I LOSE MY POST
The Duke solemnly closed the door. "Ray," he said, "I am glad that you
are here. Something serious has happened. Mr. Ducaine, Lord Chelsford
and I desire to ask you a few questions."
I bowed. What was coming I could not indeed imagine, unless Ray had
already made the disclosure.
"The word code for the safe to-day was Magenta, I believe?" the Duke
asked.
"That is correct, sir," I answered.
"And it was known to whom?"
"To Lord Chelsford, yourself, Colonel Ray, and myself," I answered.
"And what was there in the safe?" the Duke asked.
"The plans for the Guildford Camp, the new map of Surrey pricked for
fortifications, and one or two transport schemes," I answered.
"Exactly! Those documents are now all missing."
I strode to the safe and looked in. It was as the Duke had said. The
safe was practically empty.
"They were there this morning," I said. "It was arranged that I should
examine the contents of the safe the first thing, and take any finished
work over to the War Office. Do you remember who has been in the room
to-day, sir?"
"Yourself, myself, and the woman whom you brought here an hour or so
ago."
"Mrs. Smith-Lessing?" I exclaimed.
"Precisely!" the Duke remarked, drily.
"Did you leave her alone here?" I asked.
"For two minutes only," the Duke answered. "I was called up on the
telephone from the House of Lords. I did not imagine that there could
be the slightest risk in leaving her, for without the knowledge of that
word Magenta the safe would defy a professional locksmith."
"You will forgive my suggesting it, your Grace," I said, with some
hesitation, "but you have not, I presume, had occasion to go to the safe
during the day?"
"I have not," the Duke answered tersely.
"Then I cannot suggest any explanation of the opening of the safe," I
admitted. "It was impossible for Mrs. Smith-Lessing to have opened it
unless she knew the code word."
"The question is," the Duke said quietly, "did she know it?"
Then I realized the object of this cross-examination. The colour flared
suddenly into my cheeks, and as suddenly left them. The absence of
those papers was extraordinary to me. I utterly failed to understand
it.
"I think I know what you mean, sir," I said. "It is true that Mrs.
Smith-Lessing is my stepmother. I believe it is true, too, that she is
connected with the French Secret Police. I was there this
afternoon--you yourself sent me. But I did not tell Mrs. Smith-Lessing
the code word, and I know nothing of the disappearance of those
documents."
Then Ray moved forward and placed deliberately upon the table the roll
of papers which I had given up to him a few hours ago.
"What about these?" he asked, with biting scorn. "Tell the Duke and
Lord Chelsford where I found them! Let us hear your glib young tongue
telling the truth for once, sir."
Both the Duke and Lord Chelsford were obviously startled. Ray had
always been my friend and upholder. He spoke now with very apparent
enmity.
"Perhaps you would prefer to tell the story yourself," I answered. "I
will correct you if it is necessary."
"Very well," he answered. "I will tell the story, and a pitiful one it
is. This boy is watched, as we all know, for, owing to my folly in
ignoring his antecedents, a great trust has been reposed in him. News
was brought to me that he had been seen with his father and Mrs.
Smith-Lessing in Gattini's Restaurant. Later, that he had found his way
to their lodging. I followed him there. He may have gone there with an
errand from you, Duke, but when I arrived he was doing a little business
on his own account, and these papers were in the act of passing from him
to his father."
"What are they?" Lord Chelsford asked.
"Your Lordship may recognize them," I answered quietly. "They are a
summary of the schemes of defence of the southern ports. I was at that
moment, the moment when Colonel Ray entered, considering an offer of
five thousand pounds for them."
Even Ray was staggered at my admission, and the Duke looked as though he
could scarcely believe his ears. Lord Chelsford was busy looking
through the papers.
"You young blackguard," Ray muttered through his teeth. "After that
admission, do you still deny that you told Mrs. Smith-Lessing, or
whatever the woman calls herself, the code word for that safe?"
"Most certainly I deny it," I answered firmly. "The two things are
wholly disconnected."
The Duke sat down heavily in his chair. I knew very well that of the
three men he was the most surprised. Lord Chelsford carefully placed
the papers which he had been reading in his breast-pocket. Ray leaned
over towards him.
"Lord Chelsford," he said, "and you, Duke, you took this young man on
trust, and I pledged my word for him. Like many a better man, I made a
mistake. For all that we know he has secret copies of all the work he
has done for us, ready to dispose of. What in God's name, are we going
to do with him?"
"What do you suggest?" Lord Chelsford asked softly.
"My way would not be yours," Ray answered, with a hard laugh. "I am
only half civilized, you know, and if he and I were alone in the desert
at this moment I would shoot him without remorse. Such a breach of
trust as this deserves death."
"We are, unfortunately," Lord Chelsford remarked, "not in a position to
adopt such extreme measures. It would not even be wise for us to
attempt to formulate a legal charge against him. The position is
somewhat embarrassing. What do you suggest, Duke?"
I glanced towards the Duke, and I was surprised to see that his hands
were shaking. For a man who rarely displayed feeling the Duke seemed to
be wonderfully affected.
"I can suggest nothing," he answered in a low tone. "I must confess
that I am bewildered. These matters have developed so rapidly."
Lord Chelsford looked thoughtful for a moment.
"I have a plan in my mind," he said slowly. "Duke, should I be taking a
liberty if I asked to be left alone with this young man for five
minutes?"
The Duke rose slowly to his feet. He had the air of one not altogether
approving of the suggestion. Ray glowered upon us both, but offered no
objection. They left the room together. Lord Chelsford at once turned
to me.
"Ducaine," he said, "forgive me that I did not come to your aid. I will
see that you do not suffer later on. But what in Heaven's name is the
meaning of this last abstraction' from the safe?"
I shook my head.
"The woman could never have guessed the word!" I said.
"Impossible!" he agreed. "Ducaine, do you know why Lord Blenavon left
England so suddenly?"
"Colonel Ray knows, sir," I answered. "Ask him!"
Lord Chelsford became very thoughtful.
"Ducaine," he said, "we are in a fix. So far your plan has worked to
perfection. Paris has plenty of false information, and your real copies
have all reached me safely. But if you leave, how is this to be carried
on? I do not know whom I mistrust, but if the day's work of the Board
is really to be left in the safe, either here or at Braster--"
"You must choose my successor yourself, sir," I interrupted.
"The Duke has always opposed my selections. Besides, you have prepared
your false copies with rare skill. Even I was deceived for a moment
just now by your summary. You don't overdo it. Everything is just a
little wrong. I am not sure even now whether I should not do better to
tell Ray and the Duke the truth."
"I am in your hands, sir," I answered. "You must do as you think best."
"They will be back in a moment. It is absurd to doubt either of them,
Ducaine. Yet I shall keep silent. I have an idea. Agree to everything
I say."
The Duke and Ray returned together. Lord Chelsford turned to them.
"Mr. Ducaine," he said, coldly, "persists in his denial of any
knowledge of to-day's affair. With regard to the future, I have offered
him his choice of an arrest on the charge of espionage, or a twelve
months' cruise on the Ajax, which leaves to-morrow for China. He has
chosen the latter. I shall take steps of course to see that he is not
allowed to land at any calling-place, or dispatch letters."
Ray smiled a little cruelly.
"The idea is an excellent one, Chelsford," he said. "When did you say
that the Ajax sailed?"
"To-morrow," Lord Chelsford answered. "I propose to take Mr. Ducaine
to my house to-night, and to hand him over to the charge of a person on
whom I can thoroughly rely."
The Duke looked at me curiously.
"Mr. Ducaine consents to go?" he asked.
"It is a voyage which I have long desired to take," I answered coolly,
"though I never expected to enjoy it at my country's expense."
The Duke rang the bell.
"Will you have Mr. Ducaine's things packed and sent across--did you say
to your house, Lord Chelsford?"
"To my house," Lord Chelsford assented.
"To No. 19, Grosvenor Square," the Duke ordered. "Mr. Ducaine will
not be returning."
Lord Chelsford rose. I followed his example. Neither the Duke nor Ray
attempted any form of farewell. The former, however, laid some notes
upon the table.
"I believe, Mr. Ducaine," he said, "that there is a month's salary due
to you. I have added something to the amount. Until to-day I have
always considered your duties admirably fulfilled."
I looked at the notes and at the Duke.
"I thank your Grace," I answered. "I will take the liberty of declining
your gift. My salary has been fully paid."
For a moment I fancied I caught a softer gleam in Ray's eyes. He seemed
about to speak, but checked himself. Lord Chelsford hurried me from the
room, and into his little brougham, which was waiting.
"Do you really mean me to go to China, sir?" I asked him, anxiously.
"Not I!" he answered. "I am going to send you to Braster."