Till the Clock Stops

by J. J. Bell

  CHAPTER III

  It was dusky in the room when Caw brought tea to his master. Fitfulgleams from the fire touched the latter's face, which had grown haggard.The Green Box was open again.

  "Never mind the lights for the present," he said, as the servant's handwent to the switch. "Give me a cup of tea--nothing more--and sit down."He pointed to the chair recently occupied by the Frenchman. "I havesomething to say to you, Caw."

  As he placed the tea on the table Caw winced slightly. "Mr. Craig," hesaid imploringly, "won't you have the doctor now?"

  "Sit down," said Christopher a trifle irritably, "and pay attention towhat I am about to say. Dr. Handyside," he proceeded, "cannot help me,and you can. In the first place, you have already given me your word toremain in my service for a year and a day after I am gone from here--inother words, until the clock stops."

  "Yes, sir," said Caw in a low voice.

  "And it is perfectly clear to you how and when you are to set theclock going?"

  "By carefully cutting and removing the thread at the first hour of twelvefollowing your--oh, sir, need you talk about it now?"

  Christopher took a sip and set the cup down with a little clatter. "Andin the event of my nephew, Mr. Alan Craig, returning within the year, youwill serve him also as you would me, giving him all assistance andinformation in your power."

  "Yes, sir."

  "I have recommended you to him in a letter left with Mr. Harvie, thelawyer in Glasgow, to whom you registered the packet this afternoon. Mr.Harvie is acquainted with certain of my affairs, but not by any meansall. It is not necessary that he should know all that you know or willknow. I am leaving much to your discretion, Caw. You will find yourinstructions in this envelope.... Among other things, it is not my wishthat you should live alone in this house, and until my nephew returns Ihave arranged that you shall have quarters in Dr. Handyside's house, andI do not doubt that you will make yourself useful there, helping him withhis car and so on. If expedient, you may trust the doctor, but do nottrouble him without grave cause. The passage will remain available, andyou will make inspections of this house at intervals."

  He paused for a moment, took another sip, and resumed. "Things may happenin this house, Caw; but you are not to think of that as more than a merepossibility, nor are you to consider yourself tied to the place. As amatter of fact, I would as soon have certain things happen as not, and,short of murder itself, I count on your avoiding or preventing any policeinterference. By the way, your own future is provided for."

  Caw made an attempt to speak, but his master proceeded--

  "There are two men whom it seems necessary to warn you against--the twowho were here to-day."

  "Sir," said Caw with sudden strength and warmth of voice, "I have longwished I might warn you against Mr. Bullard. Only a sort of instinct,sir, on my part, but I never could trust that man. As for Lancaster--"

  "Your instinct was right. Lancaster is chiefly a fool, but Bullard isutterly rotten. You remember my younger brother, Caw?"

  "Yes, sir"--rather awkwardly.

  "Those two, particularly Bullard, brought him to ruin. They cheatedhim--legitimately of course! Mr. Alan is ignorant of the tragedysurrounding the end of his father--his mother, too--and I hope he mayremain so."

  Surprise as well as indignation was in the servant's expression. "But,sir, you were quite friendly--"

  "You shall see! You remember Marvel coming here three months ago?"

  "Yes, I do--and I wondered at his impudence, the dirty--"

  "He brought me the truth, anyway. I suspect his silence had already beenbought by Bullard, but that would be nothing to Marvel's conscience.Well, he sold himself and certain papers to me. They proved that Bullarddeliberately ruined my brother for his own profit, and Lancasterassisted, probably in ignorance."

  "And--those two don't know that you know!" cried Caw. "Your pardon, sir,but it's a bit--exciting."

  "They do not know. They do not suspect. While they were here to-day theycould think of nothing but those diamonds. They are still thinking ofdiamonds--of that I am sure; and for the next year they will think ofnothing else. And they were my trusted friends!"

  "Do you mean the diamonds--there, in that box, sir?"

  "Just so."

  "They are of great value, no doubt."

  "My diamonds are worth over half a million sterling."

  Caw drew a long breath. "That box would be safer in the bank, sir," hesaid respectfully, at last.

  "I daresay. But it is going to remain in this drawer." Christopherreached out, closed the lid, locked it, and handed the key to Caw."Listen! Immediately you have set the clock going, you will go down tothe shore and throw that key far into the loch. A duplicate key will beavailable when the clock stops. Now place the box in the drawer and shutthe drawer, and then sit down again."

  With a resigned expression Caw obeyed.

  "Burglars," he muttered, as if to himself, resuming his seat.

  "Yes; they may try it--after I am gone. But mark this, Caw, you are notresponsible in this particular matter, and even should you be aware thatthe persons whom I have named are attempting burglary, you must notviolently interfere in any way."

  "Not interfere! Good God, sir, half a million and not interfere!" Cawpeered at his master in the firelight "Why, Mr. Craig, you could nottrust me to obey that order!"

  "If I can trust you with the diamonds--and I tell you that no one knowsof their existence here excepting those two men and yourself--I cansurely trust you to obey--not a master's order, but a dying man'srequest. Later on you will understand everything. Give me your word thatyou will do nothing violent to secure what you may consider the safety ofthat Green Box. ... Come, Caw."

  "Will the diamonds--excuse the question--belong to Mr. Alan?"

  "That is a question that shall be answered when the clock stops.Your word?"

  "I am bound to trust to your wisdom, sir," said Caw, slowly. "I promise,sir. But if Mr. Bullard gives me a chance apart from diamonds, I hope--"

  "I hope nothing may happen to Mr. Bullard before the clock stops," saidChristopher firmly. "And now I think that is all. Other details you willfind in your written instructions. Give me some of that medicine--fivedrops--quickly!"

  Caw sprang up, ran to the door and switched on the shaded light over thetable, ran back and administered the dose. Then with something like a sobhe cried: "Mr. Craig, oh, my dear master, I can't stand it any longer,"and pressed one of the white buttons.

  "All right, Caw, all right," said Christopher kindly--and the glass fellfrom his fingers. He did not appear to notice the mishap. "I'm afraidHandyside will be annoyed, but I had to get the whole business finished."

  "Don't exhaust yourself, sir. Just try to think that everything will bedone as you wish."

  "One thing more--failing the doctor, you may trust Miss MarjorieHandyside in an emergency. And, Caw, don't forget--"

  The door in the back wall opened noiselessly; and a tall bearded man intweeds, with the complexion of an outdoor worker, entered. Closing thedoor he came quickly to the table.

  "Sorry to trouble you, Handyside," said Christopher with a falteringsmile, "but the interfering Caw insisted."

  The newcomer glanced a question at the servant.

  "No, sir," said Caw. "No attack, but--"

  "Have his bed made ready," interrupted the doctor, softly, and Cawleft the room.

  "I've been overdoing it a little," the invalid said, apologetically, "butit was in doing things that had to be done. I'll be all right presently,my friend.... I say, Handyside, I want you and your daughter to comealong and take supper with me to-night. I haven't seen Marjorie for morethan a week."

  "She has been away at her sister's for a few days. Only came home an hourago." Handyside let go his patient's wrist and moved over to the hearth.

  As he stared into the fire his face betrayed disappointment and graveconcern, but when he turned it was cheerful enough.

  "Yes, Craig, you've overdone it to-day. However, I'
ll try to forgive you.Only I'd like you to see Carslaw again--to-morrow."

  "He can't do anything more for me--anything you can't do."

  "Possibly not. Still, we must remember that I've been out of harness forfive years."

  "I remember only that you have virtually kept me alive for the last two."

  "Your constitution did that," the doctor replied untruthfully. "Andyou've been a good patient, you know, except once in a while."

  "You've been a good friend, Handyside, though we met for the first timeonly five years ago. Yes; I'll see Carslaw to please you. Now there areseveral things I want to say to you--"

  "They must keep," Handyside said firmly. "You are going to bed now."

  "But I've asked you to fetch Marjorie--"

  "That pleasure for her must keep also."

  "Bed?" muttered Christopher. Then he looked straight at his friend, aquestion at his lips.

  At that moment Caw reappeared.

  "I'm ready," said his master. "I say, Handyside, what do you think of mynew clock?" he asked as he was being wheeled to the door.

  "I'll have a look at it later, Craig. It's not going yet."

  "No"--gently--"not yet. Stop, Caw! Take me over to the window and put outthe lights."

  Caw looked towards the doctor, who nodded as one who should say, "Whatafter all, can it matter now?"

  At the window, for the space of five minutes, Christopher sat silent. Afull moon shone clear on the still waters and calm hills. From across theloch twinkled little yellow homely lights. The evening steamer exhibitedwhat seemed a string of pale gems and a solitary emerald.

  "Almost as beautiful," he murmured at last, "as diamonds." He chuckledsoftly, then sighed. "Bed, Caw."

  Within the hour he had a bad heart attack, and it was theforerunner of worse.

  Precisely at midnight Caw stole into the sitting-room and released thependulum. Thereafter he went down to the shore.

  "Hard orders, dear master," he sighed, "but I'll carry them out tothe letter."