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Tommy slept badly that night. The following morning the indefatigable Albert,
having cemented an alliance with the greengrocer's boy, took the latter's place
and ingratiated himself with the cook at Malthouse. He returned with the
information that she was undoubtedly "one of the crooks," but Tommy mistrusted
the vividness of his imagination. Questioned, he could adduce nothing in support
of his statement except his own opinion that she wasn't the usual kind. You
could see that at a glance.
The substitution being repeated (much to the pecuniary advantage of the real
greengrocer's boy) on the following day, Albert brought back the first piece of
hopeful news. There WAS a French young lady staying in the house. Tommy put
his doubts aside. Here was confirmation of his theory. But time pressed. To-day
was the 27th. The 29th was the much-talked-of "Labour Day," about which all
sorts of rumours were running riot. Newspapers were getting agitated.
Sensational hints of a Labour coup d'etat were freely reported. The Government
said nothing. It knew and was prepared. There were rumours of dissension
among the Labour leaders. They were not of one mind. The more far-seeing
among them realized that what they proposed might well be a death-blow to the
England that at heart they loved. They shrank from the starvation and misery a
general strike would entail, and were willing to meet the Government half-way.
But behind them were subtle, insistent forces at work, urging the memories of old
wrongs, deprecating the weakness of half-and-half measures, fomenting
misunderstandings.
Tommy felt that, thanks to Mr. Carter, he understood the position fairly
accurately. With the fatal document in the hands of Mr. Brown, public opinion
would swing to the side of the Labour extremists and revolutionists. Failing that,
the battle was an even chance. The Government with a loyal army and police
force behind them might win--but at a cost of great suffering. But Tommy
nourished another and a preposterous dream. With Mr. Brown unmasked and
captured he believed, rightly or wrongly, that the whole organization would
crumble ignominiously and instantaneously. The strange permeating influence of
the unseen chief held it together. Without him, Tommy believed an instant panic
would set in; and, the honest men left to themselves, an eleventh-hour
reconciliation would be possible.
"This is a one-man show," said Tommy to himself. "The thing to do is to get hold
of the man."
It was partly in furtherance of this ambitious design that he had requested Mr.
Carter not to open the sealed envelope. The draft treaty was Tommy's bait. Every
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