The Secret Of Chimneys Part 21

'Why, trooly, Mr Cade,' said Hiram Fish. 'It was a night of strenuous excitement. Did you hear that I mistook Mr Revel for one of the thugs?'

'And in the meantime,' said Anthony, 'the thug -?'

'Got clear away,' said Mr Fish mournfully.

'Do pour out,' said Lord Caterham to Virginia, 'I don't know where Bundle is.'

Virginia officiated. Then she came and sat down near Anthony.

'Come to the boathouse after tea,' she said in a low voice. 'Bill and I have got a lot to tell you.'

Then she joined lightly in the general conversation.

The meeting at the boathouse was duly held. Virginia and Bill were bubbling over with their news. They agreed that a boat in the middle of the lake was the only safe place for confidential conversation. Having paddled out a sufficient distance, the full story of last night's adventure was related to Anthony. Bill looked a little sulky. He wished Virginia would not insist on bringing this Colonial fellow into it.

'It's very odd,' said Anthony, when the story was finished. 'What do you make of it?' he asked Virginia.

'I think they were looking for something,' she returned promptly. 'The burglar idea is absurd.'

'They thought the something, whatever it was, might be concealed in the suits of armour, that's clear enough. But why tap the panelling? That looks more as though they were looking for a secret staircase, or something of that kind.'

'There's a priest's hole at Chimneys, I know,' said Virginia. 'And I believe there's a secret staircase as well. Lord Caterham would tell us all about it. What I want to know is, what can they have been looking for?'

'It can't be the memoirs,' said Anthony. 'They're a great bulky package. It must have been something small.'

'George knows, I expect,' said Virginia. 'I wonder whether I could get it out of him. All along I've felt there was something behind all this.'

'You say there was only one man,' pursued Anthony, 'but that there might possibly be another, as you thought you heard someone going towards the door as you sprang to the window.'

'The sound was very slight,' said Virginia. 'It might have been just my imagination.'

'That's quite possible, but in case it wasn't your imagination the second person must have been an inmate of the house. I wonder now -'

'What are you wondering at?' asked Virginia.

'The thoroughness of Mr Hiram Fish, who dresses himself completely when he hears screams for help downstairs.'

'There's something in that,' agreed Virginia. 'And then there's Isaacstein, who sleeps through it all. That's suspicious too. Surely he couldn't?'

'There's that fellow Boris,' suggested Bill 'He looks an unmitigated ruffian. Michael's servant, I mean.'

'Chimneys is full of suspicious characters,' said Virginia. 'I dare say the others are just as suspicious of us. I wish Superintendent Battle hadn't gone to London. I think it's rather stupid of him. By the way, Mr Cade, I've seen that peculiar-looking Frenchman about once or twice, spying round the park.'

'It's a mix-up,' confessed Anthony. 'I've been away on a wild-goose chase. Made a thorough a.s.s of myself. Look here, to me the whole question seems to resolve itself into this: did the men find what they were looking for last night?'

'Supposing they didn't?' said Virginia. 'I'm pretty sure they didn't, as a matter of fact.'

'Just this, I believe they'll come again. They know, or they soon will know, that Battle's in London. They'll take the risk and come again tonight.'

'Do you really think so?'

'It's a chance. Now we three will form a little syndicate. Eversleigh and I will conceal ourselves with due precautions in the council chamber -'

'What about me?' interrupted Virginia. 'Don't think you're going to leave me out of it.'

'Listen to me, Virginia,' said Bill. 'This is men's work -'

'Don't be an idiot, Bill. I'm in on this. Don't you make any mistake about it. The syndicate will keep watch tonight.'

It was settled thus, and the details of the plan were laid. After the party had retired to bed, first one and then another of the syndicate crept down. They were all armed with powerful electric torches, and in the pocket of Anthony's coat lay a revolver.

Anthony had said that he believed another attempt to resume the search would be made. Nevertheless, he did not expect that the attempt would be made from outside. He believed that Virginia had been correct in her guess that someone had pa.s.sed her in the dark the night before, and as he stood in the shadow of an old oak dresser it was towards the door and not the window that his eyes were directed. Virginia was crouching behind a figure in armour on the opposite wall, and Bill was by the window.

The minutes pa.s.sed, at interminable length. One o'clock chimed, then the half-hour, then two, then half-hour. Anthony felt stiff and cramped. He was coming slowly to the conclusion that he had been wrong. No attempt would be made tonight.

And then he stiffened suddenly, all his senses on the alert. He had heard a footstep on the terrace outside. Silence again, and then a low scratching noise at the window. Suddenly it ceased, and the window swung open. A man stepped across the sill into the room.

He stood quite still for a moment, peering round as though listening. After a minute or two, seemingly satisfied, he switched on a torch he carried, and turned it rapidly round the room. Apparently he saw nothing unusual The three watchers held their breath.

He went over to the same bit of panelled wall he had been examining the night before.

And then a terrible knowledge smote Bill. He was going to sneeze! The wild race through the dew-laden park the night before had given him a chill. All day he had sneezed intermittently. A sneeze was due now, and nothing on earth would stop it.

He adopted all the remedies he could think of. He pressed his upper lip, swallowed hard, threw back his head and looked at the ceiling. As a last resort he held his nose and pinched it violently. It was of no avail. He sneezed.

A stifled, checked, emasculated sneeze, but a startling sound in the deadly quiet of the room.

The stranger sprang round, and in the same minute, Anthony acted. He flashed on his torch, and jumped full for the stranger. In another minute they were down on the floor together.

'Lights,' shouted Anthony.

Virginia was ready at the switch. The lights came on true and full tonight. Anthony was on top of his man. Bill leant down to give him a hand.

'And now,' said Anthony, 'let's see who you are, my fine fellow.'

He rolled his victim over. It was the neat, dark-bearded stranger from the Cricketers.

'Very nice indeed,' said an approving voice.

They all looked up startled. The bulky form of Superintendent Battle was standing in the open doorway.

'I thought you were in London, Superintendent Battle,' said Anthony.

Battle's eyes twinkled.

'Did you sir?' he said. 'Well, I thought it would be a good thing if I was thought to be going.'

'And it has been,' agreed Anthony, looking down at his prostrate foe.

To his surprise there was a slight smile on the stranger's face.

'May I get up, gentlemen?' he inquired. 'You are three to one.'

Anthony kindly hauled him on to his legs. The stranger settled his coat, pulled up his collar, and directed a keen look at Battle.

'I demand pardon,' he said, 'but do I understand that you are a representative from Scotland Yard?'

'That's right,' said Battle.

'Then I will present to you my credentials.' He smiled rather ruefully. 'I would have been wise to do so before.'

He took some papers from his pocket and handed them to the Scotland Yard detective. At the same time, he turned back the lapel of his coat and showed something pinned there.

Battle gave an exclamation of astonishment. He looked through the papers and handed them back with a little bow.

'I'm sorry you've been man-handled, monsieur,' he said, 'but you brought it on yourself, you know.'

He smiled, noting the astonished expression on the faces of the others.

'This is a colleague we have been expecting for some time,' he said. 'M. Lemoine, of the Surete in Paris.'

Chapter 19.

SECRET HISTORY.

They all stared at the French detective, who smiled back at them.

'But yes,' he said, 'it is true.'

There was a pause for a general readjusting of ideas. Then Virginia turned to Battle.

'Do you know what I think, Superintendent Battle?'

'What do you think, Mrs Revel?'

'I think the time has come to enlighten us a little.'

'To enlighten you? I don't quite understand, Mrs Revel.'

'Superintendent Battle, you understand perfectly. I dare say Mr Lomax has hedged you about with recommendations of secrecy - George would, but surely it's better to tell us than have us stumbling on the secret all by ourselves, and perhaps doing untold harm. M. Lemoine, don't you agree with me?'

'Madame, I agree with you entirely.'

'You can't go on keeping things dark for ever,' said Battle, 'I've told Mr Lomax so. Mr Eversleigh is Mr Lomax's secretary, there's no objection to his knowing what there is to know. As for Mr Cade, he's been brought into the thing w.i.l.l.y-hilly, and I consider he's a right to know where he stand. But -'

Battle paused.

'I know,' said Virginia. 'Women are so indiscreet! I've often heard George say so.'

Lemoine had been studying Virginia attentively. Now he turned to the Scotland Yard man.

'Did I hear you just now address Madame by the name of Revel?'

'That is my name,' said Virginia.

'Your husband was in the Diplomatic Service, was he not? And you were with him in Herzoslovakia just before the a.s.sa.s.sination of the late King and Queen.'

Lemoine turned again.

'I think Madame has a right to hear the story. She is indirectly concerned. Moreover -' his eyes twinkled a little - 'Madame's reputation for discretion stands very high in diplomatic circles.'

'I'm glad they give me a good character,' said Virginia, laughing. 'And I'm glad I'm not going to be left out of it.'

'What about refreshments?' said Anthony. 'Where does the conference take place? Here?'

'If you please, sir,' said Baffle, 'I've a fancy for not leaving this room until morning. You'll see why when you ye heard the story.'

'Then I'll go and forage,' said Anthony.

Bill went with him and they returned with a tray of gla.s.ses, siphons and other necessaries of life.

The augmented syndicate established itself comfortably in the corner by the window, being grouped round a long oak table.

'It's understood, of course,' said Battle, 'that anything that's said here is said in strict confidence. There must be no leakage. I've always felt it would came out one of these days. Gentlemen like Mr Lomax who want everything hushed up take bigger risks than they think. The start of this business was just over seven years ago. There was a lot of what they call reconstruction going on - especially in the Near East. There was a good deal going on in England, strictly on the q.t., with that old gentleman, Count Stylpt.i.tch, pulling the strings. All the Balkan States were interested parties, and there were a lot of royal personages in England just then. I'm not going into details, but something disappeared - disappeared in a way that seemed incredible unless you admitted two things - that the thief was a royal personage and that at the same time it was the work of a high-cla.s.s professional. M. Lemoine here will tell you how that well might be.'

The Frenchman bowed courteously and took up the tale.

'It is possible that you in England may not even have heard of our famous and fantastic King Victor. What his real name is, no one knows, but he is a man of singular courage and daring, one who speaks five languages and is unequalled in the art of disguise. Though his father is known to have been either English or Irish, he himself has worked chiefly in Paris. It was there, nearly eight years ago, that he was carrying out a daring series of robberies and living under the name of Captain O'Neill.'

A faint exclamation escaped Virginia. M. Lemoine darted a keen glance at her.

'I think I understand what agitates Madame. You will see in a minute. Now we of the Surete had our suspicions that this Captain O'Neill was none other than King Victor, but we could not obtain the necessary proof. There was also in Paris at the time a clever young actress, Angele Mory, of the Folies Bergeres. For some time we had suspected that she was a.s.sociated with the operations of King Victor. But again no proof was forthcoming.

'About that time, Paris was preparing for the visit of the young King Nicholas IV of Herzoslovakia. At the Surete we were given special instructions as to the course to be adopted to ensure the safety of His Majesty. In particular we were warned to superintend the activities of a certain Revolutionary organization which called itself the Comrades of the Red Hand. It is fairly certain now that the Comrades approached Angele Mory and offered her a huge sum if she would aid them in their plans. Her part was to infatuate the young King, and decoy him to some spot upon with them. Angele Mory accepted the bribe and promised to perform her part.

'But the young lady was cleverer and more ambitious than her employers suspected. She succeeded in captivating the King who fell desperately in love with her and loaded her with jewels. It was then that she conceived the idea of being - not a king's mistress, but a queen! As every one knows, she realized her ambition. She was introduced into Herzoslovakia as the Countess Varaga Popoleffsky, an offshoot of the Romanoffs, and became eventually Queen Varaga of Herzoslovakia. Not bad for a little Parisian actress! I have always heard that she played the part extremely well. But her triumph was not to be long-lived. The Comrades of the Red Hand, furious at her betrayal, twice attempted her life. Finally they worked up the country to such a pitch that a revolution broke out in which both the King and Queen perished. Their bodies, horribly mutilated and hardly recognizable, were recovered, attesting to the fury of the populace against the low-born foreign queen.

'Now, in all this, it seems certain that Queen Varaga still kept in with her confederate, King Victor. It is possible that the bold plan was his all along. What is known is that she continued to correspond with him in a secret code, from the Court of Herzoslovakia. For safety the letters were written in English, and signed with the name of an English lady then at the Emba.s.sy. If any inquiry had been made, and the lady in question had denied her signature, it is possible that she would not have been believed, for the letters were those of a guilty woman to her lover. It was your name she used, Mrs Revel.'

'I know,' said Virginia. Her colour was coming and going unevenly. 'So that is the truth of the letters! I have wondered and wondered.'

'What a blackguardly trick,' cried Bill indignantly.