But if it should be found in British East, they are all ready with the necessary men of influence to apply for a mining or agricultural concession, and they will fence that place off so thoroughly that no one will ever be the wiser until they have carried the ivory out of the country!" "They could never get it out of British East without the government knowing," objected Fred; but she laughed at him.
"If worse came to the worst, they are ready with an offer to exchange ten times the territory elsewhere for just that small section of the country.

They would give up German New Guinea, or Southwest Africa--anything! They have fooled the French and Russian governments until they are ready to bring pressure to bear on England diplomatically to induce her to make almost any bargain of that kind that the Germans want.

They are even willing to concede to England the whole of Abyssinia, which nobody owns yet, and to back her up against the claims of France and Italy! Why should they not be willing to make temporary concessions, when all Africa is to be theirs in ten years' time! They will give to-day, and with the help of the money that ivory will bring they will create an army that shall take away to-morrow!" "But how can you prove all this ?" Fred asked her.
"How?
I know the names of the men who are preaching Germany's sermons all through British East! I know all Schillingschen's secrets! Why should I not?
I have suffered enough! He is a drunken brute nearly always after the sun goes down, and his caresses are disgusting; I have endured them until I know all he knows! Now he realizes that I know his secrets and have none of my own to tell, so he hopes to send me to my doom at the hands of the government I have betrayed too many times! What is the use of my pretending to be better than I am?
I am a spy--a traitress--a divorced woman with worse than no reputation! I am not a person likely to be shown much mercy! I never would have recanted unless the end of my rope had come! Now I know I must buy my pardon--I must earn it--I must pay for it with solid value! Luckily I can do that! I do not ask you men for mercy.

I know what is in store for you if you do not escape! I offer to help you to escape, in exchange for helping me!" "Better be more precise!" suggested Fred.

"Exactly what is in store for us ?" She pointed her finger at me.