Simon

by J. Storer Clouston

  XXX

  A MARKED MAN

  The unexpected energy displayed by her charming guest in bustling allover the country had surprised and a little perplexed Miss Peterkin, butshe now decided that it was only a passing phase, for on the dayfollowing his visits to Keldale and Stanesland he exhibited exactly thesame leisurely calm she had admired at first. He sought out the localgolf course and for an hour or two his creditable game confirmed hisreputation as a sportsman, and for the rest of the time he idled in avery gentlemanly manner.

  In the course of the afternoon he strolled out and gradually driftedthrough the dusk towards the station. Finding the train was, as usual,indefinitely late, he strolled out again and finally drifted back justas the signals had fallen at last. It was quite dark by this time andthe platform lamps were lit, but Mr. Carrington chanced to standinconspicuously in a background of shadows. As the engine hissedponderously under the station roof and the carriage doors began to open,he still stood there, the most casual of spectators. A few passengerspassed him, and then came a young man in a fur coat, on whom some verycurious glances had been thrown when he alighted from his first classcompartment. Mr. Carrington, however, seemed to take no interest eitherin him or anybody else till the young man was actually passing him, andthen he suddenly stepped out of the shadows, touched him on the shoulderand said in a much deeper and graver voice than usual:

  "Sir Malcolm Cromarty, I believe!"

  The young man started violently and turned a pale face.

  "Ye--es, I am," he stammered.

  "May I have a word with you?" said Carrington gravely.

  With a dreadfully nervous air Sir Malcolm accompanied him out into thedark road, neither speaking, and then the young man demanded hoarsely:

  "What do you want with me?"

  Carrington's voice suddenly resumed its usual cheerful note.

  "Forgive me," he said, "for collaring you like this, but the fact is Iam very keen to see you about the Keldale shootings."

  Sir Malcolm gave a gasp of relief.

  "Thank Heaven!" he exclaimed. "Good Lord, what a fright you gave me!"

  "I say I'm awfully sorry!" said Carrington anxiously. "How frightfullystupid I must have been!"

  The young man looked at him, and, like most other people, evidentlyfound his ingenuous face and sympathetic manner irresistibly confidenceinspiring.

  "Oh, not at all," he said. "In fact you must have wondered at my manner.The fact is Mr.--er----"

  "Carrington."

  "Mr. Carrington, that I'm in a most awful position at present. You knowof course that I'm suspected of murder!"

  "No!" exclaimed Carrington, with vast interest. "Not really?"

  "It's an absolute fact--suspected of murder! Good God, just imagine it!"

  The young baronet stopped and faced his new acquaintance dramatically.In spite of his nervousness, it was evident that his notoriety hadcompensations.

  "Yes," he said, "I--the head of an ancient and honourable house--amactually suspected of having murdered my cousin, Sir Reginald Cromarty!"

  "What, that murder!" exclaimed Carrington. "By Jove, of course, I'veheard a lot about the case. And you are really suspected?"

  "So much so," said the baronet darkly, "that when you touched me on theshoulder I actually thought you were going to arrest me!"

  Carrington seemed equally astounded and penitent at this unfortunatereading of his simple and natural action in stepping suddenly out of thedark and tapping a nervous stranger on the shoulder.

  "How very tactless of me!" he repeated more than once. "Really, I mustbe more careful another time!"

  And then he suddenly turned his monocle on to the baronet and enquired:

  "But how do you know you are suspected?"

  "How do I know! My God, all fingers are pointing at me! Even in my clubin London I feel I am a marked man. I have discussed my awful positionwith all my friends, and by this time they tell me that everybody elseknows too!"

  "That is--er--not unnatural," said Carrington drily. "But how did youfirst learn?"

  The young man's voice fell almost to a whisper and he glancedapprehensively over his shoulder as he spoke.

  "I knew I should be suspected the moment I heard of the crime! The verynight before--perhaps at the actual moment when the deed was beingdone--I did a foolish thing!"

  "You don't say so!" exclaimed his new friend with every appearance ofsurprise.

  "Yes, you may not believe me, but I acted like a damned silly ass. Mindyou, I am not as a rule a silly ass," the baronet added with dignity,"but that night I actually confided in a woman!"

  "What woman?"'

  "My relative Miss Cicely Farmond--a charming girl, I may mention; therewas every excuse for me, still it was a rotten thing to do, I quiteadmit. I told her that I was hard up and feeling desperate, and I evensaid I was going to sit up late! And on top of that Sir Reginald wasmurdered that very night. Imagine my sensations for the next few days,living in the same house with the woman who had heard me say _that_! Sheheld my fate in her hands, but, thank God, she evidently had such faithin my honour and humanity that she forebore to--er----"

  "Peach," suggested Carrington, "though as a matter of fact, I fancy shehad forgotten all about the incident."

  "Forgotten my words!" exclaimed the baronet indignantly. "Impossible! Ican never forget them myself so long as I live!"

  "Well," said Carrington soothingly, "let us suppose she remembered them.Anyhow she said nothing, and, that being so, how did you first actuallyknow that you were suspected?"

  "My own man of business thought it his duty to drop me a hint!" criedthe baronet.

  This piece of information seemed to produce quite as much impression onhis new acquaintance as his first revelation, though he took it rathermore quietly.

  "Really!" said he in a curious voice. "And what course of action did headvise?"

  "He advised me to keep away from the place. In fact he even suggested Ishould go abroad--and, by Gad, I'm going too!"

  To this, Carrington made no reply at all. His thoughts, in fact, seemedto have wandered entirely away from Sir Malcolm Cromarty. The baronetseemed a trifle disappointed at his lack of adequate interest.

  "Don't you sympathise with me," he enquired.

  "I beg your pardon," said Carrington, "my thoughts were wandering forthe moment. I do sympathise. By the way, what are you going to do now?"

  The baronet started.

  "By Gad, my own thoughts are wandering!" said he, "though I certainlyhave some excuse! I must get down to the Kings Arms and order a trap totake me out to Keldale House as quickly as I can." And then he addedmysteriously, "I only came down here because I was urgently wired for bysome one who--well, I couldn't refuse."

  "I'm going to the Kings Arms, too. We'll walk down together, if youdon't mind."

  "Delighted," said the baronet, "if you don't mind being seen with such amarked man."

  "I rather like them marked," smiled Carrington.

  All the way to the hotel the notorious Sir Malcolm pursued what hadevidently become his favourite subject:--the vast sensation he wascausing in society and the pain it gave a gentleman of title andposition to be placed in such a predicament. When they reached the KingsArms, his new acquaintance insisted in a very friendly and confident waythat there was no immediate hurry about starting for Keldale, and thatthe baronet must come up to his sitting room first and have a littlerefreshment.

  The effect of a couple of large glasses of sloe gin was quicklyapparent. Sir Malcolm became decidedly happier and even moreconfidential. He was considerably taken aback, however, when his hostsuddenly asked, with a disconcertingly intense glance:

  "Are you quite sure you are really innocent?"

  "Innocent!" exclaimed the baronet, leaping out of his chair. "Do youmean to tell me you doubt it? Do you actually believe I am capable ofkilling a man in cold blood? Especially the honoured head of my ownhouse?"

  Carrington seemed to suppress a smile.

  "
No," said he, "I don't believe it."

  "Then, sir," said the baronet haughtily, "kindly do not question myhonour!"

  This time Carrington allowed his smile to appear.

  "Sit down, Sir Malcolm," he said, "pull yourself together, and listen toa few words."

  Sir Malcolm looked extremely surprised, but obeyed.

  "What I am going to say is in the strictest confidence and you must giveme your word not to repeat one single thing I tell you."

  His serious manner evidently impressed the young man.

  "I give you my word, sir," said he.

  "Well then, in the first place, I am a detective."

  For a few seconds Sir Malcolm stared at him in silence and then burstinto a hearty laugh.

  "Good egg, sir!" said he. "Good egg! If I had not finished my sloe ginI should drink to your health!"

  It was Carrington's turn to look disconcerted. Recovering himself hesaid with a smile:

  "You shall have another glass of sloe gin when you have grasped thesituation. I assure you I am actually a detective--or, rather, a privateenquiry agent."

  Sir Malcolm shook a knowing head.

  "My dear fellow," said he, "you can't really pull my leg like that. Ican see perfectly well you are a gentleman."

  "I appreciate the compliment," said Carrington, "but just let me tellyou what was in the telegram which has brought you here. It ran--'Comeimmediately urgent news don't answer please don't delay. CicelyFarmond.'"

  Sir Malcolm's mouth fell open.

  "How--how do you know that?" he asked.

  "Because I wrote it myself. Miss Farmond is quite unaware it was sent."

  The baronet began to look indignant.

  "But--er--why the devil, sir----"

  "Because I am a detective," interrupted Carrington, "and I wished to seeyou."

  Sir Malcolm evidently began to grasp the situation at last.

  "What about?" he asked, and his face was a little paler already.

  "About this murder. I wanted to satisfy myself that you were--or werenot--innocent."

  "But--er--how?"

  "By your actions, conversation, and appearance. I am now satisfied, SirMalcolm."

  "That I am innocent."

  "Yes."

  "Then will this be the end of my--er--painful position?"

  "So far as your own anxiety goes; yes. You need no longer fear arrest."

  The first look of relief which had rushed to the young man's face becameclouded with a suggestion of chagrin.

  "But won't people then--er--talk about me any longer?"

  "I am afraid I can't prevent that--for a little longer."

  The last of the baronet's worries seemed to disappear.

  "Ah!" he said complacently. "Well, let them talk about me!"

  Carrington rose and rang the bell.

  "You deserve a third sloe gin!" said he.

  While the third sloe gin was being brought, he very deliberately andvery thoughtfully selected and lit a cigarette, and then he said:

  "You tell me specifically that Mr. Rattar was the first person to informyou that suspicion was directed against you, and that he advised you tokeep away, and for choice to go abroad. There is no doubt about that, isthere?"

  "Well," said Sir Malcolm, "he didn't specifically advise me to goabroad, but certainly his letter seemed to suggest it."

  "Ah!" said Carrington and gazed into space for a moment.

  "I am now going to take the liberty of suggesting your best course ofaction," he resumed. "In the first place, there is no object in yourgoing out to Keldale House, so I think you had better not. In the secondplace, you had better call on Mr. Rattar first thing to-morrow andconsult him about any point of business that strikes you as a sufficientreason for coming so far to see him. I may tell you that he has givenyou extremely bad advice, so you can be as off-hand and brief with himas you like. Get out of his office, in fact, as quick as you can."

  "That's what I always want to do," said the baronet. "I can't stick theold fellow at any price."

  "If he asks you whether you have seen me, say you have just seen me butdidn't fancy me, and don't give him the least idea of what we talkedabout. You can add that you left the Kings Arms because you didn't carefor my company."

  "But am I to leave it?" exclaimed the young man.

  Carrington nodded.

  "It's better that we shouldn't stay in the same hotel. It will supportyour account of me. And finally, get back to London by the first trainafter you have seen Mr. Rattar."

  "Then aren't you working with old Simon?" enquired Sir Malcolm.

  "Oh, in a sense, I am," said Carrington carelessly, "but I daresay youhave found him yourself an arbitrary, meddlesome old boy, and I like tobe independent."

  "By Gad, so do I," the baronet agreed cordially. "I am quite with youabout old Silent Simon. I'll do just exactly as you suggest. He won'tget any change out of me!"

  "And now," said Carrington, "get your bag taken to any other hotel youlike. I'll explain everything to Miss Peterkin."

  Sir Malcolm by this time had finished his third sloe gin and he saidfarewell with extreme affability, while his friend Mr. Carringtondropped into the manageress' room and explained that the poor young manhad seemed so nervous and depressed that he had advised his departurefor a quieter lodging. He added with great conviction that as a sportingman he would lay long odds on Sir Malcolm's innocence, and that betweenMiss Peterkin and himself he didn't believe a word of the currentscandals.

  That evening Mr. Carrington joined the choice spirits in the manageress'room, and they had a very long and entertaining gossip. The conversationturned this time chiefly on the subject of Mr. Simon Rattar, and if bythe end of it the agreeable visitor was not fully acquainted with thehistory of that local celebrity, of his erring partner, and of hisfather before him, it was not the fault of Miss Peterkin and herfriends. Nor could it fairly be said to be the visitor's fault either,for his questions were as numerous as they were intelligent.