The Secret Adversary

Back Forward Menu

CHAPTER XVII. ANNETTE

THE troubles of the future, however, soon faded before the troubles of
the present. And of these, the most immediate and pressing was that of
hunger. Tommy had a healthy and vigorous appetite. The steak and
chips partaken of for lunch seemed now to belong to another decade. He
regretfully recognized the fact that he would not make a success of a
hunger strike.

He prowled aimlessly about his prison. Once or twice he discarded
dignity, and pounded on the door. But nobody answered the summons.

"Hang it all!" said Tommy indignantly. "They can't mean to starve me
to death." A new-born fear passed through his mind that this might,
perhaps, be one of those "pretty ways" of making a prisoner speak, which
had been attributed to Boris. But on reflection he dismissed the idea.