"John Adams has seen you!" exclaimed Rolfe, slowly. "Therefore the
situation is, I understand, one of extreme peril. Is that so?"
"Exactly," responded the millionaire, in a thin, weak voice. "But by
your aid I may yet extricate myself."
The younger man saw that the other was full of fear. Never had he seen
his employer so nervous and utterly unstrung. The mystery of it all
fascinated him. Statham had unwittingly acknowledged having been
present at the presumed death of John Adams, and that in itself was a
very suspicious circumstance.
"Whatever assistance I can give I am quite ready to render it," he said,
little dreaming what dire result would attend that offer.
"Ah, yes!" cried the old man, thankfully, grasping his secretary's hand.
"I knew you would not refuse, Rolfe. If you succeed I shall owe my
life to you; you understand--my life!" And he looked straight into the
young man's face, adding, "And Samuel Statham never forgets to repay a
service rendered."
"I look for no repayment," he said. "You have been so very good to my
sister and myself that I owe you a deep debt of gratitude."
"Ah! your sister. Where is she now?"
"At Cunnington's, in Oxford Street."
"Oh, yes! I forgot. I wrote to Cunnington myself regarding her, didn't
I? I hope she's comfortable. If not, tell me. I'm the largest
shareholder in that business."
"You are very kind," replied the young man. "But she always says she is
most comfortable, and all the principals are very kind to her. Of
course, it was hard for her at first when she commenced to earn her own
living. The hours, the confinement, and the rigorous rules were irksome
to a girl of her character, always been used as she had to freedom and a
country life."
"Yes," replied the old man rather thoughtfully. "I suppose so. But if
she's getting on well, I am quite satisfied. Should she have any
complaint to make, don't fail to let me know."
Rolfe thanked him. The old fellow, notwithstanding his eccentricities,
was always a generous master.
There was a pause, during which the millionaire walked to the window,
peered out to see if the shabby watcher had returned, and then came back
again to his table.
"Rolfe," he commenced, as he seated himself, with surprising calmness,
"I have spoken more openly to you this afternoon than I have spoken to
anyone for many years. First, you must remain in London. Just ring
them up in the City, and tell them to send Sheldon here, and say that he
must leave for Belgrade to-night. I will see him at seven o'clock."
The secretary took up the transmitter of the private telephone line to
the offices of Statham Brothers in Old Broad Street, and in a few
moments was delivering the principal's message to the manager.
"Sheldon will be here at seven for instructions," he said, as he
replaced the transmitter.
"Then sit down, Rolfe--and listen," the old man commanded, indicating a
chair at the side of the table.
The younger man obeyed, and the great financier commenced.
"You have promised your help, and also complete secrecy, have you not?"
"I shall say nothing," answered the other, at the same time eager to
hear some closed page in the old man's history. "Rely upon my
discretion."
He was wondering whether the grey-faced old fellow was aware of the
startling events of the previous evening in Cromwell Road. His spies
had told him of Maud. They perhaps had discovered that amazing truth of
what had occurred in that house, now deserted and empty.
Was it possible that old Statham, being in possession of his secret, did
not now fear to repose confidence in him, for he knew that if he were
betrayed he could on his part make an exposure that must prove both
ruinous and fatal. The crafty old financier was not the person to place
himself unreservedly in the hands of any man who could possibly turn his
enemy. He had an ulterior motive, without a doubt. But what it was
Charles Rolfe was unable to discover.
"The mouth of that man Adams must be closed," said the old man, in a
slow, deliberate voice, "and you alone are able to accomplish it. Do
this for me, and I can afford to pay well," and he regarded the young
man with a meaning look.
Was it possible that he suggested foul play. Rolfe wondered. Was he
suggesting that he should lurk in some dark corner and take the life of
the shabby wayfarer, who had recently returned to England after a long
absence?
"It is not a question of payment," Rolfe replied. "It is whether any
effort of mine can be successful."
"Yes; I know. I admit, Rolfe, that I was a fool. I ought to have
listened to you when you first told me of his re-appearance, and I ought
to have approached him and purchased his silence. I thought myself
shrewd, and my cautiousness has been my undoing."
"From the little I know, I fear that the purchase of the fellow's
silence is now out of the question. A week ago it could have been
effected, but now he has cast all thought of himself to the winds, and
his only object is revenge."
"Revenge upon myself," sighed the old man, his face growing a trifle
paler as he foresaw what a terrible vengeance was within the power of
that shabby stranger. "Ah! I know. He will be relentless. He has
every reason to be if what has been told him had been true. A man
lied--the man who is dead. Therefore the truth--the truth that would
save my honour and my life--can never be told," he added, with a
desperate look upon his countenance.
"Then you have been the victim of a liar?" Rolfe said. "Yes--of a man
who, jealous of my prosperity, endeavoured to ruin me by making a false
statement. But his reward came quickly. I retaliated with my financial
strength, and in a year he was ruined. To recoup himself he committed
forgery, was arrested, and six months later died in prison--but without
confessing that what he had said concerning me was a foul invention.
John Adams believed it--and because of that, among other things, is my
bitterest enemy."
"But is there no way of proving the truth?" asked Rolfe, surprised at
this story.
"None. The fellow put forward in support of his story proofs which he
had forged. Adams naturally believed they were genuine."
"And where are those proofs now?"
"Probably in Adams' possession. He has no doubt hoarded them for use at
the moment of his triumph."
Rolfe did not speak for several moments.
"A week ago those proofs might, I believe, have been purchased for a
round sum."
"Could they not be purchased now? From the man's appearance he is
penniless."
"Not so poor as you think. If what I've heard is true, he is in
possession of funds. His shabbiness is only assumed. Have you any
knowledge of a certain man named Lyle--a short man slightly deformed."
"Lyle!" gasped his employer. "Do you mean Leonard Lyle? What do you
know of him?"
"I saw him in the company of Adams. It is he who supplies the latter
with money."
"Lyle!" cried Statham, his eyes glaring in amazement. "Lyle here--in
London?"
"He was here a week ago. You know him?"
"Know him--yes!" answered the old millionaire, hoarsely. "Are you
certain that he has become Adams' friend?"
"I saw them together with my own eyes. They were sitting in the Cafe
Royal, in Regent Street. Adams was in evening-dress, and wore an
opera-hat. They'd been to the Empire together."
"Why didn't you tell me all this before?" asked Statham, in a tone of
blank despair. "I--I see now all the difficulties that have arisen.
The pair have united to wreak their vengeance upon me, and I am
powerless and unprotected."
"But who is this man Leonard Lyle?" inquired the secretary.
"A man without a conscience. He was a mining engineer, and is now, I
suppose--a short, white-moustached man, with a slightly humped back and
a squeaky voice."
"The same."
"Why didn't you tell me this before? If Lyle knows Adams, the position
is doubly dangerous," he exclaimed, in abject dismay. "No," he added,
bitterly; "there can be no way out."
"I said nothing because you had refused to believe."
"You saw them together after you had told me of Adams' return, or
before?"
"After," he replied. "Even though you refused to believe me, I
continued to remain watchful in your interests and those of the firm. I
spent several evenings in watching their movements."
"Ah! you are loyal to me, I know, Rolfe. You shall not regret this.
Hitherto I have not treated you well, but I will now try and atone for
the manner in which I misjudged you. I ask your pardon."
"For what?" inquired Rolfe, in surprise.
"For believing ill of you," was all the old man vouchsafed.
"I tried to do my duty as your secretary," was all he said.
"Your duty. You have done more. You have watched my enemies even
though I sneered at your well-meant warning," he said. "But if you have
watched, you perhaps know where the pair are in hiding."
"Lyle lives at the First Avenue Hotel, in Holborn. Adams lives in a
small furnished flat in Addison Mansions, close to Addison Road railway
station."
"Lives there in preference to an hotel because he can go in and out
shabby and down-at-heel without attracting comment--eh?"
"I suppose so. I had great difficulty in following him to his
hiding-place without arousing his suspicions."
"Does he really mean mischief?" asked the principal of Statham Brothers,
bending slightly towards his secretary.
"Yes; undoubtedly he does. The pair are here with the intention of
bringing ruin upon you and upon the house of Statham," was Rolfe's quiet
reply.
"Then only you can save me, Rolfe," cried the old man, starting up
wildly.
"How? Tell me, and I am ready to act upon your instructions," Rolfe
said.
The millionaire placed his hand upon the young man's shoulder and said:
"Repeat those words."
Rolfe did so.
"And you will not seek to inquire the reason of a request I may make to
you, even though it may sound an extraordinary and perhaps mysterious
one?"
"I will act as you wish, without desiring to know your motives."
The great financier stood looking straight into his secretary's eyes.
He was deeply in earnest, for his very life now depended upon the
other's assent. How could he put the proposal to the man before him?
"Then I take that as a promise, Rolfe," he said at last. "You will not
withdraw. You will swear to assist me at all hazards--to save me from
these men."
"I swear."
"Good! Then to-day--nay, at this very hour--you must make what no doubt
will be to you a great sacrifice."
"What do you mean?" asked Rolfe, quickly.
"I mean," the old man said, in a very slow distinct voice--"I mean that
you must first sacrifice the honour of the woman you love--Maud
Petrovitch."
"Maud Petrovitch!" he gasped, utterly mystified.
"Yes," he answered. "You have promised to save me--you have sworn to
assist me, and the sacrifice is imperative! It is her honour--or my
death!"