nice man,’ finished Marcus with his usual charity. ‘And I have had to squeeze her in somehow – I turn out a very important man from UNO –’
‘ Baghdad seems quite mad.’
‘All the police they have drafted in – they are taking great precautions – they say – have you heard? – there is a Communist plot to assassinate the President. They have arrested sixty-five students! Have you seen the Russian policemen? They are very suspicious of everybody. But all this is very good for trade – very good indeed.’
VI
The telephone bell rang and was promptly answered.
‘American Embassy.’
‘This is the Babylonian Palace Hotel. Miss Anna Scheele is staying here.’
Anna Scheele? Presently one of the Attachйs was speaking. Could Miss Scheele come to the phone?
‘Miss Scheele is ill in bed with laryngitis. This is Dr Smallbrook. I am attending Miss Scheele. She has some important papers with her and would like some responsible person from the Embassy to come and fetch them. Immediately? Thank you. I will be waiting for you.’
VII
Victoria turned from the mirror. She was wearing a well-cut tailored suit. Every blonde hair was in place. She felt nervous but exhilarated.
As she turned, she caught the exultant gleam in Catherine’s eyes and was suddenly on her guard. Why was Catherine exultant?
What was going on?
‘What are you so pleased about?’ she asked.
‘Soon you will see.’
The malice was quite unconcealed now.
‘You think you are so clever,’ said Catherine scornfully. ‘You think everything depends on you. Pah, you are just a fool.’
With a bound Victoria was upon her! She caught her by the shoulder and dug her fingers in.
‘Tell me what you mean, you horrible girl.’
‘Ach – you hurt me.’
‘Tell me –’
A knock came on the door. A knock twice repeated and then after a pause, a single one.
‘Now you will see!’ cried Catherine.
The door opened and a man slipped in. He was a tall man, dressed in the uniform of the International Police. He locked the door behind him and removed the key. Then he advanced to Catherine.
‘Quickly,’ he said.
He took a length of thin cord from his pocket and, with Catherine’s full co-operation, bound her swiftly to a chair. Then he produced a scarf and tied it over her mouth. He stood back and nodded appreciatively.
‘So – that will do nicely.’
Then he turned towards Victoria. She saw the heavy truncheon he was brandishing and in a moment it flashed across her brain what the real plan was. They had never intended that she should play the part of Anna Scheele at the Conference. How could they risk such a thing? Victoria was too well known in Baghdad? No, the plan was, had always been, that Anna Scheele should be attacked and killed at the last moment – killed in such a way that her features would not be recognizable…Only the papers she had brought with her – those carefully forged papers – would remain.
Victoria turned away to the window – she screamed. And with a smile the man came at her.
Then several things happened – there was a crash of broken glass – a heavy hand sent her headlong down – she saw stars – and blackness…Then out of the blackness a voice spoke, a reassuring English voice.
‘Are you all right, Miss?’ it asked.
Victoria murmured something.
‘What did she say?’ asked a second voice.
The first man scratched his head.
‘Said it was better to serve in Heaven than reign in Hell,’ he said doubtfully.
‘That’s a quotation,’ said the other. ‘But she’s got it wrong,’ he added.
‘No, I haven’t,’ said Victoria and fainted.
VIII
The telephone rang and Dakin picked up the receiver. A voice said:
‘Operation Victoria successfully concluded.’
‘Good,’ said Dakin.
‘We’ve got Catherine Serakis and the medico. The other fellow threw himself off the balcony. He’s fatally injured.’
‘The girl’s not hurt?’
‘She fainted – but she’s OK.’
‘No news still of the real A. S.?’
‘No news whatever.’
Dakin laid down the receiver.
At any rate Victoria was all right – Anna herself, he thought, must be dead…She had insisted on playing a lone hand, had reiterated that she would be in Baghdad without fail on the 19th. Today was the 19th and there was no Anna Scheele. Perhaps she had been right not to trust the official set-up – he didn’t know. Certainly there had been leakages – betrayals. But apparently her own native wits had served her no better…
And without Anna Scheele, the evidence was incomplete.
A messenger came in with a piece of paper on which was written Mr Richard Baker and Mrs Pauncefoot Jones.
‘I can’t see anybody now,’ said Dakin. ‘Tell them I am very sorry. I am engaged.’
The messenger withdrew, but presently he returned. He handed Dakin a note.
Dakin tore open the envelope and read:
‘I want to see you about Henry Carmichael. R. B.’
‘Show him in,’ said Dakin.
Presently Richard Baker and Mrs Pauncefoot Jones came in. Richard Baker said:
‘I don’t want to take up your time, but I was at school with a man called Henry Carmichael. We lost sight of each other for many years, but when I was at Basrah a few weeks ago I encountered him in the Consulate waiting- room. He was dressed as an Arab, and without giving any overt sign of recognition, he managed to communicate with me. Does this interest you?’
‘It interests me very much,’ said Dakin.
‘I formed the idea that Carmichael believed himself to be in danger. This was very soon verified. He was attacked by a man with a revolver which I managed to knock up. Carmichael took to his heels but before he went, he slipped something into my pocket which I found later – it didn’t appear to be important – it seems to be just a “chit” – a reference for one Ahmed Mohammed. But I acted on the assumption that to Carmichael it
