CHAPTER IV
THE WARNING LIGHT
Jessie could feel rather than see that the signal was flashing outagain. She looked about her for some assistance. In the distance a mancame from the direction of the house. In the semi-darkness he paused tolight a cigarette, and the reflection of the match shone on his face.Jessie started, and her face flushed. It seemed as if the stars werefighting for her to-night. She recognized the dark, irregular featuresbehind the glow of the match. She had made up her mind what to do.Surely the queen would understand that there was cause for delay, thatsome unforeseen danger threatened.
The man with the cigarette strolled close by the fountain. He had hishands behind him, and appeared to be plunged in thought. He would havepassed the fountain altogether without seeing the two standing there,only Jessie called to him to stop in a clear gay voice.
"Have you lost anything, Captain Hope?" she asked. "Won't you come andtell us what it is?"
Jessie's voice was perfectly steady, but her heart was beating tosuffocation now. For Vera's cousin, Captain Ronald Hope, was perfectlywell known to her in her own private capacity as Jessie Harcourt. Hopehad been a frequent visitor at her father's house in the old days, andJessie had had her dreams. Had he not inspired Vera's daring scheme!Hope had not forgotten her, though she had elected to disappear andleave no sign, the girl knew full well; for had not Hope told VeraGalloway of the marvellous likeness between herself and Jessie Harcourt?
It was a critical moment. That Hope had cared for her Jessie well knew,though she sternly told her heart that it was not to be. Would herecognize her and penetrate her disguise? If the eyes of love are blindin some ways they make up for it in others. Jessie's heart seemed tostand still as Hope raised his crushed hat and came leisurely up thesteps of the fountain.
"I was looking for my lost and wasted youth, Miss Galloway," he said."How are you, Prince? What a night!"
"A night for lovers," Mazaroff said, though Jessie could see that he wasterribly annoyed at the interruption of their conversation. "Reminds oneof birds and nightingales and rose bowers. Positively, I think of thedays when I used to send valentines and love tokens to my manysweethearts."
"And what does it remind you of, Captain Hope?" Jessie asked.
"_You_ always remind me of my friend Jessie Harcourt," Hope said. "Themore I see of you, the more I see the likeness."
"The little shop-girl in Bond Street," Mazaroff burst out. "I have mether. Ah, yes."
"We are waiting for Captain Hope to tell us what the evening reminds himof," Jessie said hurriedly.
"Certainly," Captain Hope said. "Afterwards I may want to ask PrinceMazaroff a question. This reminds me of a night three years ago--a nightin a lovely lane, with the moon rising at the end of it. Of course,there was a man and a woman in the lane, and they talked of the future.They picked some flowers, so as to be in tune with the picture. Theypicked dog roses----"
"'Your heart and mine' played out with the petals," Jessie laughed. "Doyou know the other form of blowing the seed from a dandelion, only youuse rose petals instead?"
There was a swift change on the face of Captain Hope. His face paledunder the healthy tan as he looked quickly at Jessie. Their eyes metjust for a moment--there was a flash of understanding between them.Mazaroff saw nothing, for he was lighting a cigar by the lip of thefountain. Jessie broke into some nonsense, only it was quite uncertainif she knew what she was saying. She appealed to Mazaroff, and as shedid so she knocked the cigar that he had laid on the edge of thefountain so that it rolled down the steps on to the grass.
"How excessively clumsy of me!" Jessie cried. "Let me get it back foryou, Prince Boris."
With a smile Prince Mazaroff proceeded to regain his cigar. Quick as aflash Ronald Hope turned to Jessie.
"What is it you want?" he asked. "What am I to do to help you? Only saythe word."
"Get rid of that man," Jessie panted. "I can't explain now. Only get ridof that man and see that he is kept out of the way for at least tenminutes. Then you can return to me if you like."
Hope nodded. He appeared to have grasped the situation. With somecommonplace on his lips he passed leisurely towards the house. BeforeMazaroff could take up the broken threads of the subject a young man,who might have been in the diplomatic service, came hurrying to thespot.
"I have been looking everywhere for you, Prince Boris," he said. "LordMerehaven would like to say a few words to you. I am very sorry todetain you, but this is a matter of importance."
Mazaroff's teeth flashed in a grin which was not a grin of pleasure. Hehad no suspicion that this had been all arranged in the brief momentthat he was looking for his cigar, the thing seemed genuine andspontaneous. With one word to the effect that he would be back again ina moment, he followed the secretary.
Jessie had a little time to breathe at last. She looked round hereagerly, but the signal was not given again. Ought she not to fly up thesteps of the corridor? the girl asked herself. As she looked up again atthe now darkened window the light came up for a moment, and the figureof a man, recognizable as that of General Maxgregor, stood out in highrelief. The head of the figure was shaken twice, and the light vanishedagain. Jessie could make nothing of it except that she was not to hurry.Whilst she was still waiting and wondering what to do, Captain RonaldHope returned. His face was stern, but at the same time there was atender light in his eyes that told Jessie not to fear.
"What is the meaning of it all?" he asked. "I never had such a surprisein my life. When you spoke about our old sweetheart pastime of yourheart and mine played with the petals of the wild rose, I recognized youfor Jessie Harcourt at once, because we invented that game, and theunderstanding was that we were never to tell anybody else. Oh, yes, Isee that you are my dear little Jessie now."
The tender words thrilled Jessie. She spoke with an unsteady smile onher lips.
"But you did not recognize me till I gave you a clue," she said. "Areyou very angry with me, Ronald?"
"I meant to be if ever I found you," Hope said. "I am going to be stern.I was going to ask you why you had----"
"Dear Ronald, you had no right to speak like that. Great friends as weused to be----"
"Oh, yes, I know what you are going to say. Great friends as we were, Ihad never told you that I loved you. But you knew it perfectly well,without any mere words of mine; your heart told you so. Though I havenever kissed you--never so much as had my arm about your waist--we knewall the time. And I meant to wait till after my long stay in Ireland.Then your father died, and you were penniless, and you disappeared. Mydearest girl, why did you not tell me?"
"Because you were poor, Ronald. Because I did not want to stand betweenyou and your career. Ada and myself were as proud as we were penniless.And I thought that you would soon forget."
"Forget! Impossible to forget you, Jessie. I am not that kind of man. Icame here frequently because I was trying to get a diplomaticappointment, through my friend General Maxgregor, in the Asturianservice, where there is both trouble and danger and the chance of afuture. And every time that I saw Vera Galloway my heart seemed to achefor the sight of you. I told her about you often. Now tell me, why didyour pride break down so suddenly to-night? You might have passed forVera had you not spoken about the roses."
"I had the most pressing need of your assistance," Jessie said hoarsely."I did not want to disclose myself, but conscience called meimperatively. I dare say you are wondering why I am masquerading here asMiss Galloway, and where she is gone. I cannot tell you. She only foundme out to-day, and implored me to come to her and take her place. Mydecision to do so was not free from sordid consideration. I have playedmy part with success till that scoundrel Mazaroff came along. At presentI am in attendance on the Queen of Asturia, who is in one of the roomsoverhead with General Maxgregor and a helpless paralytic creature who isno less than the King of Asturia. If you ask me about this mystery Icannot tell you. The whole thing was fixed up in a desperate hurry, andhere I am. It was necessary to get Prince Maz
aroff out of the way sothat the queen could return without being seen. I should not besurprised to find that Mazaroff was no more than a vulgar Russian spyafter all."
"I feel pretty well convinced of it," Hope said. "But how long is thisto go on, Jessie?"
"Till Miss Galloway comes back dressed in the fashion of the Bond Streetshop-girl. Then we shall change dresses, and I shall be free to depart."
Hope whispered something sweet, and the colour came to Jessie's cheeks.She was feeling resolute and brave enough now. As she turned and glancedat the upstairs window she saw the light spring up and the blind pulledaside. Then a man, stripped to his shirt and trousers, threw up thewindow and stood upon the parapet waving his arms wildly andgesticulating the while. A stifled cry came from Jessie's lips. If theman fell to the ground he would fall on the stone terrace and be killedon the spot.
"_A stifled cry came from Jessie's lips._"]
But he did not fall; somebody gripped him from behind, the window wasshut, and the blind fell. There was darkness for a few seconds, and thenthe two flashes of the signal came once more, sharp and imperative.
The Weight of the Crown Page 4