RUNNING HIM DOWN.
“Now, Briny,” said Miss Stratton, having assured herself that there was
no possibility of her either being overseen or overheard, “we shall have
to be smart lest we startle our game too soon again. I think that with
all his attempts at disguise it will take him all his time to deceive
me. I wonder what he will think of me when he comes under the spell of
the fascinations I mean to exercise over him? H’m! Perhaps he is not
very susceptible, and won’t be fascinated. In that case, I mean to work
upon another tack. I only hope that I have studied the art of make-up
sufficiently to prevent me from committing a hopeless blunder. Madame
D’Alterre charged plenty for her instructions, and, so far, I am doing
credit to them.”
As Miss Stratton talked to her dog, she patted and caressed him, and
altogether treated him as if he could understand every word she said.
For his part, he made no noisy demonstrations of approval, but showed
his sympathy and appreciation in his own dignified way. Then he laid
himself beside the door and watched the transformation which his
mistress soon began to make in her appearance. Truth to say, the change
effected was sufficiently startling to deceive even the keenest
observer, and perhaps Briny himself would have been at fault if he had
not been already initiated into some of his owner’s curious habits.
In about an hour Miss Stratton was nowhere to be seen, and in her place
stood the young gentleman who has been introduced to the reader as Mr.
Bootle. Enjoining the dog to remain at his post, Mr. Bootle put the
light out, after placing some matches ready for use. Then he raised the
blind and looked out of the window. Greatly to his delight, it proved to
be a French window, opening into the garden, which was now dark and
deserted, but from which it was easy to emerge unobserved into a lane
which communicated with the main street. Before leaving the garden,
however, after closing the window, Mr. Bootle reconnoitred a little, for
he had an idea that Mrs. Dollman’s dining-room had a window which
overlooked this part of the premises. The supposition proved quite
correct, and what was equally important was the fact that the window was
not too closely blinded. As it did not present any points of observation
for the ordinary passer-by, particular care was not deemed necessary.
Regulating his movements with all possible care, Mr. Bootle contrived
to obtain a good view of the persons seated round the table, occupied in
partaking of supper. Sergt.-Major Twiley and his wife were there, and
there were two other gentlemen present. The sergeant-major was easy to
distinguish, and it took Mr. Bootle but a very short time to decide
which of the other two men was the one posing as Mr. Gregory Staines,
for one of them was a podgy, red-faced man, with clear, honest blue
eyes, that would certainly have been very much out of place on his
vis-à-vis’s face.
“There now, Mr. S., I have got a good look at you unobserved,” was the
inward comment of the unseen watcher. “I must now take measures for
keeping you under my notice without being suspected by you.”
Five minutes later our friend, cigarette in hand, was promenading
carelessly up and down the front street, and keeping a sharp look-out
upon Mrs. Dollman’s door. It was half-past nine when at last his vigil
was rewarded by the sight he hoped for. Mr. Gregory Staines was bent
upon either business or amusement, and was hurrying ahead of Mr. Bootle,
perfectly unsuspicious of the fact that he was being followed. Lina is
not a very large place, and it did not take long for either individual
to reach the goal aimed at.
Mr. Bootle, otherwise Annie Cory, felt a slight accession of
nervousness on entering the hotel to which Mr. Staines hurried as if he
were afraid of missing some of the fun going on inside. But, although
Annie found herself entering upon a totally new phase of life, she
sauntered through the vestibule, and into a large saloon behind Staines,
as if she were quite used to the habits of the society to which she was
now being introduced. Following the example of her unconscious guide,
she seated herself at a small table, and ordered a drink of brandy. Her
reason for ordering brandy was soon apparent. While keenly taking note
of all that transpired around her, she only feigned to drink, and after
a while, watching her opportunity, she deftly substituted an empty glass
for the one she was supposed to be using. In this way she fairly
accounted for her presence in the place without appearing to be an
unprofitable customer. Her next proceeding was to follow Mr. Staines
into a side-room, in the centre of which stood a table, round which were
seated some men playing at cards. The game was being watched by about a
score of onlookers, and it was easy to stand among them and elude
special observation. After about twenty minutes spent impatiently by Mr.
Staines, that gentleman found someone to play with him, and was
forthwith transformed into a happy man, for his adversary, though not an
inexperienced player, was too excitable to stand the smallest chance of
beating such a combination of skill, coolness, and knavery as now
confronted him. Mr. Staines, although his luck was almost miraculous,
seemed to have as yet aroused no suspicions of unfair play. Now and
again he lost a trifle, but Mr. Bootle concluded that these occasional
losses were deliberately effected solely for the purpose of preserving
the confidence and stimulating the gambling propensities of the people
whose money the unscrupulous fellow meant to win.
“I think I will drop it,” said Mr. Staines at last, putting his winnings
into his pocket. “Luck seems all my way to-night, and I don’t think it
fair to go on playing, for I have no wish to skin anybody out.”
But this show of consideration for others had precisely the effect
anticipated by the speaker. The majority of his hearers were English,
and they did not relish the imputation of unskilfulness thus adroitly
thrown upon them.
“No, sir,” said a tall, military-looking man, whose eyes were already
bright between the excitement of play and the worship of Bacchus. “It is
not good enough to excuse yourself in that way just when luck is on the
point of turning. I demand my revenge, and these gentlemen will all
agree that I am right, eh?”
There was an immediate chorus of approval from the onlookers to whom the
speaker appealed.
“Yes, yes; give him his revenge,” was the cry. “For my part,” added a
fast young subaltern, “I think it deuced mean to want to leave off at
such a critical time.”
“Nothing of the sort,” shouted a half-tipsy individual, whose outward
appearance gave very little indication of the nature of his profession
or pursuits. “I consider that Mr. Staines has behaved like a man, and if
anybody dares to say otherwise I’ll knock him down.”
The speaker looked big enough and brawny enough to imbue his hearers
with the belief that he was quite able to carry out his threat. His
utterances were therefore received with something like the respect they
merited by all but the fast young sub. already mentioned.
“The proof of the pudding is in the eating,” sneered he; “it will be
easy for your friend to prove his fairness by accepting Captain Gale’s
challenge to continue playing, and if it comes to knocking people down,
why, then, two can play at that game.”
The altercation, although a mere interchange of empty boasts, struck Mr.
Bootle as a very violent scene indeed, and it was a great relief when
Mr. Staines soothingly spoke to the antagonists, thanking one for his
straightforward championship, and assuring the other that he was ready
either to play or to go home, just as seemed best to those whose money
he had won.
“And,” he added, “if the gentleman who has challenged me for his
revenge doubts my fairness, I am ready to return him the money I have
won, and to forego the pleasure of a friendly game with him in future.”
“No, no,” was the immediate verdict. “The money was won in fair play,
and Captain Gale only wants his revenge.”
So, presently, the game was resumed with increased zest, and small bets
as to the results were indulged in, while glasses were emptied and
replenished with a beautiful disregard of the probable effects of their
contents upon the system. Mr. Bootle had made occasional feints of
drinking, but could not help being amused to see how easy it was to
substitute an empty glass for his own, without arousing the suspicions
of those who profited by the change. The babel of voices, the frequent
oaths, the tobacco-laden atmosphere, were all antagonistic to Mr.
Bootle’s ideas of comfort. But he, or rather she, would have braved much
greater inconveniences than these, rather than forego the slightest
chance of benefiting Harley.
So far, however, she had not made much progress. Her object was to
scrape a casual acquaintance with Mr. Staines, from which she hoped to
evolve events that would work in her favour. But the early morning hours
arrived before the opportunity she sought was hers. Gregory Staines
played steadily on--first with one player, and then with another; first
losing, then winning a game, with apparently commendable impartiality.
Perhaps he did not keep careful note of the money that changed hands
with startling frequency. But there was no lack of keen observers
present, who, perhaps stimulated by the insinuations of the antagonistic
sub., noted the fact that Gregory Staines’ winning games had almost
invariably a greater amount at stake than the games at which he was the
loser.
The latter, slightly carried away by his success, was losing his
habitual caution, and was inclined to play as long as he could find
anyone to play with him. Nor did he observe the angry scowls with which
his triumphs were now being greeted by two or three of the men whom he
had despoiled of their pocket money, until a warning hand was laid for a
moment on his shoulder, and a voice whispered in his ear:--“Take care;
you have enemies in the room.”
Glancing swiftly round, he saw a slightly-built young fellow of medium
height looking at him meaningly. His own glance betrayed some
nervousness, for he never lost sight of the possibility of being tracked
by the friends of Harley Riddell. But he was speedily reassured on that
score, and looked upon this young stranger as a new arrival, who might,
possibly, prove profitable to him.
“Enemies?” he inquired, in the same low tone used by the stranger. “What
reason have you for supposing that I have enemies, either here or
elsewhere?”
“Success always provokes enmity. You have been extraordinarily
successful to-night. Losers generally imagine their losses due to
anything but bad play, and I just now accidentally overheard something
that is of importance to you.”
“Another moment. Wait for me outside, if I am not asking too great a
favour. I will follow you presently. Then we can discuss this matter
more fully.”
Annie was only too thankful to escape from the rank atmosphere, in
which she felt almost choked, although she successfully managed to hide
her discomfort from others. She was soon pacing about the front of the
hotel, which was a frequent resort of Englishmen, and conducted very
much upon the lines of an English institution of like status.
“Good heavens!” she muttered, “what am I made of that I can look at this
man, and speak to him, without denouncing him to his face, and tearing
from him the pitiful mask of respectability he still makes a show of
wearing? Had I dreamt of all this a year ago, I could not have believed
myself strong enough to show self-control like this. Ah! here he comes.
I hope it will be easy to cultivate just the necessary amount of
acquaintanceship with him. It will make my task easier, perhaps.”
Shortly after this, Gregory Staines joined the individual who sauntered
in the same direction, which chanced to be homewards for both of them,
although the former little dreamed how closely his fate was linked with
that of his companion. An earnest conversation now ensued, during which
Mr. Staines was persuaded that certain words had been exchanged in the
cardroom of the hotel, which promised anything but safety to him, in the
event of his being caught out alone.
“And why should you interest yourself particularly in me?” he queried
suspiciously, and received for answer, “Thereby hangs a tale, my dear
sir. I have an idea that you are, like myself, not too squeamish about
trifles. Pray excuse me if I am mistaken. Perhaps I am not such a good
judge of character as I fancy myself.”
“That remains to be seen, Mr. Stranger. Anyhow, I’ll see you at the same
place to-morrow night again.”
“Well, don’t forget to be careful. Those scoundrels may have lost some
of their animosity by to-morrow. Still, I have had an awkward scrape or
two myself, and have no patience with thin-skinned fools, who have no
business to play unless they can notch a point or two.”
“But that wouldn’t suit us.”
“Perhaps not. Still, a certain gudgeon who is putting up at Gibraltar
just now would be just in our line. I’ll tell you all about him
to-morrow. How far do you go in this direction?”
They were just opposite Mrs. Dollman’s establishment as he spoke. But
Mr. Bootle did not wish to appear too familiar with the ways of Mr.
Staines at present. So he duly expressed his surprise on hearing that
Mr. Staines was already at home. Then he bade him good-bye for the
nonce, went round to the garden, and soon reached the room allotted to
Miss Una Stratton, where he received a warm, but silent welcome from
Briny, who had kept faithful vigil.