THE BAITED TRAP
Latimer Lane, which was the name of the secluded little road in which
the Spaldings' house was situated, presented a most restful
appearance as Tony entered it from the upper end. Except for a
solitary cat sunning herself in the gutter, there was no sign of life
throughout its entire length. If any sinister-looking gentlemen were
really lurking in the neighbourhood, they had at least succeeded in
concealing themselves with the most praiseworthy skill.
With his blackthorn in his hand Tony sauntered peacefully along the
pavement. There was nothing about his appearance to suggest that he
was taking any unusual interest in his surroundings. His whole
demeanour was as free from suspicion as that of the cat herself, who
merely opened one sleepy eye at his approach, and then closed it
again with an air of sun-warmed indifference.
He turned in at the gate of Mrs. Spalding's house without so much as
a backward glance, and strolling up the garden path, knocked lightly
at the door. It was opened almost immediately by Bugg, whose face
lit up with that same sort of simple-hearted smile that Ney used to
assume at the appearance of Napoleon.
"It's all right, sir," he whispered exultingly, as soon as the door
was closed again. "'E's still there, an' 'tother bloke too!"
Tony hung up his hat, and with tender care deposited his blackthorn
on the hall table.
"That's splendid, Bugg," he said. "Where is Miss Francis?"
With a jerk of his thumb, Bugg indicated the basement.
"She's dahn there along o' Mrs. Spalding, sir."
The words had hardly left his lips, when Isabel, slightly flushed and
looking prettier than ever, emerged from the head of the kitchen
stairs.
"Oh," she said, "you have just come at the right time. Mrs. Spalding
and I have been making some scones for tea."
Tony looked at her in admiration. "What wild and unexpected talents
you have, Isabel," he remarked.
She laughed happily. "I can make very good scones," she said. "That
was one of the extra and private accomplishments that Miss Watson
taught me." She paused. "How soon would you like to have tea?"
"Do you mind putting it off for a little bit?" said Tony. "I have
got something I want to speak to you about first." He turned to
Bugg. "Go out into the yard behind, Bugg," he said, "and have a nice
careful look at the back wall. I want to know if it's fairly easy to
climb and what there is the other side of it."
With that invaluable swiftness of action that distinguishes a
successful welter-weight, Bugg wheeled round and shot off on his
errand. Isabel gazed after him for a moment in surprise, and then
turned back to Tony with a slightly bewildered expression.
"Is there anything the matter?" she asked.
"Nothing the least serious," said Tony reassuringly. "I am thinking
of entertaining a couple of old friends of ours who are too shy to
call in the usual way."
A sudden look of understanding flashed into Isabel's face, and taking
a quick step forward she laid her hand lightly on Tony's arm.
"You mean those men--those two men?" she whispered. "Why--are they
outside? Have they found out where I am?"
Tony patted her hand. "There's nothing to be frightened about,
Isabel," he said. "At least not for us."
She drew herself up proudly. "I'm not frightened," she said, "not a
bit. I told you I should never be frightened again as long as I had
you to help me." She took a long breath. "What are you going to
do?" she asked. "Kill them?"
Tony laughed. "I think we ought to find out first what they want,"
he said. "There's a sort of prejudice in this country against
massacring people at sight."
"I--I forgot we were in England," said Isabel apologetically. "I
have heard father and the others talk so much about killing people,
it doesn't seem nearly as serious to me as it ought to."
"Never mind," said Tony consolingly. "We all have our weak points."
He leaned over and tipped off the ash of his cigar into the umbrella
stand. "According to Bugg," he added, "our two friends have been
hanging about outside the house ever since Tuesday."
Isabel opened her eyes. "Since Tuesday!" she repeated. "But why
didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't want to worry you. I knew you would be quite safe with
Bugg here, so I thought it was better to wait until I had made up my
mind what to do." He paused. "Whoever these two beauties are it's
quite evident that what they're really yearning for is another little
private chat with you. At least it's difficult to see what else they
can be after unless they are going in for a fresh air cure."
Isabel nodded her head. "It's me all right," she observed with some
conviction.
"Well, under the circumstances," pursued Tony tranquilly, "I propose
to give them the chance of gratifying their ambition. I always like
to help people gratify their ambition, even if it involves a little
personal trouble and exertion."
Isabel's amber eyes lit up with an expectant and rather unkind
pleasure. "What are you going to do?" she asked again.
"It depends to a certain extent on Bugg's report," replied Tony.
"The idea is that he and I should go out by the front gate, work our
way round to the back, and make a quiet and unobtrusive re-entrance
over the garden wall. We should then be on the premises in case any
one took it into their heads to call during our absence."
Isabel laughed joyously. "That's a lovely idea," she exclaimed. "I
do hope----"
She was interrupted by the sudden reappearance of Bugg, who came
rapidly up the staircase in the same noiseless and unexpected fashion
that he had departed in.
"Well?" said Tony, throwing away the stump of his cigar.
"There ain't nothin' wrong abaht the wall, sir," replied Bugg
cheerfully. "One can 'op over that as easy as sneezin'."
"What is there the other side of it?" asked Tony.
"It gives on to the back garden of the 'Ollies--that big empty 'ouse
in 'Eath Street."
"How very obliging of it," said Tony contentedly. He turned to
Isabel. "It's no good wasting time, is it?" he added. "I think I
had better go straight down and tell Mrs. Spalding what we propose to
do. She ought to know something about it, just in case we have to
slaughter any one on her best carpet."
Isabel looked a little doubtful. "I hope she won't mind," she said.
"I don't think she will," replied Tony. "I have always found her
most reasonable about trifles." He turned back to Bugg. "Better
find a bag or something to take with you when you go out," he added.
"I want you to look as if you were on your way back to Goodman's
Rest."
Bugg saluted, and making his way downstairs, Tony tapped gently at
what appeared to be the kitchen door. It was opened by Mrs. Spalding
who at the sight of her visitor showed distinct traces of surprise
and concern.
"Why ever didn't you ring, Sir Antony?" she inquired almost
reproachfully.
"It's all right, Mrs. Spalding," he replied in his cheerful fashion.
"I came down purposely because I want to have a little private talk
with you." He moved aside a plate, and before she could protest
seated himself on the corner of the table. "You remember what I told
you a couple of days ago about the house being watched?"
"Indeed yes, sir," said Mrs. Spalding. "They are still hanging about
the place according to what Bugg says. I am sure I don't know what
the police can be up to allowing a thing like that to go on in a
respectable neighbourhood."
"It's scandalous," agreed Tony warmly. "As far as I can see the only
thing to do is to take the matter into our hands. The men are
probably a couple of ruffians employed to watch the place by Miss
Francis' guardian."
Mrs. Spalding nodded her head. "I shouldn't be a bit surprised, sir.
Them foreigners are up to anything."
"It must be put a stop to," said Tony firmly. "Of course I could
insist upon the police taking it up, but I think on the whole it
would be better if we tackled the matter ourselves. One doesn't want
the half-penny papers to get hold of it, or anything of that sort."
"Certainly not, sir," said Mrs. Spalding in a shocked voice. "It
would never do for a gentleman in your position."
"Well, I have thought of a plan," began Tony, "but the fact is--" he
paused artistically--"well, the fact is, Mrs. Spalding, I should
hardly like to trouble you any further after the extremely kind way
in which you have already helped us."
The good woman was visibly affected. "You mustn't think of that, Sir
Antony," she protested. "I am sure it's a real pleasure to do
anything I can for you and the young lady--such a nice sweet-spoken
young lady she is too."
"Well, of course, if you really feel like that about it," observed
Tony; and without wasting efforts on any further diplomacy, he
proceeded to sketch out the plan of campaign that he had already
described to Isabel.
"It's quite simple, you see," he finished. "We pop back over the
garden wall and through the kitchen window, and there we are. Then
if these scoundrels do turn up and ask for Miss Francis, you have
only got to let them in and leave the rest to us. I don't think they
will bother us much more--not after I've finished with them."
For a respectable woman, who had hitherto led a peaceful and
law-abiding life, Mrs. Spalding received the scheme with surprising
calmness.
"You will be careful about the climbing the wall, won't you, sir?"
she observed. "It's that old, there's no knowing whether it will
bear a gentleman of your weight."
"Oh, that's all right, Mrs. Spalding," said Tony reassuringly. "I
shall allow Bugg to go first."
He got down off the table, and after once more expressing his thanks,
made his way upstairs again into the hall.
He found Isabel standing at the door of the sitting-room just as he
had left her.
"Well?" she asked eagerly.
"There are no difficulties," said Tony. "Mrs. Spalding is all for a
forward policy."
As he spoke there was a sound of footsteps above them, and Bugg
descended the staircase carrying a small bag in one hand and his cap
in the other.
"I think we may as well make a start," continued Tony. "Don't hurry
yourself, 'Tiger.' Just paddle along comfortably, and whatever you
do keep your eyes off the opposite side of the road. You can either
take the bag back to Goodman's Rest, or else leave it in the bar at
the Castle. Anyhow meet me in a quarter of an hour's time in the
back garden of the Hollies."
Bugg nodded his head. "I'll be there, Sir Ant'ny," he replied grimly.
Tony pushed open the door of the sitting-room. "We had better wait
in here, Isabel," he said. "We mustn't be seen conspiring together
in the hall when Bugg goes out, or it might put the enemy on his
guard."
A few seconds later the peace of Latimer Lane was suddenly disturbed
by the banging of Mrs. Spalding's front door. Whistling a bright
little music hall ditty to himself, Bugg came marching down the
garden path and passed out through the gate into the roadway. He
paused for a moment to extract and light himself a Woodbine
cigarette, and then, without looking back at the house, set off at a
leisurely pace in the direction of the Heath.
For ten minutes a deep unbroken hush brooded over the neighbourhood.
If there were any human beings about they still remained silent and
invisible, while the solitary cat, who had glanced up resentfully as
Bugg passed, gradually resumed her former attitude of somnolent
repose.
Then once more the door of number sixteen opened, and Tony and Isabel
made their appearance. The latter was wearing no hat, and her
red-gold hair gleamed in the sunshine, like copper in the firelight.
They strolled down together as far as the gate, where they remained
for a few moments laughing and chatting. Then, with a final and
fairly audible observation to the effect that he would be back about
six, Tony took his departure. He went off to the left, in the
opposite direction from that patronized by Bugg.
Turning lightly round Isabel sauntered back up the garden. The front
door closed behind her, and once again peace--the well ordered peace
of a superior London suburb, descended upon Latimer Lane.
* * * * * * *
At the back of the house Mrs. Spalding was standing at the kitchen
window, which she had pushed up to its fullest extent. Her eyes were
fixed anxiously upon the summit of the wall which divided her
miniature back yard from the adjoining property. It was a venerable
wall, of early Victorian origin, about twelve feet in height, and
thickly covered with a mat of ivy.
At last, from the other side came a faint rustle, followed almost
immediately by the unmistakable scrape and scuffle of somebody
attempting an ascent. Then a hand and arm appeared over the top, and
a moment later Bugg had hoisted himself into view, and was sitting
astride the parapet. He paused for an instant to whisper back some
hoarse but inaudible remark, and then catching hold of the ivy swung
himself neatly and rapidly to the ground.
There was another and rather louder scuffle, and Tony followed suit.
He came down into the yard even quicker than Bugg--his descent being
somewhat accelerated by the behaviour of a branch of ivy, which
detached itself from the wall, just as he had got his full weight on
it.
"Yer ain't 'urt yerself, 'ave ye, sir?" inquired the faithful "Tiger"
with some anxiety.
Tony shook his head, and discarded the handful of foliage that he was
still clutching.
"One should never trust entirely to Nature, Bugg," he observed. "She
invariably lets one down."
He stopped to flick off the dust and cobwebs from the knees of his
trousers, and then leading the way across the yard to the kitchen
window, he scrambled in over the sill.
"I am afraid I have thinned out your ivy a bit, Mrs. Spalding," he
remarked regretfully.
"It doesn't matter the least about that, sir," replied Mrs. Spalding,
"so long as you haven't gone and shook yourself up."
"I don't think I have," said Tony. "I feel extraordinarily well
except for a slight craving for tea." He paused. "No sign of the
enemy yet, I suppose?"
Mrs. Spalding shook her head. "It's all been quite quiet so far, Sir
Antony."
"Well, I think we had better go upstairs and arrange our plans," he
observed. "We may have plenty of time, but it's just as well to be
on the safe side. There's a strain of impetuosity in the foreign
blood that one has to look out for."
He moved towards the door; and followed by Mrs. Spalding and
Bugg--the latter of whom had climbed in through the window after
him--he mounted the flight of stone stairs that led up into the hall.
"I suppose Miss Francis is in her bedroom?" he said turning to Mrs.
Spalding.
She nodded her head. "Yes, Sir Antony. She went up directly she
came back into the house."
He took a step forward and stood for a moment contemplating the scene
with the thoughtful air of a general surveying the site of a future
battle.
"I think your place, Bugg," he said, "will be half-way up the
staircase, just out of sight of the front door. I shall wait in the
sitting-room, and Mrs. Spalding will be downstairs in the kitchen."
He paused. "What will happen is this. When the bell rings Mrs.
Spalding will come up and open the door. Directly she does, our
friends will probably force their way into the hall and ask to see
Miss Francis. They will know she is upstairs, because as a matter of
fact she is sitting in the window reading a book."
"Am I to let them through, sir?" inquired Mrs. Spalding.
"Not without a protest," said Tony; "but I expect as a matter of fact
they will simply push past you. People like that have very bad
manners, especially when they are pressed for time. In that case all
you have got to do will be to fall back to the kitchen stairs and
leave the rest to us."
Bugg sighed happily. "An' then I s'pose I comes dahn and we shoves
it across 'em, sir?" he inquired.
"That's the idea," said Tony, "but there's no need to be rough or
unkind about it. All I want to do is to get them into the
sitting-room in a sufficiently chastened frame of mind to answer a
few civil questions. It oughtn't to be difficult unless they have
got revolvers."
"Revolvers!" repeated Mrs. Spalding in some distress. "Oh, dear,
dear! You will be careful, won't you, Sir Antony?"
"I shall," said Tony: "extremely careful."
He walked to the hall table and picked up the blackthorn that he had
left lying there. "I don't think I shall want this," he remarked,
"but perhaps----"
He broke off abruptly, as a faint sound from outside suddenly reached
his ear.
"Listen!" he said softly. "What's that?"
There was a moment's pause, and then quite clearly came the
unmistakable click of the front gate.
Swiftly and quietly Tony stepped back to the sitting-room door.
"Here they are!" he announced with a cheerful smile. "Take it
coolly: there's heaps of time."
Considering the abrupt nature of the crisis, it must be admitted that
both Mrs. Spalding and Bugg rose to the occasion in the most
creditable fashion. In three strides the latter had disappeared up
the staircase, while if Mrs. Spalding was a shade less precipitous,
it was only because she was not so well fitted by nature for sudden
and violent transitions.
Tony waited until they were both out of sight, and then with a final
glance round the hall he stepped back into the sitting-room. He
closed the door after him until only the faintest crack was visible
from outside, and having placed his blackthorn carefully in the
corner, he stood there in easy readiness, his hand resting lightly on
the door knob.
For perhaps thirty seconds the steady ticking of the hall clock alone
broke the silence. Then the sound of a slight movement became
suddenly audible outside the house, and a moment later the sharp
_tang, tang_ of a bell went jangling through the basement. With a
contented smile Tony began to button up his coat.
He heard Mrs. Spalding mount the stairs and pass along the hall
passage outside. There was the sharp snap of a bolt being pushed
back, and then almost simultaneously came a sudden scuffle of
footsteps, and the loud bang of an abruptly closed door.
"Pardon, Madame," said a voice. "We do not wish to alarm you, but it
is necessary that we speak with the young lady upstairs."
For a complete amateur in private theatricals, Mrs. Spalding played
her part admirably.
"You will do nothing of the kind," she replied with every symptom of
surprised indignation. "Who are you? How dare you force your way
into a private house like this?"
"You will pardon us, Madame," repeated the voice, "but I fear we must
insist. We mean no harm to the young lady: on the contrary we are
her best--her truest friends."
Mrs. Spalding sniffed audibly. "That's as it may be," she retorted.
"Anyhow, you don't set a foot on my staircase; and what's more, if
you don't leave the house immediately I shall send for the police."
There was a brief whispered consultation in what sounded like a
foreign language, and then the same voice spoke again.
"We dislike to use force, Madame; but since you leave us no
choice----"
Once more came the quick shuffle of steps, followed in this case by
the crash of an overturning chair, and then with a swift jerk Tony
flung open the door, and strode blithely out into the hall. He took
in the situation at a glance. True to her instructions Mrs. Spalding
had retreated to the head of the kitchen banisters, where one of the
intruders had followed as though to cut her off from further
interference. The other was bounding gaily up the staircase,
apparently under the happy impression that the road was now clear
before him.
Tony just had time to see that the man in the hall was the shorter of
the two, when with an exclamation of anger and alarm that gentleman
spun round to meet him. As he turned his right hand travelled
swiftly back towards his hip pocket, but the action though well
intended was too late to be effective. With one tiger-like spring
Tony had crossed the intervening distance, and clutching him
affectionately round the waist, had pinned his arms to his sides.
"No shooting, Harold," he said. "You might break the pictures."
As he spoke the whole staircase was suddenly shaken by a crash
upstairs, followed by the heavy thud of a falling body. Then, almost
simultaneously, the head of "Tiger" Bugg protruded itself over the
banisters.
"All right below, sir?" it inquired with some anxiety.
Tony looked up. "If you have quite finished, you might come down and
take away this revolver," he replied tranquilly.
That Bugg had finished was evident from the immediate nature of his
response. He leaped down the stairs with the activity of a chamois,
and darting in behind Tony's struggling captive, fished out a wicked
looking Mauser pistol from that gentleman's hip pocket.
"'Ere we are, sir," he announced cheerfully. "Loaded up proper too
from the look of it."
Tony released his grip, and the owner of the weapon staggered back
against the wall gasping like a newly landed fish.
"Give it to me," said Tony holding out his hand, and as Bugg
complied, he added in that pleasantly lazy way of his: "If you
haven't corpsed the gentleman upstairs, go and bring him down into
the sitting-room." Then, turning to his own late adversary, he
observed hospitably: "Perhaps you wouldn't mind joining us, sir. I
am sure we shall all enjoy a little chat."
The stranger, who was gradually beginning to recover from Tony's
bear-like hug, scowled horribly. He was not a prepossessing looking
person, for in addition to a cast in his left eye, his swarthy and
truculent face was further disfigured by the scar of an old sword
cut, which seemed to have just failed in a laudable effort to slice
off the greater part of his jaw. All the same there was a certain
air of force and authority about him, which redeemed him from
absolute ruffianism.
Beyond the scowl, however, he made no further protest, but followed
by Tony and the Mauser, marched along into the sitting-room, where he
folded his arms and took up a defiant posture on the hearth-rug.
There was a sound of banging and bumping from the staircase, and a
moment later Bugg entered through the doorway, half carrying and half
pushing the semi-conscious figure of the other invader.
"I 'it 'im a bit 'arder than I meant to, sir," he explained
apologetically to Tony; "but 'e's comin' rahnd now nice an' pretty."
He deposited the convalescent carefully in the easy-chair, and then
stepped back as though waiting further instructions.
It was the cross-eyed gentleman, however, who broke the silence.
"In my country," he observed thickly, "you would die for this--both
of you."
Tony smiled at him indulgently. "I am sure we should," he said; "but
that's the best of Hampstead; it's so devilish healthy." He paused.
"Won't you sit down and make yourself comfortable?" he added.
There was something so unexpected either about the request or else
the manner of it, that for a moment the visitor seemed at a loss what
to do. At length, however, he seated himself on the edge of the
sofa, still glowering savagely at Tony with his working eye.
It was at this point that his friend in the chair began to emerge
into something like intelligent interest in the proceedings. After
blinking vaguely and shaking his head once or twice, he suddenly
raised himself in his seat, and looked round him with a slightly
bewildered air. His gaze finally came to rest on the barrel of the
Mauser pistol which happened at the moment to be pointing in his
direction.
[Illustration: His gaze finally came to rest on the barrel of the
Mauser pistol. "Feeling better?" inquired Tony kindly. An obvious
train of recollection flashed across the stranger's face. "I
remember now," he muttered. "Something struck me--something on the
stairs."]
"Feeling better?" inquired Tony kindly.
An obvious train of recollection flashed across the stranger's face,
and with an instinctive movement he raised his hand to his jaw.
"I remember now," he muttered. "Something struck me. Something on
the stairs."
"That's right," said Tony encouragingly. "It was Bugg's fist. Very
few people can take a punch in the jaw from Bugg and remember the
exact details."
The stranger looked at Tony with some curiosity. He had a more
refined and intelligent face than his companion, while from the few
words he had spoken his foreign accent appeared to be less pronounced.
"I presume," he said, "that I am addressing Sir Antony Conway?"
Tony nodded. "You at least have the advantage of knowing whom you're
talking to."
There was a moment's pause, and then the man on the sofa laughed
aggressively.
"It is an advantage that you possibly share with us," he growled.
Tony turned on him. "Except for the fact that you appear to belong
to the criminal classes," he said, "I haven't the foggiest notion who
either of you are."
With what sounded distressingly like an oath the cross-eyed gentleman
scrambled to his feet, but a slight change in the direction of the
Mauser pulled him up abruptly.
It was his friend who relieved the somewhat strained situation.
"You forget, Colonel," he said suavely. "If Sir Antony Conway is not
aware who we are, our conduct must certainly appear to be a trifle
peculiar." He turned back to Tony. "If you would grant us the
privilege of a few moments' private conversation I fancy we might
come to a better understanding. It is possible that we are
rather--how do you say--at cross purposes."
"I shouldn't wonder," replied Tony cheerfully. "Do you mind going
out into the hall for a minute, Bugg? I am sorry to leave you out of
it, but one must respect the wishes of one's guests."
It was the first occasion on which Bugg had ever received an order
from Tony that he had hesitated over the immediate fulfilment.
"It ain't as I want to 'ear wot they says, sir," he explained
apologetically. "It's leavin' you alone with the blighters I don't
like."
"I shan't be alone, 'Tiger,'" said Tony. "I shall have this
excellent little Mauser pistol to keep me company."
Bugg walked reluctantly to the door. "I'll only be just in the 'all
if you want me," he observed. "You'll watch aht for any dirty work,
won't ye, sir?"
"I shall," said Tony: "most intently."
He waited until the door had closed, and then seated himself on the
corner of the table, with the Mauser dangling between his knees.
"Well, gentlemen?" he observed encouragingly.
"Sir Antony Conway," said the taller of the two. "Will you permit me
to ask you a perfectly frank question? Are you aware of the identity
of this young lady, in whose behalf you seem to have interested
yourself?"
"Of course I am," said Tony.
"And may we take it that in coming as you thought to her assistance
you acted from--" he paused--"from entirely private motives?" He
waited for the answer with an eagerness that was plainly visible.
Tony nodded. "I never act from anything else," he remarked.
The tall man turned to his companion. "It is as I suggested,
Colonel," he observed, with an air of quiet triumph.
The other still glared suspiciously at Tony. "Have a care," he
muttered. "Who knows that he is speaking the truth."
The tall man made a gesture of impatience. "You do not understand
the English nobility, Colonel." He turned back to Tony. "Permit us
to introduce ourselves. This is Colonel Saltero of the Livadian
army. My name is Congosta--Señor Eduardo Congosta. It is a name not
unknown among Livadian Loyalists."
Tony bowed bravely to the pair of them. "I am delighted to meet you
both," he said. "I can't profess any great admiration for your
distinguished monarch, but perhaps I don't know his finer qualities."
"Our distinguished monarch," repeated the Colonel darkly. "Of whom
do you speak, Sir Antony?"
Tony raised his eyebrows. "Why--Peter of course," he said. "Pedro,
I should say. Have you more than one of them?"
Colonel Saltero, who was still upon his feet, scowled more savagely
than ever. "That miserable impostor," he exclaimed. "I----"
"You misunderstand us, sir," put in the smoother voice of Señor
Congosta. "The person you refer to has no legitimate claim to the
throne of Livadia. Like all true Loyalists we are followers of his
late Majesty King Francisco the First."
It was a startling announcement, but Tony's natural composure stood
him in good stead.
"Really!" he said slowly. "How extremely interesting! I thought you
had all been exterminated."
Señor Congosta smiled. "You will pardon my saying so, Sir Antony,
but an accurate knowledge of Continental affairs is not one of your
great nation's strong points." He paused. "Our party is more
powerful now than at any time during the last fifteen years."
"But how about the government?" said Tony. "Surely they don't look
on you any more affectionately than on Pedro and his little lot?"
"The government!" Señor Congosta repeated the words with the utmost
scorn. "I will be frank with you, Sir Antony. The Republican
government is doomed. Too long has that collection of traitors
battened on my unfortunate country. It needs but one spark to kindle
the flame, and--" With a sweep of his arm he indicated the painful
and abrupt fate that was awaiting the President of Livadia and his
advisers.
"I see," said Tony slowly. "Then your somewhat original method of
calling is connected with State affairs?"
Señor Congosta spread out his hands. "There is no point in further
concealment," he observed. "I think you will agree with me, Colonel
Saltero, that we had better tell this gentleman the entire truth."
That Colonel grunted doubtfully, as though telling the entire truth
were not a habit that he was accustomed to approve of, but the reply,
such as it was, seemed good enough for his companion.
"For some time past," he said, "the Loyalists of Livadia have only
been waiting their opportunity. The Republic is rotten--rotten to
the core. It must soon fall like a bad fruit, and then--" he
paused--"then will come the chance for which we are ready."
"And for which," added Tony, "the Marquis da Freitas is also
eminently ready."
Congosta's eyes gleamed. "So!" he said softly. "You know him?"
"Not intimately," said Tony: "just well enough to know that he is
likely to be around when the prizes are given out."
Congosta nodded his head. A malevolent expression had crept into his
face that made him look almost as sinister as the Colonel.
"It is with Da Freitas," he said slowly, "that we have to settle.
With Da Freitas and one other. Until a month ago everything had been
arranged for. We knew that here in England the usurper was plotting
and planning for his restoration. We knew that he had many friends
in the army and navy--that any moment the revolution might break out.
But we were prepared. The very moment trouble came we intended to
strike--and strike hard."
He stopped.
"What were you going to do?" asked Tony with interest.
"We should have seized the Palace before Da Freitas' hirelings and
traitors were ready, and proclaimed Francisco's daughter as the
rightful heir to the throne."
There was another pause.
"It was a good idea," said Tony; "but I gather there has been a
slight hitch somewhere."
"We were betrayed," said Congosta sullenly. "We made the mistake of
trusting to a coward and a fool. It is the price that one always
pays for such mistakes."
"Who was the gentleman?" asked Tony innocently.
"It was the King's brother-in-law--the Count de Sé. He was left
guardian to the Princess Isabella under his late Majesty's will. All
along he has pretended to work with us; and then, a month ago, he
came secretly to England and betrayed the whole of our purpose to Da
Freitas."
There was a sulphurous snort from Colonel Saltero, as though the mere
mention of the incident were altogether too much for his feelings.
"We should be thankful," went on Congosta bitterly, "that the
Princess is still alive. Da Freitas is not particular when his own
interests are at stake. Had it suited him--" he made an expressive
gesture with his hands. "As it is he seems to have thought the
Count's plan equally effective--and perhaps healthier for himself.
Why should not Pedro marry the Princess? Then when the revolution
came there would only be one claimant to the throne of Livadia, and
all our plans would be flung to the ground."
"It seems to me," said Tony thoughtfully, "that the Count de Sé is
what we call a dirty dog in this country. All the same I don't quite
see what he was driving at. Surely it would have suited his book
better for Isabella to be queen in her own right."
"He was afraid," said Congosta scornfully. "He is a coward, and he
was afraid there would be fighting, and perhaps failure. He has no
heart for such things. It seemed to him better to live under the
shelter of Da Freitas."
"He will not live long," growled the Colonel ominously.
"As soon as we learned what had happened," continued Congosta, "we
had a council at Portriga, and it was decided that the Colonel and I
should come to England. We have friends and agents here and it was
not difficult to find out where the Count was living. I took a room
at Richmond, and for a week I watched and waited in the hope of
speaking with the Princess. I was convinced that she knew nothing of
what was happening in Livadia--that she probably believed her
father's friends were dead or powerless. The first day I discovered
she was there, but as for speaking with her--" he shrugged his
shoulders--"there was an old hag of a French woman who never left
her--who watched her like a cat. Then at last came the evening when
she left the house--alone. At first I was on my guard; I feared that
Da Freitas might have learned I was in Richmond; that he was using
this means to draw me into a trap. It was only when she got to the
station and hid in the waiting-room that I began to suspect she was
running away. I did not speak with her then; I did not wish to alarm
her. I knew she was going to Waterloo, because I had listened when
she asked for her ticket. So while I waited I sent off a telegram to
Saltero to meet me there, and I too came up to London in the same
train."
He paused again, half out of breath from the rapidity with which he
had been speaking.
"I think I have a good working idea of the rest of the story," said
Tony. He slipped off the table and stood up facing his two
prisoners. "I owe you an apology," he added, "both of you. I am
afraid that in our anxiety to assist the Princess, Bugg and I have
been rather unnecessarily strenuous."
Congosta rose to his feet and bowed gravely. "Sir Antony Conway," he
said. "You behaved as I should expect an English nobleman to behave
under the circumstances. Neither Colonel Saltero nor myself bear you
any ill will for the slight inconvenience we have suffered."
The Colonel, who seemed to be a man of less expansive habit, grunted
again, but Tony did not allow this apparent lack of enthusiasm to
damp the graciousness of Congosta's speech.
"Gentlemen," he said, "you have been frank with me, and I will be
equally frank with you. When I came to the assistance of Princess
Isabella, I had not the remotest notion who she was. I acted on the
impulse of the moment, as I suppose any one else would have acted.
Out of gratitude for this very slight service, the Princess was good
enough to take me into her confidence. When I found that she was
being forced into a marriage for which she had the strongest possible
dislike, I naturally determined to put a stop to it. I have my own
reasons for not regarding Pedro as a suitable husband for her, apart
altogether from the fact that she hates the sight of him. If it will
relieve your minds in any way I can assure you that she will be quite
safe from him as long as she will do me the honour of accepting my
assistance."
It was the Colonel's turn to answer. "That is well," he said. "We
are obliged to you for what you have done, but the affair cannot
remain so. We must speak with the Princess. She must be informed of
the high destiny that awaits her."
"That is a point," said Tony politely, "on which I am not quite in
agreement with you, Colonel. The Princess has placed herself under
my guardianship and I should be neglecting my duty if I encouraged
her to mix herself up with an attempted revolution. I consider it a
very unhealthy profession for a girl of her age."
The Colonel glared at him. "Sir!" he stammered. "Do you dare to
thrust yourself in between the throne of Livadia and its Divinely
appointed occupant?"
"Oh, no," said Tony cheerfully; "I don't go as far as that. When you
have managed to make the throne vacant, I shall be very pleased to
advise the Princess to step into it. Until then she is much happier
and safer in Hampstead."
"I am inclined to think that Sir Antony Conway may be right,
Colonel," broke in the voice of Señor Congosta. "The Princess's
welfare must be our first consideration. To take her to Livadia at
present is out of the question, and I don't know any place where she
would be safer from Da Freitas than in this house. We have had
personal proof of the excellence of Sir Antony's arrangements. As
for her being identified in any way with our plans--" he
paused--"well, the Republican government has been recognized by
England, and it would be madness on our part to give them any
avoidable cause for complaint."
There was still a doubtful frown upon the Colonel's brow.
"I do not approve of the situation," he said stiffly. "It is not
fitting that the future Queen of Livadia should be living in this
house--unchaperoned and unprotected."
With a solemn face Tony drew himself up to his full height.
"Sir!" he said. "You forget that you are addressing a member of the
English nobility."
The magnificence of the retort seemed to have a temporarily
paralysing effect upon the Colonel, and before he could recover Señor
Congosta, who was evidently the directing brain of the two, had taken
the matter into his own hands.
"It is well spoken," he said with another low bow. "Sir Antony
Conway--on behalf of my country, permit me to express the confidence
and gratitude with which we accept your assistance."