by W E Johns
The Count was obviously unconvinced, but as he could offer no better explanation he dismissed the matter with a wave of his hand. ‘Come along to my office, Brunow, I want you,’ he said, and with von Stalhein at his side, disappeared into the porch of the fort.
Biggles turned to follow, but before he went in he turned to one of the Pfalz pilots who he knew spoke a little English and said, ‘How was it you happened to be where you were—when I came along?’
‘Well, we are usually somewhere about there,’ replied the German, ‘but as we were taking off von Stalhein told us that we should probably find some British machines there this morning.’
‘I see,’ said Biggles, ‘thanks.’ Then he followed the Count into his office.
‘What happened over the other side?’ was the curt question that greeted him as he stepped into the room.
‘I’m sorry, sir, but I was too late to do anything,’ answered Biggles simply.
‘Too late?’
‘Sheikh Haroun Ibn Said, better known as El Shereef, of the German Intelligence Staff, was tried by Field General Court Martial this morning and sentenced to death for espionage,’ said Biggles in a low voice. ‘The sentence was carried out within an hour on the grounds of the undesirability of keeping such a dangerous man in captivity. I’m not sure, but I believe the British are making an official announcement about it to-night.’
The Count sat down slowly in his chair and looked at von Stalhein. Biggles also looked at him, and thought he detected a faint gleam of triumph in the unflinching eyes. There was silence for a few minutes broken only by the Count tapping on his teeth with a lead pencil. ‘Ah, well,’ he said at last with a shrug of his massive shoulders, ‘we have failed, but we did our best. Did you learn anything else while you were over there?’
‘Only that there seems to be a good deal of activity going on, sir.’
‘We are already aware of that. Anything else?’
‘No, sir.’
‘What excuse did you give to account for your presence at Kantara?’
‘The same as before. I said I was a delivery pilot; they are always coming and going and nobody questioned it.’
‘I see. That’s all for the present.’
Biggles saluted and marched out of the room into the blazing sunshine, but he did not go straight to his room, which, as events showed, was a fortunate thing. Instead, he walked along to the hangar where the two British machines were kept, with the object of testing a theory he had formed during his interview with the Count. Several mechanics were at work on the damaged Bristol, covering the bullet holes with small slips of fabric, but he went past them to where the Pup was standing in a corner and put his hand on the engine. One touch told him all he needed to know. The engine was still warm.
‘I’m right,’ he thought. ‘That’s how it was done.’
Chapter 18
An Unwelcome Visitor
‘Yes, that’s how he did it, the cunning beggar,’ he mused again, as he walked back slowly to his room and changed into his German uniform. ‘One false move now, and he’ll be on me like a ton of—hello! what’s going on over there, I wonder?’ He broke off his soliloquy to watch with casual interest a little scene that was being enacted at the entrance gate of the camp, which was quite close to his quarters, and which he could just see by leaning out of the window. The sound of what seemed to be an argument reached him, and looking out to see what it was all about, he noticed that a service tender had drawn up to discharge a single passenger who was now engaged in a heated discussion with the N.C.O. in charge of the guard.
From his actions it was clear that he was trying to obtain admission to the station, but he was in civilian clothes, and the attitude of the N.C.O. suggested that he was not satisfied with his credentials. The man’s suitcase had been stood on the ground, and as Biggles automatically read the name that was painted on its side in black letters he drew in his breath sharply, while his fingers gripped the window-sill until his knuckles showed white through the tan. The name on the suitcase was L. Brunow.
For a moment he came near to panic, and it was all he could do to prevent himself from dashing down to the tarmac, jumping into the first aeroplane he came to, and placing himself behind the British lines in the shortest possible space of time. He knew that he was in the tightest corner of his life, but he did not lose his head. He slipped his German Mauser revolver into his pocket and hurried round to the gate.
‘What is the matter?’ he asked the N.C.O. in German—one of the phrases he had learnt by heart.
The N.C.O. saluted and said something too quickly for him to catch, so Biggles resorted to the friend that had so often before helped him in difficult situations—bluff. He waved the N.C.O. aside, and indicated by his manner that the newcomer was known to him, and that he would accept responsibility for him. At the same time he picked up the suitcase and held it close to his side so that the name could not be read.
The real Brunow—for Biggles was in no doubt whatever as to the identity of the new arrival—wiped the perspiration from his face with a handkerchief. ‘Can you speak English by any chance?’ he said apologetically; ‘I’m afraid my German isn’t very good.’
‘A leedle,’ replied Biggles awkwardly. ‘I understand better than I speak perhaps—yes?’
‘Thank goodness. Then will you show me Count von Faubourg’s office; I have an important message for him.’
‘Yes, I will show you,’ replied Biggles, but the thought that flashed through his mind was, ‘Yes, I’ll bet you have’. ‘Der Count has just gone away,’ he went on aloud. ‘You must have the thirst, after your journey in der sun. I go to my room for a drink now–perhaps you come–no?’
‘Thanks, I will,’ replied Brunow with alacrity. ‘I can’t stand this heat.’
‘It vas derrible,’ agreed Biggles, as he led the way to his room, wondering what he was going to do with the man when he got there.
Brunow threw himself into a chair while Biggles took from the cupboard two glasses, a siphon of soda-water, and a bottle of brandy that he kept for visitors. The amount of brandy that he poured into Brunow’s glass nearly made him blush, but Brunow did not seem to notice it, so he added a little soda-water and passed it over. His own glass he filled from the siphon, at the same time regretfully observing that he had had a touch of dysentery, and was forbidden alcohol by doctor’s orders. He half smiled as Brunow drank deeply like a thirsty man—as he probably was—and decided in his mind that whatever happened Brunow must not be allowed to leave the room, for if ever he reached the Count’s office his own hours were numbered.
‘How long is the Count going to be, do you think?’ inquired Brunow, setting down his empty glass, which Biggles casually refilled.
‘He may be gone some time,’ he answered in his best pseudo-German accent. ‘Why, is it something important—yes?’
Brunow took another drink. ‘I should say it is,’ he retorted, settling himself down more comfortably in the chair. ‘Too important to be put in a dispatch,’ he added, rather boastfully, as an afterthought.
Biggles whistled softly, and made up his mind that his best chance of getting into the man’s confidence was through his vanity. ‘So! and they send you,’ he exclaimed.
‘That’s right,’ declared Brunow. ‘They’ve sent me all the way from Berlin rather than trust the telegraph or the post-bag.’ He leaned forward confidentially and looked up into Biggles’ face. ‘Perhaps I shouldn’t tell you—keep this to yourself—but there’s going to be a fine old row when I see the Count.’
Biggles laughed and refilled the glasses. ‘That will be not new,’ he said. ‘We of the staff have plenty of those.’
‘But this one will be something to remember,’ Brunow told him with a leer.
Biggles looked sceptical, which seemed to annoy Brunow.
‘What would you say if I told you there was a spy here—here—here at Zabala?’ he asked bellicosely.
Biggles shrugged his shoulders. ‘It would be
a funny place where there were no rumours about spies,’ he said inconsequentially.
The combined effects of the heat and the brandy were becoming apparent in Brunow’s manner. He put his feet up on the table and frowned at Biggles through half-closed eyes. ‘Are you suggesting that I don’t know what I’m talking about?’ he inquired coldly. ‘You’ll be telling me next that I’m drunk,’ he added with the aggressive indignation of a man who is well on his way to intoxication.
‘I should hope not,’ replied Biggles, in well simulated surprise. ‘We are all two-bottle men here. Have another drink?’ Without waiting for a reply, he filled the glasses again, inwardly disgusted that a man on special duty could behave in a manner so utterly foolish and irresponsible. ‘Well,’ he thought, ‘it’s either him or me for it, so it’s no time to be squeamish.’
‘Funny thing, you know,’ went on Brunow confidingly; ‘I’m not really German, but I went to Germany to offer my services. When I got there and told them my name, what do you think they did?’
‘I’m no good at riddles,’ admitted Biggles.
‘They threw me in clink,’ declared the other, picking up his glass.
‘Clink?’
‘In quod—you know, prison.
‘Donner blitz*1,’ muttered Biggles, looking shocked.
‘They did,’ went on Brunow reflectively, sinking a little lower in his chair. ‘Had the brass face to tell me that I was already serving in the Secret Service. What would you say if any one told you that, eh?’
‘Biggles shook his head. ‘Impossible!’ he exclaimed, for want of something better to say.
‘That’s what I told them,’ swore Brunow, waxing eloquent. ‘The funny thing is, though, they were right. Can you beat that, eh?’
‘It was not possible.’
‘Wasn’t it! Ha! that’s all that you know about it. I kicked up a proper stink and showed them my papers; when they saw those they smelt a rat and got busy. Quick wasn’t the word. To make a long story short, they found that some skunk had got in under the canvas and was pretending to be me—me! What do you know about that?’
‘Biggles knew quite a lot about it but he did not say so. ‘Too bad,’ he murmured sympathetically.
‘Too bad!’ exploded Brunow, starting up. ‘Is that all you’ve got to say about it? Don’t you realize that this other fellow is a spy? Well, I’ve got it in for him,’ he declared venomously, as he sank back. ‘They believe it’s a fellow named Bigglesworth, who’s disappeared from France, though it beats me how they found that out. But whoever he is, he’s here at Zabala.’
Biggles poured out more brandy with a hand that shook slightly, for Brunow had raised his voice. Twilight was falling over the desert, and in the hush the sound of voices carried far.
‘So you’ve come here to put an end to his little game, eh?’ he said quietly. ‘Good! Still, there’s no need to get excited about it.’
‘Who are you, telling me not to get excited about it?’ fumed Brunow. ‘These cursed British chucked—’ He pulled up as if he realized that he was saying too much. ‘I want to see them shoot this skunk Bigglesworth, and I want to see him twitch when he gets a neck full of lead. That’s what I want to see,’ he snarled.
‘Well, maybe you will,’ Biggles told him.
‘That’s what I’ve come here for. The people in Berlin were going to send a telegram; then they thought they’d send a dispatch, but in the end they decided to send a special messenger. They chose me, and here I am,’ stated Brunow. ‘Pretty good, eh?’
‘How about another drink?’ smiled Biggles, and the instant he said it he knew he had gone too far. A look of suspicion darted into Brunow’s bloodshot eyes, and the corners of his mouth came down ominously. ‘Say! what’s the big idea?’ he growled. ‘Are you trying to get me tanked?’
‘Tanked?’ Biggles tried to look as if he did not understand.
‘Yes—blotto . . . sewn up. You sit there swilling that gut-rot, lacing me with brandy, and letting me do the talking. Do you know this skate Bigglesworth? You must have met him if you’re stationed here. That’s it. Is he a pal of yours, or—’
Biggles could almost see Brunow’s bemused brain wrestling with the problem. The half-drunken man knew he had said too much, and was trying to recall just how much he had said. Then into his eyes came suddenly a new look; it was as if a dreadful possibility had struck him. Quickly, as he stared into Biggles face, doubt changed to certainty, and with certainty came hate and fear. He sprang to his feet, and grabbing the brandy bottle by the neck, swung it upwards; the table went over with a crash. ‘Curse you,’ he screamed. ‘You’re—’
Biggles dodged the bottle that would have brained him if it had reached its mark, and grabbed him by the throat. So sudden had been the attack that he was nearly caught off his guard, but once he realized that Brunow, in a flash of drunken inspiration, had recognized him, he acted with the speed of light, knowing that at all costs he must prevent him from shouting. One call for help and he was lost.
As his right hand found Brunow’s throat and choked off the cry that rose to his lips, his left hand gripped the wrist that still held the bottle and a wave of fighting fury swept over him. It was the first time in his life that he had actually made physical contact with one of the enemy, and his reaction to it was shattering in its intensity; it aroused a latent instinct to destroy that he had never suspected was in him, and the knowledge that the man was not only an enemy but a traitor fanned the red-heat of his rage to a searing white-hot flame. ‘Yes,’ he ground out through his clenched teeth, ‘I’m Bigglesworth—you dirty traitorous rat.’
But Brunow was no weakling. He was a trifle older than Biggles, and more heavily built, but what he gained from this advantage was lost by being out of condition, although he fought with the fear of death on him.
Locked in an unyielding embrace, they lost their balance and toppled over on to the bed. For a moment they lay on it panting, and then with a sudden wrench, Brunow tore himself free; but Biggles clung to his wrist and they both crashed to the floor. The shock broke his hold and they both sprang up simultaneously.
Brunow had lost too much breath to shout; he aimed a murderous blow with the bottle, but he was a fraction of a second too slow. Biggles sprang sideways like a cat and then darted in behind the other arm, while as he moved his right hand flashed down and up, bringing the Mauser with it. The force Brunow had put behind his blow almost over-balanced him, and before he could recover Biggles brought the butt of his gun down on the back of his head.
Brunow swayed for a moment with a look of startled surprise on his face, and then pitched forward over the table.
Biggles stood rigid, listening, wondering fearfully if the noise of the struggle had been heard, and his lips closed in a thin straight line as his worst fears were realized. Slowly dragging footsteps were coming down the corridor, accompanied by the tap, tap, of walking-sticks.
He literally flung Brunow under the bed and kicked his suitcase after him. He set the table on its legs, replaced the siphon and the bottle which had fallen from Brunow’s hand, and put one of the tumblers beside it. The other had been broken and there was no time to pick up the pieces. Then he pushed the Mauser under his pillow, and flung himself down on the disarranged bed in an attitude of sleep.
With every nerve tingling, he heard the footsteps stop outside; the door was opened quietly and he knew that von Stalhein was standing looking into the room.
How long the German stood there he did not know. He did not hear him go, and for some time he dare not risk opening his eyes; but when at length he risked a peep through his lashes the door was closed again. Still, he took no chances. He got up like a man rising from a deep sleep, but seeing that the room was really empty he glided to the window and looked out. In the twilight he could just see von Stalhein limping towards the fort. ‘Thought I’d been drinking, I suppose,’ mused Biggles, as he began to act on the plan he had formed while lying on the bed.
Brunow must be dis
posed of, that was vital. How long it would be before the people in Berlin became aware of his non-arrival he did not know; nor did he care particularly. The first thing must be to put Brunow where he could do no harm. But how—where? To murder a man in cold blood was unthinkable; to keep him hidden in his room for any length of time was impossible; yet every moment he remained would be alive with deadly danger. ‘Somehow or other I’ve got to get him into that Bristol and fly him over the lines; that’s the only possible solution,’ he thought swiftly, although he was by no means clear as to how he was going to get him from his room to the aeroplane. ‘If I can get the machine out I’ll manage it somehow or other, but I shall have to leave him here while I go down to see about it,’ were the thoughts that raced through his mind.
His first action was to retrieve the revolver and slip it into his pocket. Next, he pulled the still unconscious man from under the bed, tied his hands and feet securely with a strip of towel and gagged him with a piece of the same material. Then he pushed him back far under the bed and hurried down to the tarmac, feeling that time was everything. It was nearly dark, and it could only be under cover of darkness that he could hope to get Brunow to the machine. What the mechanics would think about getting the Bristol out at such an hour he hardly knew, but there was no help for it. They could think what they liked providing they raised no objection. He found them just knocking off work, and the sergeant in charge looked at him in surprise when he asked that the two-seater be stood out on the tarmac in readiness for a flight. ‘I understand I am to do some night flying soon,’ Biggles told him carelessly, ‘and I want some practice. Just stand her outside; there is no need for you to wait, and it may be some time before I take off. I shall be able to manage by myself.’ He spoke of course in German and hoped that the N.C.O. understood what he said, but he was no means sure of it.
He breathed a sigh of relief as the mechanics obeyed his orders unquestioningly, and then disappeared in the direction of their quarters. ‘All I’ve got to do now is to get the body there and think of a good excuse to account for my flip when I get back–if I decide to come back. Confound the fellow; what the dickens did he want to roll up here for just at this time,’ he thought angrily.