CHAPTER XL
A USEFUL DISCOVERY
Waiting with the eagerness of the greyhound in leash, David Steel wasmore annoyed and vexed over the disappearance of the wounded Van Sneckthan he cared to admit. He had an uneasy feeling that the unseen foe hadcheckmated him again. And he had built up so many hopes upon thisstrangely-uninvited guest of his. If that man spoke he could tell thetruth. And both Cross and Bell had declared that he would not die.
David found Cross in a frame of mind something like his own. It was latein the afternoon before it transpired that Van Sneck was gone, and,unfortunately, David did not know where to find Bell just at the moment.Cross had very little to say.
"A most unpleasant incident," he remarked. "But these things will happen,you know. We have been so busy lately, and our vigilance has beenslightly relaxed. Oh, it is impossible to guard against everything, buthe is certain to be found."
"You don't think," David suggested, "that anybody secretly connected withthe man's past--"
"No, I don't," Cross snapped; "that would be impossible. The man hadsomething on his mind, and so far as bodily condition was concerned hewas getting quite strong again. In his dazed state he got up and dressedhimself and went away. He seems to have been seeking for somebody orsomething for days. We are certain to have him again before long."
With which poor consolation David returned home again. He was restlessand desirous of human companionship. He even resented it, as a kind ofaffront, that his mother had chosen at this time to go to Hassocks tostay with an old friend for a couple of days. That Mrs. Steel knewpractically nothing of her son's trouble counted for naught. Therefore itwas with something akin to pleasure that David found Ruth Gates waitingin the drawing-room for him when he came in from his walk on thefollowing afternoon. Nothing had been heard of Van Sneck in the meantime,but thanks to Chris's telephone message late the previous night he hadgot in touch with Bell, who was coming south without delay.
There was a look of shy pleasure in Ruth's eyes and a deep carmine flushon her cheeks.
"You don't think that this is very bold of me?" she asked.
"I am pretty Bohemian in any case," David laughed, as he looked downfondly into the shy, sweet eyes. "And I'm too overjoyed to see you tothink about anything else. I wish my mother was at home. No, I don't,because I have you all to myself."
"David! On an occasion like this you ought to be the pink of propriety.Do you know, I believe that I have made a great discovery?"
"Indeed, little girl! And what have you found out?"
"Well, you must tell me something before my discovery seems valuable.David, you are a close student of human nature. Is it possible for men ofphenomenal cunning to make careless mistakes? Do the most clevercriminals ever make childish blunders?"
"My dear child, if they didn't the police would have very little chance.For instance, I have discovered how those enemies of ours got hold of thenotepaper that lured Van Sneck here. They sent a messenger to Carter's,in East Street, presumedly knowing that my dies were there, and ordered aquarter of a ream of paper and envelopes. These were to be sent to anaddress in East Grinstead in a hurry. Now, that was very clever andsmart, but here comes the folly. Those people, in the stress of business,actually forgot to ascertain the cost and pay for the paper, so that itwas down yesterday in my last quarter's bill. Oh, yes, I assure you, themost brilliant criminals do the most incredibly foolish things."
Ruth looked relieved. Her pretty features relaxed into a smile.
"Then I fancy Reginald Henson has done so," she said. "I fancy I havesolved the mystery of the cigar-case--I mean, the mystery of the oneI bought."
"And which was changed for the one purchased at Walen's, hence thesetears. But Lockharts say that _our_ case was really purchased by anAmerican."
"Yes, I know. And I fancy that the manager honestly thought so. But Ithink I can explain that."
It was David's turn to look up eagerly.
"Do you mean it?" he exclaimed. "It will make a wonderful difference ifyou can. That has been one of the most bewildering knots of the wholepuzzle. If we could only trace the numbers of those notes, I supposechanged at the same time as the cigar-case."
"Indeed they were not," Ruth cried. "I have ascertained that the case waschanged by Henson, as you and I have already decided. Henson made theexchange not at the time we thought."
"Not when you left the package on the table for him to see?"
"No; at least I can't say. He had the other case then, probably, passedon to him by Van Sneck. Or perhaps he merely ascertained what I hadpurchased. That was sufficient for his purpose. Of course he must havefound out all about our scheme. After I had laid my cigar-case on yourdoorstep a man quietly changed it for the other purchased at Walen's. Butthis is the alternate theory only. Any way, I am absolutely certain thatyou got exactly the same notes that we had placed in the original case."
"That might be," David said, thoughtfully. "But that does not explain thefact that Lockhart's sold _your_ case to an American at the Metropole."
"I fancy I can even explain that, dear. My uncle came down suddenlyto-day from London. He wanted certain papers in a great hurry. Now, thosepapers were locked up in a drawer at 219 given over specially to Mr.Henson. My uncle promptly broke open the drawer and took out the papers.Besides those documents the drawer contained a package in one ofLockhart's big linen-lined envelopes--a registered letter envelope, infact. My uncle had little time to spare, as he was bound to be back inLondon to-night. He suggested that as the back of the drawer was brokenand the envelope presumably contained valuables, I had better take careof it. Well, I must admit at once that I steamed the envelope open. Ishouldn't have done so if Lockhart's name had not been on the flap. In alittle case inside I found a diamond bracelet, which I have in my pocket,together with a receipted bill for seventy odd pounds made out to me."
"To you?" David cried. "Do you mean to say that--"
"Indeed I do. The receipt was made out to me, and with it was a littlepolite note to the effect that Messrs. Lockhart had made the exchange ofthe cigar-case for the diamond bracelet, and that they hoped Miss Gateswould find the matter perfectly satisfactory."
David was too astonished to say anything for the moment. The skeinwas too tangled to be thought out all at once. Presently he began tosee his way.
"Under ordinary circumstances the change seems impossible," he said."Especially seeing that the juggling could not have been done withoutboth the cases--but I had forgotten how easily the cases were changed. Ihave it! What is the date of that letter?"
Ruth slowly unfolded a document she had taken from her purse.
"The day following what you call your great adventure," she said. "Hensonor somebody took the real case--my case--back to Lockhart's and changedit in my name. I had previously been admiring this selfsame bracelet, andthey had tried to sell it to me. My dear boy, don't you see this is allpart of the plot to plunge you deeper and deeper into trouble, to forceus all to speak to save you? There are at least fifteen assistants atLockhart's. Of course the ultimate sale of the cigar-case to thisAmerican could be proved, seeing that the case had got back into stockagain, and at the same time the incident of the change quite forgotten.And when you go and ask questions at Lockhart's--as you were pretty sureto do, as Henson knew--you are told of the sale only to the American.Depend upon it, that American was Henson himself or somebody in his pay.David, that man is too cunning, _too_ complex. And some of these days itis going to prove his fall."
David nodded thoughtfully. And yet, without something very clever andintricate in the way of a scheme, Henson could not have placed him in hispresent fix.
"There is only one thing to be done," he said. "You and I must go down toLockhart's and make a few inquiries. With that diamond bracelet andletter in your possession you should have no difficulty in refreshingtheir memories. Will you have some tea?"
"I am too excited," Ruth laughed. "I couldn't eat or drink anything justat present. David, what a lovely
house you have."
"I'm glad to hear that you are going to like it," David said, drily.
Lockhart's received their customers in the usual courtly style. They weresorry they had no recollection of the transaction to which madamreferred. The sale of the bracelet was clear, because that was duly andproperly recorded on the books, and as indeed was the sale of thegun-metal cigar-case to an American gentleman at the Metropole. If madamsaid that she had purchased the cigar-case, why--still the politeassistant was most courteously incredulous.
The production of the letter made a difference. There was a passing ofconfidences from one plate-glass counter to another, and presentlyanother assistant came forward. He profoundly regretted that there hadbeen a mistake, but he remembered the incident perfectly. It was the daybefore he had departed on his usual monthly visit to the firm's Parisbranch. Madam had certainly purchased the cigar-case; but before the salecould be posted in the stock ledger madam had sent a gentleman to changethe case for the diamond bracelet previously admired. The speaker hadattended to both the sale and the exchange; in fact, his cab was waitingfor him during the latter incident.
"I trust there is nothing wrong?" he asked, anxiously.
"Not in the least," Ruth hastened to reply. "The whole matter is a kindof comedy that I wanted to solve. It is a family joke, you understand.And who made the exchange?"
"Mr. Gates, madam. A tall gentleman, dressed in--"
"That is quite sufficient, thank you," said Ruth. "I am sorry to troubleyou over so silly a matter."
The assistant assured madam with an air of painful reproach that nothingwas counted a trouble in that establishment. He bowed his visitors outand informed them that it was a lovely afternoon, a self-evident axiomthat the most disputatious could not well deny.
"You see how your inquiries might have been utterly baffled but for thisfind of mine," Ruth said, as the two went along North Street. "We shallfind presently that the Metropole American and Reginald Henson are oneand the same person."
"And you fancy that he made the exchange at Lockhart's?"
"I feel pretty certain of it," Ruth replied. "And you will be sure lateron to find that he had a hand in the purchase of the other cigar-casefrom Walen's. Go to Marley's and get him to make inquiries as to whetheror not Walen's got their case down on approval."
David proceeded to do so without further delay. Inspector Marley was out,but David left a message for him. Would he communicate by telephone lateron? Steel had just finished his dinner when Marley rang him up.
"Are you there? Yes, I have seen Walen. Your suggestion was quite right.Customer had seen cigar-case exactly like it in Lockhart's, only toodear. Walen dealt with some manufacturers and got case down. Oh, no,never saw customer again. That sort of thing happens to shopkeepers everyday. Yes. Walen thinks he would recognise his man again. Nothing more?Good-night, sir."
The Crimson Blind Page 40