A Bid for Fortune, Guy Boothby [top 10 novels .txt] 📗

us be seated, and then asked in what way she could be of service to us.

"In the first place, madam," said the Inspector, "a serious crime has been perpetrated, and I have reason to believe that it may be in your power to give us a clue to the persons who committed it."

"You frighten me, sir," replied the lady. "I cannot at all see in what way I can help you. I lead a life of the greatest quietness."

"I do not wish to imply that you do know anything of them. I only want you to carry your memory back as far as yesterday, and to answer me the few simple questions I may ask you."

"I will answer them to the best of my ability."

"Well, in the first place, may I ask if you remember seeing a brougham drive up to that house opposite about mid-day yesterday?"

"No, I cannot say that I do," the old lady replied after a moment's consideration.

"Do you remember seeing a number of men leave the house during the afternoon?"

"No. If they came out I did not notice them."

"Now, think for one moment, if you please, and tell me what vehicles, if any, you remember seeing stop there."

"Let me try to remember. There was Judge's baker's cart, about three, the milk about five, and a furniture van about half-past six."

"That's just what I want to know. And have you any recollection whose furniture van it was?"

"Yes. I remember reading the name as it turned round. Goddard & James, George Street. I wondered if the tenant was going to move."

The Inspector rose, and I followed his example.

"I am exceedingly obliged to you, Miss Tiffins. You have helped me materially."

"I am glad of that," she answered; "but I trust I shall not be wanted to give evidence in court."

"You need have no fear on that score," the Inspector answered. "Good-day."

When we had left the house the Inspector turned to me and said--

"It was a great piece of luck finding a dressmaker opposite. Commend me to ladies of that profession for knowing what goes on in the street. Now we will visit Messrs. Goddard & James and see who hired the things. Meantime, Williams," (here he called the plain-clothes constable to him), "you had better remain here and watch that house. If the man we saw comes out, follow him, and let me know where he goes."

"Very good, sir," the constable replied, and we left him to his vigil.

Then, hailing a passing cab, we jumped into it and directed the driver to convey us to George Street. By this time it was getting on for mid-day, and we were both worn out. But I was in such a nervous state that I could not remain inactive. Phyllis had been in Nikola's hands nearly fourteen hours, and so far we had not obtained one single definite piece of information as to her whereabouts.

Arriving at the shop of Messrs. Goddard & James, we went inside and asked to see the chief partner. An assistant immediately conveyed us to an office at the rear of the building, where we found an elderly gentleman writing at a desk. He looked up as we entered, and then, seeing the Inspector's uniform, rose and asked our business.

"The day before yesterday," began my companion, "you supplied a gentleman with a number of South-Sea weapons and curios on hire, did you not?"

"I remember doing so--yes," was the old gentleman's answer. "What about it?"

"Only I should be glad if you would favour me with a description of the person who called upon you about them--or a glimpse of his letter, if he wrote."

"He called and saw me personally."

"Ah! That is good. Now would you be so kind as to describe him?"

"Well, in the first place, he was very tall and rather handsome; he had, if I remember rightly, a long brown moustache, and was decidedly well dressed."

"That doesn't tell us very much, does it? Was he alone?"

"No. He had with him, when he came into the office, an individual whose face remains fixed in my memory--indeed I cannot get it out of my head."

Instantly I became all excitement.

"What was this second person like?" I asked.

"Well, I can hardly tell you--that is to say, I can hardly give you a good enough description of him to make you see him as I saw him. He was tall and yet very slim, had black hair, a sallow complexion, and the blackest eyes I ever saw in a man. He was clean-shaven and exquisitely dressed, and when he spoke, his teeth glittered like so many pearls. I never saw another man like him in my life."

"Nikola, for a thousand!" I cried, bringing my hand down with a thump upon the table.

"It looks as if we're on the track at last," said the Inspector. Then, turning to Mr. Goddard again: "And may I ask now what excuse they made to you for wanting these things!"

"They did not offer any; they simply paid a certain sum down for the hire of them, gave me their address, and then left."

"And the address was?"

"83, Charlemagne Street. Our van took the things there and fetched them away last night."

"Thank you. And now one or two other questions. What name did the hirer give?"

"Eastover."

"When they left your shop how did they go away?"

"A cab was waiting at the door for them, and I walked out to it with them."

"There were only two of them, you think?"

"No. There was a third person waiting for them in the cab, and it was that very circumstance which made me anxious to have my things brought back as soon as possible. If I had been able to, I should have even declined to let them go."

"Why so?"

"Well, to tell you that would involve a story. But perhaps I had better tell you. It was in this way. About three years ago, through a distant relative, I got to know a man named Draper."

"Draper!" I cried. "You don't mean--but there, I beg your pardon. Pray go on."

"As I say, I got to know this man Draper, who was a South-Sea trader. We met once or twice, and then grew more intimate. So friendly did we at last become, that I even went so far as to put some money into a scheme he proposed to me. It was a total failure. Draper proved a perfect fraud and a most unbusiness-like person, and all I got out of the transaction was the cases of curios and weapons which this man Eastover hired from me. It was because--when I went out with my customers to their cab--I saw this man Draper waiting for them that I became uneasy about my things. However, all's well that ends well, and as they returned my goods and paid the hire I must not grumble."

"And now tell me what you know of Draper's present life," the Inspector said.

"Ah! I'm afraid of that I can tell you but little. He has been twice declared bankrupt, and the last time there was some fuss made over his schooner, the Merry Duchess."

"He possesses a schooner, then?"

"Oh, yes! A nice boat. She's in harbour now."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Goddard. I am obliged to you for your assistance in this matter."

"Don't mention it. I hope that what I have told you may prove of service to you."

"I'm sure it will. Good-day."

"Good-day, gentlemen."

He accompanied us to the door, and then bade us farewell. "Now what are we to do?" I asked.

"Well, first, I am going back to the office to put a man on to find this schooner, and then I'm going to take an hour or two's rest. By that time we shall know enough to be able to lay our hands on Dr. Nikola and his victim, I hope."

"God grant we may!"

"Where are you going now?"

"Back to Potts Point," I answered.

We thereupon bade each other farewell and set off in different directions.

When I reached Mr. Wetherell's house I learned from the butler that his master had fallen asleep in the library. Not wishing to disturb him, I inquired the whereabouts of my own bedroom, and on being conducted to it, laid myself down fully dressed upon the bed. So utterly worn out was I, that my head had no sooner touched the pillow than I was fast asleep. How long I lay there I do not know, but when I woke it was to find Mr. Wetherell standing beside me, holding a letter in his hand. He was white as a sheet, and trembling in every limb. "Read this, Mr. Hatteras," he cried. "For Heaven's sake tell me what we are to do!"

I sat up on the side of the bed and read the letter he handed to me. It was written in what was evidently a disguised hand, on common note-paper, and ran:----

"TO MR. WETHERELL,
"POTTS POINT, SYDNEY

"DEAR SIR,

"This is to inform you that your daughter is in very safe keeping.
If you wish to find her you had better be quick about it. What's
more, you had better give up consulting the police, and such like,
in the hope of getting hold of her. The only way you can get her
will be to act as follows: At eight o'clock to-night charter a boat
and pull down the harbour as far as Shark Point. When you get
there, light your pipe three times, and some one in a boat near by
will do the same. Be sure to bring with you the sum of one hundred
thousand pounds in gold, and--this is most important--bring with
you the little stick you got from China Pete, or do not come at
all. Above all, do not bring more than one man. If you do not put
in an appearance you will not hear of your daughter again.

Yours obediently,
"THE MAN WHO KNOWS."

CHAPTER IV


FOLLOWING UP A CLUE

For some moments after I had perused the curious epistle Mr. Wetherell had brought to my room I remained wrapped in thought.

"What do you make of it?" my companion asked.

"I don't know what to say," I answered, looking at it again. "One thing, however, is quite certain, and that is that, despite its curious wording, it is intended you should take it seriously."

"You think so?"

"I do indeed. But I think when the Inspector arrives it would be just as well to show it to him. What do you say?"

"I agree with you. Let us defer consideration of it until we see him."

When, an hour later, the Inspector put in an appearance, the letter was accordingly placed before him, and his opinion asked concerning it. He read it through without comment, carefully examined the writing and signature, and finally held it up to the light. Having done this he turned to me and said:

"Have you that envelope we found at the Canary Bird, Mr. Hatteras?"