The Blind Spot

by Austin Hall and Homer Eon Flint

  XXIII

  THE RHAMDA AGAIN

  I could have yelled for joy. We were about to learn something of theBlind Spot--something that might help us to save Harry, and Chick, andthe professor!

  Ariadne seemed to know that a great deal depended upon what she wasabout to tell us. She deliberately sat down, and rested her chin uponher hand, as though determining upon the best way of telling somethingvery difficult to express.

  As for Charlotte, Jerry, and myself, we managed somehow to restrain ourcuriosity enough to keep silence. But we could not help glancing more orless wonderingly at our visitor. Presently I realised this, and got upand walked quietly about, as though intent upon a problem of my own.

  Which was true enough. I had come to a very startling conclusion--I,Hobart Fenton, had fallen in love!

  What was more, this affection of the heart had come to me, a very strongman, just as an affection of the lungs is said to strike such men--allof a sudden and hard. One moment I had been a sturdy, independent soul,intent upon scientific investigation, the only symptoms of sentimentalpotentialities being my perfectly normal love for my sister and for myold friend. Then, before my very eyes, I had been smitten thus!

  And the worst part of it was, I found myself ENJOYING the sensation. Itmade not the slightest difference to me that I had fallen in love witha girl who was only a step removed from a wraith. Mysteriously she hadcome to me; as mysteriously she might depart. I had yet to know fromwhat sort of country she had come!

  But that made no difference. She was HERE, in the same house with me;I had held her hands; and I knew her to be very, very real indeed justthen. And when I considered the possibility of her disappearing just asinexplicably as she had come--well, my face went cold, I admit. But atthe same time I felt sure of this much--I should never love any otherwoman.

  The thought left me sober. I paused in my pacing and looked at her. Asthough in answer to my gaze she glanced up and smiled so affectionatelythat it was all I could do to keep from leaping forward and taking herright into my arms.

  I turned hastily, and to cover my confusion I began to hum a strain fromthe part of "Faust" to which I have referred. I hummed it through, andwas beginning again, when I was startled to hear this from the girl:"Oh, then you are Hobart!"

  I wheeled, to see her face filled with a wonderful light.

  "Hobart," she repeated, as one might repeat the name of a very dear one."That--that music you were humming! Why, I heard Harry Wendel hummingthat yesterday!"

  I suppose we looked very stupid, the three of us, so dumbfounded that wecould do nothing but gape incredulously at that extraordinary creatureand her equally extraordinary utterance. She immediately did her best toatone for her sensation.

  "I'm not sure that I can make it clear," she said, smiling dubiously,"but if you will use your imaginations and try to fill in the gaps inwhat I say you may get a fair idea of the place I have come from, andwhere Harry is."

  We leaned forward, intensely alert. I shall never forget the pitifuleagerness in poor Charlotte's face. It meant more to her, perhaps, thanto anyone else.

  At the precise instant I heard a sound, off in the breakfast room. Itseemed to be a subdued knocking, or rather a pounding at the door.

  Frowning at the interruption, I stepped through the dining-room intothe breakfast room, where the sounds came from. And I was not a littlepuzzled to note that the door to the basement was receiving the blows.

  Now I had been the last to visit the basement and had locked thedoor--from force of habit, I suppose--leaving the key in the lock.It was still there. And there is but one way to enter that basement:through this one door, and no other.

  "Who is it?" I called out peremptorily. No answer; only a repetition ofthe pounds.

  "What do you want?"--louder.

  "Open this door, quick!" cane a muffled reply.

  The voice was unrecognisable. I stood and thought quickly; then shouted:

  "Wait a minute, until I get a key!"

  I motioned to Charlotte. She tip-toed to my side. I whispered somethingin her ear; and she slipped off into the kitchen, there to phone MissClarke and warn her to notify her colleagues at once. And so, as Iunlocked the door, I was fortified by the knowledge that I would beassisted by the combined mind-force of a score of highly developedintellects.

  I was little surprised, a second later, to see that the intruder wasRhamda Avec. What reason to expect anyone else?

  "How did you get down there?" I demanded. "Don't you realise that youare liable to arrest for trespass?"

  I said it merely to start conversation but it served only to bring aslight smile to the face of this professed friend of ours, for whom wefelt nothing but distrust and fear.

  "Let us not waste time in trivialities, Fenton," he rejoined gently. Hebrushed a fleck of cobweb from his coat. "By this time you ought to knowthat you cannot deal with me in any ordinary fashion."

  I made no comment as, without asking my leave or awaiting an invitation,he stepped through into the dining-room and thence into the parlour. Ifollowed, half tempted to strike him down from behind, but restrainedmore by the fact that I must spare him than from any compunctions.Seemingly he knew this as well as I, he was serenely at ease.

  And thus he stood before Jerome and Ariadne. The detective made a singleexclamation, and furtively shifted his coat sleeves. He was getting thatinfernal breast gun into action. As for Ariadne, she stared at the newarrival as though astonished at first.

  When Charlotte returned, a moment later, she showed only mild surprise.She quietly took her chair and as quietly moved her hand so that the gemshone in full view of our visitor.

  But he gave her and the stone only a single glance, and then rested hiseyes upon our new friend. To my anxiety, Ariadne was gazing fixedly athim now, her expression combining both agitation and a vague fear.

  It could not have been due entirely to his unusual appearance; forthere was no denying that this grey-haired yet young-faced man with thedistinguished, courteous bearing, looked even younger that night thanever before. No; the girl's concern was deeper, more acute. I felt anunaccountable alarm.

  From Ariadne to me the Rhamda glanced, then back again; and a quicksatisfied smile came to his mouth. He gave an almost imperceptible nod.And, keeping his gaze fixed upon her eyes, he remarked carelessly:

  "Which of these chairs shall I sit in, Fenton?"

  "This one," I replied instantly, pointing to the one I had just quit.

  Smiling, he selected a chair a few feet away.

  Whereupon I congratulated myself. The man feared me, then; yet he rankedmy mentality no higher than that! In other words, remarkably cleverthough he might be, and as yet unthwarted, he could by no means becalled omnipotent.

  "For your benefit, Mr. Jerome, let me say that I phoned Miss Fenton andher brother a few days ago, and urged them to give up their notion ofoccupying this house or of attempting to solve the mystery that youare already acquainted with. And I prophesied, Mr. Jerome, that theirrefusal to accept my advice would be followed by events that wouldjustify me.

  "They refused, as you know; and I am here tonight to make a final plea,so that they may escape the consequences of their wilfulness."

  "You're a crook! And the more I see of you, Avec, the more easily I canunderstand why they turned you down!"

  "So you too, are prejudiced against me. I cannot understand this. Mymotives are quite above question, I assure you."

  "Really!" I observed sarcastically. I stole a glance at Ariadne; hereyes were still riveted, in a rapt yet half-fearful abstraction, uponthe face of the Rhamda. It was time I took her attention away.

  I called her name. She did not move her head, or reply. I said itlouder: "Ariadne!"

  "What is it, Hobart?"--very softly.

  "Ariadne, this gentleman possesses a great deal of knowledge of thelocality from which you came. We are interested in him, because we feelsure that, if he chose to, he could tell us something about our friendswho--about Harry Wend
el." Why not lay the cards plainly on the table?The Rhamda must be aware of it all, anyhow. "And as this man has said,he has tried to prevent us from solving the mystery. It occurs to me,Ariadne, that you might recognise this man. But apparently--"

  She shook her head just perceptibly. I proceeded:

  "He is pleased to call his warning a prophecy; but we feel that a threatis a threat. What he really wants is that ring."

  Ariadne had already, earlier in the hour, given the gem several curiousglances. Now she stirred and sighed, and was about to turn her eyesfrom the Rhamda to the ring when he spoke again; this time in a voice assharp as a steel blade:

  "I do not enjoy being misunderstood, much less being misrepresented, Mr.Fenton. At the same time, since you have seen fit to brand me in suchuncomplimentary terms, suppose I state what I have to say very bluntly,so that there may be no mistake about it. If you do not either quit thishouse, or give up the ring--NOW--you will surely regret it the rest ofyour lives!"

  From the corner of my eye I saw Jerome moving slowly in his chair, sothat he could face directly towards the Rhamda. His hands were ready forthe swift, upward jerk which, I knew, would stifle our caller.

  As for my sister, she merely turned the ring so that the gem no longerfaced the Rhamda; and with the other hand she reached out and graspedAriadne's firmly.

  Avec sat with his two hands clasping the arms of his chair. His fingersdrummed nervously but lightly on the wood. And then, suddenly, theystopped their motion.

  "Your answer, Fenton," in his usual gentle voice. "I can give you nomore time," I did not need to consult Charlotte or Jerome. I knew whatthey would have said.

  "You are welcome to my answer. It is--no!"

  As I spoke the last word my gaze was fixed on the Rhamda's eyes. He, onthe other hand, was looking towards Ariadne. And at the very instant anexpression, as of alarm and sorrow, swept into the man's face.

  My glance jumped to Ariadne. Her eyes were closed, her face suffused;she seemed to be suffocating. She gave a queer little sound, half gaspand half cry.

  Simultaneously Jerome's hands shot into the air. The room shiveredwith the stunning report of his breast gun. And every pellet struck theRhamda and burst.

  A look of intense astonishment came into his face. He gave Jerome afleeting glance, almost of admiration; then his nostrils contracted withpain as the gas attacked his lungs.

  Another second, and each of us were reeling with the fumes. Jeromestarted toward the window, to raise it, then sank back into his chair.And when he turned round--

  He and I and Charlotte saw an extraordinary thing. Instead of succumbingto the gas, Rhamda Avec somehow recovered himself. And while the restof us remained still too numbed to move or speak, he found power to doboth.

  "I warned you plainly, Fenton," as though nothing in particular hadhappened. "And now see what you have brought upon the poor child!"

  I could only roll my head stupidly, to stare at Ariadne's now senselessform.

  "As usual, Fenton, you will blame me for it. I cannot help that. But itmay still be possible for you to repent of your folly and escape yourfate. You are playing with terrible forces. If you do repent, justfollow these instructions"--laying a card on the table--"and I will seewhat I can do for you. I wish you all good night."

  And with that, pausing only to make a courtly bow to Charlotte, RhamdaAvec turned and walked deliberately, dignifiedly from the room, whilethe two men and a woman stared helplessly after him and allowed him togo in peace.