and thewindows of the big drapery shops were already attracting the femininecrowds with their announcements of "summer sales" and baits of "greatbargains."
For a moment he paused at the kerb, then, entering a hansom, he drove toMariner's Stores, the great emporium in Knightsbridge, which had beenentrusted with the removal of the Doctor's furniture.
Without much difficulty he found the manager, a short, dapper, littlefrock-coated freckled-faced business man, and explained the nature ofhis inquiry.
The man seemed somewhat puzzled, and, going to a desk, opened a bigledger and slowly turned the pages.
"I think there must be some mistake, sir," was his reply. "We have hadno removal of that name yesterday."
"But they were at Cromwell Road late last night," Max declared. "Thepolice saw them there."
"The police could not have seen any of our vans removing furniture fromCromwell Road last night," protested the manager. "See here foryourself. Yesterday there were four removals only--Croydon to Southsea,Fitzjohn's Avenue to Lower Norwood, South Audley Street to AshleyGardens, and Elgin Avenue to Finchley. Here they are," and he pointedto the page whereon the particulars were inscribed.
"The goods in question were removed by you from Cromwell Road, andstored in your depository at Chiswick."
"I think, sir, you really must be mistaken," replied the manager,shaking his head. "Did you see our vans there yourself?"
"No. The police did, and made inquiry."
"With the usual result, I suppose, that they bungled, and told you thewrong name."
"They've got it written down in their books."
"Well, all I can say is, that we didn't remove any furniture from theroad you mention."
"But it was at night."
"We do not undertake a job at night unless we receive a guarantee fromthe landlord that the rent is duly paid, and ascertain that no money isowing."
Max was now puzzled more than ever.
"The police say that the effects were sent to your depository," heremarked, dissatisfied with the manager's assurance.
"In that case inquiry is very easy," he said, and walking to thetelephone he rang up the depository at Chiswick.
"Is that you, Merrick?" he asked over the 'phone. "I say! Have youbeen warehousing any goods either yesterday or to-day, or do you know ofa job in Cromwell Road, at the house of a Doctor Petrovitch?"
For a full minute he waited the reply. At last it came, and he heard itto the end.
"No," he said, putting down the receiver and turning to Barclay. "As Iexpected. They know nothing of the matter at the depository."
"But how do you account for your vans--two pantechnicons and a coveredvan--being there?" he asked.
The manager shook his head.
"We have here the times when each job in London was finished, and whenthe vans returned to the yard. They were all in by 7:30. Therefore,they could not have been ours."
"Well, that's most extraordinary."
"Is it somebody who has disappeared?"
"Yes."
"Ah! the vans were, no doubt, painted with our names specially, in orderto mislead the police," he said. "There's some shady transactionsomewhere, sir, depend upon it. Perhaps the gentleman wanted to get histhings away, eh?"
"No. He had no necessity for so doing. He was quite well off--nodebts, or anything of that kind."
"Well, it's evident that if our name is registered in the policeoccurrences the vans were painted with our name for some illegalpurpose. The gentleman's disappeared, you say."
"Yes. And--well, to tell you the truth, I suspect foul play."
"Have you told the police that?" asked the man, suddenly interested.
"No; not yet. I've come to you first."
"Then if I were you I'd tell the police the result of your inquiries,"the manager said. "No doubt there's a crooked incident somewhere."
"That's just what I fear. Quite a number of men most have been engagedin clearing the place out."
"Have you been over it? Is it entirely cleared?"
"Nearly. The grand piano and a big book-case have been; left."
"I wonder if it's been done by professional removers, or by amateurs?"suggested the manager.
"Ah! I don't know. If you saw the state of the place you'd know,wouldn't you?"
"Most probably."
"Then if you'll come with me I'll be delighted to show you, and you cangive me your opinion."
So the pair entered a cab, and a quarter of an hour later were passingalong the hall of the empty house. The manager of Harmer's removalsinspected room after room, noticed how the curtains had been torn down,and noted in the fire grate of the drawing-room a quantity of tinderwhere a number of papers seemed to have been burned.
"No," he said presently. "This removal was carried out by amateurs, whowere in a very violent hurry. Those vans were faked--bought, perhaps,and repainted with our name. It's evident that they deceived theconstable very cleverly."
"But the whole affair is so extraordinary?" gasped Max, staring at hiscompanion.
"Yes. It would appear so. Your friend, the Doctor, evidently wished toget his goods away with the least possible delay and in the greatestsecrecy."
"But the employment of so many men did not admit of much secrecy,surely!"
"They were only employed to load. They did not unload. Only the threedrivers probably know the destination of the furniture. It was valuableold stuff, I should say, if one is to judge by what is remaining."
"Yes, the place was well and comfortably furnished."
"Then I really think, sir, that if you suspect foul play it's your dutyto tell the police. In cases like this an hour's delay is often fatalto success in elucidating the mystery." Max was undecided how to act.It was his duty to tell the police his suspicions and show them thatblood-stained coat. And yet he felt so certain that the Doctor must inthe course of the day take him into his confidence that he hesitated tomake a suggestion of foul play and thus bring the affair into publicprominence.
The fact that Harmer's name had been upon vans not belonging to thatfirm was in itself sufficient proof that there had been a conspiracysomewhere.
But of what nature was it? What could possibly have been its object?What was Maud's "terrible confession!"
The expert in removals was examining some litter in the dining-room.
"They evidently did not stop to pack anything," he remarked, "but simplybundled it out with all possible speed. One fact strikes me as verypeculiar."
"What is that?"
"Well, if they wanted to empty the place they might have done so,leaving the curtains up, and the palms and things in the windows inorder to lead people to believe that the house was still occupied.Apparently, however, they disregarded that precaution altogether."
"Yes. That's true. The object of the sudden flight is a completemystery," Max remarked. He had not taken the man to the top room,where, in the cupboard, the woman's dress was hidden.
"You say that the Doctor was rich. Therefore, it wasn't to escape froman execution threatened by the landlord."
"Certainly not."
"Well, you may rest assured, sir, that the removal was not effected byprofessional men. The way in which carpets have been torn up anddamaged, curtains torn from their rings, and crockery smashed in moving,shows them to have been amateurs."
They had ascended to the front bedroom, wherein remained a large, heavyold-fashioned mahogany chest of drawers, and he had walked across tothem.
"Indeed," he added. "It almost looks as though it were the work ofthieves?"
"Thieves! Why?"
"Well--look at this. They had no keys, so they broke open the drawers,and removed the contents," he answered. "And look across there!"
He pointed to a small iron fireproof safe let into the wall--a safeevidently intended originally as a place for the lady of the house tokeep her jewels.
The door stood ajar, and Max, as he opened it, saw that it was empty.
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The curious part of the affair was that Max was convinced within himselfthat when he had searched the house on the previous night that safe wasnot there. If it was, then the door must have been closed andconcealed.
He remembered most distinctly entering that room and looking around.The chest of drawers had been moved since he was last there. When hehad seen them they had been standing in their place concealing the irondoor of the safe, which, when shut, closed flush with the wall. Someonehad been there since! And whoever it was, had moved
The Pauper of Park Lane Page 8