact, I don t see how vou possiblv can be. since no hint of the affair has vet leaked out in the papers—that there is at the present moment a very grave crisis in the relations of this country with Blusterania. It is of the utmost mi|x>rtanoe that a certain message be delivered to Lord Breton, who is conducting negotiations in Wilhelmsburg. by to-mor-row evening. On the safe delivery of that message depends the peace of

Europe. I linve chosen you a. porunn likely to deliver it in safety. ot ' will need all your wits.. In sn, j° of every'precaution you will probably be watched from the moment von leave this house. Now. before I go farther I must ask whether you are willing to undertake' the mission. Tn addition to a handsome fee from this Go-

vernmeut, your success may mean a great deal mure than this to you? foi L need liardly remind you my influence is by no means small. Should you fail —but there, you can probably guess tho consequences." I assented to the proposition immediately.. . '• Sow," continued Sir Edwin, •as [ said before, you will probably be watched. Here is a cigar—quite an ordinary cigar, to judge by external appearances. Carefully wrapped inside is ilie message. You will, of course, carry this in your case with the others. To distinguish it, I will pierce the end —so !\ There is the possible contingency that on the pretext of defrauding the Customs you will be searched by the officials at tlie Blusteranian frontier. In all probability, however, you will be allowed to smoke. In such an event you may smoke this down to the extent of an inch. Carefully done, that should be long enough to serve our purpose, after which it must be promptly extinguished. You will find it excellent smoking," he added, smiling. Then, drawing close to me and lowering his voice to a whisper, Sir Edwin said impressively, "'{Should you by any chance be frustrated, .you are to go straight on to life Lordship as though nothing had hapjfened. Go just- as though you were mi ordinary visitor. Take your belongings, and stay at least one night before returning. It is, of course, possible that you may have to bring back a message to me. Remember this, however: if the message be stolen before you reach the capital, you will say to Lord Breton, ' Red predominates. Blue is only a necessity.' That is your message. Now I need not detain you any longer. You will find a taxieab at the door. Your portmanteau is already labelled. . You have just time to reach.-Liverpool street and. catch your train. Good-dav, and success to you!" 11.

My arrival at Harwich anil embarkation was uneventful. The wind had "been freshening since the afternoon, and was' now blowing a stiff gale, and there was every prospect that the short crossing would be fairly rough. Fortunately I was able to secure, even at that late hour, a private berth, and before leaving the quay I lay down. But I was in no mood for sleep. Whether I really slept at all or not I do not know. Anyway, I was suddenly recalled to full consciousness by hearing the cabin-door bang violently. Jumping out of the bunk, I rushed across the cabin, opened the door quickly, and peered out. There was no one in sight but a young steward half dozing on a stool. 1 "Here boy," I called out, " who cams out of this cabin a moment- ago ?" "Which cabin?" he asked slieepily. ! "This one," I said angrily. "You must have seen the person. Where' did he go to?" "No one came along here, sir. Leastways, not this last hour." " Are you sure?" "Quite sure, sir." "But," I insisted, "I locked the door before turning in, and it was unlocked when I opened it just now." "Begging your pardon, sir," he replied, "but you unlocked it yourself when I came to ask if you wanted anything last thing. ; Did you lock it again?" I remembered. I Lad not. What a fool I had been! Hurriedly I returned to my berth. On the floor lay my coat, and near it the cigar-case—clos-ed. Hastily I opened it, and, there, reposing securely where I had put it, was the pierced cigar. After all, I reflected, the coat could easily have been thrown on the floor by the rolling of the ship, and, just as easily, the cigar-case could have fal-len-out of the coat pocket. I laughed at my fears. Some deck sound pror bably'was the cause of my scare. Biifc I'was in no mood for further sleep, so I dressed and went on dqek. We were just nearing the Hook and would be in good-time to enable nie to reach the Blusteranian capital in the evening. At the frontier the Customs formalities seemed less careful than usual. I was congratulating myself on being free from further molestation when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning round, I saw an inferior officer, who in an insolent tone insisted upon my returning to bo searched. To have protested would only have increased suspicion, I followed the official, therefore, not into the ordinary searching-room, but into a private apartment, where, seated at a writing-desk, was a, man, who was evidently the Chief. - He rose at my approach, and said in perfect English: " I believe 1 have the honour to address. Mr Macfarlane ?"

I bowed assent. "On a visit to Wilheliiisbergr lie ventured. "That is so.". "Purely personal?" he inquired, eyeing me closely. "Purely," I assured him. " Verv "well," he remarked, returnin"' to liis writing, "I am sorry to trouble you. This is, as a matter of fact, merely a formal affair. Periodically we have to make a thorough search; wo so treat one in every htty passengers. You happen to be that ""Turning to two men who had entered as lie was speaking, he said: ;) "Search this gentleman closely. This the men proceeded to do with <rreat deliberation, a great deal more carefully than was demanded by a mere formality." They commenced with my hat. The lining was gentlj pushed aside so as to reveal the felt, and, incidentally, any document that xni"ht have been lurking there. Sine my overcoat, which I had thrown over the back of a chair, The pockets were divested-of their contents. My •doves were carefully, laid oil the table, and elaborately probed and prodded. The innocent-looking travelling-rug was subjected to all sorts of torture. While thev were thus occupied I took the ci< r ar case out of my pocket, and assuming an air of unconcern foreign to I selected the cigar which had been given me the previous litt "Edwitt XitlllCGlot. the eyes of the Chief were unoame. The next moment ho resumed his writing and appear-^ <-E-S Z."'By i time J£ St, having finished the readily portable Irtickl, turned their attention to me Noting their movement, I lit the aga with "Teat care so as to burn as littk, of it as possible. As. I had anticipate , thev ere going to make a close search tliP clothes I--was wearing. The ex- • t+inn was as exhaustive as it was disagreeable. Once I raised a potest hut the massive uniiormed figure at the desk might have been a statue for all the notice my When they had done u ltli me tliey continued their search in jny ) teau, and as a preliminary, turned all the contents out on the table. Burin- all this I had been noticing, not without considerable uncasmess, that the cigar already showed nearly an inch of ash. The men were pro=eedin<r iu a most exasperatmgly lei and something would have" to be done. I had been smoking on as slowly as possible. I tried to ' smoke slower still, with the inevitable result—the cigar went out altogether. "Something wrong with your ci asked the Chief, who had evidently noticed my embarrassment. iry one of those." , , , . "Thanks!" I replied, taking one from the box he handed across. "There's 110 need fo you to -nurse the old one." lie added, seeing that I had not let it out ' of my hand.

"Throw it oil the floor.'' There was no help for it. I threw it down immediately in front of me. In a few minutes more the men hail finished and left the room. The Chief told mo I might go. Profuse apologies followed. ■

To leave that cigar lying on the floor was the very last thing.l intendeed. At the same time I could not get it while- the Chief was there. To gain time I asked him a. few general questions as to the limits of luggage, the most rapid means of transit, and so on.

He replied with the greatest courtesy and relapsed into silence. Nothing I could do or say seemed to stimulate conversation or to distract his attnetion for a moment. I dropped my matchbox near the cigar, hoping thus to ho able to pick up both together. He stopped folding his papers in order to watcli me narrowly. It was a tactical mistake on my part. Matters wore becoming desperate. . To make make a dash it would hnvd been utter madness. The uniformed man was clearly ns determined to gain possession of the stump of my old cigar as I was. Had I seized it he would have had me overpowered in an instant. Suddenly the door opened' and a gentleman entered. He walked straight across to the Chief and whispered something in his ear. What he said I do not know, hut both looked grave and left the room at once. In an instant I had picked up the cigar, leaving in its place the one he had offered me. To relight it was the work of a few seconds, but I had scarcely done so before the Chief returned. He found me leisurely adjusting the straps of mv portmanteau. " Bo you require any more of me?" I asked.

; "No thanks!" he. replied, making a profound dow. "I was just returning to inform you of that fact." I caught up mv belongings, and without further loss of time got into the train.

In due course I presented myself before Lord Breton. He was evidently expecting me, for as soon as my name was announced I was ushered into his study. After requesting me to he seated, iie opened the conversation. "Mr. Macfarlane, I'believe; entrusted with a message from Sir Edwin Laucelot: is it not so?" I nodded.

' "And your message?" " The message is contained in this cigar," I replied, drawing it from my pocket. "Ha!" he ejaculated as lie toyed with it between his fingers. "Rather an old dodge, isn't it? Used to he a very common practice at one time, you know. So common in fact, that it became customery when searching a man for documents to pick his pocket—and tho cigar-case, of course—and let 'him go on his way. "Why, bless my soul! Whatever possessed you to smoke it?" he continued, observing the charred . end. "Had a scare eh? Well, well, let us see what it contains."

■Suiting the action to the word, he carefully removed the outer loaf. Then he proceeded with great caution to unroll the inner leaves. It was done with dexerity and deliberation of one to whom the operation was by no means a novelty.

Suddenly he stopped. . " Come, over here," he said, motioning me to the table," and watch care fullv as I go over the leaves."

He turned them aside one by one.' "Are you quite sure this is the cigar?" he .asked. "Absolutely sure," I answered. "Whv do you asl^;?" " Becatise," hc J , replied, speaking wit hemotibii,"'-which he sought to restrain, • "because—it contains 110 message." 111.

Again I was on the steamer. The lights of Holland were fast disappearing in the distance.' It was after midnight, lmt the events of the past twenty-four hours kept rushing through my brain with a. vividness that seemed to become intensified as the hours sr>od on. I recalled the utter incredulity with which I received the information tliat the message, had been intercepted. The look of contempt on the ambassador's face when I recounted the incidents of my journey, his satrical congratulation on the fact that' I. had reached Wihelmsberg at all, the sarcstie words of thanks when I had sufflcietnly recovered my wits to deliver the message: "Eed predominates; blue is only a necessity." All this was not easily forgotten. I had been' awakened early that morning by Lord Breton's valet with a request to present myself at breakfast . within twenty minutes. All expectancy, I waited throughout the meal for some indication that my failure had not been so utter as my overwrought nerves indicated to me; but none was forthcoming. After the customary " Good morning." Lord Breton relapsed into silence, and we ate our meal without another word breaking tlic silence between us.

It was only after he had finished that the ambassador turned to me. "You will leave Wilhelmsberg by the ]1.32 this morning," he said "and go straight to Sir Edwiu. You will then have an opportunity of reporting to him all the pleasant incidents of your journey. No doubt he will be intensely amused." Shortly afterwards I went upstairs to pack. To my dismay I found my portmanteau dripping wet! I called the servant.

"Here," I said, "what oil earth's the meaning of this? - How has my bag got wet like this?" "Very sorry, sir," he replied, looking at it intently, "I know nothing at all about it. (jive it to me, and I'll make inquiries, and see if I can't have it dried."

As lie was carrying the portmanteau downstairs he encountered Lord Brenton, who at once noticed its condition. '' What the devil has happened now?" lie exclaimed, for lie was not iu the best of humours; " Has some fool been trying to see if it was watertight:"" " Don't know at all,. my lord," replied the servant, " but it seems as though it had received a thorough soaking; how I am going to get it dry lor this gentleman to tako away in time I don't- know." " You cant't" Lord Breton retorted. "Most extraordinary—most extraordinary!" he muttered; then aloud to the man. "Go and bring a portmanteau of mine. Mr Macfarlane will, perhaps, be kind enough to use instead of his own 011 this occasion. Lord Breton turned to me. " I am extremely sorry this extraordinary accident should have occurred. I daresay, however, you will iind • my bag large enough, but as you will observe, it looks as if it had travelled. The portmanteau given to me certainly had seeu du pays, as the I' rench say. It was almost covered with labels in varying stages of wear and teai, and its whole' appearance would have gladdened the heart of the most aggressive globe-trotter America has ever sent to the Old World. It would have immediately given a man entrance nito a, provincial Travellers' Club- But was too eager to leave Wilhelmsberg to care for such considerations. I honed there would be something 111 iny delivery of the return message which would enable me to retrieve the follies of my outward journey. • A moment before leaving, Lord Breton, iu a few courteous words, wished

me a safe and pleasant journey. " What message am 1 to ;cteliver to Sir Edwin?" I asked, for he had given me none.

"There is no message, thank you," he answered. " Present yourself to Sir Edwin, that is all. 1 expect yuu to, do."

Such were the thoughts which, as I have said, were crowding upon me as 1 watched the Dutch liglits fade away. They were not altogether pleasant thoughts. What my reception. would be fro in Sir Edwin I could not even surmise.

All things have an end, however, even crossing the North Sea, and a few minutes after six the following morning we were steaming into Harwich. Three hours later I presented myself before Sir Edwin. Lancelot. Without waiting for any statement from me lie led me to the breakfastroom, where a meal was prepared -for me. He apologised for having to leave me, and presently I.heard him re-enter his study. Half-an-hour later I was summoned to the. study myself. I found Sir Ed wind surrounded by a mass- of correspondence. His ( secretary was seated at his side.

"Is there no message from Wilhelmsberg?" lie asked me. "None whatever," I replied.

"Lord Breton says iji his despatch," the secretary interrupted, "that Mr Macfarlane has a few very exciting incidents ,to relate." .

"Just so, just so," remarked Sir Edwin, "but I don't think we will trouble him now." Then,; picking up a letter, he handed it acrossito me with a request that I would read it. J; recognised the letter at once. I had written it months ago. It was an application for tlio position cif confidential messenger to the Foreign Office. "Well," he said,do ■ you renew that application?" "I am afraid, after what has happened, that you would hardly consider it if I did," 1 replied. "Oh, I don't know —I don't know!" he retorted. "You haven't done so badly, considering the difficulties of the situation. • At all events you have safely carried the message to \Vilhelmsberg and brought back a reply. . , "Perhaps I had better explain," he added, seeing my look of amazement. "In the first place, the cigar I gave you did not contain the real message. In it was simply a jumble of.' letters and figures which, had it", fallen .into other hands, would at once have been mistaken, for cypher. 'lt was my in-, tention that it should be stolen. You were barely • outside the house before one of my agents allowed hiniself to. be bribed into revealing the whereabouts of the message. It was stolen; from you when you were embarking on the steamer. Your pocket.was very cleverly picked and the cigar-case replaced with, of course, a cigar inside' it precisely similar to yours. I daresay by this time all . the principal officials in the Blusteranian Foreign Office have severe headaches due to their efforts to decipher that' apocryphal message.' "Then how do you account for my being searched .so closely by the Customs aiithorities ?" I asked. "There are two possible _ explanations," was the answer. " Either they were unaware that the precious document had already been secured, s or they thought there might be a second, message which would provide the key to the one they already possessed. ' "It may be so," I said, " but. I still fail to understand how you can say I have carried messages to TYilhelmsberg and back." . "Oh, that is perfectly simple! , he answered. ' "Since I hope to retain you on our permanent staff I will let you into the secret. Oh the backs of the luggage labels attached; to yourportmanteau a message was written in invisible ink. Lord Breton was well aware of . this. .Your dutj-.was-to present yourself at all costs. Y o'u did so. I ani sorrv your own portmanteau suffered so badly in trying to remove the labels, although the one you brought back lias suffered scarcely less. . " These are details, however. Make out vour account for expenses, and include the cost of purchasing a now bag. My' secretary will attend to' it. Good day!"