Bellamy looked at him as one who listens to strange words.
“Baron,” he said, “between us who know so much there is surely no need for you to play a part. Von Behrling knew that you were watching him. Your spies were shadowing him as they have done me. He knew that he was running terrible risks. He was not unprepared and he has paid. It is not for us—”
“Now, in God’s name, tell me the truth!” Baron de Streuss interrupted once more. “What is it that you are saying about Von Behrling’s death?”
Bellamy drew a little breath between his teeth. He leaned forward with his hands resting upon the table.
“Do you mean to say that you do not know?”
“Upon my soul, no!” replied the Baron.
Bellamy threw open the newspaper before him.
“Von Behrling was murdered last night, ten minutes after our interview.”
CHAPTER XII
BARON DE STREUSS’ PROPOSAL
The Baron adjusted his eyeglass with shaking fingers. His face now was waxen-white as he spread out the newspaper upon the table and read the paragraph word by word.