When Pascale Auber is forced out of the airship of the evil Dr. Simpelstur, she finds herself rescued by a handsome Ruritanian diplomat, Theo von Hentzau. Pascale soon realizes that Theo is hiding something - something to do with the evil doctor, th...
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I watched as the police officer repeated his request, the girl struggling but held firm between himself and his colleague.
"Give it back, then, Miss."
The girl made a face, and reached into her left jacket pocket. She pulled out a few crumpled sheets of paper.
"Thank you," said the officer. "And the other pocket?"
With a sigh, the girl reached into her right pocket and pulled out a tattered rose-blossom.
"Perhaps it is a job for the horticultural desk," the constable grinned. The girl stuck her tongue out at him.
"Run along, you young rapscallion, before I have you locked up," he cautioned her.
He loosed her arm and gave her a gentle push in the direction of the street. The girl made a face, and strode off angrily. There was a bicycle – a small-wheeled ladies' model - leaning against the embassy fence, and this is where the girl was headed.
I caught up with the girl just as she reached her bicycle. As she straddled the seat, I came around and stood in front of her. She glared at me.
"What's wrong with you?" She protested. "Get out of the way!"
I put a hand firmly on her handlebars. Reaching into my reticule with my free hand, I drew out a small, leather wallet. I opened this wallet to display a cunningly accurate counterfeit badge. Naturally, I carry a number of such articles; the one I selected was that of a compressed-gas inspector, which is to say, a person likely to investigate an explosion. The girl wilted.
"I didn't take anything, I swear!"
"I think those policemen might be of a different opinion," I said.
The girl rolled her eyes. "Look, I gave them everything I had!" Bitterly, she added, "They have no respect for the press."
"Which is a pity," I agreed, in my most soothing tones. "But you must understand – a terrible accident has happened here."
"Accident? That was no accident! That was a crime!" The girl declared. She was loud enough that a passer-by turned in the street, staring.
"A crime?" I probed. "What makes you say that? I was told that all evidence points to the fire starting as a compressed-gas explosion."
"Compressed-gas?" The girl snorted in derision. "That's about as likely as the cause being a stampede of over-weight elephants."
"If there's anything you know -" I began, only to be interrupted.
"If there's anything I know, you can read it tomorrow's papers!"
The girl began to turn, but I grabbed her arm.
"I don't intend to scoop you, miss, if that is your fear," I replied. "I wish only to get to the truth." Trying to reassure her, I added, "In fact, I want the information from my investigation to remain just as secret as you do."
The girl eyed me with an air of suspicion. "So then you won't allow me to publish?"
