THE QUEST OF THE PAPERS
"I suppose I shall be able to take it all in presently," Maxwell said
feebly. "Vera is a patient here, and the countess has come to see her.
But would you mind explaining to me why Vera is here, what has happened
to her, and what that fiend of a woman desires to know?"
"It was a case of cruel misfortune," Jessie said. "Miss Galloway was
knocked down by a passing cab in Piccadilly and brought here. She was
not so badly hurt, because she had the sense to call herself by my name.
Besides, Dr. Varney saw her here. And Dr. Varney discovered my secret,
so that I was obliged to confide in him. Now do you see?"
"I can't see where the Countess Saens comes in," Maxwell murmured.
"You are not very wise or long sighted for a diplomatist," Jessie said
with a faint smile. "Don't you see that the countess's maid's suspicions
fell on fruitful soil? When she left Merehaven House for her own, she
discovered the full significance of her loss. Then she began to put
things together. She had an idea that a trick had been played upon her.
She had the police in----"
"Yes, but how did she discover that anybody answering to Vera's
description was _here_?"
"Easily enough. Her maid gave the description of the thief. Then the
police began to make inquiries. They discover that a girl in black
answering to the maid's description has been brought here after an
accident. They tell the countess as much. The police don't worry about
the matter for the present, because their bird is quite safe. But that
is not good enough for the countess. She comes here to make sure for
herself; she suspects the trick."
"I confess that you are too clever for me," Maxwell sighed. "And yet
everything you say is absolutely clear and convincing. I am afraid that
there is still further trouble looming ahead. How did you get to know
what had happened?"
"Miss Galloway sent me a message by a district boy. The idea was that I
was to try and see her without delay, and go on playing my part until we
could resume our respective personalities. Without some further coaching
such a thing was impossible. I took Dr. Varney into my confidence, and
he gave me a permit to see Vera Galloway to-night. I am here at
considerable risk, as you understand, though I have prepared for my
return to Merehaven House. Ah, she has failed."
The countess was standing up and gesticulating wildly before the little
man in the gold-rimmed glasses. He seemed to be profoundly sorry, but he
was quite firm. He signalled the porter, who opened one of the big glass
doors and signified that the countess could depart.
"Even her fascinations have failed," Jessie said. "Please let me go, Mr.
Maxwell. If I am recognized now everything is ruined. And you had better
not be seen, either."
"Every word that you say is replete with wisdom," Maxwell said. "One
moment. I must see you again to-night and know how things are going.
Will you meet me in an hour's time in the garden at the back of
Merehaven House? Don't say no."
"If it can possibly be managed," said Jessie. "Now I must go. You had
better get into the shadow across the road. I feel that all is going to
be well yet."
Maxwell lounged away, and Jessie passed quickly along as the countess
came down the steps and stepped into her brougham. Jessie waited to see
the flashing equipage drive away before she turned again and in her turn
mounted the steps of the hospital.
Jessie boldly demanded to see a patient named Harcourt, and thrust her
permit into the porter's hand. He looked a little suspicious over this
fuss about a mere patient, but the name on the permit had its force, and
presently Jessie found herself entering one of the wards under the
charge of a nurse. The nurse glanced at Jessie's half-concealed face,
and came to the natural conclusion that here was a sister of the latest
accident case. Under the circumstances, she had no hesitation in leaving
Jessie and Vera Galloway together.
"Thank Heaven you have come!" Vera whispered. "No, there is not much the
matter. I suppose I must have fainted at the shock and the pain, but the
doctor says I shall be out in two or three days at the outside. It is a
case of bruised tendons more than anything else. You dear, brave girl!"
The dear, brave girl forced a smile to her lips. All the same, the
prospect was alarming. It was one thing to carry this imposture through
for an hour or two, but quite another to keep the comedy going for some
days longer. But audacity carries such things through.
"Tell me everything that has happened," Vera went on. "Don't let us
dwell on this cruel misfortune. Everything seemed going so well when
that wretched cab came along. Perhaps I was dazed by my success. I know
that I was shaking from head to foot ... but that mattered to nobody but
myself. Tell me."
Jessie proceeded with her story. She had a deeply interested listener.
Vera turned from side to side and her face grew pale as she listened to
the amazing story that Jessie told her.
"So I am in danger," she said. "The countess suspects. And it was all
true, all about Charles and Captain Lancing. I heard that as I came
along. If I could only see Charlie----"
"I saw him not five minutes ago," Jessie said. "Perhaps I had better
finish my story, and then you can ask any questions you like
afterwards."
Vera composed herself to listen with what patience she could. Her white
face was flushed and hot before Jessie had finished. The latter looked
uneasy.
She was evidently uneasy in her mind about something.
"I am afraid that I must ask you to confide in me more fully," Jessie
said. "Presently I will ask you to give me a few simple instructions
whereby I can keep in touch with my position. But you will recognize the
danger, both to you and myself. The countess has her suspicions aroused,
as I have told you. Now tell me, did you visit her house to-night? Were
you the burglar, so to speak, who----"
"I was. I may as well admit it to you. It was the matter of the papers.
You see I knew----"
"Yes, but how did you know?" Jessie persisted. "You saw me this evening
quite early. At that time those papers were quite safe at the Foreign
Office. How could you tell _then_ that they were going to be stolen, or
rather, conveyed to Countess Saens? And if you knew that the robbery was
going to take place, why did you not warn Lord Merehaven? Or better
still, tell Mr. Maxwell what you had discovered?"
"I could not get in touch with Charlie at that moment," Vera said,
speaking as if with difficulty. The tears had gathered in her eyes.
"There was no time to be lost."
"I am still very much at sea," Jessie said gently. "What aroused your
suspicions?"
"Yes, I had better tell you everything," Vera said in a firmer tone.
"You have been so good to me, you are so loyal and brave. There never
was anybody so good to a stranger before."
"No, no. I did it all for money. It was because I was so desperately
placed----"
"It is nothing of the kind, Jessie, and you know it. You would have done
the same for me in any case--I feel certain that you would. My first
suspicions were aroused by a letter which came into my hands. It was
evidently sent in mistake, and written by Charlie to Countess Saens. It
seems as if the two had struck up a violent flirtation together. If I
cared less than I do for Charlie----"
"I would not let your mind dwell on that," Jessie said soothingly. "When
you get to the bottom of this business you will find that there is some
plan on the part of that infamous woman. May I ask you whether that
letter was an admission of guilt on the part of Mr. Maxwell, or----"
"It might have been. In the light of recent events it certainly looks
like it. But pretty well everything is capable of explanation, as you
know. I shall possess my soul in patience.... I am so dazed and confused
now that I do not seem able to think clearly. But when I sent for you I
could see everything as clear as crystal before my eyes. If I had not
met that cab everything would have been all right, and you would have
been back at home by this time and nobody any the wiser."
"Then you were quite successful?" Jessie asked eagerly.
"Absolutely successful. I can't think now how I had courage to do it.
Once I got going, my nerves never failed me for a moment. You see, I
know that house where the countess lives; I have been there so many
times before. And I felt so strong and resolute, especially when I
passed the porter and he did not make any protest. But the rest you
already have from the Countess Saens's maid. It was a sheer piece of bad
luck finding her there at all."
"And you got safely out of the house with those papers? That was a bit
of good luck indeed."
Vera Galloway smiled. A sudden idea came to her--the idea seemed to come
to both girls at the same time. It was Jessie who put the question.
"And where are the papers now?" she asked. "You had better let me have
them."
"Have them!" Vera echoed blankly. "Where are they? Don't say they were
lost after I fell under the cab!"
There were no papers anywhere to be found.