A PROPOSAL
We arrived at Feltham at a few minutes past ten o'clock, having seen
nothing of the car which had left Newcastle a few minutes before
ours. Several times we asked on the road and heard news of it, but we
could find no sign of it having stopped even for a moment. Apparently
it had been driven, without pause for rest or refreshment, at top
speed, and we learned that two summonses would probably be issued
against its owners. Jacky, who was delighted with the whole
expedition, sat with his watch in his hands for the last few miles,
and made elaborate calculations as to our average speed, the distance
we had traversed, and other matters interesting to the owner of a
powerful car.
We were greeted, when we arrived, with all sorts of inquiries as to
our expedition, but we declined to say a word until we had dined. We
had scarcely commenced our meal before the butler came hurrying in.
"His Lordship is ringing up from London, sir," he said. "He wishes to
speak to you particularly. The telephone is through into the library."
I made my way there and took up the receiver without any special
interest. Ralph was fidgety these days, and I had no doubt that he had
something to say to me about the shooting. His first words, however,
riveted my attention.
"Is that you, Austen?" he asked.
"I am here," I answered. "How are you, Ralph?"
"I am all right," he said. "Rather better than usual, in fact. Where
on earth have you been to all day? I have rung up four times."
"I have been motoring with Jacky," I told him. "We have been for
rather a long run. Have you been wanting me?"
"Yes!" he answered. "I have had a very curious cable from Dicky which
I can't understand. I am sorry to bother you, but I think you had
better come up to town by the first train in the morning. It's
something to do with these Deloras."
"The devil it is!" I exclaimed. "I'll come, Ralph. I shall motor to
Norwich, and catch the eight o'clock. Could you give me an idea of
what it is?"
"I think I'd rather not over the telephone," Ralph declared, after a
moment's hesitation.
"Don't be an idiot!" I answered. "I am really very much interested."
"It's a queer business," Ralph said, "but it will keep until
to-morrow. I shall send the car for you to Liverpool Street, and you
had better come straight to me."
"Dicky is all right, I hope?" I asked.
"Dicky's all right," Ralph answered. "What sort of sport are you
having there?"
"Very fair," I answered. "Heggs sends you the figures every day, I
suppose?"
"Yes!" Ralph answered. "You seem to have done very well at the
birds. Till to-morrow, Austen!"
"Till to-morrow," I replied. "Good night, old chap!"
"Goodnight!"
I put down the receiver and went back to my dinner more than ever
puzzled. Ralph's summons, I felt, absolved me from any promise I might
have made to Delora, and I was looking eagerly forward to the morrow,
when I should be once more in London. What puzzled me, however, more
even than Dicky's message, was the extreme interest Ralph's tone
seemed to denote. His voice sounded quite like his old self.
"Jacky," I said, as we finished dinner, "will you lend me your car to
take me into Norwich to-morrow? I have to catch the eight o'clock
train to town."
"I'll lend it you with pleasure," Jacky said, looking at me in
amazement, "but what on earth's up?"
"Nothing," I answered. "Simply Ralph wants to see me. He isn't
particularly communicative himself, but he is very anxious that I
should go to town to-morrow. Somehow or other I have more confidence
in your Napier than in either of our cars when it comes to catching a
train at that time in the morning."
"I'll run you up to town, if you like," Jacky declared, in a burst of
good-nature.
"It isn't necessary," I answered. "I shall get up quicker by train,
and Ralph's going to meet me at Liverpool Street. Thanks, all the
same!"
Jacky lit a cigar.
"I'll go out and tell Ferris myself," he said.
Once more Jacky's car did not fail me. Punctually at a quarter to
eight we drove into Norwich Station yard. I breakfasted on the train,
and reached Liverpool Street a few minutes after eleven. I found
Ralph's big Panhard there, but Ralph himself had not come.
"His Lordship is expecting you at the hotel, sir," the chauffeur told
me. "He would have come down himself, but he was expecting a caller."
In less than half an hour I was in my brother's sitting-room. Ralph
greeted me cordially.
"Austen," he said, "I am not at all sure that I have not brought you
up on rather a fool's errand, but you seemed rather mystified yourself
about these Deloras. Here's the cable from Dicky. What do you make of
it? Must have cost him something, extravagant young beggar!"
He passed it across to me. I read it out aloud.
DELORA HERE PUZZLED NOT HEARING FROM BROTHER
SHOULD BE IN LONDON IMPORTANT BUSINESS FEARS
SOMETHING WRONG ALL CODED CABLES REMAIN UNANSWERED
INQUIRE MILAN HOTEL IF POSSIBLE FIND
DELORA BEG HIM CABLE AT ONCE IN CHALDEAN CODE.
I read the cable through three times.
"May I take this, Ralph?" I said. "I will go round to the Milan at
once."
"Certainly," Ralph answered. "I will leave the matter entirely in your
hands. It seems as though there were something queer about it."
"There is something queer going on, Ralph," I assured him. "I have
found out as much as that myself. Exactly what it means I can't
fathom. To tell you the truth, it has been taking a lot of my time
lately, and I know very little more than when I started."
"It's the young lady, I suppose," Ralph remarked thoughtfully.
I nodded.
"I am not over keen about interfering in other people's concerns,
Ralph," I said. "You know that. It's the girl, of course, and I am
afraid, I am very much afraid, that there is something wrong."
"Anyhow," Ralph said, "it doesn't follow that the girl's in it."
"I am jolly certain she isn't!" I said. "What bothers me, of course,
is that I hate to think of her being mixed up with anything shady. The
Deloras may be great people in their own country, but I'll swear that
our friend here is a wrong 'un."
"I suppose you are sure," Ralph said thoughtfully, "that he is
Delora--that he is not an impostor, I mean?"
"I thought of that," I answered, "but you see there's the girl. She'd
know her own uncle, wouldn't she? And she told me that she had seen
him on and off for years. No, he is Delora right enough! One can't
tell," I continued. "Perhaps the whole thing's crooked. Perhaps the
Deloras who seem to Dicky such charming people in their own country
are a different sort of people on this side. At any rate, I'm off,
Ralph, with that cable. I'll look you up as soon as I have found out
anything."
Ralph smiled.
"I don't believe," he said, "you are sorry to have an excuse for
having another turn at this affair."
"Perhaps not," I answered.
"Take the car," Ralph called out after me. "You may find it useful."
I drove first to the small hotel where I had last seen Delora. Here,
however, I was confronted with a certain difficulty. The name of
Delora was quite unknown to the people. I described him carefully,
however, to the landlady, and she appeared to recognize him.
"The gentleman you mean was, I think, a Mr. Henriquois. He left us the
day before yesterday."
"You know where he went to?" I asked.
She shook her head.
"He asked for a Continental time-table," she said, "but he gave no
address, nor did he tell any one of his intentions. He was a
gentleman that kept himself to himself," she remarked, looking at me a
little curiously.
I thanked the woman and departed. Delora was scarcely likely to have
left behind any reliable details of his intentions at such a place. I
drove on to the Milan, and entered the Court with a curious little
thrill of interest. The hall-porter welcomed me with a smile.
"Glad to see you back again, Captain Rotherby," he said. "Have you any
luggage?"
"None," I answered. "I am not sure whether I shall be staying."
"This morning's letters are in your room, sir," he announced.
I nodded. I was not particularly interested in my letters! I drew
Ashley a little on one side.
"Tell me," I said, "is Miss Delora still here?"
"She is still here, sir," Ashley announced.
"The companion also?" I asked.
"Yes, sir!" he answered. "I am not sure whether they are in, sir, but
they are still staying here."
"And Mr. Delora?" I asked,--"has he ever turned up yet?"
"Not yet, sir. The young lady said that they were expecting him now
every day."
"Telephone up and see if Miss Delora is in, Ashley," I asked.
He disappeared for a moment into his office.
"No answer, sir," he announced presently. "I believe that they are
out."
Almost as he spoke I saw through the windows of the hair-dresser's
shop a familiar figure entering the hotel. I left Ashley hurriedly,
and in a moment I was face to face with Felicia. She gave a little cry
when she saw me, and it was a joy to me to realize that it was a cry
of pleasure.
"Capitaine Rotherby!" she exclaimed. "You!"
She gave me her hands with an impetuous little movement. I held them
tightly in mine.
"I want to speak to you at once," I said. "Where can we go?"
"Madame is out for an hour," she said. "We could go in the little
smoking-room. But have you forgotten your promise?"
"Never mind about that, Felicia," I whispered. "Something has
happened. I went first to see your uncle, but I could not find him. I
must talk with you. Come!"
We walked together across the hall, through the end of the cafe, down
which she threw one long, anxious glance, and entered the little
smoking-room. It was empty except for one man writing letters. I led
the way into the most remote corner, and wheeled out an easy-chair.
"Felicia," I said, "if I can get a special license, will you marry me
to-morrow?"