The Weight of the Crown

by Fred M. White

  CHAPTER VIII

  THE VERY MAN

  Jessie thought for a moment, then a brilliant inspiration came to her.She touched Maxgregor on the arm.

  "I have the very man," she said. "You know him; he is a good andefficient soldier. Moreover, he is anxious to obtain a post in theAsturian army. He is a great friend of mine--Captain Ronald Hope."

  "You are a veritable angel of mercy and courage," Maxgregor cried."There is no man I would sooner trust in a crisis like this than CaptainHope. Will you take long to find him?"

  Jessie engaged to have Ronald in the room in five minutes. She creptdown the stairs as if listless and bored with everything, but her heartwas beating thick and fast. There was no trouble in finding Ronald, whoadvanced towards the stairs at Jessie's signal. She wasted no words inidle explanation, but led him directly to the room where Maxgregor waswaiting.

  "We seem to have dropped into a murderous gang," he said, when thehurried explanation was finished. "Do you think those fellows knoweverything, General?"

  "I fancy they know a great deal," Maxgregor muttered. "They know thatthey will be more safe if I am out of the way, and they have a prettygood notion of the identity of the poor fool lying on the bed yonder. Ifwe could only get him away! He had no business to come here at all, andyet the queen could not do anything else. If we could only get himaway!"

  "Wouldn't it come to the same thing if those murderous ruffians merelythought that the king had gone?" Jessie asked. "Then in the dead of thenight I could manage the real removal. If I could show you a way ofthrowing dust in the eyes of those people----"

  "You have a plan?" Maxgregor said. "A clever woman against the world!Say on."

  "My plan is a very simple one," Jessie said. "Before long the groundswill be deserted for supper. There will be nobody in the garden at all.Supper is at midnight. Change clothes with the king, though it will be atight fit for you, General. Then you can descend by the balcony to thegarden. Go to the gate that leads into the lane beyond, walk as if youwere under the influence of recent potations. At the end of the lane arecabs. Take one and go to your chambers and send for a doctor. Doubtlessyou will be followed in another cab by whoever was, or rather _is_, inthe garden, but I will see that the murderer is delayed. Later onCaptain Hope and myself will decide what is to be done with the king."

  The plan was simple, but quite sufficient for the circumstances. Jessieretired into the dressing-room whilst the change was being made. She wasnot sorry for a little time to collect her thoughts. It seemed to herthat she had lived for a century since the few hours before when MadameMalmaison had given her a curt dismissal. A lifetime had been crushedinto minutes. The girl was being taxed now to the utmost limit of herstrength. She longed for Vera Galloway's return.

  Still, she had achieved her object; she was likely to be free fromanxiety for some time to come, and best of all, she had found RonaldHope again. It was good to know that he had loved her all along, andthat he had not once faltered in his allegiance. It was worth a greatdeal to know that.

  A whisper behind the door of the dressing-room, and Jessie was herselfagain. The change had been made, and the king had fallen into his stuporonce more. General Maxgregor looked pinched and confined in the dress ofhis king, but that would pass in the dark. His face was deadly whitetoo, which was all in his favour. The wound had ceased to bleed, but thepain was still there.

  "I am quite ready," he whispered, "when you think that the coast isclear."

  The house was growing noisy again as the guests filed in to supper.Jessie ventured into the corridor presently and looked out into thegrounds. So far as she could see the place was empty. She would go andtake her place by the door leading into the lane, and the general was tofollow a little later. Would Ronald lend her half a sovereign? Jessieshuddered and turned a little pale as she pushed through the belt oftrees behind the terrace, for the would-be murderer might have beenlurking there at that moment.

  From where she stood she could see Maxgregor coming in her direction. Hewalked unsteadily; there was no reason to sham intoxication, for hiswound did that for him. It was only the iron nerve of the man that kepthim going at all. Jessie was thankful at length to see that Maxgregorhad reached the door. At the end of the lane two hansoms were standing.The general stumbled into one of them and was driven rapidly away.Then, as Jessie had confidently anticipated, another figure emerged asif from the door of the garden and hailed the other hansom. Doubtlessthe idea was to keep the general's cab in sight and track him to hisdestination, under the impression that the King of Asturia was in thefirst hansom.

  But Jessie was resolved to frustrate that. She stepped quickly forwardand hailed the other cab. Then for the first time she saw that thenewcomer was not, as she expected, a man, but a woman. She was tall andfair, and exceedingly good looking.

  "I particularly want that cab," she said coolly. "I put up my handfirst."

  The speaker used good English, Jessie noticed, though with a lisp.Without waiting to combat the point, Jessie jumped into the cab.

  "There is another a little way down the lane," she said. "I am in ahurry, or I would wait. Please drive me to 14, Albert Mansions, HydePark."

  With a sort of smothered exclamation, the other hurried down the lane.The cabman again asked where he was to go. He had not caught thedirection, he said.

  "I don't want to go anywhere," Jessie said coolly, as she came to theground again. "Take this half sovereign, and drive some distance, say amile, at a good pace. And if you can possibly prevent that woman behindcatching the first cab so much the better. Now bang your doors to and beoff."

  With a grin the cabman touched his cap, the door banged, and the hansomset off as if the fare were in a breakneck hurry. Standing well back inthe doorway Jessie had the satisfaction of seeing the fair woman flashby her presently on her futile errand. She had saved the situation forthe present. Nobody guessed where the King of Asturia was, and the spyhad gone off on a false errand altogether. No doubt the would-beassassin had departed by this time.

  In a fever of impatience Ronald Hope awaited Jessie at the steps of thebalcony. The gardens were quite deserted by this time, so that it waspossible to talk in safety.

  "He got clear off," Jessie said, not without a little pardonable pride."As I expected, an attempt was made to follow him, only fortunatelythere were only two hansoms in the lane, and I took the second one andpretended to drive away whilst the spy was hurrying elsewhere in searchof a conveyance. That was what I wanted your half sovereign for,Ronald."

  "And the spy?" Ronald asked. "What sort of a fellow was he?"

  "It was not a fellow at all. The spy was a woman, and a very nicelooking one, too. Tall and fair, with rather a patrician cast offeatures. But I should know her again."

  "And now you are going to tell me everything, dearest?" Ronald said.

  "Indeed I am not going to do anything of the sort just at present,"Jessie said. "I don't want anybody to see me talking to you in thisfashion when everybody is at supper. Recollect that I am Miss VeraGalloway, and that I am supposed to be fond of a certain CharlesMaxwell, whose friends may make mischief for him. I shall go intosupper; and indeed, Ronald, a little food and a glass of wine areabsolute necessities, for my legs are trembling as if I had walked toofar. Have patience."

  Ronald bent and kissed the speaker, with a fervent hope that everythingwould end well. Jessie slipped into the supper-room presently and tookher seat at a table with three other people, who welcomed her heartily.She had not the least idea who they were, but they evidently knew VeraGalloway very well indeed. Some of the questions were very awkward onesfor the girl to reply to.

  "My dear friends," she said, "I am ravenously hungry. Positively, I havea country appetite. A little of the chicken and salad and just a glassof champagne. I am not going to answer any questions till I have had mysupper. Go on with your gossip."

  In spite of her anxiety Jessie made a hearty supper. She was gladpresently when a footman came up to her with a message. She
hoped thatVera Galloway, in the guise of a shop-girl, had come back. But it wasnot the real Vera, it was only an intimation to the effect that adistrict messenger boy was waiting to see Miss Vera Galloway in thehall. Hurriedly Jessie passed out.

  "Charing Cross 'Ospital, miss," the lad said as he touched his cap."Young person from a shop. Had a nasty accident; run over by a cab. Saidas they was to let you know as how she could not come to-night and seeto your hat as arranged."

  Jessie checked a wild burst of hysterical laughter. She was in a prettypredicament indeed.

  She was not even aware of Vera's maid's name. She would write a letterto Vera asking for definite instructions. The note was despatched atlength, and Jessie came into the hall with a feeling of wonder as towhat was going to happen next. She was glad to find Ronald Hope awaitingher.

  "There are lines of anxiety on your face," he said. "I shall be veryglad when the real Vera Galloway comes back and enables that 'youngperson' Jessie Harcourt to depart in peace. Let me know when the timecomes, so that I can escort you back to your lodgings and talk mattersover with you and Ada."

  "There is not the slightest chance of your doing that to-night, Ronald,"Jessie said, repressing a wild desire to laugh. "My dear boy, this thingis developing from one adventure to a hideous nightmare. Of course, Ihaven't the remotest idea what Miss Galloway had in her mind when shebrought me here, but I have just heard that she has met with an accidentwhich will detain her in Charing Cross Hospital till the end of theweek."

  "Which means that you must carry on the masquerade till then?"

  "Which means that I must try, which is a very different thingaltogether. I can only clear myself by confessing the truth, and therebygetting Miss Galloway into serious trouble. She is a good girl, and I amcertain that she is up to no wrong. She is making a great sacrifice forthe sake of somebody else. If I tell the truth, that sacrifice will bein vain. Ronald, tell me what I am to do for the best."

  But Ronald Hope had no advice to offer. The situation was beyond thewildest dreams of fiction. He could only shrug his shoulders and hopefor the best. There was nothing for it now but to sit down and watch theprogress of events.

  "Let us go and enjoy ourselves," Ronald said. "I feel horribly guiltyover the whole thing, especially as Lady Merehaven is such a dear goodfriend of mine. Is that a band I can hear in the garden? Let us walkabout, and pretend that we are perfectly gay and happy."

  Supper was over by this time, and the guests all over the house andgrounds. Jessie thought of that white, silent form sleeping in the roomwhere she had conducted the Queen of Asturia and General Maxgregor. Asudden thought had come to her.

  "I can't do it, Ronald," she said. "Practically, I am left guardian of aking. I, who was only this morning quite content to try on bonnets in aBond Street shop! It seems almost incredible, but the fact remains. Ifhis majesty comes to his senses----"

  "By Jove!" Ronald said thoughtfully. "I have never thought of that. Whatare you going to do?"

  "Run upstairs again and see that the king is all right. Then there isanother matter that has entirely escaped my attention in the newcomplication--General Maxgregor. He went away from here badly hurt andin great pain. He may have fainted in the cab--he may be dead, perhaps.Ronald, you must be guided by me. You have the run of the house--youseem to come and go as you like."

  "I have had the run of the house since I was a kid in knickerbockers,Jessie."

  "Very good. Then you are to go at once to the general's lodgings and seethat everything is being done for him. Then come back and reportprogress. Go at once, please."

  Ronald departed obediently. As Jessie crossed the room in the directionof the house, three girls stood in her way. She would have passed themfor strangers, but they held on to her in a manner so familiar thatJessie realized they were friends of Vera Galloway's.

  "What is the matter with the girl to-night?" one of them cried gaily."There is a frown on her brow, there are lines on her cheeks. Is itTommy or Larry that causes the trouble?"

  Jessie laughed in affected good humour, wondering all the while whoTommy and Larry might be. The question was pressed again, and there wasnothing but to answer it.

  "Oh, they are all right," she said in an offhand way. "Haven't you seenthem to-night?"

  "To-night!" one of the girls cried. "When? On one of the tables afterthe sugar? Positively, I am jealous of your Larry. But he would not havedone so well at Brighton if Lionel had been there."

  "Possibly not," Jessie admitted. "As Tommy said to me----"

  "Tommy said to you!" laughed another of the girls. "Oh, you people areabsurd over your pets. Cats are all very well in their way, but whilstthere are dogs and horses----"

  Jessie felt an inclination to embrace the speaker who had quiteinnocently helped her out of the hole. It was quite evident that Tommyand Larry were two pet cats belonging to Miss Galloway. The Lionel inquestion, whose absence from Brighton--presumedly at a show--wasevidently a pet of the tall girl with the very nice blue eyes. Theincident was farcical enough, but the incidents came so fast that theywere beginning to get on Jessie's nerves.

  "I'll come and see Lionel soon, if I may," she said. "Is that LadyLongmarsh over there? I have been looking for her all the evening."

  And Jessie managed to slip away into the house. Here and there someoneor another smiled at her and asked her questions that she found itdifficult to parry, chaff and badinage that would have been easy toVera Galloway, though they were as Greek to her double.

  "I can positively feel my hair turning grey," Jessie said to herself asshe crept up the stairs. The thought of carrying on this imposition tillthe end of the week was appalling. "I shall have to invent a bad turn ofneuralgia, and stay in my bedroom till Saturday. Vera is a society girl,and surely has many social engagements, and I don't even know what herprogramme for to-morrow is."

  Jessie slipped into the room where the king lay. He looked grotesqueenough in Maxgregor's uniform, and not in the least like a ruler. So faras Jessie could see, the poor creature looked like sleeping a long timeyet. The danger of collapse was past for the present, but the deep sleepof utter intoxication still clung to the ruler of Asturia. For sometime, at any rate, there was no expectation of danger in that quarter.And there was always Ronald Hope to fall back upon. When everybody hadgone, which was not likely to be very soon, the king would be smuggledout of the house. The Queen of Asturia had gone off in a hurry, but shewas pretty certain to send instructions by somebody. The man on the bedturned and muttered something in his sleep.

  "Don't let anybody know," he said. "He's at Charleston Street, No. 15.Always manage it that way. Give me some more of it. Out of the otherbottle."

  The voice trailed off in a murmur, and the deep sleep fell again. Jessiecrept away and locked the door. Down in the hall a great throng ofguests passed from the room into the garden and back again. At the backof the press Jessie caught sight of a tall, stately figure, with thelight falling on her glorious hair and sparkling on her diamond tiara.Jessie's heart gave a great leap; she felt that the needed aid was closeat hand.

  "Heaven be praised!" she said. "The queen has returned again. What doesshe know, I wonder?"