"I'm a bit of a striker myself," he said in English.
CHAPTER XVII
DEPORTATION
T. B. found the Chief Commissioner of Police at his club, and unfolded his plan.
The Chief looked grave.
"It might very easily lead to a horrible catastrophe if you carry that scheme into execution."
"It might very easily lead to a worse if I don't," said T. B. brutally. "I am too young to die. At the worst it can only be a 'police blunder,' such as you read about in every evening newspaper that's published," he urged, "and I look at the other side of the picture. If this woman communicates with her principals, nothing is more certain than that Thursday will see the blowing up of the Wady Semlik Barrage. These 'Nine Bears' are operating on the sure knowledge that Bronte's Bank is going to break. The stocks they are attacking are companies banking with Bronte, and it's ten chances to one they will kill Sir George Calliper in order to give an artistic finish to the failure."
The Commissioner bit his lip thoughtfully. "And," urged T. B. Smith, "the N.H.C. will be warned, and bang goes our only chance of bagging the lot!"
The Commissioner smiled.
"Your language, T. B.!" he deplored; then, "Do as you wish—but what about the real Mary Brown?"