A Mysterious Disappearance

by Louis Tracy

  CHAPTER VI

  MISS MARIE LE MARCHANT

  The uncertain rays of a weak lamp, struggling through panes dulled bydirt and black letters, cast a fitful light about the precincts of thestage-door.

  Elderly women and broken-down men, slovenly and unkempt, kept furtiveguard over the exit, waiting for the particular "super" to come forthwho would propose the expected adjournment to a favorite public-house.Some smart broughams, a four-wheeler, and a few hansoms, formed a closeline along the pavement, which was soon crowded with the hundred oddhangers-on of a theatre--scene-shifters, gasmen, limelight men, membersof the orchestra, dressers, and attendants--mingling with the smallstream of artistes constantly pouring out into the cold night after acasual inquiry for letters at the office of the doorkeeper.

  This being a fashionable place of amusement there were not wantingseveral representatives of the gilded youth, some obviously ginger-breador "unleavened" imitations, others callow specimens of the genuinearticle.

  Bruce paid little heed to them as they impudently peered beneath eachbroad-leafed and high-feathered hat to discover the charmer honored bytheir chivalrous attentions.

  Yet the presence of this brigade of light-headed cavaliers helped thebarrister far more than he could have foreseen or even hoped.

  At last the ex-lady's maid appeared, dressed in a showy winter costumeand jaunty toque. She was on very friendly terms with two older girls,on whom the stage had set its ineffaceable seal, and the reason was soonapparent.

  "Come along," she cried, her words being evidently intended to have aneffect on others in the throng less favored than those whom sheaddressed; "let us get into a hansom and go to Scott's for supper. Here,cabby!"

  She was on the step of a hansom when a tall, good-looking boy,faultlessly dressed, and with something of Sandhurst or Woolwich in hiscarriage, darted forward.

  "Hello, Millie," he said to one of Jane Harding's companions. "How areyou? A couple of fellows have come up with me for the night. Let's allgo and have something to eat at the Duke's," thereby indicating awell-known club usually patronized by higher class artistes than thistrio.

  After a series of introductions by Christian names, among which Brucefailed to catch the word "Jane," the party went off in three hansoms, apair in each.

  Claude was not a member of the "Duke's," though he had often been there.But there was a man close at hand who was a member of everything inLondon that in any way pertained to things theatrical. Every one knewBilly Sadler and Billy Sadler knew every one. A brief run in a cabto a theatre, a restaurant, and another restaurant, revealed thelarge-hearted Billy, drinking a whisky and soda and relating to afriend, with great gusto and much gesticulation, the very latest quarrelbetween the stage-manager and the leading lady. He hailed Claude withenthusiasm.

  "'Pon my soul, Bruce, old chap, haven't seen you for an age. Where haveyou bin? An' what's the little game now?"

  Mr. Sadler was fully aware of the barrister's penchant for investigatingmysteries. The two had often foregathered in the past.

  "Are you 'busy'"? said Bruce.

  "Not a bit. By-bye, Jack. See you at luncheon to-morrow at theGorgonzola. Well, what is it?"

  "I want you to come with me to the 'Duke's.' There's a young lady thereI'm interested in."

  Billy squeezed round in the hansom, which was now bowling across acorner of Trafalgar Square.

  "You," he cried. "After a girl! Is she in the profession? Is mammafrightened about her angel? The correct figure for a breach just now, myboy, is five thou'."

  "Oh, it's nothing serious. I will tell you all about it when mattershave cleared a bit. It is a mere item in a really big story. But, herewe are. Take me straight to the supper-room."

  As they entered the comfortable, brightly lit club the strains of a bandcame pleasantly to their ears, and in a minute they were installed at acorner table in the splendid room devoted to the most cheery of allgatherings--a Bohemian meal when the labors of the night are past.

  Bruce soon marked his quarry. Jane Harding was in great form--eating,drinking, and talking at the same time.

  "Who is that, Billy?" he said, indicating the girl.

  Sadler carefully balanced his _pince-nez_ on his well-defined nose,gazed, and laughed: "Goodness knows. She's a new-comer, and not much atthe best. Do you know where she carries a banner?"

  "At the Jollity."

  "Oh! then here's our man"--for a Mephistophelian gentleman was passingat the moment. "Say, Rosenheim, who's the new coryphee over there?"

  Mephistopheles halted, looked at Jane and laughed, too. "Her name isMiss Marie le Marchant; but as she happened to be born in London shepronounces it Mahrie Lee Mahshuns, with the accent on the 'Mahs.'Anything else you would like to know?"

  "Yes, I'm stuck on her! Where did you pick her up?"

  "She's a housemaid, or something of the sort. Came into money. Wants toknock 'em on the stige. The rest is easy."

  "Has she been with you long?" put in Claude, as their informant was theunder-manager of the Jollity.

  Mr. Rosenheim glanced at him. Sadler, he knew, had no interest in thegirl, and the barrister did not quite possess the juvenile appearancethat warranted such solicitude.

  "She joined us just before Christmas. What's up? Is she really worth alot of 'oof?"

  "I should imagine not," laughed Bruce; and Mr. Rosenheim joined anothergroup.

  Supper ended, Marie and Millie, and eke Flossie, attended by theirswains, discussed coffee and cognac in the _foyer_.

  Chance separated Miss le Marchant, as she may now be known, momentarilyfrom the others, and Bruce darted forward.

  "Good-evening," he said. "I am delighted to meet you here."

  The girl recognized him instantly. She would have denied her identity,but her nerve failed her before those steadfast, penetrating eyes.Moreover, it was not an ill thing for such a well-bred, well-dressed manto acknowledge her so openly.

  "Good-evening, Mr. Bruce," she said, with a smile of assurance, thoughher voice faltered a little.

  He resolved to make the situation easy.

  "We have not met for such a long time," he said; "and I am simply dyingto have a talk with you. I am sure your friends will pardon me if Icarry you off for five minutes to a quiet corner."

  With a simper, Miss le Marchant took his proffered arm, and they wentoff to an unoccupied table.

  "Now, Jane Harding," said he, with some degree of sternness in hismanner, "be good enough to explain to me why you are passing under afalse name, and the reasons which led you to leave Sir Charles Dyke'shouse in such a particularly disagreeable way."

  "Disagreeable? I only left in a hurry. Who had any right to stop me?"

  "No one, in a sense, except that Sir Charles Dyke may feel inclined toprosecute you."

  "For what, Mr. Bruce?"

  This emancipated servant girl was not such a simpleton as she looked. Itwas necessary to frighten her and at the same time to force her to admitthe facts with reference to her sensational flight from Wensley House.

  "You must know," he said, "that Sir Charles Dyke can proceed against youin the County Court to recover wages in lieu of notice, and this wouldbe far from pleasant for you in your new surroundings."

  "Yes, I know that. But why should Sir Charles Dyke, or you, or any othergentleman, want to destroy a poor girl's prospects in that fashion?"

  "Surely, you must feel that some explanation is due to us for yourextraordinary behavior?"

  "No, I don't feel a bit like it."

  "But why did you go away?"

  "To suit myself."

  "Could you not have given notice? Why was it necessary to create afurther scandal in addition to the disappearance of your unfortunatemistress?"

  "I am sorry for that. It was thoughtless, I admit. If I had to act overagain I should have done differently. But what does it matter now?"

  "It matters this much--that the police must be informed of yourexistence, as they are searching for you, believing that you are in som
eway mixed up with Lady Dyke's death."

  The girl started violently, and she flushed, rather with anger thanalarm, Bruce thought, as he watched her narrowly.

  "The police, indeed," she snorted; "what have the police to do with me?A nice thing you're saying, Mr. Bruce."

  "I am merely telling you the naked truth."

  "All right. Tell them. I don't care a pin for them or you. Have youanything else to say, because I wish to join my friends?"

  The girl's language and attitude mystified him more than any precedingfeature of this remarkable investigation. She was, of course, far bettereducated than he had imagined, and the difference between the hystericalwitness at the coroner's inquiry and this pert, self-possessed youngwoman was phenomenal.

  Rather than risk an open rupture, the barrister temporized. "If you areanxious to quarrel with me, by all means do so," he said; "but that wasnot my motive in speaking to you here to-night."

  Miss le Marchant shot a suspicious glance at him. "Then what was yourmotive," she said.

  "Chiefly to reassure my friend, your former master, concerning you; and,perhaps, to learn the cause of your very strange conduct."

  "Why should Sir Charles bother his head about me?"

  "As I have told you. Because of the coincidence between your departureand Lady--"

  "Oh yes, I know that." Then she added testily: "I was a fool not tomanage differently."

  "So you refuse me an explanation?"

  "No, I don't. I have no reason to do so. I came in for some money, andas I have longed all my life to be an actress I could not wait an hour,a moment, before I--before I--"

  "Before you tried to gratify your impulse."

  "Yes, that is what I wanted to say."

  "But why not at least have written to Sir Charles, telling him of yourintentions?"

  The fair Marie was silent for a moment. The question confused her. "Ihardly know," she replied.

  "Will you write to him now?"

  "I don't see why I should."

  "Indeed. Not even when it was you who gave some of your mistress'sunderclothing to Mr. White, by which means he was able to identify thebody found at Putney as that of Lady Dyke?"

  "Mr. White told you that, did he?"

  "He did."

  "Then you had better get him to give you all further information, Mr.Bruce, as not another word will you get out of me."

  She bounced up, fiery red, pluming herself for the fray.

  "Will you not communicate with Sir Charles?" he said, utterly baffled byMiss le Marchant's uncompromising attitude.

  "Perhaps I will and perhaps I won't. Mr. White, indeed!" And she ran offto join her friends.

  The barrister drove quietly homewards. This was his summary of theevening's events: "I have found two women. When I know all about them Ishall be able to lay my hand on the person who killed Lady Dyke."