“We’ll hear you in a minute!” he said.
“Let him finish!” said Mrs. Malplaquet, and there was a certain ominous quietness in her tone that startled Desmond.
As for Bellward, he remained silent, with arms folded, listening very intently.
“Doubtless, this double of mine,” continued Desmond in a mocking voice, “is the bearer of the Star of Poland, the wonderful jewel which has required our beloved leader to devote so much of his time to a certain charming lady. Bah! are you going to let a man like this,” and he pointed to Mortimer disdainfully with his hand, “a man who puts you in the fighting line while he amuses himself in the rear, are you going to let this false friend, this bogus spy, cheat you like this? My friends, my advice to you, if you don’t want to have another and yet more disagreeable surprise, is to make sure that this impudent imposter is not here for the purpose of selling us all!”
He raised his voice until it rang through the room, at the same time looking round the group at the faces of the spies to see how his harangue had worked upon their feelings. Max and Behrend, he could see, were on his side; No. 13 was obviously, undecided; Mortimer and Bellward were, of course, against him; Mrs. Malplaquet sat with her hands in her lap, her eyes cast down, giving no sign.
“It’s high time...” Mortimer began violently but Mrs. Malplaquet put up her hand and checked him.
“Better hear Bellward!” she said softly.
“I know nothing of what has been taking place in my absence,” he said, “either here or outside. I only know that I escaped from the escort that was taking me back from Scotland Yard to Brixton Prison this evening and that the police are hard on my track. I have delayed too long as, it is. Every one of us in this room, with the exception of the traitor who is amongst us”—he pointed a finger in denunciation at Desmond—“is in the most imminent peril as long as we stay here. The rest of you can please yourselves. I’m off!”
He turned and pressed the spring. The book shelves swung open. Behrend sprang forward.
“Not so fast,” he cried. “You don’t leave this room until we know who you are!”