"Colin, Colin dear! It's all over. You're safe up here with us."
He opened his eyes, to find his head resting upon Nancy's shoulder,
and the dripping figure of Joe just emerging through the trap. For a
moment he made no attempt to move, then, as the truth of the
statement became increasingly clear to him, a contented sigh escaped
his lips.
Nancy drew him still closer, her soft cheek pressing against his.
"Are you much hurt?" she whispered.
Though feeling curiously disinclined for conversation, Colin managed
to find his voice.
"I don't think so," he said weakly. "What I really want is a good
stiff drink."
Joe, who had stepped out on the floor, and picked up the candle,
glanced hastily round the room, then with a sudden exclamation he
darted across toward a shelf by the bed.
"'Ere we are!" he cried triumphantly. "'Ere's the very thing!"
He wrenched out the cork from a half-empty bottle of rum, and
hurrying back to where Colin was lying, dropped down on one knee
alongside of him.
"'Ave a go at this, doctor," he urged. "Nothing like rum to warm yer
up when you're wet through."
He tilted forward the bottle, and, putting his lips to the neck,
Colin gulped in a generous mouthful. The raw spirit sent a
comforting glow all through his chilled and exhausted body, and with
a fresh effort he struggled up into a sitting position.
"Thank you both," he gasped, with the ghost of a smile. "Sorry not
to have said it before, but I'm only just beginning to get my
bearings." He stared a little dizzily from one to the other of them.
"Where are 'Spike' Cooper and his friends, and how in the name of all
that's wonderful did you manage to find your way here?"
"It was Joe," said Nancy. "He had been watching this house for the
last two days, and he had seen them go in and out. When you didn't
come back he felt sure you must have been trapped."
"So we just come along to see wot was 'appening," continued Joe,
removing his mouth from the bottle. "And bleedin' lucky we did, too,
judgin' by the way things was shapin'."
Colin passed his hand over his forehead. "But how did you get in?"
he asked. "What have you done with the others?"
"There wasn't no others," explained Joe. "Only a bitin', scratchin'
she-devil." He got up suddenly, and, tiptoeing lightly to the door,
peered out into the passage. "Yus," he added, "she's still there,
blarst 'er."
"It's the old woman who opened the door," explained Nancy. "Joe tied
her up and gagged her so that she shouldn't be able to interfere.
There doesn't seem to be any one else in the house."
"Then the quicker we get out of this the better," exclaimed Colin.
"They've probably only gone round to the nearest pub, and now the
cellar's flooded they may be back any minute."
"It's all right," said Nancy. "I've got Mark's pistol with me."
"You would have," returned Colin admiringly. "All the same, it would
be madness not to make a bolt for it while we've got the chance. We
shall have plenty of time to talk when we're safe outside." He
extended an arm to each of them, and with their joint assistance
scrambled painfully to his feet. "You'll have to help me along at
first," he added; "my legs are so cramped I can hardly move a step."
"I was afraid they'd killed you," said Nancy, with a queer little
gulp. "There was blood all along the passage."
"Oh, that wasn't mine," returned Colin reassuringly. "That belonged
to one of the other gentlemen whom I happened to kick in the face."
"We may as well taike this with us," observed Joe, stuffing the
remainder of the rum into his pocket. "Nah, doctor, you 'ang on
tight to me, an' don't you worry yerself abaht nothin'. We ain't
bein' stopped this journey, not if we runs into the 'ole stinkin'
pack of 'em."
He slipped an arm like a steel cable round Colin's waist, and,
preceded by Nancy carrying the candle, they staggered out into the
corridor.
"Don't you mind treadin' on 'er," continued Joe, as they approached
the squirming figure on the floor. "She's one o' them wild cats that
it don't pay to be perlite with."
Colin himself was in no mood for superfluous courtesy, but a timely
swerve enabled him to avoid the opposite extreme, and the next minute
they had hobbled down the steps, and were standing on the pavement.
Blowing out the candle, and placing it on the ground, Nancy closed
the door behind them.
Joe held out his free hand toward her. "Better let me 'ave the gun,
miss," he remarked. "We might meet 'em before we gets to Flood Lane,
and, seein' as they means mischief, the only thing to do is to shoot
quick."
Nancy handed it over without a word, and, crossing to the railings,
took up her position on the farther side of Colin. The latter put
his other arm round her shoulder, and in this somewhat huddled
formation the three of them started off at a slow pace along the
front of the warehouse.
It was a painful journey as far as Colin was concerned, for with
every step he took the blood began to circulate more freely through
his numbed limbs, causing him such intense agony that at times he
could hardly suppress a groan.
In order to take his mind off his sufferings he began to tell them
his story, jerking it out in broken and disconnected phrases as they
limped their way slowly forward through the darkness. He described
how he had been stunned in the passage by a blow from a sandbag, and
how, on coming round, he had recognized "Spike" Cooper and the man
who had led the attack on Marsden in the King's Road. He went on to
give them an account of the way in which he had been thrust down into
the cellar and left there to drown, and of how, after what seemed
like hours of vain struggling, he had at last succeeded in getting on
his feet, just before the water began to pour in through the opening.
"I don't know why I took the trouble," he finished, "except that one
doesn't like to go under without a last kick. I never dreamed that
there was the faintest chance of my being rescued. When I heard you
opening the trap I made certain that it was only Cooper and the
others come back to watch me drown."
As he spoke they reached the entrance to Flood Lane, and with a grunt
of relief Joe slipped the revolver into his pocket.
"Better not be seen carryin' a gun 'ere," he observed. "There might
be a cop at the corner, and I reckon we want to get you back 'ome as
soon as possible."
"You needn't worry about me," said Colin encouragingly. "This little
stroll has just saved my life."
He was, as a matter of fact, already beginning to walk more easily,
and by the time they came out at the top of the lane into the main
road he found himself able to dispense with Nancy's assistance.
Even so, with two of the party drenched to the skin, they certainly
presented an unusual spectacle. It takes something extremely
out-of-the-way, however, to excite much comment in Shadwell High
Street, and, except for one or two curious glances which were cast at
them as they passed under the street lamps, they managed to reach the
surgery without attracting any particular attention.
"I expect I can find you a change, Joe," said Colin, as Nancy pulled
out her key. "Doctor Ashton has lots of old clothes kicking about,
and I'm sure he won't mind my pinching a suit for you."
Joe shook his head. "It's very good of you, guv'nor, but I won't
come in, not if ye don't mind. I gotter be at the Palace by eight
o'clock, an' I can get me duds dried there while the boxin's on.
They won't be none the worse for a bit o' washin'."
"Oh, but you must, Joe," exclaimed Nancy, in some distress. "You
can't go about in those wet things. You'll catch your death of cold."
Joe chuckled hoarsely, and patted the bottle in his side pocket.
"Not me, miss," he replied. "I ain't the sort as ketches cold, not
when I got 'alf a bottle o' rum on me." He turned to Colin. "You
ain't sittin' dahn under this, doctor?" he added. "You let me know
when ye feels up to it, and I'll be round 'ere in a brace o' shakes.
We'll smash the guts outer them two for this night's work, or my name
ain't Joe Bates."
"I'll fix up something of the sort if I can," said Colin hopefully.
"I've got a notion, however, that it's rather a bigger business than
it looks, so you mustn't be disappointed if we have to bring the
police in."
"Jest as you thinks best, guv'nor," was the regretful answer. "I
know yer wouldn't spoil a bit o' sport, not if you 'adn't got some
good reason for doin' it."
He raised his hand in a parting salute, and, before either of them
could say another word, turned swiftly round and slipped out through
the iron gate.
"I hope he'll be all right," said Nancy. "He's terribly wet, poor
man, and that wretched woman bit his thumb right down to the bone."
"That won't worry Joe," replied Colin reassuringly. "It takes a
motor bus to knock him out."
He shivered slightly as he spoke, and with a hurried movement Nancy
turned the key and pushed open the door.
"Now, Colin," she said, "you're under my orders. The first thing
you've got to do is to come straight up and have a hot bath. Then
you must get into bed at once, and I'll bring you something to eat."
"Make it bread and milk," said Colin pleadingly. "I've got such a
confounded headache I couldn't face anything more exciting than that."
Taking his arm, Nancy helped him up the staircase to his bedroom,
where she lighted the fire and left him to undress. Then, after
turning on the bath, and putting everything in readiness, she
hastened downstairs to the kitchen.
Martha Jane, bursting with curiosity, greeted her in the doorway.
"I seed you takin' 'im upstairs, miss. However did 'e come to fall
in the river?"
"He didn't," said Nancy. "He has been nearly murdered down in one of
those old houses by the warehouse. They tied him up in a cellar
where the water came in, and left him to drown."
Martha Jane threw up her hands. "Well, I never!" she exclaimed.
"And 'im such a pleasant-spoken gentleman, too." She paused to
recover her breath. "Who do you reckon done it, miss? Some o' them
Bolsheviks?"
"Joe knows who they are," replied Nancy, "and I've no doubt the
police will be able to get hold of them. Meanwhile, what we've got
to do is to make Doctor Gray some nice hot bread and milk. He's
having a bath now, and I'll take it up to him as soon as he's in
bed." She glanced at the kitchen clock and a sudden resolve came
into her mind. "I think I'd better stay here myself, Martha," she
added. "I can easily sleep in Mrs. Ashton's room, and then I shall
be able to answer the telephone if there are any night calls."
"I shall be thankful to 'ave yer, miss," was the relieved answer.
"You never know what may 'appen, and if the doctor was to die in 'is
bed I should be that scared I shouldn't know which way to turn."
"Oh, there's no fear of that," replied Nancy, smiling. "You go along
and cut up some bread while I put the milk on."
A quarter of an hour later, carrying a daintily laid tray, she
mounted the staircase and tapped at Colin's door.
"Come in," he called out, and, entering the room, she found him
sitting up in bed and smoking a cigarette.
"Oh, I'm pretty well all right now, except for my head," he replied
cheerfully in answer to her inquiry. "Lucky for me it's a good thick
one, or I believe that chap would have fractured my skull."
"I'm not going to let you talk," said Nancy severely. "You've got to
eat this and go right off to sleep. I've arranged to stay here
to-night so that you won't have to bother about the 'phone."
"I promise I'll be good," said Colin obediently, "but there are two
things I want to speak to you about, and they'll neither of them take
long."
Nancy glanced at her watch. "I will stop five minutes," she said,
"just while you finish your bread and milk."
She sat down on the edge of the bed and helped herself to a cigarette
from the case which he held out to her.
"In the first place, I've got to apologize for being an idiot," he
began. "If I'd had the sense to listen to your warning I shouldn't
have given you and Joe all this confounded trouble." He dipped his
spoon into the basin and looked at her thoughtfully. "Well," he
added, after a pause, "what do you think of our friend Major Fenton
now?"
"I think he ought to be shut up in an asylum," said Nancy. "Any one
who tries to commit a murder for such a ridiculous reason as me must
be as mad as a hatter."
Colin shook his head. "Fenton isn't mad," he said quietly. "He's
just an ordinary blackguard, and rather a clumsy one at that."
Nancy stared at him in bewilderment. "Then why----" she demanded.
"I don't know if you've ever read Boswell," continued Colin, "but
Doctor Johnson says that it sharpens a man's wits wonderfully if he's
just on the point of being hanged. You can take my word for it that
the same thing's true about being drowned. I did a lot of thinking
while I was down in that cellar, and I've come to the conclusion that
we're up against something much bigger and more complicated than
we've got any idea of."
Nancy sat motionless, her blue eyes fixed steadily on his.
"I don't quite understand," she said slowly, "but I somehow feel that
you're right."
"I won't try to explain now," replied Colin. "My head's aching too
badly for one thing, and in any case I am going to turn the whole
business over to Marsden to-morrow, and I would rather wait until I
hear what he's got to say about it." He paused. "Besides," he
added, "I have only another three minutes, and there's something much
more important I want to discuss."
"What's that?" inquired Nancy.
"Come a little closer," said Colin. "It's confidential."
Nancy moved forward obediently, and with a sudden movement Colin
pushed aside the tray and took hold of her two hands.
"It's just this," he whispered. "I love you so much that I don't
know whether I'm sitting in bed or whether I've died and gone to
heaven."
Nancy looked up into his face, a faint smile quivering round the
corners of her lips.
"I think you must be in bed, Colin. They don't wear pyjamas in
heaven."
He leaned toward her. "Say you care for me, Nancy, even if it isn't
true."
She shook her head. "I told you I was no good at pretending. I have
loved you shamelessly ever since that first day in the King's Road."
With a deep, contented laugh Colin drew up her hands until they
rested on his shoulders. "So have I," he confessed, "but I only
realized it while I was waiting to be drowned. I think I must be the
biggest fool in England, but I'm certainly the happiest."
He kissed her lips with a passionate tenderness, and then, slipping
his arms round her, held her close to him, his face resting against
hers.
For a moment or two they remained quite still, then very gently Nancy
raised her head.
"I don't know much about concussion, Colin," she said, "but I'm quite
sure that this isn't the right treatment for it."
"I haven't got concussion," returned Colin. "What I'm suffering from
is an acute form of heart trouble."
Nancy stroked his cheek with her small, cool fingers.
"My poor darling," she whispered. "I will do everything I can for
you to-morrow--I promise you that--but I _must_ run away now and let
you go to sleep. I don't want you to be seriously ill, Colin,
especially when you've just found out that you love me."
"Perhaps you're right," admitted Colin reluctantly. "The worst of it
is we shall have precious little time to ourselves until Mark comes
home, and after that I shall have to dash up to Scotland Yard."
Nancy tucked in the bedclothes, and then, bending over, dropped a
soft little kiss on his forehead.
"Never mind," she said happily. "There'll be lots of days after
to-morrow."
She walked to the doorway, and for a moment stood there, looking back
at him with a world of love and tenderness in her eyes. Then very
softly she stepped out into the passage and closed the door behind
her.
* * * * * * * * *
When Colin woke next morning it was with a vague feeling that
something extraordinarily pleasant had happened to him. For several
seconds he lay still, wondering what it could be; then, as the truth
suddenly occurred to him, he started up from the pillow and opened
his eyes. Two agreeable discoveries awaited him. His headache had
gone, and Nancy, fully dressed and holding a cup of tea in her hand,
was standing beside the bed.
"I was just going to take it away again," she said, smiling. "You
looked so beautifully comfy I hadn't the heart to wake you."
Colin reached out an arm and imprisoned her left hand.
"Tell me quick, Nancy," he said. "It _is_ true about last night,
isn't it? I'm terribly afraid that perhaps I fell asleep and dreamed
it all."
She shook her head. "No, Colin," she said. "It's quite true. You
sat up in bed and made love to me in the most passionate manner. I
don't know whether you really meant it or whether it was because you
had had a blow on the head."
Colin leaned forward, and, taking the cup out of her hand, deposited
it carefully on the table beside him. Then he drew her gently down
on to the bed, and, putting his arms around her, pressed his lips to
hers.
"I think you must be better," said Nancy, as soon as she was at
liberty to speak.
"I'm not only better," declared Colin. "I'm perfectly well. I
believe an occasional smack from a sandbag would do me all the good
in the world."
Nancy parted his thick curly hair, and very carefully examined the
back of his head.
"You've got a nasty lump there still," she said. "Hadn't you better
stop in bed until Mark comes?"
"Good Lord, no!" returned Colin. "I'm going to get up and do my job.
There'll be all last night's patients to see as well as to-day's, and
I don't want to land Mark with a double dose of work."
"Well, if you really mean it," said Nancy. "I must go downstairs and
get things ready. I haven't even opened the letters yet."
"Just one more kiss first," pleaded Colin.
"Only one, then," said Nancy firmly, "and that must be the last until
this afternoon. If you don't treat me with proper respect while I'm
your secretary I shall report you to the Medical Council."
For a man who during the last twenty-four hours had looked straight
into the face of death, and had also discovered that he was deeply in
love, it must be admitted that Colin got through the morning's task
with considerable credit. It was no light session either, for, in
addition to his ordinary round of visits, he was faced, as he had
predicted, by an exceptionally heavy list of callers, several of whom
were still indignant over their fruitless vigil on the previous
evening. An occasional glimpse of Nancy, however, as she gravely
entered the surgery with some necessary reference or address, was
sufficient to refresh his energies, and by one-thirty his somewhat
exhausting programme was practically complete.
He was, indeed, in the very act of dismissing his last patient when a
taxicab drove up to the door, and the sturdy, untidy figure of Mark
bundled out on to the pavement. Nancy must have seen him, too, from
the study window, for as the front door opened Colin heard her voice
in the hall, and the next moment the pair of them entered the surgery.
Mark thrust out his hand and wrung Colin's heartily.
"I needn't ask how everything is," remarked the latter. "You look
too damn cheerful for anything but good news."
"That's right," returned Mark, tossing his hat on to a chair. "The
operation went off like clockwork, and I left the old lady sitting up
in bed having a cup of tea with Mary. She'll be as fit as a fiddle
in another fortnight." He stepped forward to the table and glanced
casually down at the consulting book. "By Jove, you've had some
patients," he exclaimed. "I hope you haven't been bored stiff."
Nancy's lips twitched, and, as though moved by a similar impulse,
Colin suddenly burst into a chuckle of laughter.
"No," he replied drily, "I can't exactly say I've been bored."
Mark looked questioningly from one to the other of them. "What's the
joke?" he demanded.
As he spoke Martha Jane appeared in the doorway. "Lunch is ready,"
she announced, "if you'd like me to bring it up."
Colin slipped his arm through Mark's. "You shall hear all about it
when we've had something to eat," he answered. "I've been healing
the sick ever since half-past nine, and I'm beginning to faint for
want of nourishment."
"I'll go along to the cellar and get out a bottle of fizz," suggested
Mark. "I think you and Nancy are both entitled to a drink."
Once more Colin laughed appreciatively. "Yes," he said, "under the
circumstances I suppose we are."
* * * * * * * * *
"And now," observed Mark, as he pushed his coffee cup away half an
hour later, "I'd like to know what you two sunny-hearted infants were
giggling at when I made that innocent remark in the surgery."