A THREATENING SITUATION.
Nick Carter did not visit the butler’s pantry to examine the broken
window, nor did he care to inspect the soiled sheet left there by Andy
Margate, who had provided for him with unexpected outside help one of
the strangest cases in the career of the celebrated detective.
Nick already had formed a correct theory in regard to the burglary. He
now wanted to learn only what gave Senator Barclay so much more anxiety
and distress than his pecuniary loss.
Nick accompanied him into the library, therefore, leaving Patsy to wait
in the reception room, and he began with informing the statesman of the
circumstances which, beyond any reasonable doubt, explained the crime
committed in his residence early that morning.
“Good heavens!” Senator Barclay exclaimed, after hearing Nick’s
statements. “Are we never to be rid of this man Margate? I never heard
of such a case. If he----”
“Never mind him, Senator Barclay,” Nick interposed. “I will put him away
for keeps sooner or later.”
“Well, well, I hope so.”
“Tell me without delay, for time may be valuable, how you are threatened
with something more serious than the loss of your money and jewels.”
“It is infinitely more serious, Carter, for it not only involves a
matter of international importance, but also the reputation, welfare,
and social standing of a very prominent and very beautiful woman,” said
Senator Barclay, in tones tremulous again with profound feeling.
“How so?” Nick inquired. “Was something else stolen?”
“Yes. In the pocket of the coat stolen by Margate was a document
confided to me temporarily by the woman in question.”
“Ah, I see.”
“With it in the pocket, moreover, was a letter written to me by the
woman when she sent me the document for inspection,” Senator Barclay
continued. “I received it only early last evening. I was to have
returned it this morning. It was most important that I should have done
so. The gravity of the situation, Carter, can hardly be imagined.”
“Because of the nature of the document?” Nick questioned.
“That is one reason,” was the reply. “The document relates to a secret
compact between several European powers and in a measure has a bearing
upon their relations with this country.”
“I see,” Nick nodded.
“It bears the signatures of no less than five foreign ambassadors now in
Washington, all of whom are pledged to secrecy in regard to the matter.
None would believe for a moment that this compact is even suspected by
any American statesman or diplomat, and much less that the existence of
the document mentioned is positively known.”
“I follow you.”
“The discovery of the fact might precipitate complications of a very
grave and threatening nature,” Senator Barclay added. “I can safely
assert, however, that I am the only American who, with one exception,
knows anything about the document--aside from the knave into whose hands
it has fallen.”
“Let me know the exact facts,” said Nick. “Who is the one exception who
knows about the document?”
“The woman I have mentioned.”
“How did you learn about it?”
“The woman informed me.”
“How did she become informed?”
Senator Barclay hesitated for a moment, gazing intently at the earnest
face of the famous detective.
“I am going to confide in you, Nick, as I would in no other man on
earth,” he said impressively. “The woman whose name I will presently
mention is the wife of one of the European ambassadors whose signatures
are on the document. He is without exception the most influential and
illustrious diplomat now in this country.”
“You must refer, then, to Sir Edward Deland.”
“Yes.”
“I have met him,” said Nick. “He was married here only a year ago. His
wife, who is many years younger than he, was a wealthy American girl.”
“From which,” said Senator Barclay; “has evolved the terrible situation
in which we now are placed.”
“You and Lady Deland?”
“Yes.”
“Explain,” said Nick. “I don’t quite get you.”
Senator Barclay proceeded to do so. Drawing forward in his chair, he
said, even more gravely:
“Something like ten days ago, Nick, for no other reason than that I had
apprehended something of the kind, I began to suspect the frame-up of
the secret compact mentioned, and that a document to that effect already
existed. Naturally, of course, I knew that Sir Edward Deland would be
one of the chief figures in it.”
“Quite likely, of course,” bowed Nick.
“I had occasion three days ago to visit the Deland residence in company
with my daughter, who long has been an intimate friend of Lady Deland. I
found an opportunity to hint to the latter that she perhaps knew
something of the matter I had on my mind, and that it would become a
true-blue American girl to confidentially inform me of anything that
might possibly be a menace to our country.”
“I see,” Nick remarked, suppressing an inclination to criticize. “What
did she say to that?”
“Somewhat to my surprise, though I have always been very friendly with
Lady Deland and her parents, a fact which perhaps led me to make such a
suggestion to her--somewhat to my surprise, I repeat, she immediately
admitted that such a compact had been made, that she had overheard her
husband discussing it with other diplomats, and that the document
bearing upon the matter then was in the library safe.”
“What followed?”
“Lady Deland hastened to add that the compact, of the nature of which
she was partly informed, was in no sense a menace to this country,”
Senator Barclay continued. “I told her I could not believe that, and
that she really must be mistaken. We discussed the matter very earnestly
for some time, and she then declared, with much feeling, that the very
best service she could do me and her country would be to let me read the
document, in order to convince me of my error and so avert the troubles
that might otherwise result from it.”
“That was hardly loyal to her husband,” said Nick.
“Lady Deland did not so regard it,” replied Senator Barclay. “She argued
that she could not serve him better than to dispel my suspicions and set
him right in my opinion. Bear in mind that she has known me from
childhood, with absolute confidence in me. She would have no greater
faith in her own father.”
“I can appreciate that, senator, as far as it goes.”
“I do not feel that it was quite right to sanction her suggestion,”
Senator Barclay allowed. “I knew, in fact, that it was quite wrong. I
reasoned, on the other hand, however, that it would be of vast relief
and advantage to me to positively verify her assertions. The temptation
was one I really could not resist.”
“You allowed her to show you the document?” said Nick inquiringly.
“Not at that time,” Senator Barclay replied. “It then was impossible for
her to have done so secretly. Sir Edward Deland was at home, talking
with my daughter and another lady in the conservatory.”
“And you alone with Lady Deland, of course, during your discussion.”
“Yes, on the side veranda.”
“What did you decide to do?”
“Lady Deland decided for me. She said that Sir Edward was going to New
York yesterday morning for two or three days, also that she knew the
combination of the safe and in what compartment the document had been
placed.”
“H’m, I see.”
“She said she would send it to me yesterday evening, which she did, with
an understanding that I would surely return it to her this morning. That
now is impossible, utterly impossible,” Senator Barclay added, with
increasing agitation. “Unless I soon can do so, however--good heavens,
Carter, think of the position in which we are placed. Unless the
document can be recovered and returned to the safe before Sir Edward
Deland arrives home----”
“There is no need to picture the situation,” Nick interposed. “If is
about as bad as it could be, senator, for you and Lady Deland.”
“Bad doesn’t express it,” groaned the statesman. “It is
horrible--horrible!”
“I will do all in my power to pull you out of the affair,” Nick assured
him. “Tell me, now, whether the document is of the nature you had
feared. Is this secret compact in any way a menace to this country?”
“No, thank God, it is not,” Senator Barclay said fervently. “I am
relieved to that extent, at least.”
“All that really is involved in the lost document, then, is the exposure
that threatens you and Lady Deland.”
“Is that not enough?”
“Quite enough, Senator Barclay, and then some,” Nick admitted. “You
said, I think, that she sent you a letter with the document.”
“Yes.”
“By mail?”
“No, indeed. Both were brought here by her butler, Hawley, who was
entirety ignorant of what the package contained.”
“What did she say in the letter?”
“Only a few lines, directing me to take the utmost care of the document,
and reminding me of the terrible consequences in event of its loss.”
“That would be quite enough for any knavish person into whose hands it
might fall,” Nick said, with grim dryness. “I know of no person who
would be more quick to take advantage of it than Andy Margate. Did Lady
Deland sign her full name to the letter?”
“She did.”
“Have you communicated with her this morning?”
“Not yet,” groaned Senator Barclay, nervously wringing his hands. “I
have been trying to get hold of you. How can I tell her? How can I
inform her, Carter, that----”
“You’re not going to inform her, Senator Barclay. You must keep
perfectly quiet and leave this matter to me. It now is eleven o’clock. I
will see Lady Deland as quickly as possible. Write me a letter of
introduction, senator, and I’ll be off at once.”
“But what do you intend----”
“Don’t ask me what I intend doing,” Nick interrupted. “I don’t know
myself, at present, save that I must see Lady Deland without needless
delay.”
Senator Barclay hastened to write the desired note, saying while he gave
it to the detective:
“Do you really mean, Nick, that I must do nothing more in this matter?”
“Absolutely nothing until you have heard from me,” Nick said
impressively. “I now know positively that Andy Margate lives, and I’m
out to get him. In getting him, Senator Barclay, I shall probably get
the letter and document that are of such vast importance to you. Whether
it can be done in time to avert the peril that threatens you and Lady
Deland remains to be seen. It certainly cannot be accomplished by
prolonging this discussion. I must hasten to see Lady Deland.”