out.
“Quick,” said I. “His pockets – before he comes to.”
Out of his inside breast-pocket, Bell plucked a map.
This was of a very large scale, and since it had been folded inside out, all ready for use, I saw in an instant the markings which no doubt the Duke had made. These were done in blue pencil, and showed the way from Latchet to a point between five and six miles from the castle itself. The point itself was a building, which stood in a wood, and was in fact approached from the road which Bell and I had taken when we were driving to Varvic on Thursday night.
I noted it carefully. Then I gave the map to Bell and he thrust it back into the pocket from which he had taken it out.
As he stood up and away—
“Nothing else, Bell?”
“No, sir. Nothing at all.”
“Have you got his pistol?” I asked.
“In my pocket, sir,” said Carson.
“All right. You two go and comfort Rowley. I’ll watch him wake up.”
(As I afterwards learned, they found Rowley holding the others on the edge of the drive. When the shot had been fired, they had turned to make for the meadows, only to find him facing them, pistol in hand. And there the three had stood, till Carson and Bell arrived and ordered Gulf and Boney into the car. But first they searched them for arms and took a pistol from Gulf.)
Forecast came to slowly, and then sat up with a start.
First his hands flew to his pockets. Then he looked hard at me: and then he looked over his shoulder and round about.
A hand went up to his chin.
“Three to one,” he said. “No wonder you got me down. Never mind. I’ll know you again.” He began to search the grass just about him. “You don’t see my eye-glass, do you?”
I shook my head.
“Well, if you should see it, keep it. I’m sure to be back.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“Well, you’ll have to be quick,” said I. “I’ll give you till midday Monday. If you’re not out of Latchet by then, I go to the police. I think we come under Villach.”
His eyes still searching the grass—
“I don’t think you will,” said Forecast. “If you weren’t shy of the police, you’d go to them now.”
“If I wasn’t a fool, I should. But I came to this place to be quiet – not to get involved in proceedings which might keep me here for two months.”
Forecast stood up and looked me full in the eye.
“You’ll stay longer than that, my son. A whole heap longer than that. Unless, of course, they take you back to England – to bury you there.”
“That’ll do,” said I. “You’d better be going now. Back the way you came. I’ll see you into the car.”
Forecast glared. Then he turned on his heel and made his way back to the drive.
In the car were Gulf and Boney, sitting with folded arms. The expression upon their faces was good to see. Gulf was sweating profusely, and Boney’s lips were moving as though in prayer. They were sitting side by side in the front of the car, and Carson was standing by the window, also with folded arms. But, whereas their hands were empty, in Carson’s right hand was the pistol which Forecast had used.
Without another word, their leader let himself into the back of the car.
As he slammed the door behind him, Carson glanced at me, and I nodded my head.
“Start her up and drive off,” he snapped.
Boney’s hands sprang to life…
Forecast leaned to his window.
“Don’t forget that eye-glass,” he said.
Then the clutch went in with a bang and pitched him back on his seat.
Two and a half hours later the Rolls, bringing Mansel and Hanbury, entered the stableyard.
They had with them two telegrams.
Both were addressed to WENSLEY, and one was four days old.
Instructions not received as arranged stop if you have not already done so you will post these to me immediately
BAUCHEN
The other was eight hours old.
Arriving Latchet myself Monday stop do nothing till then stop on no account go to castle
And this was signed CAIN .
When
“Quick,” said I. “His pockets – before he comes to.”
Out of his inside breast-pocket, Bell plucked a map.
This was of a very large scale, and since it had been folded inside out, all ready for use, I saw in an instant the markings which no doubt the Duke had made. These were done in blue pencil, and showed the way from Latchet to a point between five and six miles from the castle itself. The point itself was a building, which stood in a wood, and was in fact approached from the road which Bell and I had taken when we were driving to Varvic on Thursday night.
I noted it carefully. Then I gave the map to Bell and he thrust it back into the pocket from which he had taken it out.
As he stood up and away—
“Nothing else, Bell?”
“No, sir. Nothing at all.”
“Have you got his pistol?” I asked.
“In my pocket, sir,” said Carson.
“All right. You two go and comfort Rowley. I’ll watch him wake up.”
(As I afterwards learned, they found Rowley holding the others on the edge of the drive. When the shot had been fired, they had turned to make for the meadows, only to find him facing them, pistol in hand. And there the three had stood, till Carson and Bell arrived and ordered Gulf and Boney into the car. But first they searched them for arms and took a pistol from Gulf.)
Forecast came to slowly, and then sat up with a start.
First his hands flew to his pockets. Then he looked hard at me: and then he looked over his shoulder and round about.
A hand went up to his chin.
“Three to one,” he said. “No wonder you got me down. Never mind. I’ll know you again.” He began to search the grass just about him. “You don’t see my eye-glass, do you?”
I shook my head.
“Well, if you should see it, keep it. I’m sure to be back.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“Well, you’ll have to be quick,” said I. “I’ll give you till midday Monday. If you’re not out of Latchet by then, I go to the police. I think we come under Villach.”
His eyes still searching the grass—
“I don’t think you will,” said Forecast. “If you weren’t shy of the police, you’d go to them now.”
“If I wasn’t a fool, I should. But I came to this place to be quiet – not to get involved in proceedings which might keep me here for two months.”
Forecast stood up and looked me full in the eye.
“You’ll stay longer than that, my son. A whole heap longer than that. Unless, of course, they take you back to England – to bury you there.”
“That’ll do,” said I. “You’d better be going now. Back the way you came. I’ll see you into the car.”
Forecast glared. Then he turned on his heel and made his way back to the drive.
In the car were Gulf and Boney, sitting with folded arms. The expression upon their faces was good to see. Gulf was sweating profusely, and Boney’s lips were moving as though in prayer. They were sitting side by side in the front of the car, and Carson was standing by the window, also with folded arms. But, whereas their hands were empty, in Carson’s right hand was the pistol which Forecast had used.
Without another word, their leader let himself into the back of the car.
As he slammed the door behind him, Carson glanced at me, and I nodded my head.
“Start her up and drive off,” he snapped.
Boney’s hands sprang to life…
Forecast leaned to his window.
“Don’t forget that eye-glass,” he said.
Then the clutch went in with a bang and pitched him back on his seat.
Two and a half hours later the Rolls, bringing Mansel and Hanbury, entered the stableyard.
They had with them two telegrams.
Both were addressed to WENSLEY, and one was four days old.
Instructions not received as arranged stop if you have not already done so you will post these to me immediately
BAUCHEN
The other was eight hours old.
Arriving Latchet myself Monday stop do nothing till then stop on no account go to castle
And this was signed CAIN .
When
Similar Books
