Spies of the Kaiser: Plotting the Downfall of EnglandLe Queux, William
History
Spies of the Kaiser: Plotting the Downfall of England
Le Queux, William
Espionage, German -- Fiction; Great Britain -- History -- Invasions -- Fiction; Intelligence service -- Fiction; Spy stories
What did he mean? We ate a hasty lunch, and then, mounting into the car,
my companion ordered the chauffeur to drive south again past Dulnan
Bridge to Duthil, where we turned up to the right and ascended the
thickly wooded hill of Lochgorm on that stony road that leads out upon
the desolate Muirs of Cromdale. After we had cleared the wood he ordered
the man to pull up, for the road was so bad. Descending, we climbed the
steep ascent to the summit of a hill, where, after sweeping the
surrounding country with a small pair of powerful glasses I carried, I
at last discerned the aeroplane heading westward some ten miles
distant.
Unfortunately, however, the clouds came down upon us, and we quickly
found ourselves enveloped in a gradually thickening Scotch mist, while
the aeroplane, soon but a faint grey shadow, quickly faded from our
gaze.
Ray Raymond was ever a dogged person. He decided to descend, and this we
did, passing over the other side of the hill for half an hour, progress
of course being slow on account of the clouds.
Presently a puff of cold wind came up out of the east, and patches of
dun-coloured moorland began to appear below through the rents of the
fast-breaking clouds; when presently our watchful eyes caught the dull
leaden gleam of a sheet of water about three miles ahead, which a look
at my map enabled me to recognise as Lochindorb.
And just as we were able to locate the spot we again saw the big
white-winged aeroplane as she swooped down to the surface of the loch,
upon which she floated swanlike and majestic.
"Well?" I asked, turning and looking him in the face.
"Well, Jack, I've seen it in flight just as you have," he said, "but
I've never yet approached it. I've had reasons for keeping away. After
to-day, however, there is no longer much necessity for hesitation."
"I hardly follow you, old chap," I declared, my eyes still fixed through
the glasses upon the aeroplane sailing along the surface of the distant
lake.
"Probably not," he laughed, "but you'll see the motive of my actions
before a few days are over, I hope. Let's go back." And returning to the
car he carried me as far as the entrance to Grantown, where he deposited
me, and then turning, ordered the man to drive with all speed back to
Kingussie.
When I re-entered my comfortable hotel I learnt that Goldstein had left
by the afternoon train for the south. My interest therefore lay in the
new arrival in No. 11, but though I waited up till midnight, he did not
return.
Just as I was returning to bed I made a curious discovery in my room.
Running from the top of the high, old-fashioned mahogany wardrobe, with
its heavily ornamented cornice, was a long piece of strong, black cord,
which, passing down the side panel, was placed close to the wainscoting,
so as to avoid notice, the end being placed beneath the mat outside the
door.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account