All night she paced up and down in her cabin, and the first gleams of sunlight, streaming through the window, found her pale and hollow-eyed. Sleep had been impossible.
But eight o’clock came at last, and she was conducted to Captain Johnson’s cabin, where around a long table sat the men who were to try her on the charge of being a spy—the court-martial—composed of Captain Johnson, First Lieutenant Berkeley, Second Lieutenant Palmer, Third Lieutenant Emery and Fourth Lieutenant Arthur. Lieutenant Taylor was also present.
Captain Johnson arose as Miss Beulow entered the cabin.
“Miss Beulow,” he said sternly, “you are accused of being a German spy. Are you innocent or guilty?”
“I am innocent,” replied the girl quietly.
Captain Johnson motioned her to a seat, then turned to Lieutenant Taylor.
“You may state your case, sir,” he said.
Lieutenant Taylor arose and bowed to the members of the court-martial. Then he faced the young girl, a slight sneer on his face.
Now, lying was not the least of the lieutenant’s accomplishments, and he told a plausible story to the officers who sat as judges. He told of how Lord Hastings had learned, through great good fortune, that there were German spies on board the Sylph, and how, after being saved from a watery grave, Miss Beulow had repaid her saviours by joining in the conspiracy against them.
He related how Lord Hastings had set a trap for the plotters, and how Miss Beulow had been caught red-handed stealing a message from the wireless room. She had not been arrested then, he explained, because the identity of the other conspirators had not been learned, and it was feared that her arrest would make them more wary.