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We ll open the door. You ll be indignant. losing my temper. But Sergeant Ackley took me
into custody, very much against my will, earlier
O.K., Beaver said, let s go.
in the evening. Disregarding my demands that I
be taken before a magistrate, he dragged me
They raised their voices in loud and
aboard that train and forced me to accompany
angry altercation. Beaver flung open the closet
him. I didn t dare disobey him. However, when
door and said:
he made this infamous proposal to me, I felt
that I was well within my rights as a citizen in
I think it s the most contemptible thing
couching my refusal in no uncertain language
I ever heard of.
and in defending myself against attack. I trust I
haven t done wrong, sir.
Go ahead and be a dumb cluck, then,
Sergeant Ackley roared. You keep playing
The police officers stared in amazement
around with this crook and you ll wind up
at the spy. Lester Leith regarded the limp form
behind the bars. You re a crook yourself!
of Sergeant Ackley with eyes that were half
closed in thoughtful concentration. At length he
Liar! Beaver shouted.
said:
Sergeant Ackley lunged a terrific swing
No, Beaver, you ve done exactly what I
at Beaver s jaw.
should have done under similar circumstances. I
distinctly saw Sergeant Ackley make an
The undercover man, moving with the
unprovoked assault upon you.
swift dexterity of a trained boxer, stepped
inside of the blow. For a fraction of a second, he
Turning to the two officers, Beaver said:
set himself. A look of supreme enjoyment
And I call on you two gentlemen to be witness
became apparent on his face. He moved his
to what has happened. I demand that you take
right in a short, pivoting jab which caught
Sergeant Ackley out of here. I think, when he
Sergeant Ackley on the point of the jaw.
recovers consciousness, he will be the first to
tell you that I have done exactly what the
Ackley s head snapped back. The force
situation called for.
of the punch lifted him from the floor, slammed
him back into the arms of the two detectives.
One of the detectives returned the spy s
wink. O.K., Beaver, he said, you win. Come
One of the detectives reached for his
on, Al. Give me a hand and we ll drag the sarge
blackjack. The other dragged out a gun. Beaver
out of here before there s any more trouble.
whirled to face them, so that his back was to
Lester Leith. He gave a series of warning winks
When the door had closed behind them,
and said:
Beaver said to Lester Leith: Disloyalty, sir, is
one of my pet abominations. I detest one who is
I call on you to witness that he struck
disloyal. I couldn t restrain myself.
me first, after accusing me of being a crook. Do
I don t blame you in the least, Lester
The spy said, Perhaps tomorrow, when
Leith said. I m surprised that Sergeant Ackley
you re feeling rested
had the temerity to arrest you and drag you
aboard that train.
No, not tomorrow, Scuttle.
So am I, sir, the spy said. And then,
The spy did not press the point. Very
with a look of cunning in his eyes, added:
well, sir, he said.
Incidentally, sir, while I was with them in the
drawing room, I heard them discussing a crime
By the way, Scuttle, Leith commented,
which was committed no later than last night; a
I think I d like a brandy, and you d better join
crime involving a drugged guard
me. I derived a great deal of satisfaction from
the way you hung that punch on Sergeant
Lester Leith held up his hand, palm
Ackley s jaw.
outward. Not now, Scuttle, he said. I don t
want to hear it.
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