“I think not, Louis,” I answered. “You see I really cannot recognize you in this matter at all. I must find Mr. Delora at once. It is important.”
“But if he cannot be found?” Louis asked quickly.
“Then I think that the best thing I can do,” I continued, after a moment’s pause, “is to call at the Brazilian embassy.”
I had a feeling, the feeling for a moment that, notwithstanding the crowded room and Louis’ attitude of polite attention, my life was in danger. There flashed something in his eyes indescribably venomous. I seemed to see there his intense and passionate desire to sweep me from the face of the earth.
“Of course,” I continued, “if I can find Mr. Delora, that is what I would really prefer. There is a certain matter upon which I must have an explanation from him.”
“Monsieur will not have finished his luncheon for twenty minutes or so,” Louis said calmly. “At the end of that time I will return.”
“Always glad to have a chat with you, Louis,” I declared.
“You will not leave,” he asked, “before I come back?”
“Not if you return in a reasonable time,” I answered.
Louis bowed and hurried off. I saw him disappear for a moment into the service room. When he came out into the restaurant he was once more discharging his duties, moving about amongst his clients, supervising, suggesting, bidding farewell to departing guests, and welcoming new arrivals. A very busy man, Louis, for the café was crowded that day. I wondered, as I saw him pass backwards and forwards, with that eternal and yet not displeasing smile upon his lips, what lay at the back of his head concerning me!
XXXIV. AN APPOINTMENT WITH DELORA
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My Riz Diane duly arrived, but was served, I noticed, by a different waiter. It looked very tempting, and it was indeed a dish of which I was particularly fond, but I realized that it had been specially ordered by Louis, and with a sigh I pushed it on one side. I finished my luncheon with rolls and butter, and took care to procure my coffee before Louis returned.
“Well,” I asked, as he stopped once more before me, “what is it to be? Are you going to give me Delora’s address?”
“That is not the trouble, monsieur,” Louis declared. “Mr. Delora is away from London.”
“I think you will find that he is back again, Louis,” I answered. “It was a very interesting trip to Newcastle, but it was soon over. He arrived in London with his illustrious companion last night.”
This time I had really astonished Louis! He looked at me with a genuine expression of profound surprise.
“You are under the impression,” he said slowly, “that Mr. Delora has been to Newcastle!”
“That is scarcely the way I look at it, Louis,” I answered. “You see I was in Newcastle myself and saw him.”
I fancy that Louis’ manner toward me, from this time onward, acquired a new respect, but I recognized the fact that there was danger greater than ever before under his increasing suaveness.
“Captain Rotherby,” he said, “you were not meant to be an idle man. You have gifts of which you should make use!”
“In the meantime,” I said, “when can I see Mr. Delora?”
“This afternoon, if you like,” Louis answered. “Here is his address.”
He scribbled a few words down on a piece of paper and passed it to me. When I had received it I did not like it. It was an out-of-the-way street in Bermondsey, in a quarter of which I was absolutely ignorant except by repute.
“Couldn’t we arrange, don’t you think, Louis,” I asked, “to have Mr. Delora come up here?”
“You could send down a note and ask him,” Louis answered. “He is staying at that address under the name of Hoffmeyer.”
“I will write him a letter,” I decided, signing my bill.
“You will let me know the result?” Louis asked, looking at me anxiously.
“Certainly,” I answered.
I rose to my feet, but Louis did not immediately stand aside.
“Captain Rotherby,” he said, “there is one thing I should like to ask you. How did you know of Mr. Delora’s projected visit to Newcastle?”
I smiled.
“Why should I give away my methods, Louis?” I said. “You know very well that the movements of Mr. Delora have become very interesting to me. You and I are on opposite sides. I certainly do not feel called upon to disclose my sources of information.”
I passed out of the restaurant, and ascended to my own room. There I drew a sheet of paper toward me and wrote.
DEAR SIR,
I trust you will recognize the fact that although I am writing to you from London, and from the Milan Hotel, I have not intentionally broken the compact I made with you. The fact is, a somewhat singular thing has occurred. My brother—Mr. Richard Rotherby—whom you will doubtless remember, and who speaks most gratefully of your hospitality in Brazil, has sent me a cable on behalf of your brother—Mr. Nicholas Delora. It seems that you have not kept him acquainted with your doings here, and that you have failed to make use of a certain cipher that was agreed upon. He is, therefore, exceedingly anxious to know of your doings, and has begged me to see you at once and report. Will you, for that purpose, be good enough to grant me a five minutes’ interview?
Sincerely yours,
AUSTEN ROTHERBY.
I sealed this letter, and addressed it to the very obscure street in Bermondsey which Louis had designated. Then I procured a messenger boy and sent it off, with instructions that the bearer must wait for an answer. Afterwards there was little for me to do but wait. I tried to see Felicia, but I only succeeded in having the door of her rooms practically slammed in my face by Madame Muller. I was too anxious for a reply to my letter to go round to the club, so I simply hung about the place, smoking and waiting. When at last the messenger boy came back, however, it was only to report a certain amount of failure. He had found the right address and delivered the note, but the gentleman was out, and not expected in till the evening. After this, I went round to my club, leaving an order that any note or message was to be sent after me. I cut into a rubber of bridge, but I had scarcely finished my second game before a telegram was brought in for me, sent on from the Milan. I tore it open. It was from Delora.
Have received your note. Will see you at this address ten o’clock this evening.
I thrust the telegram into my waistcoat pocket and finished the rubber. Soon afterwards I cut out and took a hansom round to Claridge’s Hotel. I found my brother in and expecting to hear from me.
“Ralph,” I said, “I can’t bring you any news just now. If you must cable Dicky, you had better just cable that we are making inquiries. I have an appointment to see Delora at ten o’clock to-night.”
“Where is he?” Ralph asked, with interest.
“The address he has sent me is some low street in Bermondsey,” I answered. “It is absolutely impossible that he should have chosen such a place to stop in except as a hiding-place. I don’t like the look of it, Ralph.”
“Then don’t go,” Ralph said quickly. “There is no need for you to run into danger for nothing at all.”
“I am not afraid of that,” I answered. “What really bothers me is that I am up against a problem which seems insoluble. Frankly, I don’t believe a snap of the fingers in Delora. No man, however secret or important his business might be, would descend to such subterfuges. The only point in his favor is that this dodging about may be all due to political reasons. I cannot understand his friendship with the Chinese ambassador.”
“Can’t you?” Ralph answered. “I have been thinking over what you told me, Austen, and I fancy, perhaps, I can give you a hint. Do you know that at the present moment the two most powerful battleships in the world are being built on the Tyne for Brazil?”
“I know that,” I admitted. “Go on.”
“What does Brazil want with battleships of that class?” my brother continued. “Obviously they would be useless to her. She c
ould not man them. It would be a severe strain to her finances even to put them into commission. I am of opinion that the order to build them was given as a speculation by a few shrewd men in the Brazilian Government who foresaw unsettled times ahead, and they are there to be disposed of to the highest European or Asiatic bidder!”
I saw Ralph’s point at once.
“By Jove!” I exclaimed. “You think, then, that Delora is over here to arrange for the sale of them to some other Government—presumably to China?”
“Why not?” Ralph asked. “It is feasible, and to some extent it explains a good deal of what has seemed to you so mysterious. There could be no more possible purchaser of the battleships than China, except, perhaps, Russia, and transactions of that sort are always attended with a large amount of secrecy.”
“Of course, if you are on the right track,” I admitted, “everything is explained, and Delora is justified. There is just one thing which I do not understand, and that is why he should have associated with such a pack of thieves as the people at the Café des Deux Epingles, and why he should be forced to make an ally—I had almost said accomplice—of Louis.”
“Well, you can’t understand everything all at once,” Ralph answered. “At the same time, if I were you, I would try and see if the hint I have given you fits in with the rest of the puzzle.”
“I’ll get the truth out of Delora to-night!” I declared. “And, Ralph!”
“Well?” he asked.
“I have asked Felicia Delora to marry me,” I continued.
Ralph looked at me for a moment, doubtfully.
“Wouldn’t it have been better to have had this matter cleared up first?” he asked.
“I couldn’t help it,” I answered. “The child is all alone, and it makes my heart ache to think what a poor little pawn she is in the game these men are playing. I’d like to take her right away from it, Ralph, but she is staunch. She fancies that she is indebted to her uncle, and she will obey his orders.”
“You can’t think any the worse of her for that,” Ralph remarked.
“I don’t,” I answered, sighing, “but it makes the position a little difficult.”
“Come and see me to-morrow morning,” Ralph said, “and tell me exactly what passes between you and Delora. We must cable Dicky some time soon.”
“I will,” I promised, taking up my hat. “Good-day, Ralph!”
XXXV. A NARROW ESCAPE
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I felt that night an unusual desire to take all possible precautions before leaving the Milan for Bermondsey. I wrote a letter explaining my visit and my suspicions, and placed it in Ashley’s hands.
“Look here, Ashley,” I said, “I am going off on an errand which I don’t feel quite comfortable about. Between you and me, it is connected with the disappearance of Miss Delora’s uncle. I feel that it is likely, even probable, that I shall get into trouble, and I want you to promise me this. If I am not back here by half-past eleven, I want you to take this letter, which contains a full statement of everything, to Scotland Yard. Either take it yourself,” I continued, “or send some one absolutely trustworthy with it.”
The man looked a little serious.
“Very good, sir,” he said. “I’ll attend to it. At the same time, if I might make the suggestion, I should take a couple of plain-clothes policemen with me. It’s a pretty low part where you are going, and one hears of queer doings, nowadays.”
“I am bound to go, Ashley,” I answered, “but I am not likely to come to much grief. I have a revolver in my pocket, and I have not studied boxing with Baxter for nothing. I don’t fancy there’s anything in Bermondsey going to hurt me.”
“I hope not, sir,” Ashley answered civilly. “At half-past eleven, if I do not hear from you, I shall go myself to Scotland Yard.”
I nodded.
“And in the meantime,” I said, “a taxicab, if you please.”
I drove to the address given me on the paper. It was an odd, half-forgotten street, terminating in a cul-de-sac, and not far from the river. The few houses it contained were larger than the majority of those in the neighborhood, but were in a shocking state of repair. The one at which I eventually stopped had a timber yard adjoining, or rather attached to it. I left the taxicab outside, and made my somewhat uncertain way up to the front door. Only a few yards from me a great black dog was straining at his collar and barking furiously. I was somewhat relieved when the door was opened immediately at my knock.
“Is Mr. Hoffmeyer staying here?” I asked.
A little old man carrying a tallow candle stuck into a cheap candlestick nodded assent, and closed the door after me. I noticed, without any particular pleasure, that he also drew the bolts.
“What do you do that for?” I asked sharply. “I shall only be here a few minutes. It is not worth while locking up.”
The man looked at me but said nothing. He seemed to show neither any desire nor any ability for speech. Only as I repeated my question he nodded slowly as one who barely understands.
“Mr. Hoffmeyer is in his room,” he said. “He will be glad to see you.”
I followed him along as miserable a passage as ever I saw in my life. The walls were damp, and the paper hung down here and there in long, untidy patches. The ceiling was barely whitewashed; the stairs by which we passed were uncarpeted. The whole place had a most dejected and weary appearance. Then he showed me into a small sitting-room, in which one man sat writing at a table. He looked up as I entered. It was Delora.
“Well,” he said, “so this is how you keep your promise!”
“Something has happened since then,” I answered. “I have received a cable from my brother which we do not understand.”
“A cable from your brother in Brazil?” he asked slowly.
“Yes!” I answered.
Delora turned slowly in his chair and rose to his feet. He was tall and gaunt. His face was lined. He had somehow or other the appearance of a man who is driven to bay. Yet there was something splendid about the way he nerved himself to listen to me with indifference.
“What does he say—your brother?”
“The cable is inspired by Nicholas Delora,” I answered. “Listen, and I will read it to you.”
I read it to him word by word. When I had finished he simply nodded.
“Is that all?” he asked.
“That is all,” I answered. “You will see that what makes your brother anxious is that not only have you failed to keep your word so far as regards communicating with him, but you have not made use of a certain private code arranged between you.”
“The business upon which I am engaged,” Delora said calmly, “is of great importance, but I do not care to be rushing all the time to the telegraph office. Nicholas is a nervous person. In a case like this he should be content to wait. However, since he has sought the interference of outsiders, I will cable him to-morrow morning.”
“Very well,” I answered. “I can ask no more than that. I shall go myself to the cable office and send my brother a message.”
“What shall you tell him?” Delora asked.
“I shall tell him that I have seen you,” I answered, “that you are well, and that he will hear from you to-morrow morning.”
“Why cable at all?” Delora asked. “Surely to-morrow morning will be soon enough?”
“From your point of view, yes!” I said. “But there is one other thing which I am going to do. I am going to say in my cable, that if the news he receives from you to-morrow morning is not satisfactory, I shall lay the matter before the Brazilian legation here, and I shall explain why!”
Delora’s eyes were like points of fire. Nevertheless, his self-restraint was admirable. He contented himself, indeed, with a low bow.
“You will tell our friends there,” he said slowly, “that you have seen me? That I am—you see I admit that—living practically in hiding, apart from my niece? You will also, perhaps, inform them of various other little episodes with which, owin
g to your unfortunate habit of looking into other people’s business, you have become acquainted?”
“Naturally,” I answered.
“I think not!” Delora said.
There was an instant’s silence. I looked at Delora and wondered what he meant. He looked at me as a man looks at his enemy.
“May I ask how you intend to prevent me?” I inquired.
“Easily!” he answered, with a slight sneer. “There are four men in this house who will obey my bidding. There are also five modes of exit, two of which lead into the river.”
“I congratulate you,” I said, “upon the possession of such a unique lodging-house.”
Delora sighed.
“I can assure you,” he said, “that it is more expensive than the finest suite in the Milan. Still, what would you have? When one has friends who are too curious, one must receive them in a fitting lodging.”
“You are a very brave man, Mr. Delora,” I said.
“Indeed!” he answered dryly. “I should have thought that the bravery had lain in another direction!”
I shook my head.
“I,” I said, “am, I fear, a coward. Even when to-night I started out to keep my appointment with you I had fears. I was so afraid,” I continued, “that I even went so far as to insure my safety.”
“To insure your safety!” he repeated softly, like a man who repeats words of whose significance he is not assured.
“I admit it,” I answered. “It was cowardly, and, I am sure, unnecessary. But I did it.”
His face darkened with anger.
“You have brought an escort with you, perhaps?” he said. “You have the police outside?”
I shook my head.
“Nothing so clumsy,” I answered. “There is just my taxicab, which won’t go away unless it is I who says to go, and a little note I left with the hall-porter of the Milan, to be opened in case I was not back in an hour and a half. You see,” I continued, apologetically, “my nerve has been a little shaken lately, and I did not know the neighborhood.”
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