Clymes

In the novel The Secret Adversary, Clymes is the name of a trade-union leader who was being influenced and used by Kramenin's gang. In common with the other union leaders, these men were being encouraged by the gang to organised various labour strikes. At the same time, the gang operated in such a way as to lead the labour leaders to think that they were running their own show. Commenting on these men, Kramenin, the Number One of the gang, remarked that they were all honest men because "one cannot make a revolution without honest men". He noted that these honest men "must have no inkling that we are using them for our own ends ... Every revolution has had its honest men. They are soon disposed of afterwards." Among these "honest" men, Kramenin considered Clymes a danger. He was too far-seeing and might see through the gang's plot. Therefore he had to be elminated. This take was assigned to Number Fourteen.

Clymes is mentioned only once and does not appear in person. Whether he was ultimately killed is not stated.