TALBOT'S ADVENTURES
Although Miss Talbot spoke so confidently of revelations to accompany
the expected meal, it is idle to pretend that any of the three people
who were cognizant of Talbot's mysterious appearance on the island
betrayed undue haste to return to the waiting lunch.
Sublimely unconscious of the excitement raging in their breasts, Sir
Hubert Fitzjames could not understand why they each and all answered him
in such a flurried manner when he dilated upon the beauties of the bay.
Finally he turned to Edith with an air of apprehension.
"I fear," he said, "that your expedition of last night has upset you.
Have you a headache?"
Then she could contain her news no longer. Drawing him close to the
rampart, and bending down so as to apparently take a deep interest in
the laughing excursionists beneath, she murmured--
"Listen to me carefully, uncle. Don't look around. Have you noticed the
party of Turks and a Frenchman grouped together in the opposite corner?"
"Yes," he said. "You do not mean to tell me that they are the people
whom Mr. Brett met this morning at the station?"
"Yes, unquestionably they are. Had your attention not been otherwise
taken up you must have recognized them from their description. But the
most marvellous thing remains. You know the little turret close to which
they are standing?"
"Yes."
"Well, in the staircase leading to the top, and leaning out through a
window, trying to hear what they are saying, is Jack!"
"What an extraordinary thing," said the major-general, who was really
very annoyed that such a meeting should have taken place under his very
nose and its significance remain hidden from him.
"Can we do anything?" he added.
"Nothing save to remain here a little longer and be most careful not to
appear to have the least knowledge of their identity. I have told you
lest we might chance to meet Jack face to face, and you should be taken
by surprise if you recognized him."
"Is he in disguise, then?" gasped her uncle.
"Yes, in a sense. Mr. Talbot has put him into a sort of French
working-man's holiday suit. He looks so odd, but it is evident that
neither Gros Jean nor the Turks have the least suspicion of his
presence. It was very clever of Jack to get into that turret without
alarming them."
They were joined by Daubeney and Fairholme, and Edith knew by a single
glance at the expressive expanse of the former's face that should he be
again brought into close proximity to the Turks and her brother it was
quite possible the quick-witted Gros Jean might detect the look of
interested amazement which must inevitably appear upon his honest
British countenance.
"Bobby," she said at once, "I want you and Mr. Daubeney to go down to
the launch and await us there. We will join you in a few minutes."
"Certainly," was the reply, for Fairholme knew that some motive lay
behind the request. "You cannot do much by remaining here, can you, so I
suppose you will not be long?"
"No; uncle and I will survey the view until it is firmly fixed in our
minds. After that it is full steam ahead for the Hotel du Louvre."
The two young men disappeared down the stairs leading to the courtyard.
On their way they encountered a number of holiday makers, climbing to
the top of the tower. In they came, twenty or more of them, and promptly
spread themselves around the walls, the Marseillais amongst them
indicating to their country cousins points of interest in the city and
along the coast.
At this moment, too, the siren of the small pleasure steamer at the quay
announced she was about to make her hourly trip back to the town.
Whereupon Gros Jean and the Turks, having apparently ended their
consultation, crossed the roof and disappeared down the staircase.
Instantly Jack Talbot strolled after them, but no sooner had the bulky
form of Gros Jean--who was the last of his party--vanished than Talbot
ran towards his uncle and sister, and said rapidly--
"Dubois and the girl have gone to Palermo. Gros Jean and the Turks have
been in communication with the Sultan, and there is a movement on foot
to buy back the diamonds. That is all that I can tell you now, but let
Mr. Brett know. When I have seen these chaps safely home, I will at
once come to the hotel."
Then he, too, vanished.
Edith felt a thrill of elation that her good judgment should have led
her to remain sufficiently long on the tower to glean such important
information.
When Brett heard the news it seemed to annoy him.
"I feared as much," he said. "I had not much faith in the patriotism of
the Young Turks. I wonder how much the Sultan has offered. It must be a
severe wrench for him to dip his hands into his money-bags, and Dubois
will certainly demand a handsome figure before he disgorges his booty.
However, we must possess our souls in peace until Talbot comes here and
tells us all what he has learnt. At this moment I cannot help marvelling
at the strange coincidence which should have led the Turks and yourself
to select the Chateau d'If for a morning stroll. I fully expected that
Gros Jean would be in bed. He must have received some startling
intelligence to keep him away from his rest after a long journey.
Meanwhile, I have not been idle."
Everyone awaited with interest his next words, for Brett seldom made
such a remark without having something out of the common to communicate.
"I telephoned to Paris," he explained, "to tell the Prefecture that Gros
Jean and the Turks had arrived at Marseilles. The police were surprised,
and perhaps a little sore, that they had not discovered the fact for
themselves, but when I soothed them down they informed me that 'Le
Ver'--the diminutive scoundrel whom we rescued from the Rue
Barbette--had faithfully kept his appointment with me at the Grand Hotel
yesterday.
"It seems that he was much upset when he learnt that I had left. He went
straight to the commissary to inform him that, contrary to expectations,
the Turks were acting in complete accord with mademoiselle's father.
This naturally puzzled the commissary a good deal, and the affair became
still stranger when an attaché from the Turkish Embassy called a little
later and urged the police to do all in their power to discover the
whereabouts of Hussein-ul-Mulk, as he was particularly anxious to have a
friendly talk with him.
"Close on the heels of the Turk came a confidential messenger from the
British Embassy, requesting the latest details, and, when questioned by
the commissary, this man admitted that he had in the first instance
called to see me at the Grand Hotel.
"In a word, Miss Talbot, I had suspected the existence of the
negotiations, which your brother's smart piece of work this morning has
confirmed."
Whilst they were talking Fairholme took Daubeney on one side, and with
Brett's permission gave him a detailed account of the whole affair.
The Honourable James Daubeney was delighted to be mixed up in this
international imbroglio. He told the earl that the _Blue-Bell_ was at
his disposal at any moment of the day or night she might be required.
Indeed, he forthwith excused himself on the ground that certain little
formalities were requisite before he could clear the harbour, and he
must hurry off to attend to these immediately.
"I tell you what," he added, with his hand on the door, "I will come
back and dine with you, if I may, at half-past seven, because I shall
not sleep to-night until I hear how things are going on. But I promise
you, if I meet a single Turk between here and the harbour, I will cross
over to the other side of the street."
No one quite knew what he meant by this portentous guarantee, but it was
evident that Daubeney, if nothing else, was a man of action, and his
yacht might become very useful.
He had hardly quitted the hotel when a waiter announced that a _jeune
Français_ wished to see Mr. Brett.
"Show him up," said the barrister, and a moment later Talbot entered. He
stood near the door twiddling his hat in his hand until the waiter had
gone. Then he told them what had happened since he took up his quarters
at the Hotel des Jolies Femmes.
"When I reached there," he said, "I was under the impression that Gros
Jean and the Turks were in bed. I hired my room; sent my tin box there,
and then settled myself in the café to smoke cigarettes and read these
vile Marseilles newspapers until lunch time. You may judge my surprise
when I saw the three Turks and Gros Jean come out into the street and
ask a waiter the way to the post-office.
"They set off, and, being sure of their destination, I did not quit the
café myself until they were well out of sight. Then I walked away in the
same direction, inquired of a policeman the quickest way to reach the
post-office, and stepped out rapidly.
"I had not gone far when I overtook them. They reached the building. The
Turks remained in the street and Gros Jean went inside, so I followed
him, and found him inquiring for letters at the Poste Restante
department. Whereupon I sent a telegram to London."
"Who on earth did you telegraph to, Jack?" broke in Edith.
"To my shirt-maker, telling him to put a couple of dozens in hand at
once."
This unexpected answer evoked a general titter.
"The funny thing to me," said Talbot, "was the effect of the message on
the telegraph clerk. He could evidently read English, and he surveyed me
curiously, for in my present appearance I looked a most unlikely person
to order shirts by telegram from a well-known London house. However, I
achieved my purpose, which was to overhear Gros Jean's request. He asked
if there were any letters for M. Isidor de Rion."
"Good gracious," cried Edith, "what an aristocratic name for that fat
man."
"Anyhow, it was effective. There was a letter for him, and he evidently
only expected one, for, before the clerk who handed it to him was able
to examine the remainder of the packet, he tore it open, glanced briefly
at its contents, and then hurried out to join his friends to the street.
After a short conclave they entered a café and procured a railway guide.
I tried hard to find out what section of the book Gros Jean was looking
at, but failed, for the double reason that he did not consult the Turks,
nor did he seem to make up his mind, for he looked through the book,
sighed impatiently and suggested to the others that they should go out
again. I followed them into the Cannebiere, and thence down towards the
harbour. When we reached the quay a small pleasure steamer was whistling
for passengers, and a placard announced a fifty-centimes return trip to
the Chateau d'If.
"Seemingly on the spur of the moment, Gros Jean invited the others to
accompany him. It probably occurred to him that the island would supply
a safe nook in which they could talk without fear of observation, as
their presence on board the steamer would stamp them as excursionists.
So, of course, I followed them. When we reached the island, I quickly
perceived that the castle filled the whole of it. Therefore, in place of
keeping behind them I went in front. We all passed on with the stream of
sightseers until we reached the courtyard. I had never been in the place
before, but Gros Jean seemed to know it well. Owing to my policy of
preceding them I found myself halted for a moment at the foot of the
stairs leading to the tower. It struck me that the Frenchman was making
in this direction, so I took the chance and ran up. I reached the top
and looked over before the party had entered the doorway at the bottom.
They came in. Thus far I was right. I looked around, and found, as you
know, the square roof surrounded by bare battlements with a turret in
one corner. I decided instantly that it would be hopeless to try to get
close to them if they halted at any other point save in the vicinity of
the turret. Elsewhere I must remain too far away to catch any portion of
their conversation. So I darted across and entered the turret, noting on
my way up the stairs the existence of the loopholed window where you
finally saw me. It would never do to be caught there, so I went to the
top and peeped over. You can guess how delighted I was when they came
straight across and settled themselves in the angle beneath. Then I
crept halfway down the stairs and leaned as far as I dared through the
loophole, being just in time to hear Gros Jean read a letter from his
daughter. Fortunately the innkeeper had to speak plainly, as his
companions were foreigners, and for the same reason I had no difficulty
in catching the drift of what the Turks said.
"The letter was quite short. It told him that H. had decided to leave
France, and had made arrangements to proceed at once to Palermo, whither
the writer would accompany him.
"One sentence I remember exactly: 'H.,' she wrote, 'has friends in
Sicily, and he feels assured of a kind reception at their hands.'"
"Friends!" interrupted Brett. "That means brigands!"
"The information seemed to annoy the Turks very much. They were very
angry at what they described as the enforced delay, and discussed with
Gros Jean the quickest means of reaching Palermo forthwith. Then he told
them that he had endeavoured to find out the trains running through
Italy to Messina, but they could not leave Marseilles until to-night,
and he thought it best that they should have a quiet talk on the
situation before deciding too hurriedly upon any line of action.
"The rest of their conversation was inconsequent and desultory, alluding
evidently to some project which they had fully discussed before. But it
is quite clear from the drift of their remarks that an emissary from the
Sultan had approached Hussein-ul-Mulk, and had offered such terms for
the recovery of the diamonds that not only were the Young Turkish party
in Paris eager to compromise with him, but they had succeeded in
convincing Gros Jean that Dubois also would be likely to accept the
proposition."
Brett smiled grimly. "The commissary in Paris always follows up the
wrong person," he said. "Had he only used his wits yesterday morning he
would have discovered that the agent of the Embassy was in touch with
Hussein-ul-Mulk. Hence the presence of the quartette in Marseilles
to-day."
Talbot was naturally mystified by this remark until Brett explained to
him the circumstances already known to the reader.
"Was there anything else?" inquired the barrister, reverting to the
chief topic before them.
"Only this. I gathered that Gros Jean did not know his daughter's
whereabouts in Marseilles, but she had arranged that if circumstances
necessitated her departure from the town she would leave a letter for
him in the Poste Restante, giving him full details. Nevertheless, this
presupposes the knowledge on her part that he would come to Marseilles,
so I assume therefore that telegrams must have passed between them
yesterday afternoon."
"Obviously!" said Brett. "Anything else?"
"Yes," and now Talbot's voice took a note of passion that momentarily
surprised his hearers. "It seems to me that this underhanded
arrangement, if it goes through, condones the murder of poor Mehemet Ali
and his assistants, and places on me the everlasting disgrace of having
permitted this thing to happen whilst an important and special mission
was entrusted to my sole charge by the Foreign Office. Dubois has been
able to commit his crime, get away with the diamonds, hoodwink all of us
most effectually, and, in the result, obtain a huge reward from the
Turkish Government for his services. I tell you, Mr. Brett, I won't put
up with it. I will follow him to the other end of the world, and, at any
rate, take personal vengeance on the man who has ruined my career. For,
no matter what you say, the only effective way in which I can
rehabilitate myself with my superiors is to hand back those diamonds to
the custody of the Foreign Office. No matter how the panic-stricken
sovereign in Yildiz Kiosk may sacrifice his servants to gain his own
ends, I, at least, have a higher motive. It rests with me to prove that
the British Government is not to be humbugged by Paris thieves or
Turkish agitators. If I fail in that duty there remains to me the
personal motive of revenge!
"No, Edith; it is useless to argue with me," for his sister had risen
and placed her arms lovingly round his neck in the effort to calm him.
"My mind is made up. I suppose Mr. Brett feels that his inquiry is
ended. For me it has just commenced."
The young man's justifiable rage created a sensation which was promptly
allayed by Brett's cool voice.
"May I ask," he said, "what reason you have to suppose that I should so
readily throw up the sponge and leave Monsieur Henri Dubois the victor
in this contest?"
"Do you mean," cried Talbot, starting to his feet, "that you will stand
by me?"
"Stand by you!" echoed the barrister, himself yielding for an instant to
the electrical condition of things. "Of course I will. We will recover
those diamonds and bring them back with us to London if we have to take
them out of the Sultan's palace itself!"
"And now, Lord Fairholme," he added, before Talbot could do other than
grasp his hand and shake it impulsively, "we want your friend's yacht.
We will set out for Palermo at the first possible moment. We must reach
there many hours, perhaps a whole day, before Dubois, who is on a
sailing vessel, and even with the start he has obtained cannot hope to
equal the performance of a fast steamer. Let Gros Jean and his Turks
travel overland. We will beat them, too. Come, now, no more talk, but
action. You, Fairholme, go ahead and prepare Daubeney. I will see to
your luggage being packed. Talbot and I will join you in half an hour."
"Eh! what is that?" broke in Sir Hubert. "Fairholme, Talbot, you--what
are Edith and I going to do?"
"Mr. Brett, of course," said Edith, in her steady, even tones, "did not
trouble to include us, uncle, because we shall be on the yacht first. A
woman can always pack up much better than a man, you know, and I will
look after you, dear."
Brett gave one glance at her flushed and smiling face, and forthwith
abandoned argument as useless.
An hour later the _Blue-Bell_ was skimming merrily past the outer
lighthouse in Marseilles bay.