"You would never have lived through it," Helen echoed.
"You are talking to Mr. Lessingham," Philippa protested, "as though
he were an enemy, instead of the best friend you ever had in your
life."
Richard waved them away.
"You must leave this to us," he insisted. "Maderstrom and I will
be able to understand one another, at any rate. What are you doing
in this house--in England? What is your mission here?"
"Whatever it may have been, it is accomplished," Lessingham said
gravely. "At the present moment, my plans are to leave your country
to-night."
"Accomplished?" Richard repeated. "What the devil do you mean?
Accomplished? Are you playing the spy in this country?"
"You would probably consider my mission espionage," Lessingham
admitted.
"And you have brought it to a successful conclusion?"
"I have."
Philippa threw her arms around her brother's neck. "Dick," she
pleaded, "please listen. Mr. Lessingham has been here, in this
district, ever since he landed in England. What possible harm
could he do? We haven't a single secret to be learned. Everybody
knows where our few guns are. Everybody knows where our soldiers
are quartered. We haven't a harbour or any secret fortifications.
We haven't any shipping information which it would be of the
least use signalling anywhere. Mr. Lessingham has spent his time
amongst trifles here.
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