CHAPTER XVII
THE CROUCH OF THE TIGER
Johann Stryj had departed as silently and undemonstratively as he hadcome. The chief spy was a born master of his craft. The only matter inwhich Nature had been less kind to him in his fitness for the work hehad imposed upon himself was in the slightly furtive restlessness ofhis eyes. Otherwise the ideal had been achieved. His whole air ofsimple inoffensiveness left nothing to be desired.
Von Salzinger admitted these things to himself, in spite of the morosevenom which the man's report upon Dorby had inspired.
This venomous mood, however, was not directed against his helper. Itwas inspired by his realization that his own purpose had been made moredifficult of achievement. He had discovered that his efforts were notdirected against private individuals, but against the British navalauthority, an authority he had reason to know had nothing of theineptitude of other departments of the Government.
Thus he sat back in the largest and most comfortable chair in hisprivate sitting-room, with his trunk-like legs supported upon a smallerchair, and divided his savage mood between outlining the report he mustnow make to Berlin and the devouring of the contents of a large_bier-stein_, which stood on the table within reach.
He had nearly succeeded in achieving his double purpose, andincidentally relieving his unpleasant mood, when a diversion occurredin the form of a telephone summons from the hotel office below.
A visitor for him. Name of Von Berger. Would he see him at once?
Yes, Ludwig von Salzinger would be pleased to see him at once. This iswhat he 'phoned down. To himself he cursed bitterly in homely Prussianadjectives.
Von Berger was the last person he wanted to see in England until theoutcome of his work was assured. This man's coming suggested all sortsof vague and disquieting thoughts. With Von Berger in England he wouldno longer be a free agent. He would be forced to yield the conduct ofaffairs to another--a man whom he felt had neither friendliness normercy for any soul on earth. He was more than disquieted. He was awed,and not a little apprehensive.
The latter was displayed in an almost schoolboy action that waspathetically humorous. He quickly removed his _bier-stein_--andconcealed it.
The entrance of Von Berger was characteristic of the frigid, unyieldingaspect he displayed at all times. No one could have encountered thispersonality and detected one soft spot in the whole of its make-up. Itwas almost as if something of the iron of his native Baltic shores hadbeen bred into him through the ages of his ruthless ancestry. Noiceberg in the northern reaches of his native inland sea could havegleamed more coldly bright than his hard eyes. No ice-bound crag couldhave been cut more sharply than the thin compressed lips of his setmouth.
He entered the room with cold assurance. He possessed himself of thechair which had supported Von Salzinger's legs, and occupied it withoutinvitation. He indicated the armchair beside which Von Salzinger wasstanding, with the certainty of authority. And the lesser man sat init, obedient to his visitor's lightest command. There was no greetingbetween them.
Von Berger's keen eyes searched the room. For a moment they rested uponthe door which shut off the other's bedroom.
"That door?" he demanded.
"My bedroom, Excellency."
"Ah! Admission that way?"
"I keep the outer door locked."
The cold eyes surveyed the windows. They were closed. Then his regardcame back to the heavy square face of his host.
"Von Hertzwohl has--escaped."
There was no emphasis; no heat of any sort. The lips moved, and thepronouncement was made. That was all.
Von Salzinger started. Then a half-smile grew in his eyes. In a vagueway he realized that the Prince's flight was a triumph and vindicationfor himself. But his momentary satisfaction was damped by the coldvoice of his visitor.
"On receipt of your report that you had discovered the identity of theman who visited Borga, vigilance was redoubled. For obvious reasons wehad no desire to arrest him until more definite news was received. Hehad no suspicion that he was--observed. Then, suddenly he disappeared.We picked up his tracks. He had escaped by sea in his submersible. Oursquadron very nearly effected his capture. However, he escaped. He musthave received news from--here. He is probably making for--here. Haveyou any additional report to make?"
Von Salzinger cleared his throat. He sat up. The veins stood out uponhis square temples. His momentary satisfaction was completely gone. Inits place was a sickening apprehension that his enemy was slippingthrough his fingers, and in doing so it seemed more than likely hemight contrive to make his, Von Salzinger's, position even lessfavorable with Berlin.
"Yes, Excellency. I was about to write one when I received thetelephone message of your arrival."
"Let me have the details quickly and briefly."
"In the yards at Dorby in Yorkshire, owned by Farlow, Son andFarlow--Ruxton Farlow is a partner--certain portions of them have beentaken over by the British Admiralty. But these portions are not beingused for naval purposes. They are constructing a new type of mercantilesubmersible from foreign plans, which have only very recently come toEngland. The submersible portion of these vessels is the principleperfected by Hertzwohl in our naval submarines. The rest of them is anentirely new design. But the complete boat is the design of--one man."
"Hertzwohl."
"That is how I read it."
"The object of naval authority in these yards is----?"
"Security and secrecy."
"Which proves the plans have either been stolen or traitorouslyacquired, and they fear interference and--reprisal."
Von Salzinger nodded.
"And this information?" Von Berger's enquiry came with even colderincisiveness.
"We have men working in the shops. We have one man in the drawingoffice. All hands, even the clerical staff of these departments, workunder oath of secrecy, and naval discipline." Von Salzinger smiledcontemptuously. "This, however, does not impede our flow ofinformation. The man in the drawing office has discovered that theplans are shortly to be photographed by the naval authorities. Further,they are testing a new light which seems to correspond with our newU-rays, which was found to be defective by us, and the vital parts ofwhich Hertzwohl removed on his last visit to Borga. If this lightshould prove to be identical with the U-rays it suggests a furtherconspiracy. Hertzwohl contrived its faultiness himself, and seized theopportunity of removing the vital parts of the--_only_--lamp wepossessed. It suggests that the whole thing was carefully planned andcarried out by--Hertzwohl."
The only sign from Von Berger was a curious flicker of the eyelids. Theunyielding expression of his keen face never varied for one moment.
"This man Farlow--Ruxton Farlow?"
Von Salzinger shook his head.
"For the moment he is beyond our reach. He is a Minister in the BritishCabinet."
"Yes."
For some moments neither spoke. Von Salzinger watched this man whom hefeared more than any man in Berlin. He was wondering at the activitybehind those cold eyes. He was speculating as to the direction in whichthat force would drive. He labored under no delusion. The conduct ofthis affair was to be removed from his hands. It was an addedbitterness, but a certain relief left it not without compensation. Ifthis matter were successfully dealt with, no matter by whom, it mustredound to his advantage.
Von Berger did not leave him long in doubt.
"It may be possible to destroy those plans--before they are copied," hesaid. "If they have already been traced, still it will be a properstep. They may even have neglected to trace them--these English. I mustsee Stryj at once. You will telephone him. Not now," as Von Salzingerrose with alacrity to obey. "There is another matter to be dealt withfirst. Hertzwohl has got away. He must be silenced. He must bepunished. If he is in England--of which I have no doubt, he would beeven less safe elsewhere--he is to be run to earth, and his power forfurther mischief must be--cut off. You understand."
Von Salzinger's eyes were full of meaning as he nod
ded, but there wasno fraction of change in the other's. Von Berger drew a note-book fromhis pocket, and turned some odds and ends of papers over. Finally heselected one.
He held it out, and his level eyes forced Von Salzinger's till thelatter felt that the remotest secrets could be penetrated by their coldintensity.
"You know that place?" he enquired.
Von Salzinger read--
"Redwithy Farm, Wednesford, Bucks."
He drew a deep breath. At the sound of it Von Berger's eyelidsflickered.
"Yes." Von Salzinger's eyes were slowly raised to the other's.
"Quite so. You visited there the other day. For what purpose?"
"Information." There was a flush in the man's fleshy cheeks. He loathedand feared those searching eyes.
"Was your visit productive?"
Von Salzinger shrugged.
"No."
"We will visit there together and must make our visit productive.Vassilitz will expect us there to-night. If Hertzwohl is in England wemust find him through the Princess Valita. Now send for Stryj."