“These do not appear to be disused after all, Parker,” he said.
His eyes were twinkling as he ejected coils of blue smoke from his pipe. He thrust his hands deep into his pockets as he stared over my shoulder.
“For a swamp, this area of Kent is becoming remarkably crowded, Parker,” he said mildly. “Good morning, Miss Grimstone!”
I turned to find our eccentric client’s niece striding down a knoll toward us. She was sensibly and tweedily dressed and I saw at once that she wore stout gumboots which were plastered with mud.
“Good morning, Mr. Pons! Good morning, Dr. Parker!”
There was a smile on Miss Grimstone’s face but it was obvious she was disconcerted.
“I come here often to search for wild flowers and plants,” she said somewhat defensively.
“Indeed,” said Solar Pons. “I am glad to have seen you for I intended to call at the Manor on the way back. How is your uncle?”
“Well, Mr. Pons. But he is a badly frightened man. Could I persuade you to take lunch with us?”
Pons was obviously taken aback but he concealed the fact well; perhaps we had been mistaken and Miss Grimstone was not so miserly as we had been led to believe.
“I must talk to you, Mr. Pons, and there will be little opportunity otherwise. I was just going back and I have the pony and trap on the high road only half a mile from here.”
Pons smiled as I looked thankfully from him to Miss Grimstone. Truth to tell I was not keen to retrace my steps over the miles of marshland we had already traversed.
“If you have quite finished here …”
“By all means.”
Pons fell into step with Miss Grimstone and the two of them led the way diagonally down the slope and in a direction at right-angles to the way we had come. I was content to follow in their rear, keeping a sharp lookout still to make sure I was treading exactly in their footprints.
Miss Grimstone did not seem quite so forbidding as she had first appeared and I noticed her shooting shrewd glances at Pons from time to time. Eventually she seemed to come to some decision for she said, with an ironical inflexion in her voice, “You do not seem to think much of our mènage, Mr. Pons. Please do not judge me too harshly. I have had to fight for everything I have and such early struggles tend to distort one’s character.”
I saw that Pons’ features bore a reassuring expression as he turned his head back over his shoulder to include me in the conversation.
“I can assure you, Miss Grimstone, that I do not lightly judge people. I am too used to human nature to be surprised by anything I find; neither do I adopt a censorious attitude.”
“Nevertheless, you have certain reservations about Silas Grimstone,” said the grey-haired woman shrewdly. “I have a number myself.”
“You are frank at any rate. It is true that I do not approve of miserliness, neither do I regard it as one of the major virtues, particularly when the person in whom it appears has more than his fair share of the world’s goods.”
Miss Grimstone nodded, a deep sign escaping her lips.
“You are right, Mr. Pons, and I am afraid that my uncle’s habits have become somewhat ingrained in me.”
“It is often so in such enclosed households, Miss Grimstone. There was no need to mention it. And what of your uncle’s earlier struggles …?”
“Business matters, Mr. Pons. He and his brother were engaged in many rancorous battles for control of the firm.”
Solar Pons’ brow knotted and he turned sharply toward our companion.
“I did not know Mr. Grimstone had a second brother.”
The niece shook her head.
“He would not have mentioned it of his own accord, Mr. Pons. It was a sore point between them. In the end he bought out his brother’s share of the firm. Mr. Jethro Grimstone emigrated to Australia, I understand.”
“Indeed. When did all this take place, Miss Grimstone?”
“Many years ago, Mr. Pons. Over twenty, I believe. I was not living at the Manor in those days, of course. But I heard all about it from my father, who died shortly after. There were three brothers, you see, but my father abhorred Silas Grimstone. He was an openhearted and generous man.”
She smiled shyly at Pons.
“I was only thirty or so then and much more personable. I was hoping to be married when my father died and there was such a change in my circumstances.”
There was a brooding sadness in her eyes as I glanced at her as we slowly traversed the marshland path and I glimpsed in that moment all the long years of housekeeping for Silas Grimstone and all the hopes for a happier life with her own husband and family she must long since have given up. Pons stared at her for a moment, compassion shining in his eyes.
“I am truly sorry to hear that, Miss Grimstone. What you have just said interests me. You say your second uncle went to Australia.”
“So I understand, Mr. Pons.”
“From Silas Grimstone?”
“Yes. He mentioned it a number of times.”
“And after he had gained control of the firm, things greatly improved.”
“I believe so, yes.”
“Hmm.”
Solar Pons paused on the path and pulled reflectively at the lobe of his right ear.
“You have not said much about this apparition of the marsh, Miss Grimstone. What is your theory about it? And why should your uncle be so frightened?”
“Well, if you had seen it, Mr. Pons, you might have been frightened too.”
Pons smiled ruefully.
“Perhaps you are right, Miss Grimstone. I understand it has been seen again last night.”
He held up his hand to avoid any further questions and at that moment we came up the narrow path on to level ground where a patient pony harnessed to a shabby old trap cropped the winter grass as it stood tethered to the roadside fence. Solar Pons turned to me as he waited for Miss Grimstone to ascend to the driving seat of the vehicle.
“I think perhaps it might be best if we remained and kept watch at the Manor tonight, Parker. This will-o-the-wisp may strike again and it is as well to be on our guard.”
IX
“I hope this is not going on my bill, Mr. Pons!”
Silas Grimstone’s voice was thick and clotted with greed as he glared at my companion. We were sitting in the parlour at Grimstone Manor, the blinds drawn, our chairs close to the smouldering fire on the hearth. We had already eaten and I was beginning to forget the dampness and chill of the marsh as we had seen it in the morning, though the room was far from over-warm as the temperature had dropped considerably with the coming of nightfall.
Pons had spent the afternoon in going over the grounds of the Manor and had made sure that all the doors and windows were secure before dusk. Now we waited for Miss Grimstone to bring the coffee and the brandy she had promised, against the querulous protests of her uncle.
“Our vigil here this evening?”
There was contempt in Pons’ voice.
“Do not trouble yourself about that, Mr. Grimstone. There are some other matters I would like to discuss. You did not tell me about your brother. Your business partner; the one who went to Australia.”
There was a long hush in the room and the old man’s complexion seemed to have turned yellow. He struggled up in his fireside chair and put a shrivelled hand to the shawl at his throat.
“It was all a long time ago, Mr. Pons. That rascal went abroad and I have neither seen nor heard from him to this day, thank God!”
“Why do you say that, Mr. Grimstone?”
“Because he was a villain. The firm would have crashed if I had not taken control.”
“That is your supposition, Mr. Grimstone?”
The old man put his head on one side and surveyed my companion grimly.
“It is indeed, Mr. Pons. And it is true. The affair is an old one and may be consulted in the Stock Exchange records.”
The eyes expressed malevolent distrust as he stared at Pons.
“You seem to be forgetting your purpose here, Mr. Pons. My life is threatened by this ghastly thing from the marsh and you are talking ancient history.”
Solar Pons smiled thinly and put up his hand to stop the flow of splenetic accusations that were beginning to tumble from our client’s mouth.
“I have not been idle, Mr. Grimstone. I have a mind to put my theories to the test this evening. You have no objection to taking part in a little experiment?”
Silas Grimstone stared at Pons suspiciously as he went to the window and drew the curtain. He rubbed his thin fingers together. “Excellent! There is a mist coming up from the marsh. Ideal for our purposes. You have no objection to a little walk in an hour or so, suitably wrapped up? If we cannot find the Phantom of the Marsh—and it is pointless to go looking for him in such a wide area—then we must call him to us.”
“Mr. Pons!”
The old man’s voice was high and cracked in his agitation. He glared at my companion, pushing aside Miss Sylvia Grimstone as she went to offer him a cup of coffee.
The old man’s niece had a faint smile on her face as she turned to me. She put the cup of coffee at my elbow and another in front of Pons who had now resumed his seat.
“You want me to go out there? You are using me as some sort of decoy, sir?”
Solar Pons nodded over the rim of his coffee cup.
“By all means, Mr. Grimstone,” he agreed cheerfully. “You were out in your stable yard yesterday evening when we arrived, quite unprotected. I shall not require you to do much more tonight. Merely to show yourself and leave the rest to Parker and myself.”
There was suppressed excitement in Miss Sylvia Grimstone’s eyes.
“Ah, you intend to be on hand, Mr. Pons.”
“Of course, Miss Grimstone. I would not risk your uncle’s health or wellbeing for one second,” said Solar Pons smoothly. “Parker here has his revolver and we will see whether this phantom is vulnerable to bullets or something more ethereal.”
There was a strange, twisted expression on old Silas Grimstone’s face and he nodded his head once or twice, as though he agreed with my companion’s suggestion. He put his head on one side.
“What is your plan, Mr. Pons?”
“That is better, Mr. Grimstone,” said Solar Pons, tenting his fingers on the table before him. “I have formed certain theories and considered a number of suppositions. Now I have to test them in the field as it were, I cannot do that unless we have some tangible reason for this creature venturing out tonight. He will not do so unless he knows that you are abroad.”
Grimstone’s expression became one of extreme alarm and he looked furtively around him as though he expected to find the subject of his fears at his elbow in the flickering firelight.
“You do not mean to say he is watching us?”
Solar Pons inclined his head.
“He must do so, Mr. Grimstone. That is the only possible conclusion one can draw. Otherwise, how can he appear only to you, except when others may be about by accident? No, Mr. Grimstone, there is a person of some cunning and persistence at the bottom of this business. And we must draw him out if we are to apprehend him.”
“What do you wish me to do, Mr. Pons?”
Solar Pons put down his coffee cup with a faint chink in the silence.
“You must follow my instructions absolutely to the letter, Mr. Grimstone, if things are to be brought to a successful conclusion.”
The old man looked at Pons soberly, fearful thoughts reflected in his cadaverous face.
“Very well, Mr. Pons. I will do as you say. What are your proposals?”
X
“There he goes, Parker! Quickly! It is vitally important that we keep him in sight at all times.”
I followed Pons through the thick mist, marvelling once again at the unerring manner in which my companion found his way. The fog was thickening and even Pons, I think, was hard put to it to make out the indistinct figure of old Silas Grimstone. The night was dark and cold, the mist rising thickly from the surface of the swamp; altogether it was ideal for Pons’ daring plan though it would be extremely dangerous if things went wrong.
I had my revolver in my pocket, the safety-catch on, but with my hand on the butt ready for action if need be. A number of disconnected thoughts were chasing themselves through my mind as we hurried along. Pons’ plan was simple but like all such things, brilliant in its very elementariness. It combined daring, with some danger to ourselves, but with a minimum of risk to our client.
Miss Grimstone had driven us out in the trap along the main road toward the spot where it met the path which led through the swamp to the ruined buildings of D’Eath Farm. Silas Grimstone was to leave his niece at a predetermined time and walk along the path, keeping to the firm and high ground which led to the farm before it reached the swamp proper.
Pons and I had left the stopping place half an hour earlier; my companion had marked out another path on the map which led to the heart of the swamp. Once in position, we were to walk along our path of the morning in the direction of the farm. In this way, if the apparition appeared, we should be between it and the farm buildings and cut off any possible retreat into the swamp.
The most practical feature to my mind was Pons’ inspiration in making Grimstone carry a small but powerful electric torch, ostensibly to light his way; instead, it would serve two purposes. To draw the apparition to its intended victim and at the same time denote Grimstone’s exact position to us in order that we could protect him. Unfortunately, mist had closed in soon after we had gained the old path and Pons had been extremely anxious at the success of the plan.
Grimstone was due to leave his niece at exactly seven p.m. and at precisely that moment as indicated by the second hand of my watch, Pons had led the way back in the direction of the farm buildings. He had allowed fifteen minutes for old Grimstone to get to the farm and we should be in sight of him long before that.
But the mist grew thicker and I was becoming extremely anxious until Pons’ reassuring cry; a moment later I saw the thin beam of light, low down on the ground, which was coming along the causeway, far off to our right. It was only a momentary glimpse and then the thick white vapour closed in again.
“We must hurry, Parker. I should never forgive myself if anything went wrong.”
“We are within striking distance now, Pons. You could not have foreseen this thickening of the weather.”
“Even so, Parker, we are dealing with an old man, who is deliberately exposing himself to danger at my request.”
Pons hurried along the path so rapidly that I was hard put to keep up with him. The mist was thinning a little now and we again saw the beam of light dancing across the ground. Pons halted and took stock of the situation.
“We must be careful now, Parker. We have to make sure we do not alarm whoever may be concealed out here. Ah, that is better.”
For, as we stepped forward from behind a screen of bushes we had a clear view of the high ridge of ground some two hundred yards off along which old Silas Grimstone was advancing with his torch. Far to the right, invisible behind the hump was the road on which Miss Grimstone was waiting with the trap. We were in the hollow of the swamp and to our left the almost invisible path wound until it reached the higher ground on which stood D’Eath Farm.
Pons led the way, stepping meticulously along a path that was quite invisible to me. All around us in the icy night was the presence of the swamp; I was uneasily aware of it as though it were some living, sinister presence in the darkness, just waiting for a false step aside to drag us down into the bottomless depths. Pons’ iron nerves seemed to armour him against such treacherous thoughts and I fingered the chill surface of my revolver, taking comfort from the reassuring metal.
The beams of the torch were momentarily invisible to us, due to a rise in the ground and I realised that we were coming out on to the firmer terrain which led to the abandoned farm buildings. As we started uphill I was suddenly brought to a halt by an
anguished cry which resounded through the silence of the night. It was repeated three times, each time more urgently and there was such fear in it that I felt the hairs on the nape of my neck rising and my flesh began to crawl.
Solar Pons gave an exclamation of anger and seized my arm.
“He is more clever than I thought, Parker! If I do not mistake the situation he is coming from the roadside and not from the farm. There is not a moment to lose!”
I tucked my arms into my sides and ran until my lungs were bursting but Pons was fleeter still, covering the uphill path at a tremendous rate. As we rose we were able to see the drama that was being played out on the rough upland track that led to the abandoned farm.
To my relief Silas Grimstone appeared to be unharmed, for we could see his torchlight bobbing about not more than a hundred yards in front of us. Behind him, seeming to hover over the ground and moving at an alarming speed was a horrific apparition whose spectacle stays with me yet. Bluish-yellow, seen first as a halo of crawling flame, then as a hard-edged figure, it appeared to float erratically.
The figure was tall but indeterminate and the hideous face with which it was surmounted, lapped in baleful fire, seemed to undulate and change shape as we watched. It was gaining on Grimstone with every second and with a last terrified look over his shoulder he at last apparently saw us coming to the rescue, for his torch altered course as our paths closed.
“For God’s sake save me, Mr. Pons!” he croaked with the last of his breath before sinking down exhausted on to the path about fifty paces away.
“Your department, Parker,” said Solar Pons coolly. “Two rounds and aim high, if you please.”
The baleful blue figure of the phantom was still coming on, now making short hopping motions. The thing could not have seen us against the dark background of bushes as we ran up the path but as it was now alarmingly close to the fallen figure of the old man, I fired two shots into the air. The flash of flame and the detonation of the explosions seemed incredibly loud. I was momentarily blinded but when I opened my eyes again the marsh was empty; the blue, writhing figure might never have existed.
Dark Detectives Page 21