'Hine, please.'
'Three Star, VSOP or Antique?'
'Antique, please.'
'A lot or a little?'
'A lot, please.'
He was given a lot. Not having heard the door behind him open, he was surprised a moment later to find at his shoulder a dark-haired girl wearing a single garment of white leather that stopped only at neck and wrists. She was carrying a silver tray and, from where he was, looked very tall.
'Black, sir?' she asked.
'Oh. Yes. Thank you.'
She poured and handed him a cup of coffee and moved over to Leonard. A blonde girl in black leather took her place.
'Just sugar for you, sir?'
Hunter tried to dispel the disagreeable sense of unreality that had been growing on him since entering the room. 'No, I'll change my mind if I may,' he said. 'I think there's room there for just the tiniest spot of milk… And the merest suspicion of sugar… No no, that's splendid, that's quite perfect… Many many thanks.'
He was still trying to think of something useful to think to himself about the girls when the door shut behind them and Dr. Best said,
'Can I offer you a Romeo y Julieta?'
'A what?' said Leonard, speaking for the first time.
'Perhaps a Half Corona?'
'Oh. No thank you. Dr. Best, I'd like to have a word with-'
'Well, this is a great day, a great day, my dear Captain Leonard. Here you are at last, eh?'
'At last?' Leonard seemed mystified.
'Oh yes, we've been expecting you. Haven't we, Minshull?'
The man addressed gave a long, ascending whinny of laughter.
'Well, I have been meaning for some time to return that very pleasant lunch you gave me here,' said Leonard bravely, 'by asking you over to our Mess. So when my colleague here mentioned to me that he-'
Here both doctors laughed.
'Oh, Captain Leonard,' said Dr. Best, shaking his bandaged head, 'what a wag you are. So very droll after your own fashion. But let's be serious if we can. What is the real purpose of your visit here?'
'I was just going to explain that it was Captain Hunter who mentioned to me that he wanted to come and see you, and I simply-'
'Ah yes, of course, the liquor-loving Captain Hunter. How are you, sir?-but I can see how you are. In need of a further course of treatment. Well, it'll be a pleasure to furnish that. Your probation isn't up for another ten days or so, but we can easily advance matters.'
'Dr. Best,' said Hunter, 'what's the matter with your head?'
'It was rather annoying. I went on a little expedition into the country yesterday, a short drive followed by a ramble on foot. Much as one enjoys the society of one's fellow-creatures, there do come times when one prefers to be… unencumbered. I'd noticed that one of the new gardeners here was taking a great interest in my activities, following me to the golf club and back and so on on his scooter, so before setting off yesterday morning I took the liberty of letting the air out of one of his tires. What's that called in your parlance, Captain Leonard?-'shaking a tail' would it be, or is it ‘losing a tag'?'
Leonard said nothing. He was sitting quite still.
'Anyway, after this short drive of mine I parked my car in an inconspicuous place and set off across country. I must have gone about a mile and a half, I suppose, and was getting the full benefit of the sun and the fresh air, when I fell into a hole. It was so well camouflaged with ferns and other greenery as to be virtually undetectable. I hit my head on a stone and was rendered unconscious for what must have been several hours. When I came to myself the shadows were lengthening, and I was full of chagrin at the time to think that my expedition was wasted, that its purpose was unfulfilled. But it wasn't, was it, Captain Leonard? It very clearly was not.'
'I don't follow you.'
'Oh yes you do, my dear fellow. I succeeded in my aim, didn't I? Because here you are to arrest me for espionage. But I'm glad to say that there's some real hope for you. The rapidity and decisiveness with which you've made your psychic shift is prognostically highly favorable. Your illness now stands revealed, naked in all its… majesty.'
Leonard rose shakily to his feet.
'I am a Security officer,' he said, 'with credentials from the Ministry of Defence, and with authority from the same body to compel you to accompany me before a tribunal, against the composition of which you will be at liberty to appeal in due time. I must ask you to accompany me now.'
'What are the charges against me, Captain Leonard?' asked Dr. Best interestedly.
