Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 68).djvu/16

4 Mr. Carrados," as they shook hands, and went on with his own affair.

Of course, Hulse was not to know that Carrados had been brought in on that occasion especially to genialize with him. Most of the blind man’s activities during that period came within the "Q-class" order. No one ever heard of them, very often they would have seemed meaningless under description, and generally they were things that he alone could do—or do as effectively, at all events. In the obsolete phraseology of the day, they were his "bit."

"There’s this man Hulse," Flinders had proceeded, when it came to the business on which Carrados had been asked to call at Whitehall. "Needless to say, he’s no fool or Jonathan wouldn’t have sent him on the ticket he carries. If anything, he’s too keen—wants to see everything, do anything, and go everywhere. In the meanwhile he’s kicking up his heels here in London with endless time on his hands, and the Lord only knows who mayn’t have a go at him."

"You mean for information—or does he carry papers?" asked Carrados.

"Well, at present information chiefly. He necessarily knows a lot of things that would be priceless to the Huns, and a clever man or woman might find it profitable to nurse him."

"Still, he must be on his guard if, as you say, he is—— No one imagines that London in 1917 is a snakeless Eden or expects that German agents to-day are elderly professors who say, ’How vos you?’ and 'Ja, ja!’ "

"He’s quite an agreeable chap, you’ll find. He may know a trifle more than you and be a little wider awake and see farther through a brick wall and so on, but he won't hurt your feelings about it. Well, will you do it for us?"

"Certainly," replied Carrados. "What is it, by the way?"

Flinders laughed his apologies and explained more precisely.

"Hulse has been over here a month now, and it may be another month before the details come through which he will take on to Paris. Then he will certainly have documents of very special importance that he must carry about with him. Well, in the meanwhile, of course he is entertained, and may pal up with anyone or get himself into Lord knows what. We can’t keep him here under lock and key or expect him to make a report of every fellow he has a drink with or every girl he meets."

"Quite so," nodded the blind man.

"Actually, we have been asked to take precautions. It isn’t quite a case for the C.I.D.—not at this stage, that is to say. So if I introduce him to you and you fix up an evening for him or something of the sort, and find out where his tastes lie and—and, in fact, keep a general shepherding eye upon him——" He broke off abruptly and Carrados divined that he had reddened furiously and was kicking himself in spirit. The blind man raised a deprecating hand.

"Why should you think that so neat a compliment would pain me, Flinders?" he asked quietly. "Now, if you had questioned the genuineness of some of my favourite tetradrachms I might have had reason to be annoyed. As it is, yes, I will gladly keep a general shepherding ear on J. Beringer as long as may be needful."

"That’s curious," said Flinders, looking up quickly. "I didn’t think that I had mentioned his front name."

"1 don’t think that you have," agreed Carrados.

"Then how—— had you heard of him before?"

"You don’t give an amateur conjurer much chance," replied the other, whimsically. "When you brought me to this chair I found a table by me, and happening to rest a hand on it, my fingers had ’read’ a line of writing before I realized it—just as your glance might as unconsciously do," and he held up an envelope addressed to Hulse.

"That is about the limit," exclaimed Flinders, with some emphasis. "Do you know, Carrados, if I hadn’t always led a very blameless life I should be afraid to have you around the place."

HUS it came about that the introduction was made, and in due course the two callers left together.

"You'll see Mr. Carrados down, won’t you?" Flinders had asked, and slightly puzzled, but not disposed to question English ways, Hulse had assented. In the passage Carrados laid a light hand on his companion’s arm. Through some subtle perception he read Hulse’s mild surprise.

"By the way, [ don’t think that Flinders mentioned my infirmity," he remarked. "This part of the building is new to me, and I happen to be quite blind."

"You astonish me," declared Hulse, and he had to be assured that the statement was literally exact.

They had reached the street meanwhile, and Carrados heard the door of his waiting car opened to receive him.

"I'm going on to my club now to lunch," he remarked, with his hand still on his companion’s arm. ~ Of course, we only have a war-time menu, but if you would keep me company you would be acting the Good Samaritan."

"Vurry kind of you to put it in that way, Mr. Carrados," he said, in his slightly