If you could have travelled the world at that moment, from north to
south, and from east to west, I believe you would have found it
difficult to discover a man who felt as foolish as I did when I entered
the gloomy dwelling-place as Hayle's prisoner. To say that I was
mortified by the advantage he had obtained over me would not express my
feelings in the least. To think that I, George Fairfax, who had the
reputation of being so difficult a man to trick, should have allowed
myself to fall into such a palpable trap, seemed sufficiently incredible
as to be almost a matter for laughter rather than rage. There was worse,
however, behind. Miss Kitwater had been so trustful of my capability for
bringing the matter to a successful conclusion, that I dared not imagine
what she would think of me now. Whichever way I looked at it, it was
obvious that Hayle must score. On the one side, he kept me locked up
while he not only made his escape from Paris, but by so doing cut off
every chance of my pursuing him afterwards; on the other, he might
console himself with the almost certain knowledge that I should be
discredited by those who had put their trust in me. How could it very
well be otherwise? I had committed the criminal folly of accepting
hospitality from the enemy, and from that moment I should not be seen.
The natural supposition would be that I had been bought, and that I was
not only taking no further interest in the case, but that I was keeping
out of the way of those who did. To add to my misery, I could easily
imagine the laugh that would go up on the other side of the Channel when
the trick that had been played upon me became known. But having so much
else to think of, that fact, you may be sure, did not trouble me very
much. There were two things, however, about which I was particularly
anxious; one was to set myself right with Miss Kitwater, and the other
was to get even, at any cost, with Hayle. The first seemed the more
difficult.
It must not be supposed that when I had alighted from the carriage I had
given up all hope of escape. On the contrary, had it not been for the
presence of three burly fellows, who immediately took up their places
beside me, I fancy I should have made a dash for liberty. Under the
circumstances, however, to have attempted such a thing would have been
the height of folly. Five to one, that is to say, if I include the
coachman in the number, with the gates closed behind me, were too long
odds, and however hard I might have fought, I could not possibly have
been successful.
"Perhaps you will be kind enough to step into the house," said Hayle.
"The air is cold out here, and I am afraid lest you might take
a chill."
Before complying with his order I looked round me once more to see if
there was any chance of escape. But so far as I could see there was not
one. I accordingly followed one of my captors into the building, the
remainder bringing up the rear.
From what I could see of the house with the help of the light from a
solitary candle hanging in a sconce upon the wall, it had once been a
handsome building. Now, however, it had fallen sadly to decay. The
ceiling of the hall had at one time been richly painted, but now only
blurred traces of the design remained. Crossing the hall, my guide
opened a door at the further end. In obedience to a request from Hayle,
I entered this room, to find myself standing in a fine apartment, so far
as size went, but sadly lacking in comfort where its furniture was
concerned. There was a bed, a table, three rough chairs, and an entirely
inadequate square of carpet upon the floor. I have already said that it
was a large room, and when I add that it was lighted only by two
candles, which stood upon the table in the centre, some idea will be
afforded of its general dreariness.
"Now look here, Mr. Hayle," I said, "the time has come for us to have a
serious talk together. You know as well as I do that in kidnapping me
you are laying yourself open to very serious consequences. If you think
that by so doing you are going to prevent me from eventually running you
to earth, you are very much mistaken. You have obtained a temporary
advantage over me, I will admit; but that advantage will not last. Do
not flatter yourself that it will."
"I am not so sure upon that point," said Hayle, lighting a cigarette as
he spoke. "If I did not think so I should not have gone to all this
trouble and expense. But why make such a fuss about it? You must surely
understand, Mr. Fairfax, that your profession necessarily entails risks.
This is one of them. You have been paid to become my enemy. I had no
personal quarrel with you. You can scarcely blame me, therefore, if I
retaliate when I have an opportunity. I don't know what you may think of
it, but the mere fact of you dining with me to-night is very likely to
go hard with you, so far as your clients are concerned. Would it be a
good advertisement for the famous George Fairfax to have it known that,
while he was taking his clients' money he was dining pleasantly in Paris
with the man they were paying him to find? I laid my trap for you, but I
must confess that I had not very much faith in its success. Your
experience should have made you more wary. A student of human character,
such as you are, should know that the leopard cannot change his spots,
or the tiger his----"
"If you continue in this strain much longer," I said, "I'll endeavour to
stop your tongue, whatever it may cost me. Now, either let me out, or
get out of the room yourself. I want to see no more of you while I am
in this house."
He blew a cloud of smoke, and then said nonchalantly--
"You had better occupy yourself thanking your stars that you are let off
so easily. At one time I was tempted to have you put out of the way
altogether. I am not quite certain it wouldn't be safer, even now. It
could be done so easily, and no one would be any the wiser. I know two
men now in Paris who would gladly run the risk for the sake of the
ill-will they bear you. I must think it over."
"Then think it over on the other side of that door," I said angrily.
"Play the same traitorous trick on me as you did on Kitwater and Codd if
you like, but you shall not stay in the same room with me now."
My reference to Kitwater and Codd must have touched him on a raw spot,
for he winced, and then tried to bluff it off.
"I rather fancy Messrs. Kitwater and Codd will just have such kindly
things to say concerning you in the future as they do about me now," he
said, as he moved towards the door. "And now I will wish you good-bye.
As I leave Paris almost immediately, I don't suppose I shall have the
pleasure of seeing you again. For your own sake I should advise you to
be quiet. I might tell you once and for all that you can't get out. The
door is a stout one, and the windows are exceptionally well barred. The
men to whom I have assigned the duty of looking after you are in their
way honest, though a little rough. Moreover, they are aware that their
own safety depends to a very great extent upon your not getting out.
Believe me, if you do not know already, that there is nothing like fear
for making a good watch-dog. Farewell, friend Fairfax! You have been
instrumental in sending a good many men into durance vile; you can tell
me later how you like being there yourself."
With that he went out, shutting the door behind him. I heard the key
turn in the lock, and a bolt shot at top and bottom. I thereupon went to
the window and examined it, only to discover that it was made secure on
the outside by large iron bars. So far as I could see, there was no
other way of escape from the room.
Though I laid down on the bed I did not sleep; my thoughts would not
permit of that. The face of the woman who had trusted me so profoundly
was before me continually, gazing at me with sweet reproachful eyes. Oh!
what a fool I had been to accept that rascal's invitation! The more I
thought of it, the angrier I became with myself. Now, goodness only knew
how long I should be confined in this wretched place, and what would
happen during my absence from the world!
At last the dawn broke, and with it, a weird sickly light penetrated
the room. I sprang from my bed and approached the window, only to find
that it overlooked a small courtyard, the latter being stoneflagged and
surrounded by high walls. I could see that, even if I were able to
squeeze my way out between the bars, I should be powerless to scale the
walls. At a rough guess these were at least twelve feet high, and
without a foothold of any sort or description. This being so I was
completely at the mercy of the men in the house. Indeed, a rat caught in
a trap, was never more firmly laid by the heels than I. At about
half-past seven o'clock a small trap-door, which I had not noticed near
the ground and the main door, was opened, and a grimy hand made its way
in and placed upon the floor a cup of coffee and a roll. Then it was
closed once more and made secure. I drank the coffee and munched the
roll, and, if the truth must be confessed, poor as they were felt the
better for both.
At mid-day a bowl of miserable soup was handed in; darkness, however,
had fallen some considerable time before I could detect any sound in the
hall outside that might be taken to mean the coming of my evening meal.
At last there was a clatter of feet, the bolts shot back, the key turned
in the lock, and the door opened. A man carrying a lantern entered,
followed by two others, and as the light fell upon his face, I uttered a
cry of astonishment, for he was none other than my old friend Leglosse,
while behind him was the infallible Lepallard.
"Well, thank goodness we have found you at last," cried Leglosse. "We
have had such a hunt for you as man never dreamed of. I called at your
apartments late last night, hoping to see you, on important business,
but you had not returned from a dinner to which you had been invited. I
called again this morning and was informed by the _concierge_ that they
had, up to that moment, seen nothing of you. When the good Lepallard
informed me that you had left the restaurant in a cab with Monsieur
Hayle, and that the latter had returned to his apartments this morning
in a great hurry, only to leave them a short time after with his
luggage, for the railway station, I began to grow uneasy. You have no
idea what a day I have had looking for you, but it has been well spent,
since we have the pleasure of seeing you again."
"I shall be grateful to you all my life for the service you have
rendered me," I replied. "But how did you manage to gain admittance to
this house?"
"It was quite easy; the birds had flown," he answered. "Has the
suspicion not struck you that they were going to clear out and leave you
here to starve?"
"The brutes," I answered. "But I'll be even with their leader yet. And
now let us get away from here as quickly as possible. Have you any idea
where our man has gone?"
"To Naples," Lepallard replied. "I disguised myself as a pompous old
bourgeois, and I was behind him when he asked for his ticket and
distinctly heard what he said."
"Then I shall go after him at once," I replied. "He will in all
probability be off his guard. He will imagine me to be still locked up
in this room, you see."
"And I shall accompany you, if you will permit me," said Leglosse.
"But why?" I asked in surprise. "What have you got to do with him? You
have no case against him, and you cannot spare the time to do it simply
out of kindness to me."
"It's not kindness, it's business, my friend," he replied. "You may not
believe it, but I have a warrant for your man's arrest."
"On what charge?"
"On a charge of being concerned in a big embezzlement in Cochin China,"
he answered. "We laid the other two men by the heels at the time, but
the Englishman, who was the prime mover in it, we have never been able
to lay our hands upon. I felt certain that day when I met him in
Amsterdam, that I had seen him somewhere before. Ever since then I have
been puzzling my brains to discover where it was, and why it was so
familiar to me. A photograph was eventually sent us of the Englishman
by the colonial authorities, but in that photograph he, the person I
suspect, wears a beard and a heavy moustache. It is the same man,
however, and the description, even to the mark upon the face, exactly
tallies with Hayle. Now I think I can help you to obtain a rather unique
revenge upon the man, that is to say, if you want it. From what you have
so far told me, I understand that you have no evidence against him
strong enough to justify the issue of a warrant. Well, I have that
evidence, and between us you may be sure we'll bring him back to Paris."
This was delightful hearing after all we had been through lately; at any
rate I greeted the prospect of Leglosse's co-operation with acclamation.
It would be hard, if between us we could not find Hayle and bring him to
the justice he so richly deserved.
"Now let us get out of this," I said. "I must obtain something to eat if
I perish in the attempt. I am well nigh starving. A basin of soup, a
roll and a cup of coffee, are all that I have had to-day."
"You shall dine at once," he answered, "and here. There is an excellent
little restaurant further down the street, and one of my men shall go
there and tell them to bring you up a meal. After that you shall go home
and change your costume, and then we will arrange what shall be done
about the travelling."
This programme was carried out to the letter. We made a good meal, at
least I know that I did, and when it was eaten, a cab was procured, and
in company with Leglosse I said good-bye to the house in which I had
spent so short a time, yet in which I had been so miserable.
"I shall never know how to repay you for your kindness," I said to my
companion as we drove down the street. "Had it not been for you and your
men I should now be starving in that wretched place. I'll certainly
forgive Hayle if he is ever successful enough to take me in again by one
of his rascally tricks."
"You must not let him do that," returned the Frenchman, shaking his
head. "Our reputations are at stake."
When I reached my own apartments the _concierge_ was much relieved to
see me. She had been told that I was dead, perhaps murdered, and
Leglosse's visit to find me had not helped to reassure her. A packet of
letters and telegrams was handed to me, which I carried up to my room,
to read them while I was changing my attire. Never before had I been so
glad to get out of a dress-suit.
I had just finished my toilet and was in the act of commencing the
packing of the bag I intended taking with me, when there was a tap at
the door. I opened it, to find the _concierge_ there.
"There is a lady in the parlor to see Monsieur," she said. "She has a
maid with her."
"A lady to see me?" I asked incredulously. "Who on earth can she be?"
The _concierge_ shook her head. In my own mind I had arrived at the
conclusion that it was Mademoiselle Beaumarais, and that Hayle had sent
her to discover, if possible, whether I had escaped from my confinement
or not. On finding out that I had she would telegraph to him, and once
more he would be placed on his guard. At first I felt almost inclined
not to see her, but on second thoughts I saw the folly of this
proceeding. I accordingly entered the room where the lady was awaiting
me. The light was not very good, but it was sufficient for me to see two
figures standing by the window.
"To what am I indebted for the honour of this visit, mademoiselles?" I
began.
"Don't you know me, Mr. Fairfax?" the taller of them answered. "You
forget your friends very quickly."
"Miss Kitwater?" I cried, "what does this mean?"
"It is a long story," she answered, "but I feel sure that you will have
time to hear it now. I am in terrible trouble."
"I am indeed sorry to hear that," I answered, and then glanced at her
maid as if to inquire whether it was safe to speak before her. She
interpreted the look correctly and nodded her head.
"Yes, Mr. Fairfax," she said, "you can say what you please before
Nelly."
"Then am I right in interpreting your trouble as being connected with
your uncle?" I asked.
"Yes, that is it," she answered. "You have guessed correctly. Do you
know that he and Mr. Codd have disappeared?"
"Disappeared?" I repeated. "Have you any idea where they have
disappeared to?"
"No, but I can hazard a very shrewd guess," she replied. "I believe
they have crossed to Paris in search of Mr. Hayle. Since last Sunday my
uncle had been more depressed than ever, while the paroxysms of rage to
which he is so subject, have been even more frequent than ever. If the
truth must be told, I fear his troubles have turned his brain, for he
talks to himself in such a queer way, and asks every few minutes if I
have received news from you, that I cannot help thinking his mind is not
what it should be. You must understand that on Saturday last, thinking
it might possibly be required for the case, I drew a large sum of money
from the bank; more than a hundred pounds, in fact. I securely locked it
up in my writing-table, and thought no one knew anything about it.
Yesterday afternoon my uncle and Mr. Codd went for a walk, and did not
return, though I waited for them for several hours. While I was thus
waiting I opened the drawer in the writing-table to procure something I
wanted, and discovered that the money was missing. Only one construction
could be placed upon it, Mr. Fairfax. They had wearied of their inactive
life, and had set off in search of Hayle."
"They are aware of his address in Paris, are they not?"
"Yes, my uncle repeated it from morning until night," she answered. "In
point of fact, he did little else. Oh! it terrifies me beyond measure to
think what may happen should they meet."
"You need not fear that," I replied. "Hayle has tired of Paris and has
bolted again. Very probably to a place where they cannot hope to
find him."
I believe she said "God be thanked" under her breath, but I am not quite
certain upon that point. I did not tell her of the trick Hayle had so
lately played upon myself. If the telling were necessary it would be
able to come later on.
"May I ask what brought you to Paris, Miss Kitwater?" I inquired, after
a pause.
"My great fear," she answered. "I wired to you from Charing Cross to say
that I was coming. Did you not receive my message?"
I remember the fact that, not having time to open them all before I was
called away, I had put some of the telegrams on one side. As ill luck
would have it, Miss Kitwater's must have been amongst these. I explained
that I had been away from the house all day, and only that
moment returned.
"I felt," she said, ignoring my excuses, "that I must come to you and
tell you all that has transpired. Also that I might implore you to keep
the men apart at any cost."
"We can easily find out whether they have arrived in Paris, and also
whether they have been to Hayle's apartments," I said. "That would
certainly be one of the places which they would try first."
While I was speaking there was the sound of a step in the corridor
outside and next moment Leglosse entered the room. He was in the highest
spirits, as he always was when he was about to undertake a new piece of
work. Seeing that I had visitors he came to a sudden standstill.
"A thousand pardons," he said in French. "I had no idea that you were
engaged. I will wait outside."
"Don't do anything of the kind," I returned in the same language. "Come
in and let me introduce you to Miss Kitwater, who has just arrived
from England."
"Miss Kitwater?" he repeated, in some surprise. "Surely I understood you
to say that your client, the gentleman who had lost his sight through
Hayle's treachery, was Monsieur Kitwater?"
"That is quite right, and this lady is his niece," I returned. "She has
brought me extraordinary intelligence. Her uncle and his companion have
suddenly disappeared from the little village in Surrey, where they have
been staying some time with her. It is her belief that they have come to
Paris in search of Hayle. There would have been trouble had they met,
but fortunately for them, and for Hayle, he has given them the slip once
more. It would be possible for you to find out whether they arrived by
this morning's train, and also whether they have made inquiries at
Hayle's apartments, would it not?"
"Quite possible," he answered. "It shall be done at once. I will let you
know in less than an hour what I have discovered."
I thanked him, whereupon he bowed to Miss Kitwater, and then
disappeared.
"Monsieur Leglosse is also in pursuit of Hayle," I explained. "He holds
a warrant for his arrest on a charge of embezzlement in Cochin China.
For that reason we are following him to Naples to-morrow morning."
"To Naples. Has the wretched man gone there?"
"So we have been led to believe," I answered.
"Then do you think my uncle will find it out and follow him?" she asked,
wringing her hands. "Oh! it is all too terrible. What shall I do?"
"Well, if I might be allowed to be like David Copperfield's Mr. Dick, I
should be practical, and say '_dine_'! I suppose you have had nothing to
eat since you left England?"
She gave a little wan smile.
"We have not had very much, certainly," she answered. "Poor Nelly, you
must be nearly starving."
The maid, however, protested that she was not; but was not to be denied.
Bidding them remain where they were, I went down-stairs and interviewed
my faithful friend, the _concierge_. With her I arranged that Miss
Kitwater and her maid should be provided with rooms in the house for
that night, and having done so went on to the nearest restaurant. In
something less than ten minutes all was settled, and in under twenty
they were seated at their meal. At first the girl would not sit down
with her mistress, but with her usual thoughtfulness, Miss Kitwater
ordered her to do so.
"And now, Mr. Fairfax," she said, when they had finished, "we must
discover a hotel where we can stay the night. At present we know of no
place in which to lay our heads."
"You need not trouble about that," I said, "I have already arranged
that you shall have rooms in this house if you care to occupy them. The
old lady to whom it belongs is a particular friend of mine, and will
certainly do her best to make you comfortable. I presume that it was
your bag I saw in the _concierge's_ office, when I was there just now?"
"We left it there," she answered, and then gave me my reward by
adding--"It is very kind of you, Mr. Fairfax to have taken so much
trouble. I cannot thank you sufficiently."
"You must not thank me at all," I replied. "In helping you I am only
doing my duty to my client."
I had scarcely said the words before I regretted them. It was a foolish
speech and a churlish one as well. She pretended not to notice it,
however, but bade her maid go down to the _concierge's_ office, and take
the bag to the room that had been allotted to her. The girl disappeared,
and when she had gone Miss Kitwater turned to me.
"Mr. Fairfax," she said, "I have yet another favour to ask of you. I
assure you it concerns me vitally. I want to know if you will let me go
with you to Naples. In order that I might not be in your way, we might
travel in different compartments; but go I must. I am so frightened
about my uncle. If I follow him to Naples, it is just possible I might
be able to dissuade him from pursuing Hayle. If he were to kill me for
preventing them, I would not let them meet. Believe me when I say that
I am terribly anxious about him. Besides----"
Here she paused for a moment as if she did not quite know how to
continue what she had to say to me.
"As I have said, you and Monsieur ---- I mean the French gentleman--could
travel in your own way. All that I want to be assured of is, that I may
be in Naples and at hand should anything happen."
"If you really wish it, I do not see why you should not go?" I replied
meditatively. "But if you desire my candid opinion I must say that I
think you would be far better off at home. Still if you desire to come,
it's not for me to gainsay your wishes. We will arrange therefore that,
unless you decide to the contrary in the meantime, you accompany us by
the 8.50 train to-morrow morning."
"I thank you," she said.
A few moments later Leglosse returned with the information that it was
as we suspected. Kitwater and Codd had arrived in Paris that morning,
and had visited Hayle's lodgings only to find him gone.
"What is more important still," he continued, "they have managed to
learn that Hayle had gone to Naples, and they will probably leave by the
2.50 train to-morrow morning for that city: It is as well, perhaps, that
we arranged to travel by the next."
"Courage, courage, Miss Kitwater," I said, seeing that she was
trembling. "Try not to be frightened. There is nothing to fear." Then
turning to Leglosse, I added--"Miss Kitwater has decided to accompany us
to Naples. As a matter of fact my position in the case has undergone a
change since I last saw you."
He looked from one to the other of us as if in astonishment.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Hitherto," I replied, "I have been acting against Hayle, with the
intention of securing him, in order that my clients might have a most
important meeting with him. For the future, however, my endeavours will
be used in the contrary direction. They must never meet!"
"Then the best way to bring about what you desire is to assist me,"
returned Leglosse. "Let me once get my hand upon him in the name of
France, and they will never meet."
"But we have to catch him before we do that," I said.
"Never-fear, we will do it," he answered confidently, and that seemed to
settle it.
Next morning at 8.50, we left Paris for Naples.