THE PERIL SPEAKS
The two conspirators exchanged uneasy glances. The king seemed to have
dropped off again into a heavy sleep, for his chest was rising steadily.
Evidently the powerful drug had done its work. Maxgregor had opened the
second phial, and had already begun to drop the spots at intervals on
the sleeping man's lips.
"There must be something wrong," the queen said anxiously. "I am sure
Miss Galloway is quite to be relied upon. She knew that she had to wait.
They--why does she not come?"
"Watched, probably," Maxgregor said between his teeth. "There are many
spies about. This delay may cause serious trouble, but you must not
return back by yourself.... Try again."
Once more the signal was tried, and after the lapse of an anxious moment
a knock came at the door. The queen crossed rapidly and opened it.
Jessie stood there a little flushed and out of breath.
"I could not come before," she explained. "A man found me by the
fountain. I can hardly tell you why, but I am quite sure that he is your
enemy. If you knew Prince Boris Mazaroff----"
"You did wisely," the queen said. "I know Mazaroff quite well, and
certainly he is no friend of mine or of my adopted country. You did not
let him see you come?"
"No; I had to wait till there was a chance to get rid of him, madame. A
friend came to my assistance, and Lord Merehaven was impressed into the
service. Mazaroff will not trouble us for some little time; he will not
be free before you regain the salon. And this gentleman----"
"Will have to stay here. He has to look after the king. Lock the door,
Paul."
Maxgregor locked the door behind the queen and Jessie. They made their
way quickly into the garden again without being seen. It was well that
no time was lost, for the concert in the salon was just over, and the
guests were beginning to troop out into the open air. The night was so
calm and warm that it was possible to sit outside. Already a small army
of footmen were coming with refreshments. The queen slipped away and
joined a small party of the diplomatic circle, but the warm pressure of
her hand and the radiancy of her smile testified to her appreciation of
Jessie's services.
The girl was feeling uneasy and nervous now. She was wondering what was
going to happen next. She slipped away from the rest and sauntered down
a side path that led to a garden grove. Her head was in a maze of
confusion. She had practically eaten nothing all day; she was feeling
the want of food now. She sat down on a rustic seat and laid her aching
head back.
Presently two men passed her, one old and grey and distinguished-looking,
whom she had no difficulty in recognizing as Lord Merehaven. Nor was
Jessie in the least surprised to see that his companion was Prince
Mazaroff. The two men were talking earnestly together.
"I assure you, my lord, I am speaking no more than the truth," Mazaroff
said eagerly. "The secret treaty between Russia and Asturia over those
passes is ready for signature. It was handed to King Erno only to-day,
and he promised to read it and return it signed in the morning."
"Provided that he is in a position to sign," Lord Merehaven said drily.
"Just so, my lord. Under that treaty Russia gets the Southern passes.
Once that is a fact, the fate of Asturia is sealed. You can see that, of
course?"
"Yes, I can see that, Prince. It is a question of absorbing Asturia. I
would give a great deal for a few words now with the King of Asturia."
"I dare say," Mazaroff muttered. "So would I for that matter. But nobody
knows where he is. He has a knack of mysteriously disappearing when on
one of his orgies. The last time he was discovered in Paris in a
drinking den, herding with some of the worst characters in Europe. At
the present moment his suite are looking for him everywhere. You see, he
has that treaty in his pocket----"
Lord Merehaven turned in his stride and muttered that he must see to
something immediately. Mazaroff refrained from following, saying that he
would smoke a cigarette in the seclusion of the garden. The light from a
lantern fell on the face of the Russian, and Jessie could plainly see
the evil triumph there.
"The seed has fallen on fruitful ground," Mazaroff laughed. "That
pompous old ass will---- Igon! What is it?"
Another figure appeared out of the gloom and stood before Mazaroff. The
new-comer might have been an actor from his shaven face and alert air.
He was in evening dress, and wore a collar of some order.
"I followed you," the man addressed as Igon said. "What am I looking so
annoyed about? Well, you will look quite as much annoyed, my friend,
when you hear the news. We've lost the king."
Something like an oath rose to Mazaroff's lips. He glanced angrily at
his companion.
"The thing is impossible," he said. "Why, I saw the king myself at four
o'clock this afternoon in a state of hopeless intoxication. It was I who
lured him from his hotel with the story of some wonderful dancing he was
going to see, with a prospect of some gambling to follow. I spoke in
glowing terms of the marvellous excellency of the champagne. I said he
would have to be careful, as the police have their eyes on the place.
Disguised as a waiter the king left his hotel and joined me. I saw him
helplessly drunk, and I came away with instructions that the king was to
be carefully watched, and that he was not to be allowed to leave. Don't
stand there and tell me that my carefully planned coup of so many weeks
has failed."
"I do tell you that, and the sooner you realize it the better," the
other man said. "We put the king to bed and locked the door on the
outside. Just before dusk the police raided the place----"
"By what right? It is a private house. Nothing has ever taken place
there that the police object to. Of course, it was quite a fairy tale
that I pitched to the King of Asturia."
"Well, there it is!" the other said gloomily. "The police raided the
place. Possibly somebody put them up to it. That Maxgregor is a devil of
a fellow who finds out everything. They found nothing, and went off
professing to be satisfied. And when I unlocked the door to see that we
hadn't gone too far with the king, he had vanished. I only found them
out a little time ago, and I came to you at once. Not being an invited
guest, I did not run the risk of coming to the house, but I got over the
garden wall from the stables beyond, and here I am. It's no use blaming
me, Mazaroff; I could not have helped it--nobody could have helped it."
Mazaroff paced up and down the gravel walk anxiously. His gloomy brows
were knitted into a frown. A little while later and his face cleared
again.
"I begin to see my way," he said. "We have people here to deal with
cleverer than I anticipated. There is no time to be lost, Igon. Come
this way."
The two rascals disappeared, leaving Jessie more mystified than ever.
Then she rose to her feet in her turn and made her way towards the
house. At any rate, she had made a discovery worth knowing. It seemed to
be her duty to tell the queen what she had discovered. But the queen
seemed to have vanished, for Jessie could not find her in the grounds of
the house. As she came out of the hall she saw Ronald Hope, who appeared
to be looking for somebody.
"I wanted you," he said in an undertone. "An explanation is due to me.
You were going to tell me everything. I have never come across a more
maddening mystery than this, Jessie."
"Don't even whisper my name," the girl said. "I will tell you everything
presently. Meanwhile, I shall be very glad if you will tell me where I
can find the Queen of Asturia."
"She has gone," was the unexpected reply. "She was talking to Lady
Merehaven when a messenger came with a big letter. The queen glanced at
it and ordered her carriage at once. She went quite suddenly. I hope
there is nothing wrong, but from the expression of your face----"
"I hope my face is not as eloquent as all that," Jessie said. "What I
have to say to the queen will keep, or the girl I am impersonating can
carry the information. Let us go out into the garden, where we can talk
freely. I am doing a bold thing, Ronald, and---- What is it?"
A footman was handing a letter for Jessie on a tray. The letter was
addressed to Miss Galloway, and just for an instant Jessie hesitated.
The letter might be quite private.
"Delivered by the young person from Bond Street, miss," the footman
said. "The young person informed me that she hoped to come back with all
that you required in an hour, miss. Meanwhile she seemed to be anxious
for you to get this letter."
"What a complication it all is," Jessie said as she tore open the
envelope and read the contents under the big electrics in the hall.
"This is another mystery, Ronald. Read it."
Ronald Hope leaned over Jessie's shoulder and read as follows:--
"At all hazards go up to the bedroom where the king is, and warn the
general he is watched. Implore him for Heaven's sake and his own to
_pull down the blind_!"