Page:War's dark frame (IA warsdarkframe00camp).pdf/271

Rh private suite and with a'trembling voice demanded some explanation. But his host was more curious as to what had happened at the conference.

When he had got all that from the clerk he rubbed his hands and smiled with satisfaction.

"Just the thing,' he grinned. You did well, my boy. You've got 'em guessing. Now you go on home just as you said you would, and we'll arrange another conference a little later.'

"’Who are these people?' the clerk burst out. ’They treat me as if I was the King or Lloyd-George.’

"’Friends of mine,' his host said airily, 'and they're giving me a pleasant experience. I'd hate to have it lapse.

“So the clerk came back to England, but he couldn't wait to hear from the impressive man. He didn't want a repetition of his glittering holiday. The cold chills were running up and down his back. He came here and told the whole story.

Of course we had to get to the bottom of it. The intelligence department persuaded his flashy host to come here. He's locked up now, but I doubt if we keep him. You see, he's a swindler of international reputation. He was a trifle disappointed to be interfered with, but evidently he'd made something out of his game, and, really, I don't think such a confidence game was ever attempted