The Weight of the Crown
Page 48
CHAPTER XLVIII
THE PAPERS AT LAST
Lord Merehaven followed Lechmere eagerly down the steps of the club. Hewas anxious and excited now as any schoolboy with the prospect of a lastholiday before him. The diplomatist became merged in the mere man. Heplied Lechmere with questions.
"I think that we had better have a cab," said the latter. "In the firstinstance we have to go as far as General Maxgregor's rooms. After thatwe will proceed to the residence of Countess Saens. Yes, you are quiteright. It was I who supplied the police with the information that led upto this sensational arrest."
"Pity you had not done it before," Merehaven spluttered, as he jammedhis top hat in the door of the hansom. "It would have saved a wonderfullot of trouble."
Lechmere demurred. He had known for some time a great deal of the pastof the woman who was known to society as Countess Saens. As a matter offact he had bided his time, little dreaming how soon it would benecessary to make use of his information.
"I think I told you before who the woman was," he said. "Or was itGeneral Maxgregor? Anyway, it does not in the least matter. For my part,I rather regret the necessity for putting this woman out of the way. Itis far better to keep such people under observation and thus keep intouch with one's enemies. But I could see no other way."
"But you won't frighten her into speaking," Merehaven said.
"Of course we shan't. She has too much pluck for that. I want to get herout of the way because it is desirable to search her house for themissing papers without suspicion of our designs. And we are going tofind the papers there sure enough."
"Surely you must be mistaken," Merehaven protested. "If the countessstill has the papers, she would have handed them over to CountGleikstein, who would have made profit over them. She would have givenus no quarter like he is doing now."
"I did not say that the countess had the papers," Lechmere said drily."I said they were in the house, which is quite a different matter. Buthere we are at Maxgregor's."
Maxgregor was out as the hall porter-valet Robert told Lechmere. But thelatter did not seem in the least disappointed. He proceeded up thestairs to the general's rooms, intimating that Robert had better followhim. The man did so wondering, but he had no anxiety for himself yet.Lechmere wanted to go into the general's bedroom, he also wanted to seethe suit of dress clothes worn by the general on the night of his returnfrom Lady Merehaven's reception. With some little demur Robert producedthe garments in question from a wardrobe. Lechmere smiled with an air ofeasy triumph as he produced a flat packet of papers from the dress coatpocket.
"Exactly as I expected," he murmured to Lord Merehaven. "This is thedress suit worn by the king when he was smuggled into your house by thequeen and her tiring woman on the night of the reception. As I have toldyou before, Maxgregor escaped in the king's clothes. In these clotheswas the Deed of Abdication ready for signature as handed to the king byMazaroff. If you will open that packet you will see whether I am wrongor not."
Lechmere was not wrong, it was the Deed of Abdication right enough. Verygrimly Lord Merehaven placed it in a position of safety. It was a strongweapon that Lechmere had afforded for his next interview with CountGleikstein.
"I felt quite certain that we should find it," Lechmere said. "And nowlet us proceed a stage further. Where is General Maxgregor's telephone,Robert?"
Robert explained that the telephone was in the next room. The servantseemed a little easier in his mind as he led the way to thesitting-room. Then Lechmere closed the door and looked at the mankeenly.
"You are going to do something for me, Robert," he said. "Be so good asto call up No. 99996 Belgravia. Ah, I see that the number is well knownto you. I have every reason to believe that you have called up thatnumber many times before. Now listen to me and do exactly what I tellyou or you may make the acquaintance of the inside of a gaol beforelong. You are going to help me to find certain papers which, though youmay not be a party to stealing them, you know all about them and theirvalue and the like."
"I am sure that I don't know what you mean, sir," Robert said sulkily.
"Then it will be necessary for me to refresh your memory, Robert. I meanthose papers that you were discussing the other night with Annette--thenight you had the champagne supper at Countess Saens's house. The papersreturned by the policeman, you know, found by him in Piccadilly. You andAnnette were going to sell them and buy a boarding-house in Brook Streetwith the proceeds. I think it would be far better for you to recollect,Robert."
The valet-porter collapsed without further signs of fight. There wasnothing of the born conspirator about him. He was no more or less than atolerably dishonest London servant. He was quite ready to do anythingthat Mr. Lechmere asked him.
"Then call up 99996 and ask for Annette," Lechmere said curtly. "Saythat you must see her at once here without the slightest delay. Nooccasion to explain the reason. Then you can hang the receiver upquietly as if you were cut off, so that the young woman has no time toask questions. After that you will come with me in my cab. It won't begallant conduct so far as Annette is concerned but I can't help that.You can make the best of your explanations later on."
"What do you want that fellow for?" Merehaven asked, as Robert proceededto carry out his instructions.
Lechmere replied that he had no need whatever of Robert's services, butthat he had not the smallest intention of leaving him there to sound thenote of alarm over the telephone directly they had gone. Lord Merehavenhad not seen this point, it would have escaped him. But Lechmere was notin the habit of leaving his pawns unaccounted for like that. He listenedclose by the telephone till he heard the small distant voice of Annettesaying that she would come round at once, then he jerked up thereceiver and rang off connection sharply.
"Now come along," he said. "By the time we reach the residence ofCountess Saens, Annette will be well on her way here, indeed we shallprobably pass her in the cab. For the sake of our friend Robert it willbe necessary to take a four-wheeler this time. Come along."
Lechmere proved to be perfectly correct as to the meeting of Annette onher way to keep the appointment. The cab pulled up not too close to thecountess' residence and Lechmere alighted, bidding Lord Merehaven waituntil he returned. As he expected, the house was in the hands of thepolice pending the arrival of the owner's agent, who had beentelegraphed for. The inspector in charge was an old acquaintance ofLechmere's and seemed glad to see him.
"Bit of a sensation, this, Roscoe," Lechmere said guardedly. "But onenever knows, do they?"
Roscoe smiled with the air of a man who was used to these surprises. Heintimated that this was going to be a big business, there would be aformal remand applied for, and after that the foreign police proposed totake a hand in the matter.
"Have you had the house searched yet?" Lechmere asked. "No? Well, you'dbetter get a warrant. As a matter of fact the countess is a brilliantpolitical spy and there may be things here well worth the inspection ofthe British Government. Don't say I didn't give you the tip. I supposeyou don't mind my going over the house. I may see something worthnoting."
Roscoe had no objection whatever. Lechmere made an elaborate pretence ofinspecting the room and then he strolled up to the servants' quartersin a casual way. This was Annette's room sure enough. Lechmereremembered Peretori's description well enough to recollect that. And onthe wall high up was a plaster cast of a crucifix with a figure extendedupon it. Lechmere listened a moment to make quite sure that nobody wasabout, then he climbed up with the aid of a chair. As he had expected,the back of the cast was hollow and in the cavity was a bundle ofpapers. Without the slightest feeling of excitement he untied the tapethat fastened them, glanced his eyes over the contents, and walked downstairs again. He nodded to Roscoe as he passed out.
"Nothing so far as I can see," he said. "Don't forget to apply for asearch warrant."
He dismissed the four-wheeler in the street and told Robert curtly to goabout his business. He had no further use for the valet-porter. The taskwas
done.
"Well?" Merehaven asked eagerly. "Well? One can judge nothing from yourface."
"Good thing for me," Lechmere said imperturbably. "But what do you thinkof this? There are your papers."
And Merehaven was only too glad to admit that Lechmere was right.