“That is a fair question. Answer.”
“I had English papers as well as German. I came away before the War Office had time to act upon Herr Hammersley’s information as to my services to Germany.”
Hammersley shrugged. “I make no reply.”
Von Stromberg frowned at the opposite wall, snapping the papers of the package in his fingers impatiently.
“An impasse! I suspected as much. We will now resort to other means. The only possible solution of this case, barring the unpleasant alternative of shooting both of you gentlemen in the garden this afternoon lies in the nature of the dispatches themselves and in the production of a material witness.”
He brought his broad palm down on the bell upon the table and said to Captain von Winden, who answered it:
“You will bring Fräulein Doris Mather down to this room at once.” As Captain von Winden went out, the eyes of both men were turned to Hammersley. He started in surprise, and leaned forward toward von Stromberg, slowly turning with a frown to Rizzio.
“Doris—Miss Mather—here!” he muttered. “She came—with—with Herr Rizzio?”
Von Stromberg nodded.