Havoc

by E. Phillips Oppenheim

  CHAPTER XXI

  MADEMOISELLE IDIALE'S VISIT

  Laverick, on the following morning, found many things to thinkabout. He was accustomed to lunch always at the same restaurant,within a few yards of his office, and with the same little companyof friends. Just as he was leaving, an outside broker whom heknew slightly came across the room to him.

  "Tell me, Laverick," he asked, "what's become of your partner?"

  "He has gone abroad for a few weeks. As a matter of fact, we shallbe announcing a change in the firm shortly."

  "Queer thing," the broker remarked. "I was in Liverpool yesterday,and I could have sworn that I saw him hanging around the docks. Ishould never have doubted it, but Morrison was always so carefulabout his appearance, and this fellow was such a seedy-lookingindividual. I called out to him and he vanished like a streak."

  "It could scarcely have been Morrison," Laverick said. "He sailedseveral days ago for New York."

  "That settles it," the man declared, passing on. "All the same,it was the most extraordinary likeness I ever saw."

  Laverick, on his way back, went into a cable office and wrote outa marconigram to the Lusitania,

  Have you passenger Arthur Morrison on board? Reply.

  He signed his name and paid for an answer. Then he went back tohis office.

  "Any one to see me?" he inquired.

  "Mr. Shepherd is here waiting," his clerk told him,--"queerlooking fellow who paid you two hundred and fifty pounds in cashfor some railway stock."

  Laverick nodded.

  "I'll see him," he said. "Anything else?"

  "A lady rang up--name sounded like a French one, but we could noneof us catch what it was--to say that she was coming down to see you."

  "If it is Mademoiselle Idiale," Laverick directed, "I must see herdirectly she arrives. How are you, Shepherd?" he added, nodding tothe waiter as he passed towards his room. "Come in, will you?You've got your certificates all right?"

  Mr. James Shepherd had the air of a man with whom prosperity had notwholly agreed. He was paler and pastier-looking than ever, and hislittle green eyes seemed even more restless. His attire--a longrough overcoat over the livery of his profession--scarcely enhancedthe dignity of his appearance.

  "Well, what is it?" Laverick asked, as soon as the door was closed.

  "Our bar is being watched," the man declared. "I don't think it'sanything to do with the police. Seems to be a sort of foreign gang.They're all round the place, morning, noon, and night. They'vepumped everybody."

  "There isn't very much," Laverick remarked slowly, "for them to findout except from you."

  "They've found out something, anyway," Shepherd continued. "Myjunior waiter, unfortunately, who was asleep in the sitting-room,told them he was sure there were customers in the place between tenand twelve on Monday night, because they woke him up twice, talking.They're beginning to look at me a bit doubtful."

  "I shouldn't worry," Laverick advised. "The inquest's on now andyou haven't been called. I don't fancy you're running any sort ofrisk. Any one may say they believe there were people in the barbetween those hours, but there isn't any one who can contradict yououtright. Besides, you haven't sworn to anything. You've simplysaid, as might be very possible, that you don't remember any one."

  "It makes me a bit nervous, though," Shepherd remarked apologetically."They're a regular keen-looking tribe, I can tell you. Their eyesseem to follow you all over the place."

  "I shall come in for a drink presently myself," Laverick declared."I should like to see them. I might get an idea as to theirnationality, at any rate."

  "Very good, sir. I'm sure I'm doing just as you suggested. I'vesaid nothing about leaving, but I'm beginning to grumble a bit atthe work, so as to pave the way. It's a hard job, and no mistake.I had thirty-nine chops between one and half-past, single-handed,too, with only a boy to carry the bread and that, and no one toserve the drinks unless they go to the counter for them. It'smore than one man's work, Mr. Laverick."

  Laverick assented.

  "So much the better," he declared. "All the more excuse for yourleaving.

  "You'll be round sometime to-day, sir, then?" the man asked, takingup his hat.

  "I shall look in for a few moments, for certain," Laverick answered."If you get a chance you must point out to me one of those fellows."

  Jim Shepherd departed. There was a shouting of newspaper boys inthe street outside. Laverick sent out for a paper. The account ofthe inquest was brief enough, and there were no witnesses calledexcept the men who had found the dead body. The nature of thewounds was explained to the jury, also the impossibility of theirhaving been self-inflicted. In the absence of any police evidenceor any identification, the discussion as to the manner of the deathwas naturally limited. The jury contented themselves by bringingin a verdict of "Wilful murder against some person or personsunknown." Laverick laid down the paper. The completion of theinquest was at least the first definite step toward safety. Thequestion now before him was what to do with that twenty thousandpounds. He sat at his desk, looking into vacancy. After all, hadhe paid too great a price? The millstone was gone from around hisneck, something new and incomprehensible had crept into his life.Yet for a background there was always this secret knowledge.

  A clerk announcing Mademoiselle Idiale broke in upon his reflections.Laverick rose from his seat to greet his visitor. She waswonderfully dressed, as usual, yet with the utmost simplicity,--awhite serge gown with a large black hat, but a gown that seemed tohave been moulded on to her slim, faultless figure. She brought withher a musical rustle, a slight suggestion of subtle perfumes--aperfume so thin and ethereal that it was unrecognizable except in itsfaint suggestion of hothouse flowers. She held out her hand toLaverick, who placed for her at once an easy-chair.

  "This is indeed an honor, Mademoiselle."

  She inclined her head graciously.

  "You are very kind," said she. "I know that here in the city youare very busy making money all the time, so I must not stay long.Will you buy me some stocks,--some good safe stocks, which willbring me in at least four per cent?"

  "I can promise to do that," Laverick answered. "Have you anychoice?"

  "No, I have no choice," Louise told him. "I bring with me acheque,--see, I give it to you,--it is for six thousand pounds. I wouldlike to buy some stocks with this, and to know the names so that Imay watch them in the paper. I like to see whether they go up ordown, but I do not wish to risk their going down too much. It issomething like gambling but it is no trouble."

  "Your money shall be spent in a few minutes, Mademoiselle," Laverickassured her, "and I think I can promise you that for a week or two,at any rate, your stocks will go up. With regard to selling--"

  "I leave everything to you," she interrupted, "only let me know whatyou propose."

  "We will do our best," Laverick promised.

  "It is good," she said. "Money is a wonderful thing. Without itone can do little. You have not forgotten, Mr. Laverick, that youwere going to show me this passage?"

  "Certainly not. Come with me now, if you will. It is only a yardor two away."

  He took her out into the street. Every clerk in the office forgothis manners and craned his neck. Outside, Mademoiselle let fallher veil and passed unrecognized. Laverick showed her the entry.

  "It was just there," he explained, "about half a dozen yards up onthe left, that the body was found."

  She looked at the place steadily. Then she looked along thepassage.

  "Where does it lead to--that?" she asked.

  "Come and I will show you. On the left"--as they passed along theflagged pavement--"is St. Nicholas Church and churchyard. On theright here there are just offices. The street in front of us isHenschell Street. All of those buildings are stockbrokers' offices."

  "And directly opposite," she asked,--"that is a cafe, is itnot,--a restaurant, as you would call it?"

  Laverick nodded.

>   "That is so," he agreed. "One goes in there sometimes for a drink."

  "And a meeting place, perhaps?" she inquired. "It would probablybe a meeting place. One might leave there and walk down thispassage naturally enough."

  Laverick inclined his head.

  "As a matter of fact," he declared, "I think that the evidence wentto prove that there were no visitors in the restaurant that night.You see, all these offices round here close at six or seven o'clock,and the whole neighborhood becomes deserted."

  She shrugged her shoulders impatiently.

  "Your English police, they do not know how to collect evidence. Inthe hands of Frenchmen, this mystery would have been solved longbefore now. The guilty person would be in the hands of the law.As it is, I suppose that he will go free."

  "Well, we must give the police a chance, at any rate," answeredLaverick. "They haven't had much time so far."

  "No," she admitted, "they have not had much time. I wonder--" Shehesitated for a moment and did not conclude her sentence. "Come,"she exclaimed, with a little shiver, "let us go back to your office!This place is not cheerful. All the time I think of that poor man.It does make me frightened."

  Laverick escorted his visitor back to the electric brougham whichwas waiting before his door.

  "A list of stocks purchased on your behalf will reach you byto-night's post," he promised her. "We shall do our best in yourinterests."

  He held out his hand, but she seemed in no hurry to let him go.

  "You are very kind, Mr. Laverick. I would like to see you againvery soon. You have heard me sing in Samson and Delilah?"

  "Not yet, but I am hoping to very shortly."

  "To-night," she declared, "you must come to the Opera House. Ileave a box for you at the door. Send me round a note that youare there, and it is possible that I may see you. It is againstthe rules, but for me there are no rules."

  Laverick hesitating, she leaned forward and looked into his face.

  "You are doing something else?" she protested. "You were, perhaps,thinking of taking out again the little girl with whom you weresitting last night?"

  "I had half promised--"

  "No, no!" she exclaimed, holding his hand tighter. "She is not foryou--that child. She is too young. She knows nothing. Better toleave her alone. She is not for a man of the world like you. Soonshe would cease to amuse you. You would be dull and she would stillcare. Oh, there is so much tragedy in these things, Mr. Laverick--somuch tragedy for the woman! It is she always who suffers. Youwill take my advice. You will leave that little girl alone."

  Laverick smiled.

  "I am afraid," said he, "that I cannot promise that so quickly. Yousee, I have not known her long, but she has very few friends and Ithink that she would miss me. Perhaps," he added, after a second'spause, "I care for her too much."

  "It is not for you," she answered scornfully, "to care too much.An Englishman, he cares never enough. A woman to him is somethingamusing,--his companion for a little of his spare time, somethingto be pleased about, to show off to his friends,--to share, even,the passion of the moment. But an Englishman he does not care toomuch. He never cares enough. He does not know what it is to careenough."

  "Mademoiselle, there may be truth in what you say, and again theremay not. We have the name, I know, of being cold lovers, but atleast we are faithful."

  She held up her hand with a little grimace.

  "Oh, how I do hate that word!" she exclaimed. "Who is there, indeed,who wishes that you would be faithful? How much we poor women dosuffer from that! Why can you never understand that a woman wouldbe cared for very, very much, with all the strength and all thepassion you can conceive, but let it not last for too long. It getsweary. It gets stale. It is as you say,--the Englishman he caresvery little, perhaps, but he cares always; and the woman, if she bean artiste and a woman, she tires. But good afternoon, Mr. Laverick!I must not keep you here on the pavement talking of these frivolousmatters. You come to-night?"

  "You are very kind," Laverick said. "If I may come until eleveno'clock, it would give me the greatest pleasure."

  "As you will," she declared. "We shall see. I expect you, then.You ask for your box."

  "If you wish it, certainly."

  She smiled and waved her hand.

  "You will tell him, please," she directed, "to drive to Bond Street."

  Laverick re-entered his office, pausing for a minute to give hisclerk instructions for the purchase of stocks for MademoiselleIdiale. He had scarcely reached his own room when he was told thatMr. James Shepherd wished to speak to him for a moment upon thetelephone. He took up the receiver.

  "Who is it?" he asked.

  "It is Shepherd," was the answer. "Is that Mr. Laverick?"

  "Yes!"

  "You were outside the restaurant here a few minutes ago," Shepherdcontinued. "You had with you a lady--a young, tall lady with aveil."

  "That's right," Laverick admitted. "What about her?"

  "One of the two men who watch always here was reading the paper inthe window," Shepherd went on hoarsely. "He saw her with you andI heard him mutter something as though he had received a shock. Hedropped his glass and his paper. He watched you every second ofthe time you were there until you had disappeared. Then he, too,put on his hat and went out."

  "Anything else?"

  "Nothing else," was the reply. "I thought you might like to knowthis, sir. The man recognized the lady right enough."

  "It seems queer," Laverick admitted. "Thank you for ringing me up,Shepherd. Good morning!"

  Laverick leaned back in his chair. There was no doubt whatever nowin his mind but that Mademoiselle Idiale, for some reason or other,was interested in this crime. Her wish to see the place, herintroduction to him last night and her purchase of stocks, were allpart of a scheme. He was suddenly and absolutely convinced of it.As friend or foe, she was very certainly about to take her placeamongst the few people over whom this tragedy loomed.