"Where shall we stay? I'll show you," said Uncle Luke, after giving
instructions to the cabman. "My old hotel in Surrey Street.
Comfortable, motherly woman. No nonsense."
"And what do you propose doing?"
"Let's hear first what you propose," shouted the old man, so as to make
his voice heard above the rattle of the cab-windows--four-wheelers
Jehu's enemies, which lose him many a fare.
"I have nothing to propose," said Leslie sadly; "only to find her."
"And I've given you twenty-four hours to think it out, including last
night at Plymouth."
"My head is in a whirl, sir; I am in no condition to think. Pray
suggest something."
"Hah! The old folks are useful, then, after all. Well, then, you would
like to hear my plans?"
Leslie nodded.
"First, then, there is a good tea, with some meat; and while we are
having that I shall send off a messenger."
"To find them?"
"No. Wait."
Leslie had found out that the best way to deal with Uncle Luke was to
treat him like a conger-eel, such as they caught among the rocks about
Hakemouth. Once hooked, if the fisher dragged at the line, the snaky
monster pulled and fought till the line cut into the holder's hands, and
sometimes was broken or the hook torn out; whereas, if instead of
pulling, the creature had its head given, it began to swim up rapidly,
and placed itself within reach of the gaff. So, in spite of his fretful
irritation of mind, he allowed the old man to have his own way.
The result was, that before they sat down to their meal at the quiet
hotel, Uncle Luke wrote a letter, which was dispatched by special
messenger, after which he ate heartily; while Leslie played with a cup
of tea and a piece of dry toast.
"Not the way to do work," said Uncle Luke grimly. "Eat, man; eat. Coal
and coke to make the human engine get up steam."
Leslie made an effort to obey, but everything seemed distasteful, and he
took refuge behind a paper till the waiter entered with a card.
"Hah! yes: show him in," said Uncle Luke. "Here he is, Leslie," he
continued.
"Here who is?"
"Parkins."
"Parkins?"
"Sergeant Parkins. You remember?"
Leslie had forgotten the name, but directly after the whole scene of the
search for Harry came back as the quiet, decisive-looking detective
officer entered the room, nodded shortly to both, and after taking the
seat indicated, looked inquiringly at Uncle Luke.
"At your service, sir," he said. "You've brought me some news about
that affair down yonder?"
"No," said Uncle Luke. "I have come to see if you can help us in
another way;" and he told him the object of his visit.
"Hah!" ejaculated their visitor. "Yes, that's different, sir;" and
taking out a notebook, he began to ask question after question on points
which seemed to him likely to be useful, till he had gained all the
information he thought necessary, when he closed the book with a snap,
and buttoned it up in his breast.
"Rather curious fact, sir," he said, looking at both in turn; "but I've
been thinking about Hakemouth a good deal this last day or two."
"Why?" asked Uncle Luke shortly.
"I've been away all over the Continent for some time--forgery case, and
that Hakemouth business has gone no farther. As soon as I got back, and
was free, I wanted something to do, so I said to myself that I'd take it
on again, and I have."
"Oh, never mind that now," said Leslie angrily. "Can you help us here?"
"I don't know, sir. I shall try; but I might mention to you that we
think we have obtained a clue to the gentleman who escaped."
"Yes, yes," said Leslie impatiently; "but can you help us here?"
"Give me time, sir, and I'll do my best," said the sergeant. "Not an
easy task, sir, you know. A needle is hard to find in a bottle of hay,
and all the clue you give me is that a lady left your neighbourhood with
a French gentleman. Fortunately I did see the lady, and should know her
again. Good morning."
"But what are we to do?" said Leslie eagerly.
"You, sir?" said the sergeant quietly, and with a suspicion of contempt
in his tone. "Oh, you'd better wait."
"Wait!" cried Leslie, in a voice full of suppressed rage.
"And practise patience," muttered the man. "One moment, sir," he said
aloud. "You saw this French gentleman?"
"I saw him, but not his face. Mr Vine here told you; the light was
overturned."
"But you saw his figure, the man's shape?"
"Yes, of course."
"And you heard his voice?"
"Yes."
"Broken French?"
"Yes."
"Now, sir, just think a moment. I have a slight idea. French name--
spoke--"
"We mentioned no name."
"One minute, sir. Spoke French--brother's fellow-clerk and intimate--
gentleman who went off--been staying at the house--long time in the
lady's society. What do you say now to its being this Mr Pradelle?"
Uncle Luke gave the table a thump which made the tea-things rattle, and
Leslie started from his seat, gazing wildly at the officer, who smiled
rather triumphantly.
"Great heavens!" faltered Leslie, as if a new light had flashed into his
darkened mind.
"Of course, sir, this is only a suggestion," said the sergeant. "It is
all new to me, but seems likely."
"No," said Uncle Luke emphatically, "no. She would never have gone off
with him."
"Very good, gentlemen. I'll see what I can do at once."
"One moment," said Leslie, as he slipped some notes into the man's hand.
"You will spare neither time nor money."
"I will not, sir."
"Tell me one thing. What shall you do first?"
"Just the opposite to what you've done, gentlemen," said the officer.
"What do you mean?"
"Go down to Hakemouth by to-night's mail, and work back to town."
"I feel certain," said Leslie, "that he brought her to London to take
tickets for France."
"I don't, sir, yet. But even if I did, it's a long bridge from here to
Cornwall, and I might find them resting in one of the recesses. You
leave it to me, sir. Good-day. Humph!" he added as he went out; "plain
as a pikestaff. Women are womanly, and I have known instances of a
woman sticking to a man for no reason whatever, except that he was a
scamp, and sometimes the greater the scamp the tighter the tie.
Pradelle's my man, and I think I can put my thumb upon him before long."
"No, Leslie, no. Louie wouldn't look at him. That's not the clue,"
said Uncle Luke.
Volume 3, Chapter XVI.