The Five Knots

by Fred M. White

  *CHAPTER XXXIV*

  *A HUMAN DERELICT*

  About the time that Wilfrid was being hurried off in the motor towardsMaldon Grange and wondering bitterly if he had a single friend in theworld, Russell was coming to himself with a hazy feeling that all wasnot well with him. He was lying on a couch in his sitting-room, fullydressed. The gas had not been lighted, though it was dark; indeed, asfar as he could make out by the street cries, it was late in theevening.

  His body was aching from head to foot and his head throbbed withfeverish pain. Gradually he began to piece one or two events together.Slowly he began to have a faint idea of where he was and what hadhappened. He managed to stagger to his feet and ring the bell. Hislandlady came in, curious. She seemed to be relieved and annoyed at thesame time.

  "What on earth is the matter?" Russell groaned. "And how did I manageto get here? What time of day or night is it?"

  "It is not quite half-past nine, sir," the landlady replied. "You camehome this morning about seven o'clock. I didn't see you myself, butthat is what they tell me. However, I suppose young men will be youngmen."

  There was no mistaking the significance of the last few words, and,despite his racking head, Russell smiled.

  "So you think it is like that, do you?" he said. "Let me assure you thatyou are mistaken. I had an adventure last night which very nearlylanded me into serious trouble. But we need not go into that now. Ifyou can get me something to eat I shall be glad, and please let me havea large syphon of soda."

  Russell dragged himself into his bedroom where he felt all the betterfor a bath. Then he swallowed a strong dose of sal volatile, which hadthe effect of clearing his head and making him feel almost a man again.He managed to eat a fairly good meal presently and partake of a strongwhisky and soda, after which he lit his pipe and sat down to review theevents of the previous evening. It was all clear to him now.

  "What a fool I was!" he murmured. "And yet I don't see how I could havehelped it. I thought I could have managed a couple of opium pipeswithout getting into such a state. And the worst of it is that thenight was wasted. By the way, I wonder if the night really was wasted.Perhaps I shall recollect something that will put me on the right track.And, by Jove, I've forgotten all about Mercer. Has he been here to-day,or has he been busy with his own affairs? It is maddening to cut timeto waste like this. The best thing I can do is to see Uzali."

  Russell's naturally strong constitution had asserted itself by now. Heeven felt ready to undertake another adventure. And time was pressing,too, for he had more or less wasted the last few weeks in London, on hisway home from Borneo, and his supply of money was getting very low. Hewas thinking of putting on his hat and coat when the landlady came tothe door of the sitting-room with the information that somebody desiredto see him.

  "Send him up," Russell said casually.

  "I suppose it is all right, sir," the landlady said dubiously. "Isuppose you are capable of taking care of yourself. The persondownstairs is not quite the sort of man one cares about having on thefront door-step. Still, sir----"

  Russell waved his hand impatiently and the landlady disappeared.

  She came back presently followed by a tall figure in the last stages ofdilapidation. The man had seen better days, for his black frock suithad been well cut and his boots were not without a reminiscence of BondStreet. Now he was shiny and seedy to the last degree; a mass of dirty,greasy hair hung over his shoulders, and the top hat which he heldgingerly between his thumb and forefinger had lost most of its colourand shape. It was plain what had brought the man to this pass, for thefacts were written in his bleary eyes and shaky fingers. He glanceduneasily at Russell as if somewhat doubtful as to his reception. Thelatter rose and motioned his visitor to a chair. Then he closed the doorcarefully.

  "I hope I have come at the proper time," the stranger said.

  "Oh, that's all right, Goatley," Russell replied. "Let me see, it mustbe quite two years since we met. You came to me when I was living atthe other side of London and asked me to buy certain information fromyou. As the information was by no means complete I refused the deal. Iam prepared to open it again now if you can tell me anything definite."

  The stranger cowered over the fire warming his long blue hands; his leanframe shivered from time to time as if he and warmth had long beenstrangers. He lifted his bleared eyes to Russell and his glance fellagain.

  "I think I can help you," he said, "in fact, I am certain of it. Ishould have come to you before, only there was one little matter that Icouldn't get to the bottom of anyway. And now I think I have goteverything straight. But perhaps you have changed your mind. You usedto be keen enough on getting even with Samuel Flower----"

  "Ah, now you are beginning to talk," Russell exclaimed. "If you canhelp me there I am prepared to pay you handsomely. You look as if a fewpounds would do you good."

  "It isn't altogether that," Goatley murmured. "Though, Heaven knows, asovereign or two will be my salvation. If you ask me how I have spentthe past two years I couldn't tell you. I have been as low down as aman can get, though I don't mind owning that I have had my bits of luckoccasionally. At present I am down to my last penny and I shall beturned out of my lodgings this evening if I can't find at least asovereign. You wouldn't call them lodgings. They're not fit for a dog.But they have been a home to me, and I am getting fairly desperate. Andwhile I have been starving, eager even to snatch a broken crust from thegutter, that scoundrel has been flourishing on the fat of the land. Myown flesh and blood, too! I should like to know where Samuel Flowerwould have been to-day had it not been for me. I gave him his start inlife. I pushed him up the ladder. And when he thought he was safe, heturned and ruined me as if I had been a deadly enemy. Do you suppose hewould ever have made his money in Borneo if it hadn't been for me? Itell you when I wake up in the night and think of it I could find it inmy heart to kill him. But I have neither nerve nor pluck left. Idaresay if he were to pass me in the street and throw me a shilling Ishould pick it up with gratitude. But if I haven't the courage tostrike for myself, I know those who have. And you are one of them, Mr.Russell. Oh, I can show you the way to pull him down, to make him thescorn of his fellow men. I have waited for this opportunity for years,and by great good luck it has come at last. But you will repay me, Mr.Russell. You will not allow me to starve when you come into your own."

  All this came from Goatley in a vehement stream of concentrated passionwhich set him coughing until it was painful to witness his struggles forbreath. With a sudden impulse Russell set food upon the table andinvited his guest to eat and drink. Goatley did not need a secondinvitation. He fell upon the cold meat like a wolf. Then, gradually,the greedy look left his eye, he lay back in his chair and took thecigarette which Russell offered him. Something like manhood hadreturned.

  "Whatever you do for me shall be well paid for," Russell said. "Nowtell me what you have discovered. I know you have a great deal ofinformation. I know that you were well acquainted with North Borneobefore Samuel Flower ever went there. But I seem to know as much aboutSamuel Flower as you can teach me. Now if you could only tell me whereone would come upon the track of Jansen----"

  Goatley laughed as he puffed at his cigarette.

  "We shall come to that in good time," he said. "But perhaps you hadbetter hear what I have to say as to what happened to me last night. Iwas making my way back to Drury Lane, where the place which I call myhome is situated, and was passing on the far side of Gower Street nearthe house where Samuel Flower lives in town. It was very late, and justas I reached the spot I saw a man on the doorstep talking to one ofFlower's servants. I don't know why I stopped, or why I listened. ButI did. My hearing is exceptionally good and I could follow everythingthat was said; so I lingered and listened, perhaps as much out ofcuriosity as anything. I gathered that the stranger wanted to seeFlower on business, and that my dear friend had not come home y
et. Therewas something peculiar in the accent of the caller which impelled me towait till he had left the house. I followed him to the top of thestreet and even farther. Can you guess who he was?"

  "I think so," Russell said cheerfully. "You are going to tell me thatyou have found Jansen at last. Come, this won't be a bad evening's workfor you."