“That’s plain speaking,” Cross declared. “Now, then, Fenn, lad, what have you to say about it?”
Fenn leaned forward, his face distorted with something which might have been anger, but which seemed more closely to resemble fear.
“This is just part of the ratting!” he exclaimed. “I never keep a communication from Freistner. I have told you so before. The preliminary letters I had you all saw, and we deliberated upon them together. Since then, all that I have had have been friendly messages, which I have destroyed.”
There was a little uncertain murmur. Julian proceeded.
“You see,” he said, “Mr. Fenn is not able to clear himself from my first accusation. Now let us hear what he will do with this one. Mr. Fenn started life, I believe, as a schoolmaster at a parish school, a very laudable and excellent occupation. He subsequently became manager to a firm of timber merchants in the city and commenced to interest himself in Labour movements. He rose by industry and merit to his present position—a very excellent career, but not, I should think, a remunerative one. Shall we put his present salary down at ten pounds a week?”
“What the devil concern is this of yours?” the goaded man shouted.
“Of mine and all of us,” Julian retorted, “for I come now to a certain question. Will you disclose your bank book?”
Fenn reeled for a moment in his seat. He affected not to have heard the question.
“My what?” he stammered.
“Your bank book,” Julian repeated calmly. “As you only received your last instalment from Germany this week, you probably have not yet had time to purchase stocks and shares or property wherever your inclination leads you. I imagine, therefore, that there would be a balance there of something like thirty thousand pounds, the last payment made to you by a German agent now in London.”