My preparations were soon complete, and the afternoon mail saw me being
rapidly conveyed to town, after having left an explanatory note for
Vera, to the effect that I should in all probability be absent three
weeks.
That journey I shall ever remember. The mad noisy whirl of the express
train was as nothing compared with the wild tormenting dance of my
thoughts as they again and again reverted to the unhappy events of the
morning. At one time I blamed my precipitation; at another I bemoaned
my weakness in allowing myself to be wheedled into waiting another three
weeks. Should I ever live those fearful twenty-one days? Some
presentiment seemed to fill my brain, and as the train rushed through
the stations one after another, every moment seemed bearing me nearer
and nearer to some catastrophe.
With a sense of vast satisfaction, therefore, I alighted from a cab in
Adam Street, Strand, the same evening, and found myself standing outside
the time-stained old building, with which so much of my past had been
associated. As its well-known entrance met my gaze it appeared to be
but yesterday when I left that very spot on the morning the first murder
was committed in Bedford Place.
Brushing aside these memories--for they threatened to become very
dismal--I walked quickly upstairs to the well-remembered smoking-room,
and glanced around.
As I did this it occurred to me that I had made a great omission. I had
forgotten to inform Bob by telegram that I so promptly accepted his
invitation, and consequently he was not awaiting me, nor did I know a
single face about me.
Evidently there was no utility in staying there, for it might be hours
before my friend put in an appearance. I knew his address, but did not
feel in the humour for going to hunt him up; finally I resolved to go to
a hotel at once.
On regaining the street I noticed, crouching beside the iron railings,
which, however, afforded him very little shelter, a haggard-looking man.
His threadbare coat was buttoned tightly across his chest, and a
battered silk hat, which had seen better days, was pulled down over his
eyes, giving him a peculiar, almost repulsive, appearance. Under the
rim of his hat a pair of sharp keen eyes glittered with a baleful yet
anxious glare, and these two orbs were the most striking part of the
man's _tout ensemble_. Something about the fellow's appearance caused
me to regard him with attention.
He did not withdraw his glance as mine rested on him. On the contrary,
he seemed to become satisfied of my identity. With earnest gesture he
rose and stopped me as I was about to enter the cab.
"Now then; move on!" shouted a harsh voice, as the unknown placed his
hand, lean, thin and dirty, upon the sleeve of my ulster. The figure of
a constable loomed up suddenly in the flickering gaslight.
"Stay! What is it you want?" I asked, for my heart seemed to tell me
he was no ordinary alms-seeker.
He was about to reply, and I could feel his hand upon my arm trembling
with eagerness, when the policeman again interposed.
"He's only a-beggin' again, sir," said that worthy. "I often turn him
away when he's bothering the gents--and that's pretty nigh always," he
added, in a grumbling undertone.
"What's the matter with him?" I inquired, noting the paleness of the
poor fellow's face. Before I could say another word his hold on my arm
had relaxed, and he fell backwards, almost into the arms of the too
zealous officer.
Bending beside him, I ordered some brandy to be brought, and in spite of
the assurance from my astute friend that "he was not worth the trouble,"
I did all I could to restore the inanimate form to consciousness.
"I've never seen 'im like this 'ere before, blow me!" observed the
cabby, who was lending a little assistance, because, as I supposed, he
thought there might be some profit attaching to the operation. My
authority was not to be slighted when I was in earnest, which was the
case just then.
The unfortunate man presently showed signs of reviving, having been
carried into the cloak-room of the club, while I questioned the
constable as to who he was and where he lived.
"As for who he is, sir, that's more than any one knows barrin' hisself,"
and he laughed. "He lives 'ere, or has done so for the last eight or
nine months and always seems to be lookin' out for somebody wot he
thinks he'll know when he sees."
This appeared rather enigmatical. Why had the stranger sought to detain
me? A momentary thought crossed my mind--was Vera concerned in this?
With a new interest I turned to the constable.
"Has he ever stopped any one else and spoken like this?" I asked.
"Bless you, yes," he replied. "But I never knew him so earnest as this
time--hullo, old fellow, how do you feel now?"
A faint flush of colour tinged the careworn face; the stimulant had done
its work. How sickening it was, I thought, to hear the affectation of
friendliness in this man's voice, now he thought that because my
sympathy had been attracted towards the sufferer there was a chance of
gaining a few shillings!
"It's him--it's him! I knew I'd find him some day," cried the prostrate
man, raising himself on his arm and pointing eagerly at me, as if
awakening from some bad dream. Then, as he saw the interested faces of
those who had gathered around, and noted the keen looks with which he
was regarded, he scowled darkly, and struggled into a sitting posture.
As he noticed me again watching him intently, he started.
"Did you want to speak to me, my poor fellow?" I inquired kindly.
"For mercy's sake wait a few moments, sir, please. Let me get breath.
Send these people away, I--I'm better now. See," and he rose and walked
unsteadily to the door, watching me all the time with a keen scrutiny
which made me feel rather uncomfortable.
A moment or two later we were on the pavement outside, where the cab I
had ordered still remained.
"We must hurry, or we shall be too late," he urged. "Follow quickly,
sir."
"Wait a moment," I said, my prudence for the moment mastering my
curiosity. "What do you want with me, and where are you going to take
me?" With a searching stare he faced me, but I did not flinch. There
was an ominous gleam in his dark eyes scowling fiercely into mine, as he
said impetuously,--
"Don't stand here, wasting precious time in useless questions. You
cannot know _now_ what it is I want you for--if you are the right man--
and Heaven grant you may be--you shall know all."
"You are talking nonsense," I said quietly, and with determination.
"What's at the bottom of all this? Come, tell me quickly; my time is
being wasted."
My watch, as I glanced at it in the gaslight, showed that the hour was
about half-past ten, but my earnestness to find the real meaning of this
mysterious adventure, coupled with my curiosity, would probably have
kept me there for hours.
Soon, however, I became impatient.
My unknown questioner looked at me with a resolute smile. His features,
or as much of them as could be seen beneath the shabby hat, were not
unhandsome, and the smile became him well.
"You _are_ coming with me to-night and soon," he said, in the same cool
and determined manner I had myself displayed.
This was too much. Without word or sign I sprang into the cab, and as
the Jehu touched the animal with his whip, my face was determinedly
turned away from my strange acquaintance.
My action was so sudden that at first he seemed disconcerted. The cab
had only moved a few yards before, with a sudden bound, he gained the
horse's head.
"Leave go that 'orse!" shouted the cabman with an oath.
For a few seconds there was a scene of confusion. The man still holding
the reins, and heedless of the plunging and affrighted animal,
approached me. He was evidently exhausted, and could withstand the
excitement no longer. His coat had burst asunder, revealing in all its
raggedness the soiled shirt underneath, through the holes in which his
panting chest was plainly visible.
"One word, sir," he implored, springing with the wildness of despair
upon the front of the hansom. "Just one more word, and then if you
won't come, the consequence will lie upon your own head. Do, _do_
stop!"
Thoroughly alarmed at his vehemence, I again ordered the cabman to pull
up. There must, I reflected, be something in this matter, after all.
"Will you tell me, without delay, the reason I'm stopped here; or do you
wish me to give you into custody as a beggar?" I sternly asked.
There was a crowd around us. It was a rather unusual spectacle, and the
passers-by gave eager attention to it.
"Very well, then, I'll show you something that will decide you, if you
will let the man drive on a little, out of this crush," he rejoined,
diving his hand into his breast-pocket.
Impatiently I told him to jump in, giving the order to drive away,
anywhere. After the lapse of a few minutes I turned to the strange
being by my side.
He held a piece of torn paper, but what was on it I could not then see.
Putting his shaking hand upon my shoulder, and his ashen face with its
wild, glaring eyes, close to my own, he hissed, with a kind of vicious
pleasure.
"You think me an impostor, eh? Well, look at this, and remember what it
has revealed to you before. Then say if I have stopped you without
cause. Its author may yet be found!"
His face wore a smile of triumph as he held before my eyes a torn
fragment of paper. With an indefinable thrill of excitement, not
unmingled with alarm--for his words were ominous--I took it. So dark
was it in the vehicle that I held it close to my eyes till we approached
the next street-lamp. As we did so, and the light fell across the
crumpled and dirty paper, my heart almost stopped beating, and my
pulses, for a moment ceased.
There, in all its frightful reality, was the seal!