CHAPTER XXVI
Self-accused
"We've a few minutes to spare," observed Kenneth, "so I'll get thosecigars for Private Labori. There's a swagger shop just across theroad."
In spite of the threatened bombardment of Antwerp the population wascalm. It was a case of "business as usual". The cafes and shops weredoing a good trade; the price of provisions, notwithstanding the greatinflux of refugees, was but a little above the normal. Were it not forthe military element in the street, and the occasional visit of aZeppelin or hostile aeroplane, it would have been difficult to realizethat the city was almost within range of the German siege guns, andthat day by day those guns were slowly yet steadily advancing.
Kenneth entered the tobacconist's first. As he did so he momentarilyforgot that he carried his rifle across his back. In passing throughthe narrow doorway the muzzle of the weapon struck the plate-glasswindow of the porch and cracked it.
Alarmed by the crash the shopkeeper rushed out, but before Kennethcould offer any apologies the man gave a howl of terror.
"Mercy, monsieur Englishman!" he exclaimed. "Indeed I could not helpit. Von Koenik compelled me to disclose your name."
Kenneth, ever quick-witted, grasped the situation instantly. Thetobacconist was none other than the spy who, under the name of Jules dela Paix, kept a similar establishment at Brussels. There his dirtywork had been completed; at Antwerp it was just beginning.
The fellow had also recognized Kenneth as the Englishman he had baselydenounced to his paymasters, the Germans. Seeing him in uniform andarmed, with a fully-accoutred companion, the spy jumped at the hastyand erroneous conclusion that Kenneth had discovered his duplicity andhad come to arrest him.
His panic at seeing the man whom he supposed to be dead amounted to asuperstitious terror. Hardly knowing what he said, he let fall thedamning admission that he was at least partly responsible for Kenneth'sarrest at Brussels.
"You are my prisoner!" exclaimed Kenneth sternly.
Momentarily recovering his courage, the fellow drew back. His handflew to his pocket, but before he could produce a concealed weapon theBritish lad grasped him by both arms.
Meanwhile Rollo, guessing by the crash of the broken glass thatsomething was amiss, had sauntered leisurely into the shop, fullyexpecting to hear his chum apologizing profusely to the tobacconist forhis clumsiness. To his surprise, he found Kenneth and the shopkeeperswaying to and fro in a desperate struggle. Chairs had beenoverturned, cases of pipes and packets of tobacco were being thrown inall directions.
In spite of being encumbered with his rifle and kit, Kenneth succeededin throwing the spy to the floor and kneeling on his chest.
KENNETH SUCCEEDED IN THROWING THE SPY TO THE FLOOR]
"Get a strap, a rope, or something, old man," he exclaimedbreathlessly. "We've collared a spy."
Rollo obeyed. It was one of those rare instances when he acted on thespur of his chum's orders and argued the situation afterwards. Hecould not understand how Kenneth had effected the capture without anyprevious warning. To him, a lad brought up in a country where law andorder moves with slow and majestic deliberation, it looked like a caseof illegal arrest. Nevertheless he found a length of packing-cord, anddeftly secured the arms of the now exhausted spy, tying them at thewrists behind his back.
The two female assistants--Belgian girls--had fled screaming at thecommencement of the struggle. Two or three customers at the other endof the long shop had watched the scene without attempting to interfere;but directly the shopkeeper was secured they rushed into the street,yelling that a spy had been captured.
The utterance of the word "Espion" was sufficient instantly to attracta huge crowd. Civil Guards and soldiers found their way through thepress, and kept the curious onlookers from the door.
"Who denounces the accused?" demanded a sergeant of the Civil Guard.
"I do," promptly responded Kenneth, at the same time producing hisidentity papers.
The sergeant glanced at the documents, and entered Kenneth's name in abook.
"You must come with me," he added; "you and your witnesses."
"Sorry I cannot," said Kenneth.
The sergeant pricked up his ears.
"I order you," he declared.
"Tell me where you are taking the prisoner, and we will be there assoon as possible. At three o'clock I have an appointment withCommandant Fleurus, and it is nearly that hour now."
The sergeant acquiesced, but took the precaution of discreetly sendinga couple of men to watch the movements of the two corporals in Belgianuniform who were stated to be English. Experience had taught him thatthere were such things as forged documents, and that Germans hadmasqueraded as English officers and men.
"You are slightly after time," was Commandant Fleurus's remark as thedispatch-riders presented themselves.
"We arrested a spy, sir," announced Kenneth. "He gave himself away."
"How was that?" asked the Commandant.
Kenneth reported the details, and how Jules de la Paix had rashlydeclared that he was compelled to denounce the English lads to vonKoenik at Brussels.
"Good!" ejaculated Commandant Fleurus. "It is indeed a fine service totrap such carrion. We have suffered greatly from these pests, but Ifear one the less will make but little difference. Antwerp shelters ahorde of them. But here is your dispatch. See, I have endorsed it:'Bearers detained upon special service'."
By the time that Kenneth and Rollo arrived at the head-quarters of theCivil Guard a court martial had already been constituted. The presenceof the principal witnesses made it possible for the trial to open.
The proceedings were brief, but with every semblance of fairness. Theaccused, having had time to consider his position, tried to deny hisstatements; but there were several witnesses who had overheard theprisoner's terrified confession to Kenneth.
Members of the Civil Guard reported that they had searched theaccused's premises. In a garret with a well-concealed trap-door theydiscovered a powerful wireless installation, the aerials being hiddenfrom outside view by being placed between two rows of chimney-pots. Inthe garret were also found plans and documents of great official value,besides a copy of a code, several flash-lights, and arms andammunition. On the face of this evidence the prisoner was doomed.
In addition the Civil Guards discovered that at the end of the gardenwas a shed abutting on a canal that communicated with the Scheldt. Inthis shed was a large sea-going motor-boat, painted a dark-grey, andcompletely equipped for a voyage. It was presumed that, should the spyfind himself compelled to leave Antwerp hurriedly, this craft wouldenable him to reach Dutch territory, whence he could easily regain theground held by the invaders.
Within an hour from the opening of the Court the spy was condemned tobe shot, and the sentence was put into execution forthwith.
"A rotten business," remarked Kenneth as the two lads rode towardsWavre Ste Catherine. "I feel as if I have that fellow's blood on myhead."
"He jolly well deserved what he got," rejoined Rollo.
"Undoubtedly; but, all the same, I wish I hadn't a hand in it.Trapping spies is hardly a soldier's game. What I should like to havedone would be to have given him a thundering good hiding."