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ery reason to believe he is an Englishman. He was pro-German, as he would have been pro-Boer. What he seeks to attain we do not know--probably supreme power for himself, of a kind unique in history. We have no clue as to his real personality. It is reported that even his own followers are ignorant of it. Where we have come across his tracks, he has always played a secondary part. Somebody else assumes the chief role. But afterwards we always find that there has been some nonentity, a servant or a clerk, who has remained in the background unnoticed, and that the elusive Mr. Brown has escaped us once more." "Oh!" Tuppence jumped. "I wonder----" "Yes?" "I remember in Mr. Whittington's office. The clerk--he called him Brown. You don't think----" Carter nodded thoughtfully. "Very likely. A curious point is that the name is usually mentioned. An idiosyncrasy of genius. Can you describe him at all?" "I really didn't notice. He was quite ordinary--just like anyone else." Mr. Carter sighed in his tired manner. "That is the invariable description of Mr. Brown! Brought a telephone message to the man Whittington, did he? Notice a telephone in the outer office?" Tuppence thought. "No, I don't think I did." "Exactly. That 'message' was Mr. Brown's way of giving an order to his subordinate. He overheard the whole conversation of course. Was it after that that Whittington handed you over the money, and told you to come the following day?" Tuppence nodded. "Yes, undoubtedly the hand of Mr. Brown!" Mr. Carter paused. "Well, there it is, you see what you are pitting yourselves against? Possibly the finest criminal brain of the age. I don't quite like it, you know. You're such young things, both of you. I shouldn't like anything to happen to you." "It won't," Tuppence assured him positively. "I'll look after her, sir," said Tommy. "And I'll look after YOU," retorted Tuppence, resenting the manly assertion. "Well, then, look after each other," said Mr. Carter, smiling. "Now let's get back to business. There's something mysterious about this draft treaty that we haven't fathomed yet. We've been threatened with it--in plain and unmistakable terms. The Revolutionary element as good as declare that it's in their hands, and that they intend to produce it at a given moment. On the other hand, they are clearly at fault about many of its provisions. The Government consider it as mere bluff on their part, and
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