by Sax Rohmer
CHAPTER XXIX. DOUBTS AND FEARS
Monte Irvin raised his head and stared dully at Margaret Halley. It wasvery quiet in the library of the big old-fashioned house at Prince'sGate. A faint crackling sound which proceeded from the fire was clearlyaudible. Margaret's grey eyes were anxiously watching the man whosepose as he sat in the deep, saddle-back chair so curiously suggestedcollapse.
"Drugs," he whispered. "Drugs."
Few of his City associates would have recognized the voice; all wouldhave been shocked to see the change which had taken place in the man.
"You really understand why I have told you, Mr. Irvin, don't you?" saidMargaret almost pleadingly. "Dr. Burton thought you should not be told,but then Dr. Burton did not know you were going to ask me point blank.And I thought it better that you should know the truth, bad as it is,rather than--"
"Rather than suspect--worse things," whispered Irvin. "Of course, youwere right, Miss Halley. I am very, very grateful to you for tellingme. I realize what courage it must have called for. Believe me, I shallalways remember--"
He broke off, staring across the room at his wife's portrait. Then:
"If only I had known," he added.
Irvin exhibited greater composure than Margaret had ventured toanticipate. She was confirmed in her opinion that he should be told thetruth.
"I would have told you long ago," she said, "if I had thought that anygood could result from my doing so. Frankly, I had hoped to cure Rita ofthe habit, and I believe I might have succeeded in time."
"There has been no mention of drugs in connection with the case," saidMonte Irvin, speaking monotonously. "In the Press, I mean."
"Hitherto there has not," she replied. "But there is a hint of it in oneof this evening's papers, and I determined to give you the exact factsso far as they are known to me before some garbled account came to yourears."
"Thank you," he said, "thank you. I had felt for a long time that I wasgetting out of touch with Rita, that she had other confidants. Have youany idea who they were, Miss Halley?"
He raised his eyes, looking at her pathetically. Margaret hesitated,then:
"Well," she replied, "I am afraid Nina knew."
"Her maid?"
"I think she must have known."
He sighed.
"The police have interrogated her," he said. "Probably she is beingwatched."
"Oh, I don't think she knows anything about the drug syndicate,"declared Margaret. "She merely acted as confidential messenger. Poor SirLucien Pyne, I am sure, was addicted to drugs."
"Do you think"--Irvin spoke in a very low voice--"do you think he ledher into the habit?"
Margaret bit her lip, staring down at the red carpet.
"I would hate to slander a man who can never defend himself," shereplied finally. "But--I have sometimes thought he did."
Silence fell. Both were contemplating a theory which neither dared toexpress in words.
"You see," continued Margaret, "it is evident that this man Kazmah waspatronized by people so highly placed that it is hopeless to lookfor information from them. Again, such people have influence. I don'tsuggest that they are using it to protect Kazmah, but I have no doubtthey are doing so to protect themselves."
Monte Irvin raised his eyes to her face. A weary, sad look had come intothem.
"You mean that it may be to somebody's interest to hush up the matter asmuch as possible?"
Margaret nodded her head.
"The prevalence of the drug habit in society--especially in Londonsociety--is a secret which has remained hidden so long from the generalpublic," she replied, "that one cannot help looking for bribery andcorruption. The stage is made the scapegoat whenever the voice ofscandal breathes the word 'dope,' but we rarely hear the names of theworst offenders even whispered. I have thought for a long time that theauthorities must know the names of the receivers and distributors ofcocaine, veronal, opium, and the other drugs, huge quantities ofwhich find their way regularly to the West End of London. Pharmacistssometimes experience the greatest difficulty in obtaining the drugswhich they legitimately require, and the prices have increasedextraordinarily. Cocaine, for instance, has gone up from five andsixpence an ounce to eighty-seven shillings, and heroin from three andsixpence to over forty shillings, while opium that was once about twentyshillings a pound is now eight times the price."
Monte Irvin listened attentively.
"In the course of my Guildhall duties," he said slowly, "I have beenbrought in contact frequently with police officers of all ranks. Ifinfluential people are really at work protecting these villains who dealillicitly in drugs, I don't think, and I am not prepared to believe,that they have corrupted the police."
"Neither do I believe so, Mr. Irvin!" said Margaret eagerly.
"But," Irvin pursued, exhibiting greater animation, "you inform me thata Home office commissioner has been appointed. What does this mean, ifnot that Lord Wrexborough distrusts the police?"
"Well, you see, the police seemed to be unable, or unwilling, to doanything in the matter. Of course, this may have been due to thefact that the traffic was so skilfully handled that it defied theirinquiries."
"Take, as an instance, Chief Inspector Kerry," continued Irvin. "He hasexhibited the utmost delicacy and consideration in his dealings with me,but I'll swear that a whiter man never breathed."
"Oh, really, Mr. Irvin, I don't think for a moment that men of thatclass are suspected of being concerned. Indeed, I don't believe anyactive collusion is suspected at all."
"Lord Wrexborough thinks that Scotland Yard hasn't got an officer cleverenough for the dope people?"
"Quite possibly."
"I take it that he has put up a secret service man?"
"I believe--that is, I know he has."
Monte Irvin was watching Margaret's face, and despite the dull miserywhich deadened his usually quick perceptions, he detected a heightenedcolor and a faint change of expression. He did not question her furtherupon the point, but:
"God knows I welcome all the help that offers," he said. "LordWrexborough is your uncle, Miss Halley; but do you think this secretcommission business quite fair to Scotland Yard?"
Margaret stared for some moments at the carpet, then raised her greyeyes and looked earnestly at the speaker. She had learned in the brieftime that had elapsed since this black sorrow had come upon him tounderstand what it was in the character of Monte Irvin which hadattracted Rita. It afforded an illustration of that obscure lawgoverning the magnetism which subsists between diverse natures. For notall the agony of mind which he suffered could hide or mar the cleannessand honesty of purpose which were Monte Irvin's outstanding qualities.
"No," Margaret replied, "honestly, I don't. And I feel rather guiltyabout it, too, because I have been urging uncle to take such a stepfor quite a long time. You see"--she glanced at Irvin wistfully--"I ambrought in contact with so many victims of the drug habit. I believe thepolice are hampered; and these people who deal in drugs manage in someway to evade the law. The Home office agent will report to a committeeappointed by Lord Wrexborough, and then, you see, if it is foundnecessary to do so, there will be special legislation."
Monte Irvin sighed wearily, and his glance strayed in the direction ofthe telephone on the side-table. He seemed to be constantly listeningfor something which he expected but dreaded to hear. Whenever the toyspaniel which lay curled up on the rug before the fire moved or lookedtowards the door, Irvin started and his expression changed.
"This suspense," he said jerkily, "this suspense is so hard to bear."
"Oh, Mr. Irvin, your courage is wonderful," replied Margaret earnestly."But he"--she hastily corrected herself--"everybody is convinced thatRita is safe. Under some strange misapprehension regarding this awfultragedy she has run away into hiding. Probably she has been induced todo so by those interested in preventing her from giving evidence."
Monte Irvin's eyes lighted up strangely. "Is that the opinion of theHome office agent?" he asked.
&nb
sp; "Yes."
"Inspector Kerry shares it," declared Irvin. "Please God they areright."
"It is the only possible explanation," said Margaret. "Any hour now wemay expect news of her."
"You don't think," pursued Monte Irvin, "that anybody--anybody--suspectsRita of being concerned in the death of Sir Lucien?"
He fixed a gaze of pathetic inquiry upon her face.
"Of course not!" she cried. "How ridiculous it would be."
"Yes," he murmured, "it would be ridiculous."
Margaret stood up.
"I am quite relieved now that I have done what I conceived to be myduty, Mr. Irvin," she said. "And, bad as the truth may be, it is betterthan doubt, after all. You must look after yourself, you know. When Ritacomes back we shall have a big task before us to wean her from her oldhabits." She met his glance frankly. "But we shall succeed."
"How you cheer me," whispered Monte Irvin emotionally. "You are thetruest friend that Rita ever had, Miss Halley. You will keep in touchwith me, will you not?"
"Of course. Next to yourself there is no one so sincerely interestedas I am. I love Rita as I should have loved a sister if I had had one.Please don't stand up. Dr. Burton has told you to avoid all exertion fora week or more, I know."
Monte Irvin grasped her outstretched hand.
"Any news which reaches me," he said, "I will communicate immediately.Thank you. In times of trouble we learn to know our real friends."