CHAPTER XLV
ON THE TRAIL
At the same moment Williams came softly in. There was a grin ofsatisfaction on his face.
"The brute is fast asleep," he said. "I've just been in his room. He leftthe lamp burning, and there is a lump on the side of his head as big asan ostrich egg. But he didn't mean to go to sleep; he hasn't taken any ofhis clothes off. On the whole, sir, wouldn't it be better for you to wakeour man up and get him away?"
David was of the same opinion. Van Sneck was lying on the bed lookingvacantly about him. He seemed older and more worn, perhaps, because hisbeard and moustache were growing ragged and dirty on his face. He pressedhis hand to his head in a confused kind of way.
"I tell you I can't find it," he said; "the thing slipped out of myhand--a small thing like that easily might. What's the good of making afuss about a ring not worth L20? Search my pockets if you like. What amurderous-looking dog you are when you're out of temper!"
All this in a vague, rambling way, in a slightly foreign accent. Davidtouched him on the shoulder.
"Won't you come back with me to Brighton?" he said.
"Certainly," was the ready response; "you look a good sort of chap. I'llgo anywhere you please. Not that I've got a penny of money left. What aspree it has been. Who are you?"
"My name is Steel. I am David Steel, the novelist."
A peculiarly cunning look came over Van Sneck's face.
"I got your letter," he said. "And I came. It was after I had had thatrow with Henson. Henson is a bigger scoundrel than I am, though you maynot think it."
"I accept your statement implicitly," David said, drily.
"Well, he is. And I got your letter. And I called.... And you nearlykilled me. And I dropped it down in the corner of the conservatory."
"Dropped what?" David asked, sharply.
"Nothing," said Van Sneck. "What do you mean by talking about droppingthings. I never dropped anything in my life. I make others do that, eh,eh! But I can't remember anything. It just comes back to me, and thenthere is a wheel goes round in my head.... Who are you?"
David gave up the matter as hopeless. This was emphatically a casefor Bell. Once let him get Van Sneck back to Brighton and Bell coulddo the rest.
"We'd better go," he said to Enid. "We are merely wasting time here."
"I suppose so," Enid said, thoughtfully. "All the same, I should greatlylike to know what it is that our friend Van Sneck dropped."
It was a long and tedious journey back to Brighton again, for the patientseemed to tire easily, and he evinced a marked predilection for sittingby the roadside and singing. It was very late before David reached hishouse. Bell beamed his satisfaction. Van Sneck, with a half-gleam ofrecognition of his surroundings, and with a statement that he had beenthere before, lapsed into silence. Bell produced a small phial in achemist's wrapper and poured the contents into a glass. With a curtcommand to drink he passed the glass over to Van Sneck.
The latter drank the small dose, and Bell carried him more or less to aground-floor bedroom behind the dining-room. There he speedily undressedhis patient and got him into bed. Van Sneck was practically fast asleepbefore his head had touched the pillow.
"I went out and got that dose with a view to eventualities," Bellexplained. "I know pretty well what is the matter with Van Sneck, and Ipropose to operate upon him, with the help of Heritage. I've put him inmy bed and locked the door. I shall sleep in the big armchair."
David flung himself into a big deck lounge and lighted a cigarette.
"My word, that has been a bit of a business," he said. "Pour me out alittle whisky in one of the long glasses and fill it up with soda....Oh, that's better. I never felt so thirsty in my life. I got Van Sneckaway without Henson having the slightest suspicion that he was there,and I had the satisfaction of giving Henson a smashing blow without hisseeing me."
"Sounds like conjuring," Bell said, behind his cigar. "Explain yourself."
David went carefully into details. He told the story of Prince Rupert'sring to a listener who followed him with the most flattering attention.
"Of course, all this is new to me," Bell said, presently, "though I knewthe family well up to that time. Depend upon it, Enid is right. Hensonhas got the ring. But how fortunately everything seems to have turned outfor the scoundrel."
"If a man likes to be an unscrupulous blackguard he can make use of allevents," David said. "But even Henson is not quite so clever as we takehim to be. He has found out the trick we played upon him over ChrisHenson, but he hasn't the faintest idea that all this time he has beenliving under the same roof at Littimer."
"The girl is a wonderful actress," Bell replied. "I only guessed who shewas. If I hadn't known as much as I do she would have deceived me. ButHenson has shot his bolt. After we have operated upon Van Sneck we shallbe pretty near the truth. It is a great pull to have him in the house."
"And a nasty thing for Henson--"
"Who will find out before to-morrow is over. I feel pretty sure that thishouse is watched carefully. Any firm of private detectives would do that,and they need be told nothing either. I know that I was followed when Iwent to the chemist's to fetch that dose for our friend yonder. Still, itis a sign that Henson is getting frightened."
"Why do you bring Heritage into this matter?" David asked.
"Well, for a variety of reasons. First of all, Heritage is an oldfriend of mine, and I take a great interest in his case. I am going togive him a chance to recover his lost confidence, and he is a splendidoperator. Besides, I want to know why Henson has gone out of his way tobe so kind to Heritage. And, finally, Heritage was the family doctor ofthe Carfax people you just mentioned before he went to practise inLondon. Let me once get Heritage round again, and I shall be greatlydisappointed if he does not give us a good deal of valuable informationregarding Reginald Henson."
"And Cross. What about him?"
"Oh, Cross will do as I ask him. Without egotism, he knows that the caseis perfectly safe in my hands. And if we care to look after Van Sneck,why, there will be one the less burden in the hospital. What a funnybusiness it is! Van Sneck gets nearly done to death under this roof, andhe comes back here to be cured again."
David yawned sleepily as he rose.
"Well, I've had enough of it for to-night," he said. "I'm dog-tried, andI must confess to feeling sick of the Hensons and Littimers, and alltheir works."
"Including their friend, Miss Ruth Gates?" Bell said, slily. "Still, theyhave made pretty good use of you, and I expect you will be glad to getback to your work again. At the same time, you need not trouble your headfor plots for many a day."
David admitted that the situation had its compensations, and went off tobed. Bell met him the next day as fresh as if he had had a full night'srest, and vouchsafed the information that the patient was as well aspossible. He was cold and no longer feverish.
"In fact, he is ready for the operation at any time," he said. "I shallget Heritage here to dinner, and we shall operate afterwards withelectric light. It will be a good steadier for Heritage's nerves, andthe electric light is the best light of all for this business. If youhave got a few yards of spare flex from your reading-lamp I'll rig thething up without troubling your electrician. I can attach it to yourstudy lamp."
"I've got what you want," David said. "Now come in to breakfast."
There was a pile of letters on the table, and on the top a telegram. Itwas a long message, and Bell watched Steel's face curiously.
"From Littimer Castle," he suggested. "Am I right?"
"As usual," David cried. "My little scheme over that diamond star hasworked magnificently. Miss Chris tells me that she has--by Jove, Bell,just listen--she has solved the problem of the cigar-case; she has foundout the whole thing. She wants me to meet her in London to-morrow, whenshe will tell me everything."
The Crimson Blind Page 45