faced the silent intelligence officer.

"What is to be done, Grant?"

"That is a matter for your lordship. But if I might venture - "

"Venture and be damned," snapped Wellington.

"The signal service rendered the cause of the allies by the
death of Samoval might perhaps be permitted to weigh against
the offence committed by O'Moy."

"How could it?" snapped his lordship. "You don't know, O'Moy,
that upon Samoval's body were found certain documents intended for
Massena. Had they reached him, or had Samoval carried out the
full intentions that dictated his quarrel with you, and no doubt
sent him here depending upon his swordsmanship to kill you, all
my plans for the undoing of the French would have been ruined.
Ay, you may stare. That is another matter in which you have
lacked discretion. You may be a fine engineer, O'Moy, but I
don't think I could have found a less judicious adjutant-general
if I had raked the ranks of the army on purpose to find an idiot.
Samoval was a spy - the cleverest spy that we have ever had to
deal with. Only his death revealed how dangerous he was. For
killing him when you did you deserve the thanks of his Majesty's
Government, as Grant suggests. But before you can receive those
you will have to stand a court-martial for the manner in which
you killed him, and you will probably be shot. I can't help
you. I hope you don't expect it of me."