'Could he gain access to anything secret, even through another soldier on the station?'
'No. Frankly, I don't think we have anything here that any member of the public shouldn'
t know about.'
'You can't think of any reason at all why a top-grade spy should seek the company of a private soldier here?'
'No.'
'What sort of a recruit is Ross?'
'He promises to turn out well. His reports are good. He is keen and intelligent and will, I believe, become an efficient soldier.'
Was he called up or did he enlist voluntarily?'
'He enlisted as soon as he was of age, and being of the necessary physical standard put his name down for the Guards.'
'What was he doing before he joined up?'
'I'd better get his papers.' The adjutant rang for the sergeant and called for the appropriate docket.
It was brought. The sergeant went out. Biggles looked through the documents. 'Nothing remotely suspicious here,' he remarked. 'Both parents British born. References from people who have known him all his life.
Served an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic.
His father was a Grenadier, I see. That should be good enough.' Biggles closed the docket and put it back on the desk.
'What do we do next?' asked the adjutant anxiously. 'I don't like the idea of this boy keeping the sort of company you describe. It will end in trouble for him.'
'It certainly will if the association is continued.'
'Should we warn him?'
'That would mean warning the spy, too — unless ...'
'Unless what?'
'Unless we took Ross entirely into our confidence.'
'Is there any reason why we shouldn't?'
'From my point of view it would be taking a risk. If he's innocent there's every reason why he should be warned, even though that might put him in a position of some danger.
On the other hand, if he knows what he's doing, we should have shown our hand to no purpose. What I really want to know is the drift of the conversation between Ross and this enemy agent. Only one man can tell us that, and that is Ross himself. I feel inclined to take a chance. Ross can't have known this man for very long, and it takes a fair while to persuade a fellow of Ross's type to betray his country. Could we have him in?'
'It isn't quite regular.'
'There's nothing to prevent me from questioning Ross, in my official capacity, outside the barracks. It might be better for all concerned if it were done here.'
'I should have to consult the commanding officer about that,' said the adjutant dubiously.
'Do so, by all means.'
It so happened that the Colonel commanding the Depot chose that moment to walk in. He had a good look at Biggles, who was, of course, in plain clothes, and then at the officer at the desk. 'What's the trouble?' he inquired shrewdly. 'Who's been doing what?'
Biggles smoked his cigarette while the adjutant revealed his authority and explained the purpose of his visit.
The Colonel frowned. 'I wonder, could this have any connection with the trouble we've been having?' he said, at the end.
'I should hardly think so, sir,' answered the adjutant.
Neither said what the trouble was, and Biggles did not ask.
'There's only one thing to do in a case like this, and that's to have Ross on the mat and tell him we know what he's been up to,' declared the Colonel bluntly.
Biggles looked slightly alarmed. 'But that's just it, sir; we don't know what he's been up to. If you take too strong a line at this juncture, we may never know. Let's have Ross in, by all means; but it would be better, until we know more, to give him the benefit of the doubt.'
'I could confine Ross to barracks,' asserted the Colonel. 'That would put an end to the business.'
'I repeat, sir, I think it would be better if we ascertained what the business is before we talk of putting an end to it,' said Biggles blandly. 'Ross, I grant, is within your jurisdiction, but not the man outside; and it is with him that I am chiefly concerned.'
'We'll have Ross in,' decided the Colonel.
'May I suggest that, as I know the details of the case, you allow me to ask the questions
— in the first instance, anyhow?'
'As you wish,' agreed the Colonel stiffly. He turned to the adjutant:
'Where is Ross now?'
'He should be on the square, sir.'
'Send for him.'
'Yes, sir.' The adjutant pressed his bell and passed the order to the sergeant.
Five minutes later the man concerned was marched in. 'You needn't wait,'
the Colonel told his escort.
The young Guardsman, a tall, fair, good-looking lad, who looked even younger than his years, stood rigid. His face was slightly pale. 'Stand at ease,' rapped out the Colonel.
The soldier complied. His blue eyes stared straight ahead.
'Now, Ross, I have here an officer from Scotland Yard. He wants to ask you a few questions,' said the Colonel sternly. 'The matter is serious and you would be well advised to speak the truth and the whole truth.' He made a sign for Biggles to begin.
The soldier did not move, except to moisten his lips nervously. Biggles'
eyes were on his face. 'Would you mind looking at me while I am talking to you?' he requested.
The eyes switched. Biggles caught them with his own and held them. 'Thank you,' he said softly, and continued. 'You are in the habit of visiting a café in this town called the "
Stand Easy." Is that correct?'
'Yes, sir.'
'You have met there a civilian who speaks with a slight foreign accent.
He wears a monocle and smokes his cigarettes in a long holder. He stood you a cup of coffee yesterday. You know the man I mean?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Do you know anything about him?'
Not much, sir.'
'A little?'
'Yes, sir. Only what he told me.'
'Did he tell you his nationality?'
'Yes, sir.'
'What did he say it was?'
'He told me he was a Czech, sir. Said he fought in the war.'
'He didn't tell you which side he fought on, I imagine?' said Biggles dryly.
'No, sir.'
'Yesterday was not the first time you have spoken, I fancy?' 'No, sir.'
'How many times have you spoken to him? Or put it the other way. How many times has he got into conversation with you?' 'Yesterday was the third time, sir.'
'What did you talk about?'
A pink stain crept into the soldier's cheeks. 'We talked about the army, sir.'
'I see. You talked about the army?'
'Yes, sir.'
'What had this man to say about the army?'
'He said soldiering was a fine life, sir.'
'And you agreed?'
'Yes, sir.'
'What was this man's interest in the army? Did he tell you that?'
The pulses between the soldier's ears and eyes could be seen beating. The tip of his nose was chalk white. These signs were not lost on Biggles.
'Remember what the Colonel told you at the beginning,'
he said quietly. 'You would be foolish, Ross, to try to hide anything.
The truth will come out, if not from you.'
The man told me he was recruiting for another army, sir. A better one than ours, he said.
The pay was twice as much as we get here, with plenty of leave, and sport, and so on. He said the regiment was a sort of International Brigade, like the French Foreign Legion.'
Biggles drew a deep breath. 'I see,' he said softly. 'Did this man happen to mention where this unit was based?'
'He said it was in Czechoslovakia, sir.'
'Did you believe this fairy tale?'
'No, sir. Well, not altogether, sir.'
'But you were interested?'
'Well, I – er—' The man faltered.
`You were interested, even knowing that this man was deliberately trying to induc
e you to join a foreign army, which would have meant breaking your Oath of Allegiance?'
'There was a guarantee we should never have to fight against British—'
'We? Who do you mean by we?'
'Me and the others.'
What others?'
'Those who have already gone, sir. That was the only reason why I was interested, sir.
That's God's truth, sir. You see, sir, my chum, Hugh Macdonald, he went.'
Àh,' breathed Biggles. 'Did this man know Macdonald was a friend of yours?'
'Yes, sir. He used to see us together in the "Stand Easy." It was because Macdonald went, I think, that he picked on me. He said he had a message for me from Macdonald to say he was having the time of his life, and if I had any sense I'd go over right away. I told him I didn't believe it.
Then he said he would tell Hugh to write to me. He must have done that because, soon afterwards, I had a letter from Hugh.'
Biggles looked surprised. 'You had a letter from him?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Where is it?'
'I've got it here, sir.' The soldier took out his wallet and selected a letter from several. He passed it to Biggles.
Biggles examined the stamp and the postmark before taking out the contents. He glanced at the letter, replaced it in the envelope, and handed it back to the Guardsman. 'If ever I saw a piece of forgery, that's it,' he said. He went on. 'Did you seriously consider joining Macdonald?'
'No, sir. If my father heard I'd been posted as a deserter he'd kill me stone dead.'
'Then why did you continue to associate with a man whom you knew to be an enemy of your country?'
The soldier was now perspiring, and it was clear that he was on the point of breaking down. 'Take your time,' Biggles told him.
'I was hoping to find out where Macdonald had gone, to persuade him to come home.'
Biggles sat back. 'You knew Macdonald pretty well? Why did he decide to accept this man's invitation?'
'Well, sir, he was a bit fed up. He'd got an idea in his head that the sergeant-major had got it in for him, and he was afraid he'd never make a good soldier.'
'Did you know that Macdonald had actually decided to go?'
'No, but I was afraid of it, sir. He went sort of quiet. I told him not to be a fool.'
'He didn't by any chance tell you, before he left, how he was going to get out of the country — or where he was going?
'No, sir. He went on week-end leave. When he didn't come back I guessed he'd gone. Afterwards the man at the café told me so. He offered me twenty pounds to go, too, but I didn't take it. He said it was just pocket-money, and there was plenty more where that came from.'
'What else did he tell you?'
'He said he would make all arrangements. There wouldn't be any difficulty. I'd be hundreds of miles away before I was missed.' 'What did you say to that?'
'I said I'd think it over, sir.' The soldier added, hastily: 'But that was only to keep in touch with the man so I could find out about Macdonald.'
'Didn't it occur to you that your proper course would be to report a matter as serious as this to your Commanding Officer?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Why didn't you?'
'I didn't want to make it too black for Macdonald. I know his parents.
They'd never get over it. I was frightened about the whole thing, and that's a fact, sir. I couldn't sleep at nights for worrying about it.'
'You seem to think a lot of your friend Macdonald?'
'We played at soldiers when we were kids together, sir. I did my level best to persuade him not to go; but he said he'd joined up to fight, not be ticked off all the time by a sergeant-major, who was always on to him about something or other.'
'Have any other men been caught in this trap?' asked Biggles.
'I can answer that,' broke in the Colonel, speaking through his teeth.
'In the last three months we've had to post seven men absent without leave.'
Biggles looked startled. There was an uncomfortable silence. The Colonel glared at the Guardsman. The soldier stared at the wall with glassy eyes.
The adjutant made meaningless marks on his blotting-pad. Biggles considered them all in turn. When he spoke it was to the Colonel. '
Well, sir, at least a mystery has been solved for you. I'd like to speak to you alone, if I may, before you take action on the situation. I suggest that Ross waits outside. We may need him again.'
'Very well.'
Biggles spoke again to the soldier. Not a word of this to a soul. If you speak, I won't be responsible for your life. You're in deeper water than you know.'
'I understand, sir.'
The soldier was marched out.
As soon as the officers were alone Biggles drew a long breath. 'This is worse than I feared,' he told the Colonel, who seemed to be in some danger of having a fit.
'I'll have this infernal Czech arrested forthwith!' grated the Colonel.
'He isn't a Czech. He's a German, although the last time I heard of him he was hiding behind the Iron Curtain,' said Biggles quietly. 'I don't care who the devil he is,' raged the Colonel.
'By arresting him you will defeat your object — that is, if you have any hope of getting your men back? By this time, no doubt, they are bitterly regretting their folly. The picture is now pretty clear. A foreign power, we can guess which one, is apparently forming a unit composed of troops of other nationalities. That isn't a new idea. Hitler did it. Such men would be useful in many ways in the event of hostilities. A force of that sort could instruct others in the drill, tactics and equipment, of every other country in Western Europe. They would also be helpful as interpreters, and so on. We've got to get these men back, if only to save them from the consequences of their folly.'
'How can you get them back? Czechoslovakia is a big place.'
'These men aren't necessarily in Czechoslovakia, although I admit the evidence points that way. This agent has a Czech passport, and the letter Ross received came from Prague, although no address was given.'
'Then how the deuce can you hope to find these fellows?'
'I can think of only one way,' answered Biggles gravely. 'Ross will have to help us.'
'Ross?' The Colonel stared. 'He doesn't know where they are.' 'He will, if he accepts the proposition that has been put up to him.'
The Colonel blinked. 'Great heavens, man! Are you suggesting that Ross goes off like the others?'
'It may come to that if all else fails.'
'It would be sending the man to certain death!'
'Possibly. But what is one life against seven — that we know of? There may be other poor fools there, from other units. Naturally, before Ross takes another step he would have to be warned of his danger. In any case the decision would rest with him. I think he'
d do anything to save his chum, Macdonald, although I imagine the official view will not concern itself with individuals, who are deserters, anyway. Military Intelligence will be more anxious to know for what purpose these fellows are being used.'
'You think Ross might write and tell us where they all are, when he joins them?'
Biggles shook his head. 'I hardly think he'd be allowed to do that, sir.
The letter that Macdonald was alleged to have written was either a forgery or else it was produced under pressure. If Ross went I should follow him. But it hasn't come to that yet.'
'Sounds devilish dangerous to me.'
"Danger" is a word I didn't expect to hear used here.' The Colonel flushed.
'Let's take our fences as we come to them,' suggested Biggles. 'We may get the information we want without losing sight of Ross.' 'What do you propose?'
'I suggest that we put the matter fairly to Ross, pointing out which way his duty lies —
although I think he knows that already. For the moment he can go on meeting the man at the café, as if he is still unable to make up his mind. It would be something if he could learn how his comrades were got out of the country After all
, it would be reasonable for him to ask questions before deciding on a step as irrevocable as desertion. If Ross fails to get any further information by these methods, we'll have to consider the next step.'
'Could we trust Ross to play the game? It's a big responsibility for a fellow of his age and experience.'
'I can see no alternative. If I'm any judge of a man, Ross is as sound as a bell. He'll do his best. After all he has a personal interest, in his friend Macdonald.'
'All right. Let's have him in and hear how he feels about it. I can put him on indefinite leave.'
'One more question,' said Biggles. 'Have the next-of-kin of these deserters been questioned, to find out if anything is known of their whereabouts?'
'We sent a military escort to the home of every man concerned, that being the most likely place to find him. In each case the escort returned saying that the man was not there, and nothing had been heard of him.'
'No letters?'
'Not a word. And that's probably true, because in some cases the mothers of these fellows were very upset.'
'Which confirms that they are not allowed to write letters, or one of them at least would have got in touch with his home.'
Ross was brought back into the room.
Biggles took up the conversation. 'Now I want you to listen to me very carefully, Ross,'
he began. 'The matter we have been discussing is far more serious than you may have supposed. Because I think you can help us, and those of your comrades, who, believe me, have practically thrown their lives away, I am going to take you fully into my confidence. But before I do that I want your word that, having started, you won't go back on us.'
'I will—'
'Just a minute. What I am going to ask you to do is dangerous. One slip may cost you your life. The man you have met at the café is one of the most ruthless spies in Europe.
He's a Prussian. And there are even more dangerous men behind him. They would think no more of killing you, if they thought you were working for me, than they would of swotting a fly. Now, what do you say? Are you prepared to work under my instructions?
There's no compulsion about it. You are within your rights to say no, if you'd rather keep out.'
'I'll do anything you say, sir.'
'Even though the business may cost you your life before we are through with it?'
'If I'd been afraid of dying I wouldn't have joined the army.'
42 Biggles Follows On Page 2