by John Hall
It was Sir James’s turn to shake his head. ‘I don’t believe that the late Lord Hammerford had ever been inside a tobacconist’s shop in his life,’ he told me, ‘for he detested the habit. Being a gentleman, of course, he never imposed his own very limited views on others, never tried to dissuade his friends from smoking,’ and he offered me his cigar case as he said the words, ‘but certainly he never smoked himself.’
‘That in itself might be a clue, then,’ I said, reluctant as ever to abandon my own theory. ‘The odd, the unusual, that is what we must look for.’
Holmes gave an impatient click of the tongue. ‘This is really very vague and insubstantial stuff, Watson,’ said he. ‘No, I am sure that the clue is in this sheet of paper itself. A blank sheet. Blank. Nothing on it. Nothing, there’s the clue. Nothing, nobody, nowhere — nowhere, of course! Mortimer, was there another set of two envelopes, or something of the sort?’
The old fellow came as close to laughing aloud as his gravity would permit. ‘You have it, sir!’ he told Holmes. ‘I’ll have to rummage in my little cubbyhole, though, for I keep the others safe in there. If you’ll excuse me —’ and he broke off abruptly as the door was roughly opened and a tall man burst into the little lobby.
‘I say, Mortimer, or whatever your name is — oh!’ The newcomer broke off abruptly as he saw us standing there. He was about six feet in height, nearer forty than thirty years of age, with a handsome though slightly dissipated face. He stopped before the little counter, and nodded a greeting. ‘Sir James, delightful to meet you again.’
Sir James stiffened, then seemed to recollect his manners, and said, ‘Sir George Lewis, may I present Mr Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson?’
We exchanged the usual pleasantries, after which Sir George seemed at a loss for a moment. He quickly recovered himself, though, and told us, ‘I see that Sir James, good soldier that he is, has brought up his reserves. Or should I perhaps say his heavy guns? You have evidently solved the first puzzle, gentlemen.’
‘And the second,’ said Holmes calmly. ‘Just as you have.’
‘Ah. Indeed.’ Sir George did not turn a hair. ‘Mortimer, it had occurred to me that perhaps you had a second envelope, or something of that sort. It appears I was correct?’
‘One moment, Sir George, if you please. I was just about to get one for Mr Holmes, but this’ll save my poor old legs,’ and he tottered off into the dark recesses of what he had termed his ‘cubbyhole’, a sort of pantry affair in a corner behind the desk. We stood in embarrassed silence for a moment or two. At any rate, I felt embarrassed at having Sir George stand there beside me, and I sensed that Sir James was none too happy. Anyway, the others said nothing as we stood there for what seemed an age, until Mortimer eventually returned with a couple of white envelopes, apparently identical to the one we had just opened except that these bore no superscription. He made an awkward little attempt at a formal bow, and handed one of the envelopes to Holmes, and the other to Sir George. ‘There you are, gents, both alike, just as old Lord Hammerford wished it.’
‘Thank you,’ said Sir George. He tapped the envelope against his chin, hesitated, then said, ‘I don’t suppose you have a third set of envelopes, Mortimer? Just to save me another journey?’
Mortimer laughed, and set himself coughing. ‘More envelopes yet? Bless you, sir, no. Just the two sets of envelopes. Two lots of envelopes, them’s all the envelopes I ever had to look after. And glad to get rid of, for I was forever worrying about ’em going missing. Been a weight on my mind, they have, a real worry. A heavy responsibility, as you might venture to say,’ he added significantly, with a delicate little cough.
‘Ah, right you are.’ Sir George rummaged in his pocket, and produced a handful of silver. ‘Bit short, just at the moment, but very grateful and all that,’ and he crossed Mortimer’s wrinkled and outstretched palm.
Holmes too passed a small token of his appreciation to the old doorman, then gazed from his envelope to that which Sir George held. ‘Should we perhaps say, “One, two, three, go!” and tear them open together?’ he asked.
Sir George laughed. ‘I’m game if you are.’
‘On a somewhat more serious note, Sir George, I think we would be as well to have a little talk before we proceed further,’ said Holmes. ‘Perhaps we might find somewhere a little more private?’
‘We can use the sitting room here,’ said Sir James. ‘I’m a member, as I told you, and there’s not usually anybody much in there through the day.’
‘Sir George?’
‘That suits me, Mr Holmes.’ Sir George’s tone showed that he was intrigued, but he said nothing more as Sir James led us into the darkness of the club, down a short passage and up a shallow stair into a gloomy and dusty sitting room. There was but one occupant, a very old gentleman looking like a retired army man, who snored loudly in a leather armchair in one corner.
‘The General won’t disturb us before luncheon,’ said Sir James, waving us to seats. ‘Shall I ring for the steward?’
‘Nothing for me at present,’ said Holmes.
‘Nor me, thank you,’ said Sir George. ‘And now, Mr Holmes, what had you in mind?’
‘Well, to speak bluntly, I had in mind a pooling of resources,’ said Holmes.
‘Mr Holmes!’ Sir James Damery had evidently not expected to hear this, and equally evidently it was not greatly to his taste when he did hear it.
Sir George laughed. ‘I think that’s your answer, Mr Holmes! Even if I were to agree, Sir James here never would.’
‘It might be unwise to decide too hastily,’ said Holmes. ‘You, Sir George, solved the first clue an hour or so before we did, but then you lost your advantage when we realized that a blank sheet of paper meant that the third clue was to be found in the same place as the second. I can easily picture the quite ridiculous situation in which we play leap-frog, metaphorically speaking, with each party arriving just as the other has found the next clue. It is undignified, and it gives too much weight to the vagaries of blind chance. Would it not be better to discuss terms, equitable terms, at the outset?’
‘You’re not a betting man, Mr Holmes?’ asked Sir George.
‘Oh, I’m not averse to the occasional flutter. But I study the odds as well as the form. It strikes me that we are pretty evenly matched, and so we must look at the outsiders, consider their prospects, and the effect of chance, which is, as I say, proverbially blind. Consider, Sir George, and you, too, Sir James. An unexpected setback, a delay of a few minutes in the critical stages, one’s cab held up by the traffic, say, might mean the difference between success and failure. Well, Sir George?’
Sir George thought for a long moment before replying. ‘I’m a betting man through and through, Mr Holmes. If by some chance I were to solve the puzzle, I’d be half a million to the good. On the other hand, I had no expectations from the late Lord Hammerford, certainly not after my first wife died, so if I don’t succeed, why, I’ve lost nothing.’
‘Some would say you had lost a good deal, Sir George,’ murmured Holmes.
‘Oh, I don’t look at things in that way, and never have done. We’ll each follow our noses, and the devil take the hindmost,’ said Sir George.
‘As you wish,’ Holmes told him. ‘By the way, Sir George, you have not had Sir James here followed, have you?’
‘Followed? Why do you say that? No, devil a bit of it!’ Sir George leaned forward in his chair, clenching his fists at the enormity of the suggestion.
Holmes raised a hand. ‘I intend no offence,’ said he. ‘But we were certainly followed here from our rooms. And we have reason to believe that Sir James had been followed to our rooms to begin with.’
Sir George subsided, and shook his head. ‘No, Mr Holmes, but it’s odd you should say that.’
‘And why odd, pray?’
‘Well, you’ll maybe think it a fancy on my part, but I have had the distinct impression that someone has been following me all day, too.’
‘Ah! Y
ou did not see anyone? Not a little rat-like fellow?’
Sir George shook his head. ‘The only fellow who looked at all suspicious was a big chap, a regular bruiser. He seemed to be on my track for a couple of hours, but then I lost him.’
‘Holmes!’ said I. ‘That —’
He shook his head to silence me. ‘Two of them, then,’ he said, half to himself. ‘More than two probably, for the little fellow was with Sir James. Yes, and they change over if suspicions are aroused. And they are acting under orders, or I miss my guess.’ He looked at Sir George. ‘Would it interest you to learn that there has been an attempt to abduct the young Lord Hammerford?’
‘The devil there has?’ There was genuine surprise on Sir George’s face, or I have never seen it. He seemed about to say more, then shook his head, as if in disbelief.
‘Before our very door,’ added Holmes calmly. ‘Which gives us something of a personal interest in the matter.’ He studied Sir George closely before going on, ‘I may add that our first, rather uncharitable, thought was that you might be somehow involved.’
Sir George leapt to his feet at this, and I started up from my own chair, ready to go to Holmes’s defence. But then Sir George gave a shaky laugh, and subsided once more. ‘No need for that nonsense,’ he said almost to himself as he sat down. ‘It was perhaps a natural enough thought, Mr Holmes, in all conscience, since you don’t know me. It does interest me, Mr Holmes, greatly. But I assure you, sir, that I would never get involved in anything of that sordid description. Why, what sort of man would harm a child?’
‘A wicked man!’ said I.
‘A man intent on getting his hands on the late Lord Hammerford’s fortune,’ said Holmes with no change in his calm demeanour. He gazed at Sir George. ‘No, I do not believe you would touch anything of that sort, Sir George.’
Sir George looked at Holmes acutely. ‘And who would? If I was your first thought, then may I ask what your second thought was?’
‘All in good time,’ said Holmes. ‘Might I have a moment to study the copy of the will which Sir James gave me earlier? I have not yet read it in detail,’ and he took the copy from his pocket and settled down to read it without waiting for any answer.
I took this opportunity to catch Sir James’s eye, and he summoned the steward, who provided us with brandy and water, Holmes remaining inert throughout the whole transaction. At length he looked up from the will. ‘H’mm! Yes, Sir James, a brandy would be very pleasant, thank you. The will has been published, I take it?’
Sir James nodded. ‘The press reports gave only the barest outline, though,’ he said. He coughed delicately. ‘I know many of the editors and what have you, and I asked them to play it down somewhat. Suppress the more sensational aspects, leave out some of the more sordid details.’
‘But the total amount of the estate was in all the papers?’
‘Yes. That could not be kept out.’
‘Half a million pounds is itself rather sensational, a figure which commands some attention,’ said Holmes. ‘It catches the eye, as it were. An unscrupulous man might well think that a couple of shillings to the appropriate authorities to look at the will was money well spent. The will itself mentions the fact that whomsoever finds the money is to keep it, and it further specifies that identical envelopes are left for the present Lord Hammerford and for you, Sir George. Now, that same hypothetical and unscrupulous man might read all that, and then go on to think that it might profit him to have the two recipients of the envelopes followed, just to see where they may lead. If nowhere, well, all that has been lost is a little time and money; but if they, or one of them, should lead to half a million — well, that would indeed be a few pounds well spent, would it not?’
Sir George looked uneasy at all this, and even Sir James’s usually untroubled brow clouded just a little.
Holmes went on, ‘I may tell you, gentlemen, that there is in London at least one large criminal gang to my knowledge. I myself had the honour to remove from circulation its head, and some of his closest associates, but the gang resembles some of the more revolting creatures of classical mythology. Cut off the head but leave the body intact, and the entire thing will spring up again when you least expect it. And besides that gang, there are others, to say nothing of various enterprising individuals. It would, after all, be galling to lay one’s hands on the treasure only to have it grabbed by Bill Sykes with his bludgeon at the last.’
‘And you think that this gang made the attempt on the lad, Lord Hammerford, I mean?’ asked Sir George.
Holmes nodded. ‘That gang, or another.’
‘Well,’ said Sir George, ‘perhaps I spoke rather hastily.’ He lowered his head to look at the unopened envelope which lay on his knee, then lifted his eyes to regard Sir James. ‘Fifty-fifty?’
Sir James shook his head. ‘I fear I can scarcely compromise young Lord Hammerford’s interests by any sort of division or disbursement at the start.’
‘That’s fair enough,’ said Sir George. He stood up. ‘Thank you for your hospitality, Sir James. Mr Holmes, Doctor, I’m sure we shall run into one another in the not too distant future.’ And he nodded a last farewell. ‘I’ll not open my envelope until I’m outside,’ he added, ‘but you may do as you choose.’
‘There is one further point,’ said Holmes.
Sir George sat down again rather abruptly. ‘Well, sir?’
‘There has been this vicious attempt upon young Lord Hammerford, undoubtedly by the gang of which I spoke, or some competitors in villainy. If we cannot join forces, then at the very least — at the very least, Sir George, and you, Sir James — I urge the greatest caution, for yourselves and those you hold dear.’
Sir George cursed. ‘If these villains harm my —’ he broke off abruptly, and looked at Sir James. ‘No offence, but might I have a private word with Mr Holmes and Doctor Watson?’
Sir James got to his feet. ‘Certainly, certainly. I’ll go wash my hands.’ And he nodded to Holmes and me, and left us alone.
‘Now, Sir George?’
Sir George looked a trifle embarrassed, then said, ‘It’s this way, Mr Holmes. Someone has been buying up — well, buying up my debts.’
‘Ah. You are certain?’
Sir George nodded. ‘An old friend of mine tipped me the wink yesterday. One of my erstwhile creditors, to be blunt, though my people have dealt with his firm so long they’re almost part of the family. A respectable old-established firm, in fact you gentlemen have probably dealt with them yourselves from time to time. Anyway, I’d thought at first that he was after me for a little something on account, but he waved a hand and told me, “Don’t worry yourself having to think up an excuse, Sir George, it’s not that I’m here for”, and he goes on to tell me that he’s had a handsome offer, and, since times are hard, he’s sold my paper to an unknown buyer, but he trusts we’ll still be friends.’
‘An unknown buyer?’ said Holmes quickly.
‘Nobody he knew, Mr Holmes. He’d tell me if he knew who it was, I’m sure of that.’
‘So, not someone usually in that line of business, then. Tell me, Sir George, was there much of this paper of yours?’
‘A ream or two, if not a whole case,’ said Sir George carelessly.
I put in, ‘However much the amount, surely this mysterious unknown buyer would have a claim to be reimbursed only to the extent of the debt? It was not as much as half a million, I take it?’ I asked Sir George.
‘Faith, no! Even I couldn’t spend that much in a lifetime! No, Doctor, I wish whoever it is the best of luck with it. Like yourself, I fail to see what their reasoning was.’
‘Oh, that is easy enough,’ said Holmes. ‘They propose to dun you, to make life awkward to the extent that you will compound with them, sign some agreement offering, say, half of any amount you may acquire, in exchange for their writing off your present debts. That would be nothing new, after all.’
‘Damn it, I believe you’re right! Well, I’ll see them —’
‘You undoubtedly will see them. But that is not what I fear, Sir George,’ said Holmes. ‘It may well be that there are two gangs of enterprising villains with different approaches to the problem of separating you from any prospective cash. You were, I think, about to say earlier that you would take a dim view of anyone who threatened your wife?’
Sir George started at this. ‘I was, sir. And what of that?’
‘Only that I do not think the buyer of your debts is behind the attempt upon young Lord Hammerford, which means that we have to contend with at least two interested parties, so to speak. Your people, these mysterious new creditors, may be relatively civilized in their approach, even though they are a trifle underhand. But if the people behind the kidnap attempt are who I think they are, they will not approach you directly with any threats, to you or to Lady Lewis. That is not their way. They work in secret, in the dark, and they do not scruple to use violent means. They do not play by Lord Queensbury’s rules, Sir George. I urge you again to take every precaution for your wife’s safety. Have you any men in the house?’
‘Not just at the moment,’ said Sir George, rattling the loose change in his pocket in a significant fashion.
Holmes looked at me. ‘Any ideas, Watson?’
‘Well, there is Peterson,’ I said. ‘A commissionaire of our acquaintance,’ I added to Sir George. ‘An excellent fellow, and I’m sure he would stay with you for a time, until this matter is resolved one way or the other.’
‘I fear I’d not be able to recompense him for his time and trouble, not unless I was the lucky man who found the treasure.’
‘H’mm. I’m a touch embarrassed in that department myself just now,’ I said.
Holmes made an impatient gesture. ‘I shall see to that,’ said he. ‘You can settle with me whenever it may be convenient, Sir George.’
‘It’s devilish good of you,’ muttered Sir George.
‘Not at all. I have as great a distaste for these villains as you. Greater, indeed, for I have an old score to settle with them. Do you have a card? Thank you. And we shall send Peterson round as soon as may be. Now, I think I shall approach Sir James once again, see if we really cannot have an amnesty. Perhaps you would remain here, Sir George? Thank you.’ And Holmes went off to rejoin Sir James, who was reading a newspaper at the far side of the room. After a moment, he returned, an angry look on his face. ‘I fear that my best efforts have been unable to persuade him,’ said he.