Carmen's Messenger

by Harold Bindloss

  IX

  THE FALSE TRAIL

  When Foster got up next morning he had made his plan, and spent tenminutes explaining it to John. The old fellow understood his orders,and although he listened with formal deference, the faint twinkle inhis eyes showed that he approved. After breakfast, Foster askedFeatherstone to come out on the terrace and while they walked aboutindicated the line he thought it best to take.

  Featherstone agreed, but expressed some misgivings. "There may bedanger in putting Daly on the track, and after all I'm only delaying acrisis that must be faced."

  "The longer it's delayed, the better; something may happen in themeantime," Foster replied. "Then, you see, the track is false. Whenthe fellow finds you obstinate, he'll try to get hold of Lawrence,particularly as he got money from him before; but as he believesLawrence is in England, he'll have some trouble. The advantage is thathe won't be able to bother you while all his time and energy's occupiedby following me."

  "That is possible," said Featherstone. "But you may find it difficultto get away from the rogue, since you must give him some kind of aclew."

  Foster laughed. "I don't mind the difficulty, sir. In fact, Iimagine, I'm going to enjoy the chase."

  "There's a point that must be thought of. If he goes to the policewhen he can't find Lawrence, it would be awkward. I should be nobetter off than I am now."

  "It's unlikely. So long as Daly sees the smallest chance of extortingmoney he'll keep his secret. The reason's obvious."

  "Well," said Featherstone, with feeling, "you are doing us a service wecan't repay. I frankly don't like the plan, because it can only workat your expense, but it will give us time and I can think of nothingelse."

  Foster left him with a feeling of pleasant excitement. He was doinghis host a favor and this was something, but the adventure appealed tohim for other reasons. He had, in Canada, found scope for his energyin profitable work, but there was a reckless vein in him, and it wasexhilarating to feel that he could now follow his bent, without beinghampered by the necessity for making the undertaking pay. After all,there was not much enjoyment in what one did for money, and he thoughthe was going to get some amusement out of the game. Still, he did notwant to leave the Garth. Alice had treated him with a quietfriendliness he valued and he began to hope he was making some progressin her good opinion. It was, however, comforting to feel that he wasgoing to save her pain, and for the rest of the day he was conscious ofa cheerfulness he tried to hide in view of the anxiety the others hadto bear.

  In the evening John put Lawrence's traveling bag under a small tablenear the door in the hall and arranged the cloth so that it hung overand covered part of the bag but did not hide it altogether. He tooksome trouble, and when he was satisfied it looked as if the bag hadbeen carelessly placed where it would be out of sight but ready to bepicked up quickly if its owner meant to leave the house in a hurry.Moreover, if anybody thought it worth while to look under the table,the letters L.F. could be distinguished and Lawrence's name wasengraved upon the lock. Foster, having learned from the railway guidewhen Daly would arrive, had arranged that he should be left alone for aminute or two in the hall. If the fellow made good use of the time, somuch the better.

  After putting on a gray waterproof, leggings, and strong boots, Fosterstood at the open door of his room until he heard Daly come in. Therewas silence for the next minute, and then footsteps echoed along apassage as the visitor was taken to the library, where Featherstonewould receive him, and Foster pulled out his watch. As there was notown for some distance and Daly would not expect to be asked to stay,he no doubt intended to return to the station across the moor, where hecould catch the last train. Allowing for the long drive, he could notstop long at the Garth; but Foster must give Featherstone time enough.The latter had a rather difficult part, because he must allow Daly tostate his terms, and not reject them until the last moment. He was toohonest and too proud to dissemble well, but he was not a fool and therewas much at stake.

  At length, Foster stole quietly down the stairs, and smiled as heremarked that the cloth on the small table had been pulled aside. Thishad been done cautiously, but a fold that overhung the edge was not inquite its former position. Then he picked up the bag and went out,making noise enough to be heard in the library as he shut the halldoor. When he went down the steps he saw the lights of the car thathad brought Daly glimmer on the wet gravel of the drive. The back ofthe car was next him, for it had been turned round ready to start.Then Featherstone's car rolled up quietly, and Foster was getting inwhen he stopped and felt his heart beat as a slender figure appeared onthe terrace. He turned, with his foot on the step, and waited untilAlice came up.

  "I couldn't let you go without a last word of thanks," she said. "Itis splendid! We can't forget."

  "I believe I'm going to have an amusing trip," Foster replied. "Then,you see, the Garth is a remarkably nice place to come back to, andthere's the pleasure of looking forward to my return. But I'munselfish enough to hope I won't have that satisfaction all to myself."

  Alice smiled, but there was something very friendly in her look and hervoice was unusually soft.

  "You can always be sure of your welcome and we will miss you when youare away. I very sincerely wish you good luck."

  Foster was seldom theatrical, but felt the occasion justified his doingsomething unusual. John, having already grasped the wheel, had hisback to them, and Foster took the girl's hand, which rested on therail, and kissed it. She made a little abrupt movement, and he thoughthe saw a tinge of color in her face, but she did not look angry and hefelt a strange exultant thrill.

  "Make as much noise as you can," he said to John.

  The car backed across the rattling gravel, and the girl's figure fadedinto the gloom; then John turned the wheel and they shot forward downthe drive. The lights of the other car vanished, there was a splash asthey swung into the wet road, and Foster pulled the rug around him whenhe had struck a match and noted the time.

  "You needn't hurry her too much," he said. "If I catch the train byabout a minute, it is all I want."

  "Very good, sir. If I may remark, the other's a powerful car."

  "I don't think they'll try to overtake us until we're near thestation," Foster answered with a laugh. "But we can't allow it then."

  "No, sir," said John. "I quite understand."

  They ran down the valley at a moderate speed, and Foster, lookingaround when they came to a straight piece of road, was not surprised tosee a gleam of light in the distance. He lost it a few momentsafterwards, but it flashed out again every now and then, until theyplunged into a thick fir wood. They were about half-way to thestation, but the light had not got much nearer. He had, however, notexpected it to do so, because he thought Daly would be satisfied if hekept his supposititious victim in sight. The danger would arise whenthey got near the station, and whether they overcame it or not dependedon John's coolness and nerve. Foster thought the man would not failhim.

  It was a dark night and a damp haze thickened the gloom. Stone wallsand ragged thorn bushes leaped up in the glare of the lamps and faded,but one could see nothing outside the bright beam. This was adisadvantage, because Foster could not tell where he was and muchdepended on his reaching the station with exactly the right time tospare. He was rather anxious about it, since his plan would be spoiledat the start if the train were late. By striking a match in theshelter of the screen, he could see his watch, but it did not seemprudent to distract John's attention often.

  By and by the walls vanished and withered heath, glistening with damp,rolled past the car. They were running through a peat moss, with adeep ditch on one side, and climbing an incline, to judge by the heavythrob of the engine. Shallow ruts, filled with water, ran on in theblaze ahead and showers splashed about the wheels. Outside the brightbeam the darkness was impenetrable. Foster, however, was conscious ofa pleasant thrill. If one looked at the thing in one way, he wasplunging into trouble that mig
ht have been avoided; but he had beenprudent long enough and found a strange satisfaction in being rash.Besides, no matter what difficulties he got into, he would be repaid bythe memory of the look Alice had given him. The way the warm colorcrept into her face had stirred him as nothing else had done. Anyhow,he had started on the adventure and was going to see it through.

  After a time, they sped across a bridge, where a burn splashed noisilydown a ravine, and John asked: "How long have we got, sir?"

  "Ten minutes, if the train's punctual."

  "And where's the other car, sir?"

  Foster, whose eyes were dazzled by the match he had struck, lookedround and saw a misty flash in the dark.

  "About half a mile behind, I think."

  "Very good, sir. It all depends upon the train now. She's not oftenlate."

  The throb of the engine quickened and struck a sharper note, and Fosterfelt the car leap forward up the hill. Turning in his seat, he watchedthe flickering gleam behind and saw it grow fainter and then graduallyget bright. It looked as if the pursuers had lost sight of the frontcar's tail lamp and were increasing their speed.

  "They're creeping up," he said to John, who did not reply.

  Foster thought they had now reached the top of the moor, and as theyswung up and down across the heathy undulations a streak of lightflashed out in the distance.

  "That's the train," he said.

  "Yes, sir. You can see her for two or three miles."

  Then there was a change in the sound and motion, and Foster knew theengine was running all-out. Showers of small stones and water flew upabout the wheels and the wind whipped his face, but the following lightwas a little nearer when he looked behind. The other car had reachedthe summit and it would be a close race, but he thought they could keeptheir lead long enough. Then he looked ahead and saw that the brightstreak he had noticed had gone. The fireman had, no doubt, closed thefurnace door, but the lights from the carriage windows twinkled faintlyacross the heath. He could not see the station, but it was obviousthat he had not much time to spare.

  A few moments later they swept across a low rise and a faint blur ofbuildings loomed among a cluster of lights. They were now goingfuriously and he seized the side of the car as they swung round acurve. He felt the near wheels sink as they crushed through spongysod, and the car tilted, but they got round, and there was a sudden jarwhen the station lay some fifty yards ahead. Foster jumped out beforethe car quite stopped.

  "Round with her! I'm all right," he said.

  "Very good, sir. If I might remark------"

  Foster heard nothing more as he ran up the road, carrying the bag. Thetrain was very near; he could hear the roar it made in a shallowcutting, but as he reached the station the sound ceased and the enginerolled past. He took a ticket to Edinburgh, and hurrying across thebridge, picked a compartment that had another occupant and stood at thedoor, where he could see the steps he had come down. There was nobodyon the bridge and he seemed to be the only passenger, but a porterbegan to drag some packages from the van and leisurely put them on atruck. Foster quivered with impatience as he watched the fellow. Ifhe kept the train another minute, it might be too late. Then heglanced back at the bridge. Nobody came down the steps yet, but theporter had not finished, and one could still catch the train.

  He crossed the floor to the opposite window, from which he could seethe booking office, but as he loosed the strap he felt a jerk. Thenthe engine panted and the wheels began to turn. He ran back to theother door, but there was only the porter on the platform and the lampswere sliding past. Pulling up the window, he turned to the passengerwith a forced smile.

  "Sorry if I disturbed you! The man I was looking for hasn't come."

  In the meantime, John turned the car round and drove back to the bend.The road was narrow, but there was room for two vehicles to pass,provided that both kept well to the proper side. John, however, tookthe middle and did not swerve much when a dazzling beam swept round thecurve. He blew his horn; there was an answering shriek from anelectric hooter, and then a savage shout. John, who was near the leftside now, but not so close as he ought to have been, freed the clutchand used the brake, and the other car, missing him by an inch or two,plunged into the wet grass across the road. As he stopped he saw theboggy soil fly up and the lamps sink towards the ground. Jumping off,he found the car had brought up in front of a wall, with the frontwheels buried to the axle. The driver and a very angry man in a softhat were getting out.

  "You nearly wrecked us," said the latter. "What d'you mean by foolingabout the middle of the road like that?"

  "I wasn't quite in the middle, sir. It's an awkward curve and yourlights dazzled me."

  "Where's the man you brought?"

  "I imagine he's caught the train, sir," John answered withimperturbable calm.

  He thought the other came near to knocking him down, for he clenchedhis fist, but after a savage exclamation went back to the car.

  "The engine won't move her. How are we going to get her out?" he said.

  "I could give you a pull, sir," John replied with respectful gravity,"They keep a rope at the station for shunting. Perhaps you had bettersend the driver, sir."