XVII + 

The Forlorn Hope + 

Established behind his splendid mahogany desk in his office at the Minist├иre de la Guerre, or moving majestically abroad attired in frock coat and glossy topper, or lending the dignity of his presence to some formal ceremony in that beautiful uniform which appertained unto his office, Monsieur Hector Ducroy cut an imposing figure. + 

AbedтБатАКтБатАж it was sadly otherwise. + 

Lanyard switched on the bedside light, turning it so that it struck full upon the face of the sleeper; and as he sat down, smiled. + 

The Minister of War lay upon his back, his distinguished corpulence severely dislocating the chaste simplicity of the bed-clothing. Athwart his shelving chest, fat hands were folded in a gesture affectingly naive. His face was red, a noble highlight shone upon the promontory of his bald pate, his mouth was open. To the best of his unconscious ability he was giving a protracted imitation of a dogfight; and he was really exhibiting sublime virtuosity: one readily distinguished individual howls, growls, yelps, against an undertone of blended voices of excited noncombatantsтБатАКтБатАж + 

As suddenly as though someone, wearying of the entertainment, had lifted the needle from that record, it was discontinued. The Minister of War stirred uneasily in his sleep, muttered a naughty word, opened one eye, scowled, opened the other. + 

He blinked furiously, half-blinded but still able to make out the disconcerting silhouette of a man seated just beyond the glare: a quiet presence that moved not but eyed him steadfastly; an apparition the more arresting because of its very immobility. + 

Rapidly the face of the Minister of War lost several shades of purple. He moistened his lips nervously with a thick, dry tongue, and convulsively he clutched the bed-clothing high and tight about his neck, as though labouring under the erroneous impression that the sanctity of his person was threatened. + 

тАЬWhat do you want, monsieur?тАЭ he stuttered in a still, small voice which he would have been the last to acknowledge his own. + 

тАЬI desire to discuss a matter of business with monsieur,тАЭ replied the intruder after a small pause. тАЬIf you will be good enough to calm yourselfтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬI am perfectly calmтБатАФтАЭ + 

But here the Minister of War verified with one swift glance an earlier impression, to the effect that the trespasser was holding something that shone with metallic lustre; and his soul began to curl up round the edges. + 

тАЬThere are eighteen hundred francs in my pocketbookтБатАФabout,тАЭ he managed to articulate. тАЬMy watch is on the stand here. You will find the family plate in the dining-room safe, behind the buffetтБатАФthe key is on my ringтБатАФand the jewels of madame my wife are in a small strongbox beneath the head of her bed. The combinationтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬPardon: monsieur labours under a misapprehension,тАЭ the housebreaker interposed drily. тАЬHad one desired these valuables, one would readily have taken them without going to the trouble of disturbing the repose of monsieur.тБатАКтБатАж I have, however, already mentioned the nature of my errand.тАЭ + 

тАЬEh?тАЭ demanded the Minister of War. тАЬWhat is that? But give me of your mercy one chance to explain! I have never wittingly harmed you, monsieur, and if I have done so without my knowledge, rest assured you have but to petition me through the proper channels and I will be only too glad to make amends!тАЭ + 

тАЬStill you do not listen!тАЭ the other insisted. тАЬCome, Monsieur DucroyтБатАФcalm yourself. I have not robbed you, because I have no wish to rob you. I have not harmed you, for I have no wish to harm you. Nor have I any wish other than to lay before you, as representing Government, a certain matter of State business.тАЭ + 

There was silence while the Minister of War permitted this exhortation to sink in. Then, apparently reassured, he sat up in bed and eyed his untimely visitor with a glare little short of truculent. + 

тАЬEh? WhatтАЩs that?тАЭ he demanded. тАЬBusiness? What sort of business? If you wish to submit to my consideration any matter of business, how is it you break into my home at dead of night and rouse me in this brutal fashionтАЭтБатАФhere his voice falteredтБатАФтАЬwith a lethal weapon pointed at my head?тАЭ + 

тАЬMonsieur will admit he speaks under an error,тАЭ returned the burglar. тАЬI have yet to point this pistol at him. I should be very sorry to feel obliged to do so. I display it, in fact, simply that monsieur may not forget himself and attempt to summon servants in his resentment of this (I admit) unusual method of introducing oneтАЩs self to his attention. When we understand each other better there will be no need for such precautions, and then I shall put my pistol away, so that the sight of it may no longer annoy monsieur.тАЭ + 

тАЬIt is true, I do not understand you,тАЭ grumbled the Minister of War. тАЬWhyтБатАФif your errand be peaceableтБатАФbreak into my house?тАЭ + 

тАЬBecause it was urgently necessary to see monsieur instantly. Monsieur will reflect upon the reception one would receive did one ring the front doorbell and demand audience at three oтАЩclock in the morning!тАЭ + 

тАЬWellтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ Monsieur Ducroy conceded dubiously. Then, on reflection, he iterated the monosyllable testily: тАЬWell! What is it you want, then?тАЭ + 

тАЬI can best explain by asking monsieur to examineтБатАФwhat I have to show him.тАЭ + 

With this Lanyard dropped the pistol into his coat-pocket, from another produced a gold cigarette-case, and from the store of this last with meticulous care selected a single cigarette. + 

Regarding the Minister of War in a mystifying manner, he began to roll the cigarette briskly between his palms. A small shower of tobacco sifted to the floor: the rice-paper cracked and came away; and with the bland smile and gesture of a professional conjurer, Lanyard exhibited a small cylinder of stiff paper between his thumb and index-finger. + 

Goggling resentfully, Monsieur Ducroy spluttered: + 

тАЬEhтБатАФwhat impudence is this?тАЭ + 

His smile unchanged, Lanyard bent forward and silently dropped the cylinder into the FrenchmanтАЩs hand. At the same time he offered him a pocket magnifying-glass. + 

тАЬWhat is this?тАЭ Ducroy persisted stupidly. тАЬWhatтБатАФwhatтБатАФ!тАЭ + 

тАЬIf monsieur will be good enough to unroll the papers and examine them with the aid of this glassтБатАФтАЭ + 

With a wondering grunt, the other complied, unrolling several small sheets of photographerтАЩs printing-out paper, to which several extraordinarily complicated and minute designs had been transferredтБатАФstrongly resembling laborious efforts to conventionalize a spiderтАЩs web. + 

But no sooner had Monsieur Ducroy viewed these through the glass, than he started violently, uttered an excited exclamation, and subjected them to an examination both prolonged and exacting. + 

тАЬMonsieur is, no doubt, now satisfied?тАЭ Lanyard enquired when his patience would endure no longer. + 

тАЬThese are genuine?тАЭ the Minister of War demanded sharply, without looking up. + 

тАЬMonsieur can readily discern notations made upon the drawings by the inventor, Georges Huysman, in his own hand. Furthermore, each plan has been marked in the lower left-hand corner with the word тАШacceptedтАЩ followed by the initials of the German Minister of War. I think this establishes beyond dispute the authenticity of these photographs of the plan for HuysmanтАЩs invention.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes,тАЭ the Minister of War agreed breathlessly. тАЬYou have the negatives from which these prints were made?тАЭ + 

тАЬHere,тАЭ Lanyard said, indicating a second cigarette. + 

And then, with a movement so leisurely and careless that his purpose was accomplished before the other in his preoccupation was aware of it, the adventurer leaned forward and swept up the prints from the counterpane in front of Monsieur Ducroy. + 

тАЬHere!тАЭ the Frenchman exclaimed. тАЬWhy do you do that?тАЭ + 

тАЬMonsieur no longer questions their authenticity?тАЭ + 

тАЬI grant you that.тАЭ + 

тАЬThen I return to myself these prints, pending negotiations for their transfer to France.тАЭ + 

тАЬHow did you come by them?тАЭ demanded Monsieur Ducroy, after a momentтАЩs thought. + 

тАЬNeed monsieur ask? Is France so ill-served by her spies that you do not already know of the misfortune one Captain Ekstrom recently suffered in London?тАЭ + 

Ducroy shook his head. Lanyard received this indication with impatience. It seemed hardly possible that the French Minister of War could be either so stupid or so ignorant.тБатАКтБатАж + 

But with a patient shrug, he proceeded to elucidate. + 

тАЬCaptain Ekstrom,тАЭ he said, тАЬbut recently succeeded in photographing these plans and took them to London to sell to the English. Unfortunately for himselfтБатАФunhappily for perfidious Albion!тБатАФCaptain Ekstrom fell in with me and mistook me for Downing StreetтАЩs representative. And here are the plans.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou areтБатАФthe Lone WolfтБатАФthen?тАЭ + 

тАЬI am, as far as concerns you, monsieur, merely the person in possession of these plans, who offers them through you, to France, for a price.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut why introduce yourself to me in this extraordinary fashion, for a transaction for which the customary channelsтБатАФwith which you must be familiarтБатАФare entirely adequate?тАЭ + 

тАЬSimply because Ekstrom has followed me to Paris,тАЭ Lanyard explained indulgently. тАЬDid I venture to approach you in the usual way, my chances of rounding out a useful life thereafter would be practically nil. Furthermore, my circumstances are such that it has become necessary for me to leave France immediatelyтБатАФwithout an hourтАЩs delayтБатАФalso secretly; else I might as well remain here to be butchered.тБатАКтБатАж Now you command the only means I know of, to accomplish my purpose. And that is the price, the only price, you will have to pay me for these plans.тАЭ + 

тАЬI donтАЩt understand you.тАЭ + 

тАЬIt is on schedule, is it not, that Captain Vauquelin of the Aviation Corps is to attempt a nonstop flight from Paris to London this morning, with two passengers, in a new Parrott biplane?тАЭ + 

тАЬThat is so.тБатАКтБатАж Well?тАЭ + 

тАЬI must be one of those passengers; and I have a companion, a young lady, who will take the place of the other.тАЭ + 

тАЬIt isnтАЩt possible, monsieur. Those arrangements are already fixed.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou will countermand them.тАЭ + 

тАЬThere is no timeтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬYou can get into telephonic communication with Port Aviation in two minutes.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut the passengers have been promisedтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬYou will disappoint them.тАЭ + 

тАЬThe start is to be made in the first flush of daylight. How could you reach Port Aviation in time?тАЭ + 

тАЬIn your motorcar, monsieur.тАЭ + 

тАЬIt cannot be done.тАЭ + 

тАЬIt must! If the start must be delayed till we arrive, you will give orders that it shall be so delayed.тАЭ + 

For a minute the Minister of War hesitated; then he shook his head definitely. + 

тАЬThe difficulties are insuperableтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬThere is no such thing, monsieur.тАЭ + 

тАЬI am sorry: it canтАЩt be done.тАЭ + 

тАЬThat is your answer?тАЭ + 

тАЬIt is regrettable, monsieurтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

тАЬVery well!тАЭ Lanyard bent forward again, took a match from the stand on the bedside table, and struck it. Very calmly he advanced the flame toward the cigarette containing the roll of inflammable films. + 

тАЬMonsieur!тАЭ Ducroy cried in horror. тАЬWhat are you doing?тАЭ + 

Lanyard favoured him with a look of surprise. + 

тАЬI am about to destroy these films and prints.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou must never do that!тАЭ + 

тАЬWhy not? They are mine, to do with as I like. If I cannot dispose of them at my price, I shall destroy them!тАЭ + 

тАЬButтБатАФmy God!тБатАФwhat you demand is impossible! Stay, monsieur! Think what your action means to France!тАЭ + 

тАЬI have already thought of that. Now I must think of myself.тАЭ + 

тАЬButтБатАФone moment!тАЭ + 

Ducroy sat up in bed and dangled hairy fat legs over the side. + 

тАЬBut one moment only, monsieur. DonтАЩt make me waste your matches!тАЭ + 

тАЬMonsieur, it shall be as you desire, if it lies in my power to accomplish it.тАЭ + 

With this the Minister of War stood up and made for the telephone, in his agitation forgetful of dressing-gown and slippers. + 

тАЬYou must accomplish it, Monsieur Ducroy,тАЭ Lanyard advised him gravely, puffing out the flame; тАЬfor if you fail, you make yourself the instrument of my death. Here are the plans.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou trust them to me?тАЭ Ducroy asked in astonishment. + 

тАЬBut naturally: that makes it an affair of your honour,тАЭ Lanyard explained suavely. + 

With a gesture of graceful capitulation the Frenchman accepted the little roll of film. + 

тАЬPermit me,тАЭ he said, тАЬto acknowledge the honour of monsieurтАЩs confidence!тАЭ + 

Lanyard bowed low: тАЬOne knows with whom one deals, monsieur!тБатАКтБатАж And now, if you will be good enough to excuse me.тБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

He turned to the door. + 

тАЬButтБатАФehтБатАФwhere are you going?тАЭ Ducroy demanded. + 

тАЬMademoiselle,тАЭ Lanyard said, pausing on the thresholdтБатАФтАЬthat is, the young lady who is to accompany meтБатАФis waiting anxiously in the garden, out yonder. I go to find and reassure her andтБатАФwith your permissionтБатАФto bring her in to the library, where we will await monsieur when he has finished telephoning andтБатАФahтБатАФrepaired the deficiencies in his attire; which one trusts he will forgive oneтАЩs mentioning!тАЭ + 

He bowed again, impudently, gaily, andтБатАФwhen the Minister of War looked up again sheepishly from contemplation of his naked shanksтБатАФhad vanished. + 

In high feather Lanyard made his way to a door at the rear of the house which gave upon the gardenтБатАФin his new social status of Governmental prot├йg├й disdaining any such a commonplace avenue as that conservatory window whose fastenings he had forced on entering. And boldly unbolting the door, he ran out into the night, to rejoin his beloved, like a man waking to new life. + 

But she was no more there: the bench was vacant, the garden deserted, the gateway yawning on the street. + 

With a low, stifled cry, Lanyard turned from the bench and stumbled out to the junction of the cross-street. But nowhere in their several perspectives could he see anything that moved. + 

After some time he returned to the garden and quartered it with the thoroughness of a pointer beating a covert. But he did this hopelessly, bitterly aware that the outcome would be precisely what it eventually was, that is to say, nothing.тБатАКтБатАж + 

He was kneeling beside the benchтБатАФscrutinizing the turf with microscopic attention by aid of his flash-lamp, seeking some sign of struggle to prove she had not left him willingly, and finding noneтБатАФwhen a voice brought him momentarily out of his distraction. + 

He looked up wildly, to discover Ducroy standing over him, his stout person chastely swathed in a quilted dressing-gown and trousers, his expression one of stupefaction. + 

тАЬWell, monsieurтБатАФwell?тАЭ the Minister of War demanded irritably. тАЬWhatтБатАФI repeatтБатАФwhat are you doing there?тАЭ + 

Lanyard essayed response, choked up, and gulped. He rose and stood swaying, showing a stricken face. + 

тАЬEh?тАЭ Ducroy insisted with an accent of exasperation. тАЬWhy do you stand glaring at me like thatтБатАФeh? Come, monsieur: what ails you? I have arranged everything, I say. Where is mademoiselle?тАЭ + 

Lanyard made a broken gesture. + 

тАЬGone!тАЭ he muttered forlornly. + 

Instantly the countenance of the stout Frenchman was lightened with a gleam of eager interestтБатАФinveterate romantic that he was!тБатАФand he stepped nearer, peering closely into the face of the adventurer. + 

тАЬGone?тАЭ he echoed. тАЬMademoiselle? Your sweetheart, eh?тАЭ + 

Lanyard assented with a disconsolate nod and sigh. Impatiently Ducroy caught him by the sleeve. + 

тАЬCome!тАЭ he insisted, tuggingтБатАФтАЬbut come at once into the house. Now, monsieurтБатАФnow at length you enlist all oneтАЩs sympathies! Come, I say! Is it your desire that I catch my death of cold?тАЭ + 

Indifferently Lanyard suffered himself to be led away. He was, indeed, barely conscious of what was happening. All his being was possessed by the thought that she had forsaken him. And he could well guess why: impossible for such an one as she to contemplate without a shudder association with the man who had been what he had been! Infatuate!тБатАФto have dreamed that she would tolerate the devotion of a criminal, that she could ever forget his identity with the Lone Wolf. InevitablyтБатАФsoon or lateтБатАФshe must have fled that ignominious thought in dread and horror, daring whatever consequences to escape and forget both it and him. And better now, perhaps, than later.тБатАКтБатАж + 