The question of leave for the Pimple and the Cook was simple. The Commandant could—and would—grant it.
So far as the three Turks were concerned, the difficulty of leaving Yozgad was thus solved. There remained Hill and myself, and if possible Matthews. We first thought of leaving Yozgad as members of the Afion party, intending to get the Commandant to separate us from the party at railhead (Angora). Here are the Spook’s instructions:
“Let the Superior go to Col. Maule or send word to him as follows:—The two officers Jones and Hill are now free but they will not be allowed to write letters during April. I am anxious to get rid of these two men, but have not yet heard if Constantinople wishes them kept here pending the completion of the enquiry as to their correspondent in the town. If they are not required here I shall send them to Afion. Will you please warn any two of the twenty officers nominated that their places may be taken by Jones and Hill? I have already informed Jones and Hill of this, and am permitting them to stay in the Colonels’ House till the party leaves for Afion.”
Next day (April 5th) the Pimple reported having given the Spook’s message to Colonel Maule, and showed to the spook-board the following reply from the Colonel:
“Mr. Moïse,
“I should like to see the Commandant as soon as possible. As all the officers detailed for Afion have made their arrangements, sold or broken up their furniture, written to England, etc., there is only one who wants to stay here now, and it is rough luck on them to upset the whole arrangement after the Commandant would not let Lieut. Jones’s and Hill’s names go in originally.
(Signed) N.S. Maule,
“5.4.18. Lt.-Col. R.F.A.”
The letter interested us because it showed that the Pimple had told the truth when he informed us of the previous attempt to get rid of “the black sheep.” It was also a trifle annoying, because it upset our plans a little. To have overridden the Colonel’s objections would have been easy, and I was on the point of making the Spook do so (this was one of the occasions when there had been no opportunity for consultation with Hill) when I was struck by the possibilities in one phrase—“there is only one who wants to stay here now.” This was what we wanted. It should be easy for Matthews to change places with that one, while Hill and I could be added to the party as far as Angora—we had no intention whatsoever of accompanying them further, or of allowing Matthews to do so. But there was not much time for reflection.
“What do you think of this? What do you advise?” Moïse asked excitedly of the Spook.