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looked in。 It was empty。 He turned away； meaning to ring a bell。
On his way across the hall he paused。 A curiously suggestive
sound reached him faintly from the end of one of the passages。
It was the click of a typewriter。
Hamel stood for a moment perfectly still。 He had hurred up to
the Hall； filled with the one selfish joy common to all mankind。
He had had no thought save the thought of seeing Esther。 The
click of that machine brought him hack to the stern realities of
life。 He remembered his talk to Kinsley； his promise。 On the
hall table he could see from where he was standing the great
headlines which announced the nation's anxiety。 He was in the house
of a suspected spy。 The click of the typewriter was an accompaniment
to his thought。 He looked around once more and listened。 Then he
made his way quietly across the hail and down the long passage； at
the end of which the room which Mr。 Fentolin called his workroom
was situated。 He turned the handle of the door and entered； closing
it immediately behind him。 The woman who was typing paused with her
fingers upon the keys。 Her eyes met his coldly； without curiosity。
She had paused in her work； but she took no other notice of his
coming。
〃Has Mr。 Fentolin sent you here？〃 she asked at last。
He came over to the typewriter。
〃Mr。 Fentolin has not sent me；〃 he said slowly。 〃I am here on my
own account。 I dare say you will think that I am a lunatic to
come to you like this。 Nevertheless； please listen to me。〃
Her fingers left the keys。 She laid her hands upon the table in
front of her。 He drew a little nearer。 She covered over the sheets
of paper with which she was surrounded with a pad of blotting…paper。
He pointed suddenly to them。
〃Why do you do that？ 〃 he demanded。 〃What is there in your work
that you are afraid I might see？〃
She answered him without hesitation。
〃These are private papers of Mr。 Fentolin's。 No one has any
business to see them。 No one has any business to enter this room。
Why are you here？〃
〃I came to the Hall to find Miss Fentolin；〃 he replied。 〃I heard
the click of your typewriter。 I came to you； I suppose I should
say； on impulse。〃
Her eyes rested upon his； filled with a cold and questioning light。
〃There's an impression up in London；〃 Hamel went on； 〃that Mr。
Fentolin has been intefering by means of his wireless in affairs
which don't concern him； and giving away valuable information。
This man Dunster's disappearance is as yet unexplained。 I feel
myself justified in making certain investigations； and among the
first of them I should like you to tell me exactly the nature of
the work for which Mr。 Fentolin finds a secretary necessary？〃
She glanced towards the bell。 He moved to the edge of the table
as though to intercept her。
〃In any ordinary case；〃 he continued； 〃I would not ask you to
betray your employer's confidence。 As things are； I think I am
justified。 You are English； are you not？ You realise； I suppose；
that the country is on the brink of war？〃
She looked at him from the depths of her still； lusterless eyes。
〃You must be a very foolish person；〃 she remarked； 〃if you expect
to obtain information in this manner。〃
〃Perhaps I am；〃 he confessed； 〃but my folly has brought me to you；
and you can give me the information if you will。〃
〃Where is Mr。 Fentolin？〃 she asked。
〃Down at the Tower；〃 he replied。 〃I left him there。 He sent me
up to see Miss Fentolin。 I was looking for her when the click of
your typewriter reminded me of other things。〃
She turned composedly back to her work。
〃I think；〃 she said； 〃that you had better go and find Miss Fentolin。〃
〃Don't talk nonsense！ You can't think I have risked giving myself
away to you for nothing？ I mean to search this room； to read the
papers which you are typing。〃
She glanced around her a little contemptuously。
〃You are welcome；〃 she assured him。 〃Pray proceed。〃
They exchanged the glances of duelists。 Her plain black frock was
buttoned up to her throat。 Her colourless face seemed set in exact
and expressionless lines。 Her eyes were like windows of glass。 He
felt only their scrutiny； nothing of the reason for it； or of the
thoughts which stirred behind in her brain。 There was nothing about
her attitude which seemed in any way threatening； yet he had the
feeling that in this interview it was she who possessed the upper
hand。
〃You are a foolish person；〃 she said calmly。 〃You are so foolish
that you are not； in all probability； in the slightest degree
dangerous。 Believe me； ours is an unequal duel。 There is a bell
upon this table which has apparently escaped your notice。 I sit
with my finger upon the button … so。 I have only to press it； and
the servants will be here。 I do not wish to press it。 I do not
desire that you should be； as you certainly would be； banished from
this house。〃
He was immensely puzzled。 She had not resented his strange
intrusion。 She had accepted it； indeed； with curious equanimity。
Her forefinger lingered still over the little ivory knob of the bell
attached to her desk。 He shrugged his shoulders。
〃You have the advantage of me；〃 he admitted； a little curtly。 〃All
the same； I think I could possess myself of those sheets of paper；
you know； before the bell was answered。〃
〃Would it be wise； I wonder； then； to ensure their safety？〃 she
asked coolly。
Her finger pressed the bell。 He took a quick step forward。 She
held out her hand。
〃Stop！〃 she ordered。 〃These sheets will tell you nothing which you
do not know already unless you are a fool。 Never mind the bell。
That is my affair。 I am sending you away。〃
He leaned a little towards her。
〃It wouldn't be possible to bribe you； I suppose？〃
She shook her head。
〃I wonder you haven't tried that before。 No； it would not … not
with money； that is to say。〃
〃You'll tell Mr。 Fentolin； I presume？〃 he asked quickly。
〃I have nothing to tell him；〃 she replied。 〃Nothing has happened。
Richards；〃 she went on； as a servant entered the room； 〃Mr。 Hamel
is looking for Miss Fentolin。 Will you see if you can find her？〃
The man's expression was full of polite regret。
〃Miss Fentolin went over to Legh Woods early this morning； sir；〃
he announced。 〃She is staying to lunch with Lady Saxthorpe。〃
Hamel stood quite still for a moment。 Then he turned to the window。
In the far distance he could catch a glimpse of the Tower。 Mr。
Fentolin's chair had disappeared from the walk。
〃I am sorry；〃 he said。 〃I must have made a mistake。 I will hurry
back。〃
There were more questions which he was longing to ask； but the cold
negativeness of her manner chilled him。 She sat with her fingers
poised over the keys； waiting for his departure。 He turned and
left the room。
CHAPTER XXVIII
Mr。 Fentolin； his carriage drawn up close to the beach； was painting
steadily when Hamel stood once more by his side。 His eyes moved
only from the sea to the canvas。 He never turned his head。
〃So your wooing has not prospered； my young friend；〃 he remarked
gently。 〃I am sorry。 Is there anything I can do？〃
〃Your niece has gone out to lunch；〃 Hamel