The Safety of an Empire.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 5, 31 January 1912, Page 63

The Safety of an Empire.

By

J. MCRTON LEWIS.

VERULAM and I were seated in the dining-room of our little flat. We had just returned from a fortnight in the country. For nearly a month we had beep idle; the Secret Service had not required us. Verulam fretted at the enforced idleness ; his passion for music, which he had indulged to the. utmost, did not prevent him suffering from ennui. The mantle of peace had spread over Europe; a diminutive war in the Balkans had been suppressed in its infancy, and no storm-clouds threatened. It was idyllic, perhaps, but it did not please Verulam. “It is unnatural,” he grumbled to me. Half an hour later events proved the truth of his words. The gas had just been lit when our maid entered with a message. A gleam lit up my chief's face as he tore open the envelope. It was from Lord Farquharson, the Foreign Secretary. Verulam read it though, and then wrote a hasty reply. “I am going to the Foreign Office,” he said, when we were alone. “We are wanted again.” He always coupled our names together •—indeed, we seldom acted; independently. In a couple of hours he had returned. “We must pack our bags at once," he said. “We catch the midnight boattrain from Liverpool Street.” “Where for?” I asked. “Viliestadt —the millennium has not yet come.” There was a lightness in his step, an exuberance about his manner as he preceded me into the bedroom. In half an hour we were ready. Verulam stood in our dining-room and lighted a cigar. "Ten o'clock,”.he said; “we shall have time to go to Vernon’s and get some dinner.” .Over the meal he was unusually silent; indeed, he hardly spoke a word until we were seated in our carriage and the train had commenced to steam out of Liverpool Street. He drew up the windows, lighted a cigarette, after passing me his case, then settled himself on the seat. “I told you," he said, “that the outlook was too calm. The Foreign Office have had a code letter from Manville Scott at Magenna, saying that information has come to his ears which leads him to suppose that there is a coalition amongst certain of the Powers, and that the end in view is a War against England.” Verul'am smiled. “We are to lie annihilated. and our possessions divided amongst them. The Emperor of Sanubia is the cause of all the trouble. Sanubia has a growing population, and the Emperor’s eyes are set upon India. In three day’s time there is a secret conference at Magenna; representatives of the acting Powers will be present ’ Verulam paused. “And we are to find out their plans.” "Why not Manville Scott?” I asked. “Because he is dead. He was found in one of the back streets of Magenna yesterday, stabbed.” “Because he knew too much?" Verulam flicked the ash off his cigarette. “Yes, and we must find out ten times more than he ever knew.” ... The first rays of a July morning were breaking as we embarked at Harwich. Sixteen hours later we drew alongside the quay at Viliestadt. “We have only an hour in which to catch the train toi Magjenna," Said Verulam. “We must have breakfast on board.” The streets of Viliestadt were breaking into life as we drove through them. Once our cab was stopped by a herd of cattle en route for the market. Another lime Verulam drew my attention to the figure of a priest whom we overtook; he was a tall, handsome man with iron-grey hair, which curled away from liis forehead. “That is Father Adolphe Heinemann,” said Verulam. “I hope he has not seen me, for we have met liefore " “Not as friends," I suggested. Verulam smiled. “He U the cleverest man in Sanubia,

and the most dangerous. If he wanted to, he could tell us all that we have come to find out.” Leaning back in the shadow of the carriage, Verulam watched Father Leinemann. “A priest who meddles with polities is a creation of the Devil,” he observed. On reaching the station I hurried to the booking-office and procured a couple of first-class tickets for Magenna, while Verulam had a compartment reserved. The train was a slow one, taking twenty hours to accomplish the journey. Throughout the whole time Verulam fretted and fumed. The responsibility of the expedition worried him. “We have exactly twenty-eight hours,” he said, as we drew into Magenna station. "By eight o'clock to-morrow night we must have got the information and be ready to leave.” “Have you any plans?”, I asked. “None.” He beckoned to the driver of a carriage and directed him to drive to a certain hotel in the Koln Strasse. It was a smal 1 hotel where we had stopped before. The proprietor knew Verulam, and he was a man who could be trusted to keep silence. He bowed gravely as we entered the hall. “ You will occupy your usual rooms, m’sieu ? ” he said to Verulam. “Yes.” replied my chief, “and I will have a strong cup of tea prepared at once.” The manager bowed, and Verulam smiled as he hurried away. “It is a good thing that Gustave is French," he said. “ 1 always trust a Frenchman in Sanubia. just as I trust a Sanubian in France.” We walked upstairs behind the porter bearing our luggage. Entering the sitting-doom, Verulam flung himself down in an easy-chair before the open window which looked upon the Koln Strasse. For an hour he sat there in silence, onlv moving once when the tea was brought- in. He motioned to me to pour it out. “No —no milk, thanks." he said, in response to my inquiries. When he rose he went into the bedroom which had been reserved for our use. - How long he was absent I do not know; it was only a few- minutes when the door opened and a typical Sanubian farmer entered. I rose to expostulate with him. when the countryman smiled, and, despite the disguise, I recognised Verulam. “ To-day is the free day for going over- the Chamber of Deputies,” he explained, “and I take a great interest in the Chamber of Deputies." I looked at him for a further explanation. “ It is there they are holding this conclave to-morrow,” he said. . “ You do not want me to go with you ? " I asked. He shook his head. “ I want you to remain here. We have been recognised. Kruegel has half a dozen men watching this hoted. I do not know when I shall see you again. But I shall manage to get into communication with you. We can act better apart. You here; I—wherever fate takes me.” He held out his hand. “ Good luck ! ” he said, with a cheery laugh. The next moment he had vanished from the room. All that night, until long past midnight, I sat up waiting- for him. I went to bed, leaving strict instructions that any message was to be brought to me at once. At breakfast time next morning I had heard nothing. All the day, until nearly tea-time. I sat in our sitting-room, smoking, and reading, doing anything I could to pass away the time. The hours dragged wearily by; every passing step I fancied was a message, or perhaps Verulam himself. Whilst I was sitting down to a solitary tea, wondering what had happened to him, a waiter entered bearing a letter. It was from Verulam, scribbled on a half-sheet of paper: Am succeeding beyond my expectations. Go as soon as you get thia to the Winter Gardena. Leave the hoted

as openly as possible, so that anyone watching it may see you and have time to follow. In the gardens, by the central fountain, you will see a Frenchman looking at the statue of Venus. He will be there about seven. He is a tall, fair man, with a cast in his left eye. Engage him in conversation for a few minutes, on some pretext or other, but be careful; he will not know you. If you can pretend to make some notes whilst you are with him, so much the better. Then drive to the station and book a couple of seats in the night express fo Viliestadt. Have our bags taken to the station. I will meet you there, just before the train starts. H. R. VERULAM. It was six o'clock when I had finished tea. I waited half an hour, then walked leisurely to the Winter Gardens, and took up a position where I could see the central fountain and the statue to which Verulam had referred. The gardens were almost deserted. A few minutes before seven I saw a man walk up to the statue and stand looking at it. Coming nearer, I saw he had a cast in his left eye. \\ alking up to him, .1 inquired the way to the Koln Strasse. The Frenchman turned sharply round. “I am sorry,” he said; “I cannot direct you. I am stranger here myself." For a few moments I engaged him in conversation, and we fell to discussing the gardens and the statue. " It is an exquisite piece of work.” I said. Taking a note-book from my pocket, I commenced a rough sketch. A little later he left me. He had not gone many yards when I saw a couple of men emerge from behind a bush and follow him. As they passed by me one of them touched me on the shoulder. " Von are not allowed to make drawings here, ’ he said. " I must ask you for that book.” "And why ? " 1 asked. He was dressed in the blue dress of the Sanubian gendarmerie. “ It is against the rules," he said. “ You must give me that book." I handed it to him with a shrug of the shoulders. There was nothing in it except the rough drawing I had made. He looked through the pages quickly, glanced at me in surprise, then hurried away to overtake his companion. Leaving the Winter Gardens, I hailed a carriage, drove to the station, and took the two tickets for Viliestadt. Then 1 hurried back to the hotel, packed our bags, and had them sent as Verulam had ordered. It was then half-past seven, and the train started at ten o’clock. Sitting down before the window of our sittingroom, I fell to wondering what part the unknown Frenchman had played in Verirtam’s plan. At nine o’clock I paid our bill, and was politely bowed out of the hotel by the dapper little Frenchman. Gustave. Walking leisurely to the station. I had a compartment reserved, knowing that Verulam would have a lot to say to me on the journey, and would want to travel alone. Barely a minute before the train started he came hurrying along the platform. He jumped into the carriage with a smile. “You have succeeded?” I said, as the train began to move. “ Yes," he replied, and drew out his cigar-case; “but I am dog-tired. I have not had a second's sleep since I saw you yesterday." “ Where have you been ? ” “ In one of the pieces of armour which adorn the Chamber of Deputies,” lie replied with a smile. “The armour which once bore Ludwig the Great bore an insignificant member of His Majesty's Government last night and the major portion of to-day. And. my goodness ! 1 would not go through last night again—the Chamber of Horrors in Baker Street is nothing in comparison. I couldn’t leave the confounded armour to stretch myself the whole night through, because the Chamber is patrolled every hour or so.” “And how did you get in ? ” “ For an hour after sunset the hall is left nngarded. I managed to hide whilst the people were being cleared out. The rest was easy. One of the Secret Service men came this morning in disguise, and I handed your letter to him through the vizor. You have done your part, I see ! ” “Yes, but the Frenchman ? ’’ I asked. Verulam smiled. “ An innocent pawn in the game. I

saw when I left yesterday that our hotel was watched. And all the way to the Chamber of Deputies I was trying to think out how I could divert suspicion from ourselves. Fate threw the Frenchman in my path. He is an innocent little man who had come on a holiday to see Magenna. 1 advised him to see the Winter Gardens, and especial ly the statue of Venus. Apparently he took my advice." “He did,” I replied. “I expect lie has been arrested. I only hope he lias been able to prove his innocence. 1 hate to cause anyone inconvenience; but the safety of the British Empire may rest on whit we do during the next three days. I have sent Lord Farquharson a long code tele gram to his private address, so that it may reach him safely, and asked him to send the Queen to meet us in the roads at Viliestadt to-morrow night." “Where are we going?" I asked. “Gibraltar. If the Emperor of Saniibia has his way. Gibraltar will be blow sky-high on Sunday night. To-day is Tuesday, so we have plenty of time. There is a weak spot in the foundation of the Rock, and a small Sinubian torpedo-boat will leave Viliestadt on Thursday with a consignment of powder large enough to blow the British Isles out of the water. They will creep in under cover of night—it is only a very small vessel —and lay a mine." “And you are going to prevent it?" "That all depends on what Lord Farquharson says in his reply to my telegram. Captain Willoughby will bring the answer on the Queen.” Verulam threw his cigar one of the window and lay down full length on the seat. “I have done a good day’s work, and I am tired,” he said with a smile. He closed his eyes and in a few minutes was fast asleep. We had been travelling for nearly ten hours when he awoke. Ho looked out of the window at the landscape bathed with the early sun. and yawned. “Ah! a few minutes and we shall be at Gotten. How confoundedly slow this train is!” “You know this line well?” I said. “Thanks to the number of times the Emperor of Sanubia enforces me to traverse it every year. It will bo a good thing for England when that illustrious monarch is gathered to his forefathers." Eight hours later we steamed into Viliestadt station. Verulam glanced at the clock, the.hands of which pointed to midday. “At any rate, we are punctual,” he said. “To-nigh't at ten o'clock the Queen should be outside the harbour.” .’Then we must hire a boat to go out to her!" 1 observed. “I made all the arrangements from Magenna,” answered Verulam in his quiet way. “So there remains nothing for us to do but rest ’” We walked through the Streets to an hotel. Verulam chose one in a quiet little street near the marketplace During his career experience had taught, him the safest hotels for a member of the Secret Service to frequent, and they were generally the most unpretentious. The landlord greeted him as an old customer, one to whom deference was due. In less than an hour from our arrival at Viliestadt we were sitting down to a luncheon of cold chicken. When it was over, Verulam filing himself down on a. coach. “You must call me when i*t is time for us to start," he said. I had no need to. At half-past eight he opened his eyes, then rose. “We had better be going." ho said. The quay was deserted save for a couple of men who stood near *tlie custom house; a few yards' deviation from our path took us past them: then Verulam walked to the end of the jetty and whistled softly. In answer a quickly veiled green light showed itself some twenty feet beneath us. “Is flint you. Branson?” said Verulam in a low voice. "Yes, sir.” canie the answer. “Stand by—wo are coming down!** Verulam turned to inc. “We must be careful going down the ladder. It runs perpendicularly down the wall. Folhiw me.” He stepped over the side, nnd in n few seconds disapja'ared from sight I saw him enter the boat, and then followed. “Has the Queen arrived y ‘t ?" he isked, as we sat in the stern of the boat, “I haven't seen her yet."

"She will stop by the buoy on the two niiie-liiuit. Steer for there.” "Yes, sir,” responded Branson. There were three men rowing and the sea was calm. In a few moments we saw the hull of the torpedo-destroyer loom out of the ttarkness. Verulam chitehed my arm. "There she is!” he said. He hailed her as we drew alongside. The vessel showed no lights, and was in darkness save for the sparks -which spurted out from her four funnels. "Is that Mr. Verulam t” replied a voiee out of the darkness. "Yes, Captain Willoughby I” “Good,” replied the voice. "You have a letter for me from Lord Farquharson 1” said Verulam when we were on board. •*Yes,*' replied Captain Willoughby. “I 11 get the boat out to sea, beyond the guard boats. Then we’ll go down to my eabin and I*ll give it to you.*’ He put the indicator to full-sj|?ed ahead. We felt the vessel tremble beneath us, then leap forward. For half an hour we stood on the bridge, dashing into the darkness, while the water churned over our bows. Then Captain Willoughby called up the first officer to take charge. “We'll go into my cabin now,” he said. We followed him down the ladder to his eabin. Then he unlocked a safe, and drew from it a long blue envelope. Verulam tore it open and read the letter inside, which he handed to the captain. "By God!” said Captain Willoughby, as he mastered the contents. “And they are going to try and blow up Gibraltar with the ships Inside! Seven of our finest cruisers sent to glory if they rtreeeed I ” “But they won’t,” said Verulam, with a gentle smile. "No, they won't*’ responded Captain Willoughby. “It will have to be done very carefully, though.*’ Seventy-two hours later the Queen steamed past the Mole into the inner harbour of Gihralt r, and Verulam and I went straight tc tiie Governors house. "I have heard of you, Mr. Verulam,” said Sir Charles Seleott, “and now you have eome to our "You have heard!” said my chief. *"I had a special despatch from Lord Farquharson yesterday afternoon. It was brought to me in the Alexandra, the sister-ship to the Queen. And So Captain Willoughby is going to meet the Tongster in mid-ocean t” "Yes,” replied Verulam. At ten o’clock next night a small crowd had gathered on the quay at Gibraltar, a dozen men at the utmost, but they represented the military and political life on the Rock. In the harbour lay the Queen smoke belching from her four chimney, her decks cleared. Sir Charles Sei •tt was talking to Captain Willough! and Verulam. "And if they g t by you. they will never enter the St ■ ts. A dozen guardboats will be the: . ’ “They will not get past the Queen,” said Captain M illoughby in a hard voice. • Sir Charles looked round. "It is dark,” he said. “Yes,” replied Captain Willoughby; “an ideal night for them ami for us. Mr. Verulam, are you ready?” We stepped aboard the Queen. Captain Willoughby mounted the bridge. There was a tinkle Of a bell, the anchor was drawn up, and we moved slowly away from the harbour, Carefully we picked our way amidst the shipping. Once past the Mole, Captain Willoughby put the engines to half-speed ahead. In the open sea the -weather became more rough; great foam-flecked breakers broke against the sides of the vessel. A heavy wind had arisen and whistled against our stacks. The Queen was in darkness save for her flashlight, with which we searched the water. “The Tongster will not com* for another hour yet, and then she will come from there.” The captain pointed tn the north. For an hour we cruised round, then our flashlight picked out a email speck in the distance bearing down upon the Rock. For a moment it was focussed upon the approa-hing vessel while Captain Wilkuighby •-xamined it through his gfas-es. “That is the Tongster,” he said, “and ■he U -teaming twenty six knots '* He altered <Mir conrse somewhat, and put the rndieator full speed ahead. For a few mm...-its ws sped oa in a

darkness so intense that we could not see the approaching vessel, though at the last we could hear the wash caused by tier screws. Once more the flashlight was thrown across the water. We were only a couple of hundred yards from the Tongster, and could see the men upon her decks. The flashlight went out again. "Now!” said Captain Willoughby. There was a second’s tension, then A sickening crash, and the Queen shivered from end id end. For a second we remained stationary, while the cries from those on the Tongster were borne to our ears. Then we slowly commenced to plough our way through the mass of rending metal. A moment and we were elear. We had cut the Tongster in half amidships. As our flashlight played on the scene we could hear the cries of those in the water. Only for a moment did we stop, then Captain Willoughby altered his course, and we steamed full-speed ahead for Gibraltar. We had not gone far when there was a deafening explosion. The Tongster’s boilers had exploded. "That is the last of the Tongster,” said Captain Willoughby. The Emperor of Fwnubia’s plot had failed, and Gibraltar was saved. Three days later the papers contained an artxmnt of the sinking of the Sa-nubian torpedo-boat Tongster, with all hands, m the Mediterranean Verulam and I were seated in the dining-room of our flat. to ths account, the Tongster was run down by an unknown steamer. The man in the street doe* not hear everything.” observe! Verntam.