“You apparently have invented something of which the enemy is determined, at all hazards, to learn the truth,” remarked Inspector Barton.
I laughed, and slowly took a cigarette from my case.
“They will never know that,” I declared with entire confidence. “I can tell you both that the secret experiments of Ashton and myself have been crowned with success. We have, however, been most wary and watchful. We are well aware that at our works out at Gunnersbury there have been intruders, but those who have dared to enter at night to try and discover our plans have been entirely misled and, up to the present, no single person beyond ourselves has ever seen, or has ever gained any knowledge whatsoever of that electrical arrangement which constitutes our discovery.”
“Then you really can fight Zeppelins?” asked Barton, much interested.
I nodded in the affirmative, and smiled.
“So what is written here in cipher is perfectly correct?” asked Pollock.
“Perfectly. The missing lady has actively assisted Mr Ashton and myself in our experiments.”
“And apparently the lady wrote down this message giving you away,” remarked Barton.
“Somebody wrote it—but it certainly is not her handwriting.”
“Quite so. Spies frequently get other persons to copy their messages in order that they can disclaim them,” replied the Intelligence officer. “We’ve had several such cases before us of late.”