I MAKE FRIENDS WITH INSPECTOR FORREST, C.I.D.
"THE telegraph," said Inspector Forrest, sententiously "is even more
speedy than the Motor Pirate."
"Unless you want to send a message from Regent Street to the City," I
remarked; "in which case one would save time by employing a sloth as
messenger."
The inspector waved aside the objection as frivolous. He occupied an
easy chair opposite me; he was smoking one of my best cigars with every
sign of active enjoyment; he sipped his glass of claret--he rarely
touched anything stronger, he informed me--with the air of a
connoisseur.
"We shall beat him with the telegraph," said he. "Clearly he has one
retreat where he can put up his car in safety. Probably he has more than
one. It is not impossible for him to have several. There might even be a
number of Motor Pirates, members of the same gang, but selecting
different parts of the country upon which to prey. The telegraph will
soon settle these points for us. When next he makes his appearance we
shall be able to keep watch upon him, to note, if not the exact spot,
at least in what part of the country he makes his appearance. Even if it
should be found impossible to arrest him in his progress, he is bound to
leave some traces behind him which will enable us to get upon his
track."
"He does not seem to have left many behind him at present," I replied.
"No," said the inspector thoughtfully, as he rose and examined the map
spread out upon the table. "Yet there are certainly grounds for
believing that he has gone to earth somewhere in this neighbourhood. The
Hertfordshire police may have been nearer the mark than you thought when
they arrested you."
"You don't mean to say that you still suspect me?" I cried.
"Not for one instant," he answered promptly. "The meaning I meant to
convey was that, quite unknown to you, the Motor Pirate may very well be
your near neighbour. I suppose there is no one residing near whom you
would consider a likely object of suspicion?"
There flashed across my mind the strange similarity between Mannering's
voice and the Motor Pirate's. But the notion was so absurd I was ashamed
to mention it. I assured the inspector I knew of no one.
"At all events, my belief is strong enough to keep me in this district
until I hear something further," he declared, as he finished the
contents of his glass and glanced at his watch.
Just then I caught sight of Mannering coming up the path through the
garden towards my front door.
"You had better stay a little longer," I said to the inspector. "Here is
another man coming who may be able to give you some more details of the
Pirate. He has seen him, and as he has been a longer resident here than
myself, he may be able to tell you more about the people round than I
can."
"A motorist?" he asked.
"Yes, named Mannering," I replied. "He is the man I told you about, whom
I consider to be my rival, you know."
The inspector's eyes twinkled. "I shouldn't let him drive me into any
more adventures like last night's, Mr. Sutgrove," he advised. "If you
were ten years older--my age, you know--you wouldn't need the warning, A
bout of rheumatic fever would be small consolation for the loss of the
lady."
I could not reply, for at that moment Mannering entered.
"Glad to see you home again, Sutgrove," he said heartily. "I'm not the
only one either. Miss Maitland asked me to call, for after seeing you in
such bad company this morning---- Hullo! I beg your pardon, I thought
you were alone." He stopped suddenly on catching sight of Inspector
Forrest.
I introduced my guest and Mannering acknowledged the introduction
easily.
"Inspector Forrest will assure you that I have only been unfortunate
enough to have been the object of our local constabulary's misplaced
zeal. They took me for our mutual friend the Motor Pirate."
"Did they though? What an almighty spoof!" said Mannering. "First time I
ever heard of a man being run in for robbing himself on the high-road.
Beats Gilbert!"
"Mr. Sutgrove did not see the point of the joke at first," said the
inspector. I saw that as he spoke he was taking note of Mannering in
much the same way as he had taken stock of me at the police office.
Mannering appeared to be quite unconscious of his regard, for he
replied--
"Don't suppose I should have relished such a mistake myself. Anyway," he
continued, turning to me, "you have the consolation of knowing that you
are not the only victim of police enterprise. I see from the papers
quite half a dozen motor pirates have been run in. They may have the
real one amongst them; but as his car has so far escaped capture, I
doubt it."
"So do I," I remarked. "And for the additional reason that I have a sort
of presentiment that when his capture is brought about, I am going to
have a hand in it."
"What do you say to that, Inspector?" he answered. "Are you going to
leave the job to amateurs?"
"I never said 'no' to the offer of assistance in running down a
criminal," was the reply.
"I have sworn," I remarked obstinately, "that I will not rest until he
is safe under lock and key."
"You had better be prepared," answered Mannering. "I should judge him to
be a bit of a fighter."
"Next time I meet him, I'll take all risks to come to close quarters," I
continued.
"You haven't a car to do a hundred miles an hour, have you?" he said in
a bantering voice.
"My plan is a simple one. I merely propose to go out for night rides
until he finds me," I said.
"I had some thoughts of amusing myself in the same way," he answered.
"But, judging from your experience this morning, the only thing likely
to happen is being arrested on suspicion."
"I'll take my chance of that," I said. "But before discussing the
matter, perhaps you could tell Inspector Forrest whether there's any
spot in this neighbourhood likely to serve as a hiding-place for the
Pirate's car?"
A smile lit up Mannering's face. "There's the old coach-house at the
bottom of the paddock next to my cottage. It has a door opening on to
the main road. There would be room, too, in my stables, if I had not
fitted them up as workshops for my tyre experiments."
"Stop rotting," I said, "the inspector really means it."
He became grave instantly. "Sorry I can't suggest a likely spot," he
said, and then for a few minutes he answered the questions the detective
put to him as to what he had seen of the Pirate.
He could give little information of any value, and when Inspector
Forrest had elicited all that he could, he thanked Mannering and rose to
depart. I accompanied him to the garden gate. He appeared a little loth
to leave me. Twice he turned away and returned to make some objectless
remark to me. The third time he blurted out--
"About that suggestion of yours--taking night rides on the chance of
being held up----"
"Yes?" I said and waited.
"I wish I had a good fast car at my disposal," he continued earnestly;
"but the Yard would never run to it."
I felt a pleasant thrill run through me. It would be good to have his
companionship and assistance in working out my self-imposed vow.
"If you can make use of it, I will see that the best car money can buy
is placed at your disposal," I replied eagerly.
He took my hand and shook it warmly. "I'll see what my chief says," he
replied. "When can I see you again?"
"I shall be leaving here at eight and returning well--between ten and
eleven."
"Expect me about midnight," he said, and without another word or
backward glance he stepped out in the direction of St. Albans.
I returned to Mannering, who did not, however, favour me with a very
lengthy visit. Possibly he found my manner rather cool, but the fact
was, that try as I would to curb my feelings, I could not but resent
something of an air of proprietorship which I thought appeared in his
tone when referring to Miss Maitland.
When he had departed, I got out all the catalogues of motor-cars I could
lay my hands upon, and studied them until it was time to dress for
dinner. Several times I thought of breaking the appointment, for I knew
I should have to give some explanation of my arrest, and how to do so
without appearing an egregious ass I did not know. Finally I determined,
if the opportunity were afforded me, to tell the exact truth, at least
to the only person whose opinion I cared about.
I was glad afterwards that I had not sent my excuses, for I was lucky
enough to find Miss Maitland alone in the drawing-room when I arrived.
It seemed, too, as if she had determined to make amends for the mental
torture she had unwittingly caused me the previous evening. So it
happened that when she questioned me as to how I managed to get into
such a predicament, I told her as clearly as I could of the state of my
feelings. It was a blundering, halting statement I made, of that I am
certain, and before I had completed it Colonel Maitland's entry closed
my mouth. But I think she understood, for there was a little flush on
her cheek when we went into dinner which had not been there when I
greeted her, and a pretty air of seriousness in the glances she bestowed
upon me, which I had never noticed before.
As far as the Colonel was concerned, he did not worry me for any
explanations. He was bent on enlarging my knowledge of gastronomy, and
having a new cook, he was much too deeply interested in the _menu_ to
spare any thoughts for my erratic movements. I am afraid, though, his
teaching was wasted on me; for while I managed to reply to his
conversation, I had not the slightest idea what I was eating. My
principal longing was to get the meal over in order that I might finish
the conversation which had opened so auspiciously. The opportunity was
not afforded me on that occasion, however, but the evening did not pass
without my obtaining a glimmering of hope.
When Miss Maitland rose I asked her, in a voice which was low enough not
to reach her father's ear, whether she would answer me one question.
"What is it?" she said, and her face flushed a little as she came to the
door.
"Is there any one else?" I asked, my hand on the knob.
"What right have you to ask?" she answered.
"No right, I only ask it of your mercy," I replied.
She hesitated, then with flushed cheeks and a soft whispered "No one,"
she escaped through the door.
Over the port I took my new-found courage in both hands, and asked the
Colonel's consent to my suit. I gained it. He even expressed the hope
that I should succeed, but he warned me at the same time that I must not
depend upon him for any assistance. He declared himself to be clay in
the hands of his daughter.
"Evie always had her own way from the cradle," he declared, "and always
will have her own way. If I were to say that I thought you would make
her a good husband, I'm not sure whether she would not consider it a
sufficient excuse to accept Mannering straight away. Personally I should
much prefer you, but there's no counting on a woman's tastes, either in
men or wines. And Evie is a perfect woman, God bless her!"
I drained my glass to the toast and made an excuse to get away to the
drawing-room. But I did not see her alone again that evening. Winter and
his wife had walked over. Mannering did not put in an appearance, and
his absence was something to be thankful for; and when I held her hand
in mine as I bade her good night, I said--
"You have told me there is no one else. Is there any hope for me?"
She made no pretence of misunderstanding my meaning. She looked at me
saucily, her lips parted lightly, her eyes brimming with laughter.
"Come and ask me when--when you have caught the Motor Pirate," she said,
and with that answer I was fain to be content.
Thus it happened that I found myself fully committed to the work which
was at that time engaging the attention of the whole of the police
throughout the land. I welcomed the task. Luck might be on my side,
especially if my new friend the detective inspector's assistance proved
to be available.
And as regards assurance on this point, I had not long to wait before my
mind was at ease. I found him awaiting me at my garden gate when I
returned home. I invited him in so eagerly that he smiled.
"There's no need to ask if you are still as keen on this job as you were
this afternoon," he said, as he entered my snuggery.
"Keener than ever," I asseverated.
"Then I hope between us we may be successful in running our man to
ground."
"Have you heard anything further?" I inquired, anxiously.
"Nothing of the slightest value. A number of people have been through
our hands, but of the Pirate--not a sign."
"Perhaps we shall get a clue in the morning," I hazarded.
"At present," he declared, "there's not a shred of a clue to work upon.
Of course at any moment information may come to hand. He may endeavour
to dispose of some of his plunder, or he may reappear, but until
then----"
"What do you suggest?" I asked.
"I shall stay and thoroughly explore this district until I hear
something further," he answered.
"I am thinking of going into town in the morning, to see if a more
powerful car than the one I possess at present is to be obtained," I
told him later. "I am hoping to get one capable of doing fifty or even
sixty miles an hour at a pinch, so as to be prepared for emergencies.
Meanwhile, if you like to make this house your headquarters, I shall be
delighted to put you up."
"Do you really mean that, Mr. Sutgrove?" he asked.
"Of course I do," I replied.
He hesitated a moment, then he accepted my invitation. Luck was on my
side after all.