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He raised his handkerchief and she looked for a moment at the long scar。 Her face grew serious。
〃Another half…inch；〃 she murmured；〃Hugh； what an abominable thing！ A deliberate attempt at murder here； at nine o'clock in the morning； in the Park！ I can't understand it。〃
〃Well； I've been under fire before；〃 he remarked； smiling。
〃Get into my car at once；〃 she directed。 〃I'll drive you to a chemist's and put something on that。 You can't go about as you are； and it will have healed up then in a day or two。〃
He obeyed at once and she drove off。
〃Of course； I'm a little bewildered about it still；〃 she went on。 〃I suppose you ought to go to the police…station。 It was really a deliberate attempt at assassination； wasn't it？ If you had been〃
She paused and he completed her sentence with a humorous twinkle in his eyes。
〃If I had been a person of importance； eh？ Well； you see； even I must have been in somebody's way。〃
She drove in silence for some little distance。
〃Hugh；〃 she asked abruptly； 〃why did the War Office send you down to Market Burnham after that Zeppelin raid？〃
His face was suddenly immovable。 He turned his head very slightly。
〃Did Granet tell you that？〃
She nodded。
〃Captain Granet came to see me yesterday afternoon。 He seemed as much surprised as I was。 You were a little hard on him； weren't you？〃
〃I think not！〃
〃But why were you sent down？〃 she persisted。 〃I can't imagine what you have to do with a Zeppelin raid。〃
He shrugged his shoulders。
〃I really don't think it is worth while your bothering about the bandage；〃 he said。
〃Hugh； you make me so angry！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Of course； you may say that I haven't the right to ask； but still I can't see why you should be so mysterious。 。 。 。 Here's the chemist's。 Now come inside with me； please。〃
He followed her obediently into the shop at the top of Trafalgar Square。 She dressed his wound deftly and adjusted a bandage around his head。
〃If you keep that on all day；〃 she said； 〃I thinkbut I forgot。 I was treating you like an ordinary patient。 Don't laugh at me； sir。 I am sure none of your professional nurses could have tied that up any better。〃
〃Of course they couldn't；〃 he agreed。 〃By…the…bye； have you obtained your
papers for Boulogne yet？〃
〃I expect to be going next week。 Lady Headley promised to let me know this afternoon。 Now I'll take you down to the War Office； if you like。〃
He took his place once more by her side。
〃Hugh；〃 she inquired； 〃have you any idea who fired that shot？〃
〃None whatever；〃 he replied； 〃no definite idea； that is to say。 It was some one who as driving a low； grey car。 Do we know any one who possesses such a thing？〃
She frowned。 The exigencies of the traffic prevented her glancing towards him。
〃Only Captain Granet；〃 she remarked； 〃and I suppose even your dislike of him doesn't go so far as to suggest that he is likely to play the would…be murderer in broad daylight。〃
〃It certainly does seem a rather rash and unnecessary proceeding；〃 he assented； 〃but the fact remains that some one thought it worth while。〃
〃Some one with a grudge against the Chief Inspector of Hospitals；〃 she observed drily。
He did not reply。 They drew up outside the War Office。
〃Thank you very much；〃 he said； 〃for playing the Good Samaritan。〃
She made a little grimace。 Suddenly her manner became more earnest。 She laid her fingers upon his arm as he stood on the pavement by her side。
〃Hugh；〃 she said； 〃before you go let me tell you something。 I think that the real reason why I lost some of my affection for you was because you persisted in treating me without any confidence at all。 The little things which may have happened to you abroad； the little details of your life； the harmless side of your professionthere were so many things I should have been interested in。 And you told me nothing。 There were things which seemed to demand an explanation with regard to your position。 You ignored them。 You seemed to enjoy moving in a mysterious atmosphere。 It's worse than ever now。 I am intelligent； am I nottrustworthy？〃
〃You are both；〃 he admitted gravely。 〃Thank you very much for telling me this； Geraldine。〃
〃You still have nothing to say to me？〃 she asked； looking him in the face。
〃Nothing；〃 he replied。
She nodded； slipped in her clutch and drove off。 Surgeon…Major Thomson entered the War Office and made his way up many stairs and along many wide corridors to a large room on the top floor of the building。 Two men were seated at desks； writing。 He passed them by with a little greeting and entered an inner apartment。 A pile of letters stood upon his desk。 He examined them one by one； destroyed some； made pencil remarks upon others。 Presently there was a tap at the door and Ambrose entered。
〃Chief's compliments and he would be glad if you would step round to his room at once； sir；〃 he announced。
Thomson locked his desk； made his way to the further end of the building and was admitted through a door by which a sentry was standing； to an anteroom in which a dozen people were waiting。 His guide passed him through to an inner apartment； where a man was seated alone。 He glanced up at Thomson's entrance。
〃Good morning； Thomson！〃 he said brusquely。 〃Sit down； please。 Leave the room； Dawkes； and close the door。 Thanks！ Thomson； what about this request of yours？〃
〃I felt bound to bring the matter before you； sir；〃 Thomson replied。 〃I made my application to the censor and you know the result。〃
The Chief swung round in his chair。
〃Look here；〃 he said； 〃the censor's department has instructions to afford you every possible assistance in any researches you make。 There are just twenty…four names in the United Kingdom which have been admitted to the privileges of free correspondence。 The censor has no right to touch any letters addressed to them。 Sir Alfred Anselman is upon that list。〃
Thomson nodded gravely。
〃So I have been given to understand；〃 he remarked。
The Chief leaned back in his chair。 His cold grey eyes were studying the other's face。
〃Thomson；〃 he continued； 〃I know that you are not a sensationalist。 At the same time； this request of yours is a little nerve…shattering； isn't it？ Sir Alfred Anselman has been the Chancellor's right…hand man。 It was mainly owing to his efforts that the war loan was such a success。 He has done more for us in the city than any other Englishman。 He has given large sums to the various war funds； his nephew is a very distinguished young officer。 Now there suddenly comes a request from you to have the censor pass you copies of all his Dutch correspondence。 There'd be the very devil to pay if I consented。〃
Thomson cleared his throat for a moment。
〃Sir；〃 he said； 〃you and I have discussed this matter indirectly more than once。 You are not yet of my opinion but you will be。 The halfpenny Press has sickened us so with the subject of spies that the man who groans about espionage to…day is avoided like a pestilence。 Yet it is my impression that there is in London； undetected and unsuspected； a marvellous system of German espionage； a company of men who have sold themselves to the enemy；