The Last Stroke: A Detective Story

by Lawrence L. Lynch

  CHAPTER XXII.

  IN NUMBER NINE.

  As the inspector and Ferrars approached the theatre they were obliged toslacken their pace, for, although the performance must have been well onits way, there was a crowd about the entrance.

  "It's a first night for some new 'stars,' now that I think of it, andyou'll find a lot of the sporting gentry here whenever a new and prettyface, that has had the right kind of advertising, is billed. Thataccounts for our friend's presence here, of course," said the inspector.

  They made slowly their way toward the entrance, and as they reached it,and were about to pass within the brilliantly lighted vestibule,Inspector Hirsch grasped his companion's arm and pulled him back withinthe shadow of a friendly bill board.

  "H'sh!" he whispered. "Here's Hobson!" He drew Ferrars still furtherout of the crowd. "He must have lost his man, or else--hold on, Ferrars;I'll speak to him." And he glided into the crowd and Ferrars saw himpause by the side of a flashily-dressed young fellow, who seemed utterlyabsorbed in trying to revive a smouldering cigar stump. He gave no signof recognition as the inspector paused beside him, and seemed engrossedwith his cigar and his own thoughts, but Inspector Hirsch was back in amoment with a grin upon his face.

  "Your man has tired of the Vaudeville," he said, "and Hobson got closeenough behind him--the other chap's still with him, too--to hear themplanning to go on to the Savoy for a short time. Harry's evidently doingthe theatres with his 'young duffer,' as the Swiss calls the fellow, andwill probably pluck him if nothing intervenes." He looked hard atFerrars. "My man won't lose sight of them. Want to go on to the Savoy?"

  "By all means," replied Ferrars, and they set out, noting, as theyskirted the crowd, that Hobson was no longer visible.

  Crossing the street, they hastened their steps, and upon arriving at theSavoy, took up their station near the entrance once more. The crowd herewas not dense, and they had not long to wait before two men approachedfrom the direction of the Vaudeville, walking slowly, and entered thevestibule of the Savoy.

  The taller of the two was broad shouldered, dark and handsome, after acoarse fashion, while the other was smaller, with a weak face anduncertain manner. Both were in evening dress, and when they entered thetheatre Ferrars and the inspector followed.

  "I can stay with you an hour longer," said the latter. "Then I must goabout my own affairs."

  Ferrars nodded. He was watching "Quarrelsome Harry" closely, and after atime, as that personage began to look about as if in search of someexpected face, he procured an opera glass, and with its aid began tosweep the house.

  Then, suddenly, he started, and, after a long look at a certain point inthe dress circle, he turned quickly toward the inspector.

  "Do you know any one in authority here?" he asked.

  "I know the head usher over there; or, rather, he knows me."

  "That will do. Just call him, won't you? Introduce me. Tell him I'mafter a crook who is up to mischief here, and ask him to help me."

  After a time this was accomplished, and soon after the inspector tookhis leave.

  And now came the entre-acte, and a number of ladies left their placesand went, some to the cloak-room, some to the foyer. The two men in whomFerrars was interested went out among many others, and Ferrars followed.In the refreshment room they took places at the side, and the detective,contrary to his usual plan, passed them, and took a place midway betweenthat occupied by the two men and a certain table, further down, where aparty of six were seated.

  To the waiter, who came to serve him, Ferrars said: "Send me your chiefwaiter," and slipped a coin into his willing hand.

  When the chief waiter came, the two exchanged some whispered sentences,and then, as the man withdrew, our detective addressed himself to hislight repast. He had been careful to keep himself unseen, so far asHarry Levey was concerned; and he had now chosen his seat behind apillar, which hid him from view, while he still could, by movingslightly, look around it.

  It was while taking one of his frequent peeps around this pillar thatFerrars saw "Quarrelsome Harry" tear a leaf from a small pocket-book andwrite a few words upon it, doing this in the most unobtrusive mannerpossible, with the bit of paper upon his knee.

  Since they had exchanged those few whispered words together, Ferrarsand the head waiter had not lost sight of each other, and now a slightmovement of the brows brought the man to Ferrars' table.

  "Now," whispered the detective, "and be sure you are not observed."

  The man nodded and passed on, seeming to scan, with equal interest, eachtable as he passed it. Nevertheless, he saw a note slipped into the handof a vacant faced young waiter, and a few words of instruction given.Then the young man turned away, and began to move slowly toward theopposite side of the room.

  A little beyond Ferrars' table he encountered the head waiter, presentarbiter of his destiny.

  "Kit," said this personage, in a low tone, "slip that note you carryinto my hand and wait behind the screen yonder until I give it back toyou. Quick! No nonsense, man; and mum's the word!"

  As between a stranger with a liberal tip, and the august commander ofthe dining-room corps, Kit did not hesitate, and a moment later the headwaiter dropped the note into Ferrars' palm with one hand, while heplaced a bottle of wine beside his plate with the other.

  Putting the bit of paper between the two leaves of the menu card,Ferrars boldly read its pencilled message.

  "Drive to the Cafe Royal. Ask to be shown to No. 9. I will join you there soon."

  A moment later this note was placed, by Kit, beside the plate of the onefor whom it was intended. The next, Ferrars, having tossed off his glassof light wine, arose and sauntered out of the refreshment room.

  But he did not return to the theatre. Instead, he took a cab and wasdriven to the Cafe Royal.

  Here again he sought out a person in authority, to whom he exhibited hisstar, and a card from Inspector Hirsch, and was at once shown to No. 8.

  "If questions are asked," he said, as he slipped a goodly fee into thehand of authority, "remember that No. 8 is vacant, but is engaged for anhour later."

  Left to himself, Ferrars moved a chair close to the wall between himselfand number nine. It was but a flimsy barrier of wood and he nodded hisapproval, turned down the jet of gas, until it was the merest speck, andsat himself down to wait. But not for long; soon he heard the next dooropen, a sweeping, rustling sound, and the scraping of a chair. Then abright light flashed up, the door closed, and all was still for a shorttime.

  Then, again the door opened, there was a heavy step, low voices, andFerrars knew that he might, if he would, lay his hand upon those whomhe had sought so long, and, for a time, it had seemed, so hopelessly.

  "Are we quite alone here, do you suppose?" It was a man's voice, strongand somewhat gruff. "Let us see." And he rang the bell. The man who hadadmitted Ferrars, and who had no mind to fall out with the police,responded, and at once showed conclusively that the adjoining rooms,Nos. 8 and 10, were quite deserted, although, he admitted, he had lockedNo. 8 in order to secure it for a party at midnight; whereupon wine wasordered and he was at once dismissed.

  "Well," began the heavier voice again, "why in the name of goodnesshaven't you pushed things more? I told you, from the first, that all wassafe. There will be no crossing the big pond now. How long do you meanto dally?"

  "We can't dally now," replied the lighter voice. "Didn't you see thenotice in the papers? They are calling for the heirs. I don't understandit, but they tell me that unless we come forward now, the matter will bereferred to some other court, and then there must be a long delay. No, Imust produce those papers now, and if there should be any question, anyflaw----"

  "Pshaw!"

  "Or if they should call for further proof of identity, you know.Suppose some one should be found, at the last moment, acquainted withher!"

  "Bosh! How foolish!"

  "Or who remembered me!"

  "I tell you this is folly! Latham's first wife died so long
ago, and ata Swedish spa. And she never had many friends. As for relatives, well,we know there are none now."

  "Sometimes I fear the children will remember; that it will all come backto them, some day."

  "I tell you this is simply idiotic; the time has come, and everything isin train. You have all the papers, certificate of marriage, copy ofwill, and who is to prove that the first Mrs. Latham died, and that shewas the last of the Paisley line, on this side, or the other? You weremarried abroad, you have all her family papers and her jewels. Herchildren call you mother."

  "And hate me!"

  "Well, that won't cut any figure. Besides, we must have money. You and Ihave put our little all into this scheme. How much longer can we livedecently unless you claim this estate soon? I must have money! Do youmean to see your brother starve?"

  "Hush! You are not my brother, remember that; only my brother-in-law."

  "All right. How lucky that Latham's brother never came back. Now, whatdid you especially want to say to-night?"

  "This. I must meet those lawyers to-morrow."

  "Oh! And I as nearest male kin, must be your escort, and support youthrough the trying ordeal."

  "Not at all. I am especially requested to come alone."

  "The d----!"

  "But they will want corroborative testimony, and I want to beg of younot to take anything to-morrow, and not to stay out the rest of thenight. Much depends upon the impression we make. And if we shouldfail----"

  "We can't fail; or you can't. Aren't you next-of-kin?"

  Ferrars got up and crept noiselessly to the door. He had heard enough,and he had much to do. A new enquiry to open up. He knew that he shouldfind Hobson, who had not been dismissed, outside and near, and he meantto leave "Quarrelsome Harry" to him once more.

  "Look after him sharp, Hobson," he said, when he had found the man inthe outer room. "And ask the inspector to have a warrant ready in themorning. We must arrest him to-morrow. He is to be taken for conspiracyand attempted murder. That will do for a beginning." And leaving thepair in No. 9 to their plotting, and to the watchful care of Hobson,Ferrars hastened from the place.