Ive just had a wire from Rudolph, she said. Hes leaving Copenhagen to-night and will be back to-morrow night. Id no idea that he had been over in Denmark. But there! he is such a bird of passage that one never knows where he may be to-morrow. And she laughed.
Later we all four sat down to dinner, a decorous meal, well-cooked and well-served. But the character of the household was shown by the fact that none of the servants discreetly chosen, of course, and in themselves members of the criminal organization betrayed the least surprise that I, who acted as chauffeur, should be admitted to that curious family circle.
Rayne returned next night, tired and travel-worn, and I met him at Thirsk station.
We go up to Edinburgh to-morrow. I shall want you to drive me, he said as he sat at my side in the Rolls. Lola will go also.
His last words delighted me, and next day at noon we all three set forth on our journey north. It rained all day and the run was the reverse of pleasant, nevertheless, we arrived at the Caledonian Hotel quite safely, and were soon installed in one of the cosy private suites.
Father and daughter breakfasted in their sitting-room, while I had my meal alone in the coffee-room.
When later I went up for orders Rayne dismissed me abruptly, saying that he would not require me till after lunch.
Half an hour afterwards, while idling along Princes Street, I came across Lola, who was looking in one of the shop windows.
Father has sent me out as he wants to talk business with Mr. Hugh Martyn, a rich American we met at the Grand, in Rome, last year. Father has come up here specially to meet him.
What fresh crooked business could there be in progress? That Rayne had paid flying visits to Copenhagen and Edinburgh in such a short space of time was in itself highly suspicious.
After luncheon, on entering Raynes sitting-room, I found him busily fashioning from a sheet of thin cardboard a small square box which he was fitting over a large glass paper-weight, a cube about four inches square which was wrapped in tissue-paper, the corner of which happened to be torn and so revealed the glass.
Im sending this away as a present, he explained. I bought it over in Princes Street this morning. And he continued with his scissors to make the box to fit it. I shall not want you any more to-day Hargreave, he went on. Well get back home to-morrow, starting at ten.
And, as was his habit, he dismissed me abruptly.
Four days later I was summoned to the library, where in breeches and gaiters he was standing astride upon the hearthrug.
Look here, Hargreave, he said, I want you to take the next train up to London and carry that little leather bag with you, and he indicated a small bag standing upon the writing-table. On arrival go at once down to Maldon and call at half-past nine oclock to-morrow night at that house to which you took old Mr. Tarrant. You recollect it The Limes, on the Witham road. Morley will be expecting you.
Very well, I replied. Is there any message?
None. Just deliver it to him. But to nobody else, remember, he ordered.
So according to his instructions I duly arrived at the remote house at the hour arranged, and delivered the bag to the old man, who welcomed me and gave me a whisky-and-soda, which I found very acceptable after my long tramp from Maldon station. Tarrant was not alone, for I distinctly heard a mans voice calling him just before he opened the door to me.
Recollecting that the old fellow had been in gaol, I was full of curiosity as to what was intended. I certainly never believed it to be so highly ingenious and dastardly as it eventually proved to be.
About a month passed uneventfully, save that I spent many delightful hours in Lolas company. Her father had purchased another two-seater car a sports model Vauxhall and on several occasions I took him for runs in it about Yorkshire. Naturally he knew little about cars himself, but relied upon my knowledge and judgment. In addition to the Rolls and the Vauxhall I also had an Indian motor-cycle for my own personal use, and found it very useful in going on certain rapid missions to York and elsewhere. But the abandonment of the A.C. which had, by the way, been regarded as a mystery by the Press hurt me considerably.
Duperré had been absent from Overstow ever since the day we had left for Edinburgh, but as the bright autumn days passed I found myself more and more in love with the dainty girl whose father was a master-criminal.
Nevertheless, I felt that Duperrés wife kept eager watch upon both of us. Perhaps she feared that I might tell Lola some of my adventures. As for Rayne, he was often out shooting over neighboring estates, for he was a good shot and highly popular in the neighborhood, while at Overstow itself there was some excellent sport to which now and then he would invite his local friends.
Rayne possessed a marvelous personality. When at home he was the typical country gentleman, a good judge of a horse and in his pink a straight rider to hounds. None who met him would have ever dreamed that he was the shrewd, crafty cosmopolitan whose evil machinations and devilish ingenuity made themselves felt in all the capitals of Europe, and whose word was law to certain dangerous characters who would not hesitate to take human life if it were really necessary to evade arrest.
His outstanding cleverness, however, was that he never revealed his own identity to those who actually carried out his devilish schemes. The circle of cosmopolitan malefactors who were his cats-paws only knew Monsieur and Madame Duperré under other names but of Rudolph Raynes very existence they were nearly all ignorant. Money was, I learnt, freely paid for various jobs by agents engaged by the man I had once known as Captain Deinhard, or else by certain receivers of stolen goods in London and on the Continent, who were forewarned that jewels, bonds or stolen bank-notes would reach them in secret, and that payment must be made and no questions asked.
Late one evening Duperré returned unexpectedly in a hired car from Thirsk. We had finished dinner, and I chanced to be with Rayne in the library, yet longing to get to the old-fashioned drawing-room with its sweet odor of potpourri, where Lola was, I knew, sitting immersed in the latest novel.
Hallo, Vincent! Why, I thought you were still in Aix-les-Bains! cried Rayne, much surprised, and yet a trifle excited, which was quite unusual for him.
Theres a nasty little hitch! replied the other, still in his heavy traveling coat. Then, turning to me, he said: Hargreave, old chap, will you leave for a moment or two? I want to speak to Rudolph.
Of course, I said. I was by that time used to those confidential conversations, and I walked along the corridor and joined Lola.
Im very troubled, Mr. Hargreave, the girl suddenly exclaimed in a low, timid voice after we had been chatting a short time. I overheard father whispering something to Madame Duperré to-day.
Whispering something! I echoed. What was that?
Something about Mr. Martyn, that American gentleman he met in Edinburgh, she replied. Father was chuckling to himself, saying that he had taken good precautions to prevent him proving an alibi. Father seemed filled with the fiercest anger against him. Im sure hes an awfully nice man, though we hardly know him. What can it mean?
An alibi? I reflected. I replied that it was as mysterious to me as to her. Like herself I lived in a clouded atmosphere of rapidly changing circumstances, mysterious plots and unknown evil deeds truly a world of fear and bewilderment.