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〃I'm a man with a curious turn of mind；〃 I went on。 〃I wondered why sick； burned； exhausted men had wasted their time and their little strength in shifting the dead men intO the lab。 Because someone had suggested that it might be a good thing to do； the decent thing to do。 The real reason； of course； was to discourage anyone from going there。 I looked under the floorboards and what did I find？ Forty Nife cells in first…class condition； stores of food； a radio…sonde balloon； a hydrogen cylinder for inflating the balloon。 I had expected to find the Nife cells。 Kinnaird here has told us that there were a good many reserves；' but Nife cells won't be destroyed in a fire。 Buckled and bent a bit； but not destroyed。 I hadn't expected to find the other items of equipment； but they made everything clear。
〃The killer had had bad luck on two countsbeing found out and with the weather。 The weather really put the crimp on all his plans。 The idea was that when conditions were favorable he'd send the films up into the sky attached to a radio…sonde balloon which could be swept up by a Russian plane。 Snatching a falling capsule out of the sky is very tricky indeed： snaring a stationary balloon is dead easy。 The relatively unused Nife cells our friend used for keeping in radio touch with his friends to let them know when the weather had cleared and when he was going to send the balloon up。 There is no privacy on the air waves； so he used a special code。 When he no longer had any need for it； he destroyed the code by the only safe method of destruction in the Arcticfire。 I found scores of pieces of charred paper imbedded in the walls of one； of the huts where the wind had carried them from the met office after our friend had thrown the ashes away。
〃The killer also made sure that only those few worn…out Nife cells were used to send the S。O。S。's and to contact the 〃Dolphin〃。 By losing contact with us so frequently； and by sending such a blurred transmission； he tried to delay our arrival here so as to give the weather a chance to clear up and let him fly off his balloon。 Incidentally； you may have heard the radio reportsit was in all the British newspapersthat Russian as well as American and British planes scoured this area immediately after the fire。 The British and Americans were looking for Zebra： the Russians were looking for a radio…sonde balloon。 So was the ice breaker 〃Dvina〃 when it tried to smash its way through here a few days ago。 But there have been no more Russian planes： our friend radioed his friends to say that there was no hope of the weather clearing； that the 〃Dolphin〃 had arrived； and that they would have to take the films back with them on the submarine。〃
〃One moment； Dr。 Carpenter；〃 Swanson interrupted in a careful sort of voice。 〃Are you saying that those films are aboard this ship now？〃
〃I'll be very much surprised if they aren't； mander。 The other attempt to delay us； of course； was by making a direct attack on the 〃Dolphin〃 itself。 When it became known that the 〃Dolphin〃 was to make an attempt to reach Zebra； orders went through to Scotland to cripple the ship。 Red Clydeside is no more Red than any other maritime center in Britain； but you'll find munists in practically every shipyard in the countryand； more often than not； their mates don't know who they are。 There was no intention； of course； of causing any fatal accidentand； as far as whoever was responsible for leaving the tube doors open was concerned； there was no reason why there should be。 International espionage in peacetime shuns violencewhich is why our friend here is going to be very unpopular with his masters。 Like Britain or America； they'll adopt any legitimate or illegitimate tactic to gain their espionage endbut they stop short of murder； just as we do。 Murder was no part of the Soviet plan。〃
〃Who is it； Dr。 Carpenter？〃 Jeremy said very quietly。 〃For God's sake； who is it？ There's nine of us here anddo you 〃know〃 who it is？〃
〃I know。 And only six； not nine； can be under suspicion。 The ones who kept radio watches after the disaster。 Captain Folsom and the two Harringtons here were pletely unmobilized。 We have the word of all of you for that。 So that； Jeremy； just leaves yourself； Kinnaird； Dr。 Jolly； Hassard； Naseby and Hewson。 Murder for gain and high treason。 There's only one answer for that。 The trial will be over the day it begins： three weeks later it will all be over。 You're a very clever man； my friend。 You're more than that： you're brilliant。 But I'm afraid it's the end of the road for you； Dr。 Jolly。〃
They didn't get it。 For long seconds they didn't get it。 They were too shocked； too stunned。 They'd heard my words； all right； but the meaning hadn't registered immediately。 But it was beginning to register now； for； like marionettes under the guidance of a master puppeteer； they all slowly turned their heads and stared at Jolly。 Jolly himself rose slowly to his feet and took two paces toward me； his eyes wide； his face shocked； his mouth working。
〃Me？〃 His voice was low and hoarse and unbelieving。 〃〃Me？〃 Are youare you mad； Dr。 Carpenter？ In the name of' God； man〃
I hit him。 I don't know why I hit hima crimson haze seemed to blur my visionand Jolly was staggering back to crash on the deck； holding both hands to smashed lips and nose； before I could realize what I had done。 I think if I had had a knife or a gun in my hand then； I would have killed him。 I would have killed him the way I would have killed a fer…de…lance； a black…widow spider or any other such dark and evil and deadly thing； without thought of punction or mercy。 Gradually the haze cleared from my eyes。 No one had stirred。 No one had stirred an inch。 Jolly pushed himself painfully to his knees and then his feet and collapsed heavily in his seat by the table。 He was holding a bloodsoaked handkerchief to his face。 There was utter silence in the room。
〃My brother； Jolly；〃 I said。 〃My brother and all the dead men on Zebra。 Do you know what I hope？〃 I said。 〃I hope that something goes wrong with the hangman's rope and that you take a long； long time to die。〃
He took the handkerchief from his mouth。
〃You're a crazy man；〃 he whispered between smashed and already puffing lips。 〃You don't know what you're saying。〃
〃The jury at the Old Bailey will be the best judge of that。 I've been on to you now； Jolly； for almost exactly sixty hours。〃
〃What did you say？〃 Swanson demanded。 〃You've known for sixty hours！〃
〃I knew I'd have to face your wrath sometime or other； mander；〃 I said。 Unaccountably； I was beginning to feel very tired； weary； and heart…sick of the whole business。 〃But if you had known who he was； you'd have locked him up right away。 You said so in so many words。 I wanted to see where the trail led to in Britain； who his associates and contacts would be。 I had splendid visions of smashing a whole spy ring。 But I'm afraid the trail is cold。 It ends right here。 Please hear me out。
〃Tell me； did no one think it strange that when Jolly came staggering out of his hut when it caught fire he should have collapsed and remained that way？ Jolly claimed that he had been asphyxiated。 Well； he wasn't asphyxiated inside the hut； because he m