Be Shot For Six Pence Read Online Free PDF Page A

told me to tell you, that it was not about herself.”
    “That sounds unlike Mrs. Pastonberry,” I said. “However—”
    When she answered I got a surprise. I have heard Penny in all sorts of moods before, but I have never, till then, heard her frightened.
    “Darling,” she said. “Thank goodness you rang. What have you been doing?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Do you mean to say you don’t know? I’ve had a man round here all this afternoon asking me the most terrible questions.”
    “And I’ve no doubt you gave him some terrible answers.”
    “It’s no laughing matter. He was from M.I.5.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Of course I’m sure. There’ve been so many bogus gas inspectors about lately that I made him sit right down whilst I rang up the police. He was genuine all right. I say?”
    “Yes.”
    “You’re not a spy, are you?”
    That’s a question I defy anyone to answer with a straight yes or no. “Look here,” I said. “I’m very sorry you’ve been put through this—”
    “Well, in a way it was rather exciting. It’s you I was thinking about. I didn’t tell him a thing.”
    “That doesn’t surprise me,” I said. “Because you know absolutely nothing to tell.”
    “Now you’re being horrid again.”
    I rang off before the quarrel could develop.
    I was furious with myself, for my stupidity. Of course the authorities would know about the advertisement even if (lacking the one piece of knowledge that mattered) they could not follow up. It had not been difficult to identify me as Philip – it was no secret that I was one of Colin’s oldest friends. And equally obvious I should rush round to Printing House Square as soon as I read the thing.
    All they had to do was to have a little man hang round the entrance, armed with my photograph, and follow me when I came out.
    I would lead him straight to Henry.
    And I had!
    Or had I? Come to think of it, little long-nose hadn’t shown up in Barkas Road. On the contrary, when I ran into him again he was hanging, rather forlornly, round Twickenham Station. Well, that one would keep for tomorrow. I was for bed.
    Immediately after breakfast I put on my hat and walked out of the Club, down the steps by the Duke of York’s column, and along into Green Park. I walked quite slowly and I didn’t trouble to look behind me. I knew I should be followed.
    It was a different man, and new on the job, I thought. After all, I had seen long-nose twice without taking much notice of him. This one looked like a retired sergeant major and clamoured for attention. When I moved, he moved ten paces behind me. When I sat down, he did likewise. As soon as I was sure of him I walked over and sat down beside him.
    “At ease,” I said. “I’d like a word with you.”
    “I’m afraid—”
    “Let’s not worry about all that. All I want from you is some information.”
    “Who—”
    “I want to see your boss in the – what would it be – Foreign Office? Technically I suppose I could go and ring the front door bell and ask for the Foreign Secretary, but I feel sure that I should only be shunted from department to department, and waste the whole morning. What I want from you is the name and room number of the man who’s interested in my ‘case’.”
    “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    “Then you’re just not trying,” I said. “If you won’t let me have the name I’m going to call that policeman and report you for molesting me. You won’t get a bouquet from the department for that.”
    I saw doubt in his eye.
    “Really, sir. I can’t—”
    “Just the name.”
    “It’s most irregular.”
    The policeman was approaching.
    “You might find that Captain Forestier was the man you wanted.”
    “Where does he hang out?”
    “96 Sloane Square.”
    “I’m obliged to you,” I said. I got up, made my way into Piccadilly and caught a bus. The Sergeant Major was still devotedly following me. He got on to the same bus and went