The Mystery of the Four Fingers

BY FRED M. WHITE

Author of "THE MIDNIGHT GUEST, " "THE CRIMSON BLIND, " Etc. , Etc. 

1908

CONTENTS

 I. THE BLACK PATCH

 II. THE FIRST FINGER

 III. THE LOST MINE

 IV. IN THE LIFT

 V. A PUZZLE FOR VENNER

 VI. A PARTIAL FAILURE

 VII. THE WHITE LADY

 VIII. MISSING

 IX. A NEW PHASE

 X. THE SECOND FINGER

 XI. AN UNEXPECTED MOVE

 XII. THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR

 XIII. THE WHITE LADY AGAIN

 XIV. MASTER OF THE SITUATION

 XV. FELIX ZARY

 XVI. FENWICK MOVES AGAIN

 XVII. MERTON GRANGE

 XVIII. A COUPLE OF VISITORS

 XIX. PHANTOM GOLD

 XX. THE PRODIGAL'S RETURN

 XXI. THE THIRD FINGER

 XXII. "THE TIME WILL COME"

 XXIII. SMOKED OUT

 XXIV. THE MOUTH OF THE NET

 XXV. AN ACT OF CHARITY

 XXVI. THE LAST FINGER

 XXVII. NEMESIS

XXVIII. EXPLANATIONS

 XXIX. THIS MORTAL COIL

 XXX. A PEACEFUL SUNSET

CHAPTER I

THE BLACK PATCH

Considering it was nearly the height of the London winter season, theGreat Empire Hotel was not unusually crowded. This might perhaps havebeen owing to the fact that two or three of the finest suites of rooms inthe building had been engaged by Mark Fenwick, who was popularly supposedto be the last thing in the way of American multi-millionaires. No oneknew precisely who Fenwick was, or how he had made his money; but duringthe last few months his name had bulked largely in the financial Pressand the daily periodicals of a sensational character. So far, the man hadhardly been seen, it being understood that he was suffering from a chill, contracted on his voyage to Europe. Up to the present moment he had takenall his meals in his rooms, but it was whispered now that the great manwas coming down to dinner. There was quite a flutter of excitement in theVenetian dining-room about eight o'clock. 

The beautifully decorated saloon had a sprinkling of well-dressed menand women already dining decorously there. Everything was decorous aboutthe Great Empire Hotel. No thought had been spared in the effort to keepthe place quiet and select. The carpets were extra thick, and the waitersmore than usually soft-footed. On the whole, it was a restful place, though, perhaps, the decorative scheme of its lighting erred just atrifle on the side of the sombre. Still, flowers and ferns were soft andfeathery. The band played just loudly enough to stimulate conversationinstead of drowning it. At one of the little tables near the door two menwere dining. One had the alertness and vigor which bespeaks the dwellerin towns. He was neatly groomed, with just the slight suspicion of thedandy in his dress, though it was obvious at the merest glance that hewas a gentleman. His short, sleek hair gave to his head a certainsuggestion of strength. The eyes which gleamed behind his gold-rimmedglasses were keen and steady. Most men about town were acquainted withthe name of Jim Gurdon, as a generation before had been acquainted withhis prowess in the athletic field. Now he was a successful barrister, though his ample private means rendered professional work quiteunnecessary. 

The other man was taller, and more loose-limbed, though his spare framesuggested great physical strength. He was dark in a hawk-like way, though the suggestion of the adventurer about him was softened by a pairof frank and pleasant grey eyes. Gerald Venner was tanned to a fine, healthy bronze by many years of wandering all over the world; in fact, hewas one of those restless Englishmen who cannot for long be satisfiedwithout risking his life in some adventure or other. 

The two friends sat there quietly over their dinner, criticising fromtime to time those about them. 

"After all, " Gurdon said presently, "you must admit that there issomething in our civilization. Now, isn't this better than starving undera thin blanket, with a chance of being murdered before morning?"

Venner shrugged his shoulders indifferently. 

"I don't know, " he said. "There is something in danger that stimulatesme; in fact, it is the only thing that makes life worth living, I daresay you have wondered why it is that I have never settled down andbecome respectable like the rest of you. If you heard my story, youwould not be surprised at my eccentric mode of living; at any rate, itenables me to forget. "

Venner uttered the last words slowly and sadly, as if he were talkingto himself, and had forgotten the presence of his companion. Therewas a speculative look in his eyes, much as if London had vanishedand he could see the orchids on the table before him growing in theirnative forests. 

"I suppose I don't look much like a man with a past, " he went on; "likea man who is the victim of a great sorrow. I'll tell you the storypresently, but not here; I really could not do it in surroundings likethese. I've tried everything, even to money-making, but that is theworst and most unsatisfactory process of the lot. There is nothing sosordid as that. "

"Oh, I don't know, " Gurdon laughed. "It is better to be amulti-millionaire than a king today. Take the case of this man Fenwick, for instance; the papers are making more fuss of him than if he were thePresident of the United States or royalty travelling incognito. "

Venner smiled more or less contemptuously. He turned to take a casualglance at a noisy party who had just come into the dining room, for thefrivolous note jarred upon him. Almost immediately the little party satdown, and the decorous air of the room seemed to subdue them. Immediatelybehind them followed a man who came dragging his limbs behind him, supported on either side by a servant. He was quite a young man, with awonderfully handsome, clean-shaven face. Indeed, so handsome was he, thatVenner could think of no more fitting simile for his beauty than thetrite old comparison of the Greek god. The man's features were perfectlychiselled, slightly melancholy and romantic, and strongly suggestive ofthe early portraits of Lord Byron. Yet, all the same, the almost perfectface was from time to time twisted and distorted with pain, and from timeto time there came into the dark, melancholy eyes a look of almostmalignant fury. It was evident that the newcomer suffered from rackingpain, for his lips were twitching, and Venner could see that his even, white teeth were clenched together. On the whole, it was a strikingfigure to intrude upon the smooth gaiety of the dining-room, for itseemed to Venner that death and the stranger were more than casualacquaintances. He had an idea that it was only a strong will which keptthe invalid on this side of the grave. 

The sufferer sank at length with a sigh of relief into a large armchair, which had been specially placed for him. He waved the servants aside asif he had no further use for them, and commenced to study his _menu_, asif he had no thought for anything else. Venner did not fail to note thatthe man had the full use of his arms, and his eye dwelt with criticalapproval on the strong, muscular hands and wrists. 

"I wonder who that fellow is?" he said. "What a magnificent frame hismust have been before he got so terribly broken up. "

"He is certainly a fascinating personality, " Gurdon admitted. "Somehow, he strikes me not so much as the victim of an accident as an unfortunatebeing who is suffering from the result of some terrible form ofvengeance. What a character he would make for a story! I am ready to betanything in reason that if we could get to the bottom of his history itwould be a most dramatic one. It regularly appeals to the imagination. Ican quite believe our friend yonder has dragged himself out of bed bysheer force of will to keep some appointment whereby he can wreak hislong nursed revenge. "

"Not in a place like this, " Venner smiled. 

"Why not? In the old days these things used to be played out to theaccompaniment of thunder and lightning on a blasted heath. Now we aremuch more quiet and gentle in our methods. It is quite evident that ourhandsome friend is expecting someone to dine with him. He gives a mostexcellent dinner to his enemy, points out to him his faults in the mostgentlemanly fashion, and then proceeds to poison him with a speciallyprepared cigar. I can see the whole thing in the form of a short story. "

Venner smiled at the conceit of his companion. He was more than halfinclined to take a sentimental view of the thing himself. He turned tothe waiter to give some order, and as he did so, his eyes encountered twomore people, a man and a woman, who, at that moment, entered thedining-room. The man was somewhat past middle age, with a large baldhead, covered with a shining dome of yellow skin, and a yellow facelighted by a pair of deep-sunk dark eyes. The whole was set off andrendered sinister by a small hook nose and a little black moustache. Forthe rest, the man was short and inclined to be stout. He walked with awonderfully light and agile step for a man of his weight; in fact heseemed to reach his seat much as a cat might have done. Indeed, despitehis bulk, there was something strangely feline about the stranger. 

Venner gave a peculiar gasp and gurgle. His eyes started. All the bloodreceded from his brown face, leaving him ghastly white under his tan. Itwas no aspect of fear--rather one of surprise, --of strong andunconquerable emotion. At the same moment Venner's hand snapped the stemof his wine glass, and the champagne frothed upon the table. 

"Who is that man?" Venner asked of the waiter. His tone was so strainedand harsh that he hardly recognised his own voice. "Who is the man, Isay? No, no; I don't mean him. I mean that stout man, with the lady inwhite, over there. "

The waiter stared at the speaker in astonishment. He seemed to wonderwhere he had been all these years. 

"That, sir, is Mr. Mark Fenwick, the American millionaire. "

Venner waved the speaker aside. He was recovering from his emotion nowand the blood had returned once more to his cheeks. He became consciousof the fact that Gurdon was regarding him with a polite, yet none theless critical, wonder. 

"What is the matter?" the latter asked. "Really, the air seems full ofmystery. Do you know that for the last two minutes you have beenregarding that obese capitalist with a look that was absolutelymurderous? Do you mean to tell me that you have ever seen him before?"

"Indeed, I have, " Venner replied. "But on the last occasion of ourmeeting, he did not call himself Mark Fenwick, or by any other name sodistinctly British. Look at him now; look at his yellow skin with thedeep patches of purple at the roots of the little hair he has. Mark theshape of his face and the peculiar oblique slit of his eyelids. Would youtake that man for an Englishman?"

"No, I shouldn't, " Gurdon said frankly. "If I had to hazard a guess, Ishould say he is either Portuguese or perhaps something of the Mexicanhalf caste. "

"You would not be far wrong, " Venner said quietly. "I suppose you thoughtthat the appearance of that man here tonight was something of a shock tome. You can little guess what sort of a shock it has been. I promise totell you my story presently, so it will have to keep. In the meantime, it is my mood to sit here and watch that man. "

"Personally, I am much more interested in his companion, " Gurdon laughed. "A daughter of the gods, if ever there was one. What a face, and what afigure! Do you mean to say that you didn't notice her as she came in?"

"Positively I didn't, " Venner confessed. "My whole attention was rivettedon the man. I tell you I can see absolutely nothing but his great, yellow, wicked face, and for the background the romantic spot where welast met. "

It was Gurdon's turn now to listen. He leant forward in his chair, hiswhole attention concentrated upon the figure of the stranger, huddled upin the armchair at the little table opposite. He touched Venner on thearm, and indicated the figure of the man who had suffered so cruelly insome form or other. 

"The plot thickens, " Venner murmured. "Upon my word, he seems to knowthis Mark Fenwick as well as I do. "

The maimed crippled figure in the armchair had dragged himself almost tohis feet, with his powerful, muscular arm propping him against the table. His unusually handsome face was all broken and twisted up with anexpression of malignant fury. He stood there for a moment or two like astatue of uncontrollable passion, rigid, fixed, and motionless, save forthe twitching of his face. Then, gradually he dropped back into his chairagain, a broken and huddled heap, quivering from head to foot with thepain caused by his recent exertion. A moment later he took from hisbreast pocket a silk shade, which he proceeded to tie over his eyes, asif the light hurt him. Watching his every movement with intenseeagerness, the two friends saw that he had also taken from his pocket asmall silver case, about the same size as an ordinary box of safetymatches. Indeed, the case looked not unlike the silver coverings for woodmatches, which are generally to be seen in well-appointed households. Then, as if nothing interested him further, he leaned back in his chair, and appeared to give himself over entirely to his enjoyment of theorchestra. In all probability no diner there besides Venner and Gurdonhad noticed anything in the least out of the common. 

"This is very dramatic, " Gurdon said. "Here is a melo-drama actuallytaking place in a comedy 'set' like this. I am glad you will be in aposition later on to gratify my curiosity. I confess I should like tolearn something more about this Mark Fenwick, who does not appear to bein the least like one's idea of the prosaic money spinner. "

"He isn't, " Venner said grimly. "Anything but that. Why, three years agothat man was as poor and desperate as the most wretched outcast whowalks the streets of London to-night. And one thing you may be certainof--wherever you dine from now to your dying day, you will be under theroof of no more diabolical scoundrel than the creature who calls himselfMark Fenwick. "

There was a deep note in Venner's voice that did not fail to stimulateGurdon's curiosity. He glanced again at the millionaire, who appeared tobe talking in some foreign tongue with his companion. The tall, fair girlwith the shining hair had her back to the friends, so they could not seeher face, and when she spoke it was in a tone so low that it was notpossible to catch anything more than the sweetness of her voice. 

"I wonder what she is doing with him?" Gurdon said. "At any rate, she isEnglish enough. I never saw a woman with a more thoroughbred air. She islooking this way. "

Just for a moment the girl turned her head, and Venner caught a fullsight of her face. It was only for an instant; then the fair head wasturned again, and the girl appeared to resume her dinner. Venner jumpedfrom his chair and took three strides across the room. He paused there asif struggling to regain possession of himself; then he dropped into hischair again, shielding his face from the light with his hands. Gurdoncould see that his companion's face had turned to a ghastly grey. Veritably it was a night of surprises, quick, dramatic surprises, following close upon one another's heels. 

"What, do you mean to say you know her, too?" Gurdon whispered. 

Venner looked up with a strange, unsteady smile on his face. He appearedto be fighting hard to regain his self-control. 

"Indeed, I do know her, " he said. "My friend, you are going to have allthe surprises you want. What will you say when I tell you that the girlwho sits there, utterly unconscious of my presence, and deeming me to beat the other end of the world, is no less a person than--my own wife?"

CHAPTER II

THE FIRST FINGER

Gurdon waited for his companion to go on. It was a boast of his that hehad exhausted most of the sensations of life, and that he never allowedanything to astonish him. All the same, he was astonished now, andsurprised beyond words. For the last twenty-five years, on and off, hehad known Venner. Indeed, there had been few secrets between them sincethe day when they had come down from Oxford together. From time to time, during his wanderings, Venner had written to his old chum a fairlycomplete account of his adventures. During the last three years theletters had been meagre and far between; and at their meeting a few daysago, Gurdon had noticed a reticence in the manner of his old chum that hehad not seen before. 

He waited now, naturally enough, for the other to give some explanationof his extraordinary statement, but Venner appeared to have forgotten allabout Gurdon. He sat there shielding one side of his face, heedless ofthe attentions of the waiter, who proffered him food from time to time. 

"Is that all you are going to tell me?" Gurdon asked at length. 

"Upon my word, I am very sorry, " Venner said. "But you will excuse meif I say nothing more at present. You can imagine what a shock this hasbeen to me. "

"Of course. I don't wish to be impertinent, old chap, but I presume thatthere has been some little misunderstanding--"

"Not in the least. There has been no misunderstanding whatever. Ihonestly believe that the woman over yonder is still just as passionatelyfond of me as I am of her. As you know, Gurdon, I never was much of aladies' man; in fact, you fellows at Oxford used to chaff me because Iwas so ill at ease in the society of women. Usually a man like myselffalls in love but once in his lifetime, and then never changes. At anyrate, that is my case. I worship the ground that girl walks upon. I wouldhave given up my life cheerfully for her; I would do so now if I couldsave her a moment's pain. You think, perhaps, that she saw me when shecame in here to-night. That is where you have got the impression thatthere is some misunderstanding between us. You talked just now ofdramatic surprises. I could show you one even beyond your powers ofimagination if I chose. What would you say if I told you that three yearsago I became the husband of that beautiful girl yonder, and that fromhalf-an-hour after the ceremony till the present moment I have never seteyes on her again?"

"It seems almost incredible, " Gurdon exclaimed. 

"Yes, I suppose it does. But it is absolutely a fact all the same. Ican't tell you here the romance of my life. I couldn't do it insurroundings like these. We will go on to your rooms presently, and thenI will make a clean breast of the whole thing to you. You may be disposedto laugh at me for a sentimentalist, but I should like to stay here alittle longer, if it is only now and again to hear a word or two from herlips. If you will push those flowers across between me and the light Ishall be quite secure from observation. I think that will do. "

"But you don't mean to tell me, " Gurdon murmured, "that the lady inquestion is the daughter of that picturesque-looking old ruffian, Mark Fenwick?"

"Of course, she isn't, " Venner said, with great contempt. "What theconnection is between them, I cannot say. What strange fate links themtogether is as much a mystery to me as it is to you. I do not like it, but I let it pass, feeling so sure of Vera's innocence and integrity. Butthe waiter will tell us. Here, waiter, is the lady dining over there withMr. Fenwick his daughter or not?"

"Certainly, sir, " the waiter responded. "That is Miss Fenwick. "

There was silence for a moment or two between the two friends. Vennerappeared to be deeply immersed in his own thoughts, while Gurdon's eyestravelled quickly between the table where the millionaire sat and thedeep armchair, in which the invalid lay huddled; and Venner now saw thatthe cripple on the opposite side of the room was regarding Fenwick andhis companion with the intentness of a cat watching a mouse. 

Dinner had now come pretty well to an end, and the coffee and liqueurswere going round. A cup was placed before Fenwick, who turned to one ofthe waiters with a quick order which the latter hastened to obey. Theorder was given so clearly that Gurdon could hear distinctly what it was. He had asked for a light, wherewith to burn the glass of Curacoa which heintended to take, foreign fashion, in his coffee. 

"And don't forget to bring me a wooden match, " he commanded. "Householdmatches. Last night one of your men brought me a vesta. "

The waiter hurried off to execute his commission, but his intention wasanticipated by another waiter who had apparently been doing nothing andhanging about in the background. The second waiter was a small, litheman, with beady, black eyes and curly hair. For some reason or other, Gurdon noticed him particularly; then he saw a strange thing happen. Thelittle waiter with the snaky hair glanced swiftly across the room in thedirection of the cripple huddled up in the armchair. Just as if he hadbeen waiting for a signal, the invalid stretched out one of his longarms, and laid his fingers significantly on the tiny silver box he haddeposited on the table some little time before. The small waiter wentacross the room and deliberately lifted the silver box from the table. Hethen walked briskly across to where the millionaire was seated, placedthe box close to his elbow, and vanished. He seemed to fairly race downthe room until he was lost in a pile of palms which masked the door. Gurdon had followed all this with the deepest possible interest. Vennersat there, apparently lost to all sense of his surroundings. His head wason his hands, and his mind was apparently far away. Therefore, Gurdon wasleft entirely to himself, to study the strange things that were going onaround him. His whole attention was now concentrated upon Fenwick, whopresently tilted his glass of Curacoa dexterously into his coffee cup, and then stretched out his hand for the silver match box by his side. Hewas still talking to his companion while he fumbled for a match withoutlooking at the little case in his hand. Suddenly he ceased to speak, hisblack eyes rivetted on the box. It fell from his fingers as if it hadcontained some poisonous insect, and he rose to his feet with a suddenscream that could be heard all over the room. 

There was a quick hush in the conversation, and every head was turned inthe direction of the millionaire's table. Practically every diner thereknew who the man with the yellow head was, so that the startlinginterruption was all the more unexpected. Once again the frightened cryrang out, and then Fenwick stood, gazing with horrified eyes and white, ghastly face at the innocent looking little box on the table. 

"Who brought this here?" he screamed. "Bring that waiter here. Find himat once. Find him at once, I say. A little man with beady eyes and hairlike rats' tails. "

The head waiter bustled up, full of importance; but it was in vain thathe asked for some explanation of what had happened. All Fenwick could dowas to stand there gesticulating and calling aloud for the production ofthe erring waiter. 

"But I assure you, sir, " the head waiter said, "we have no waiter herewho answers to the description of the man you mention. They are all herenow, every waiter who has entered the room to-night. If you will be sogood as to pick out the one who has offended you--"

Fenwick's startled, bloodshot eyes ranged slowly over the array ofwaiters which had been gathered for his inspection round his table. Presently he shook his head with an impatient gesture. 

"I tell you, he is not here, " he cried. "The man is not here. He is quitesmall, with very queer, black hair. "

The head waiter was equally positive in his assurance. Louder rose theangry voice of the millionaire, till at length Venner was aroused fromhis reverie and looked up to Gurdon to know what was going on. The latterexplained as far as possible, not omitting to describe the strange matterof the silver box. Venner smiled with the air of a man who could say agreat deal if he chose. 

"It is all part of the programme, " he said. "That will come in my storylater on. But what puzzles me is where that handsome cripple comes in. The mystery deepens. "

By this time Fenwick's protestations had grown weaker. He seemed toramble on in a mixture of English and Portuguese which was exceedinglypuzzling to the head waiter, who still was utterly in the dark as to thecause of offence. Most of the diners had gathered round the millionaire'stable with polite curiosity, and sundry offers of assistance. 

"I think we had better get to our own room, " a sweet, gentle voice said, as the tall, fair girl by Fenwick's side rose and moved in the directionof the door. It was, perhaps, unfortunate that Venner had risen at thesame time. As he strode from his own table, he came face to face with thegirl who stood there watching him with something like pain in her blueeyes. Just for an instant she staggered back, and apparently would havefallen had not Venner placed his arm about her waist. In the strangeconfusion caused by the unexpected disturbance, nobody had noticed thisbesides Gurdon, who promptly rose to the occasion. 

"You had better take the lady as far as her own rooms, " he said. "Thisbusiness has evidently been too much for her. Meanwhile, I will see whatI can do for Mr. Fenwick. "

Venner shot his friend a glance of gratitude. He did not hesitate for amoment; he saw that the girl by his side was quite incapable of offeringany objections for the present. In his own strong, masterful way, he drewthe girl's hand under his arm, and fairly dragged her from the room intothe comparative silence and seclusion of the corridor beyond. 

"Which way do we go?" he asked. 

"The Grand Staircase, " the girl replied faintly. "It is on the firstfloor. But you must not come with me, you must come no further. It wouldbe madness for him to know that we are together. "

"He will not come just yet, " Venner replied. "My friend knows somethingof my story, and he will do his best to get us five minutes together. Youhave heard me speak of Jim Gurdon before. "

"But it is madness, " the girl whispered. "You know how dangerous it is. Oh, Gerald, what must you think of me when--"

"I swear to you that I think nothing of you that is unkind orungenerous, " Venner protested. "By a cruel stroke of fate we were partedat the very moment when our happiness seemed most complete. Why you leftme in the strange way you did, I have never yet learned. In your letterto me you told me you were bound to act as you did, and I believed youimplicitly. How many men in similar circumstances would have behaved as Idid? How many men would have gone on honoring a wife who betrayed herhusband as you betrayed me? And yet, as I stand here at this moment, looking into your eyes, I feel certain that you are the same sweet andinnocent girl who did me the happiness to become my wife. "

The beautiful face quivered, and the blue eyes filled with tears. Hertrembling hand lay on Venner's arm for a moment; then he caught the girlto his side and kissed her passionately. 

"I thank you for those words, " she whispered. "From the bottom of myheart I thank you. If you only knew what I have suffered, if you onlyknew the terrible pressure that is put upon me;--and it seemed to methat I was acting for the best. I hoped, too, that you would go away andforget me; that in the course of time I should be nothing more than amemory to you. And yet, in my heart, I always felt that we should meetagain. Is it not strange that we should come together like this?"

"I do not see that it is in the least strange, " Venner replied, "considering that I have been looking for you for the last three years. When I found you to-night, it was with the greatest difficulty that Irestrained myself from laying my hands on the man who is the cause ofall your misery and suffering. How long has he been passing for anEnglishman? Since when has he been a millionaire? If he be amillionaire at all. "

"I cannot tell you, " the girl whispered. "Really, I do not know. A littletime ago we were poor enough; then suddenly, money seemed to come in fromall sides. I asked no questions; they would not have been answered if Ihad. At least, not truthfully. And now you really must go. When shall Isee you again? Ah, I cannot tell you. For the present you must go ontrusting me as implicitly as you have done in the past. Oh, if you onlyknew how it wrings my heart to have to speak to you like this, when allthe time my whole love is for you and you alone. Gerald--ah, go now; goat once. Don't you see that he is coming up the stairs?"

Venner turned away, and slipped down a side corridor, till Fenwick hadentered his own room. Then he walked down the stairs again into thedining-room, where a heated discussion was still going on as to theidentity of the missing waiter. 

"They'll never find him, " Gurdon muttered, "for the simple reason thatthe fellow was imported for the occasion, and, in my opinion, was nowaiter at all. You will notice also that our crippled friend hasvanished. I would give a great deal to know what was in the box thatpretty nearly scared the yellow man to death. I never saw a fellow sofrightened in my life. He had to fortify himself with two brandies beforehe could get up to his own room. Gerald, I really must find out what wasin that box!"

"I think I could tell you, " Venner said, with a smile. "Didn't you tellme that the mysterious waiter fetched it from the table where it had beenplaced by the handsome cripple?"

"Certainly, he did. I saw the signal pass directly Fenwick asked for awooden match; that funny little waiter was palpably waiting for thesilver box, and as soon as he placed it on Fenwick's table, he discreetlyvanished. But, as I said before, I would give considerable to know whatwas in that box. "

"Well, go and see, " Venner said grimly. "Unless my eyes deceive me, thebox is still lying on Fenwick's table. In his fright, he forgot all aboutit, and there isn't a waiter among the whole lot, from the chiefdownwards, who has a really clear impression of what the offence was. Ifyou take my advice, you will go and have a peep into that box when youget the chance. Don't tell me what you find, because I will guess that. "

Gurdon crossed over to the other table, and took the box up in his hand. He pulled the slide out and glanced at the contents with a puzzledexpression of face. Then he dropped the box again, and came back toVenner with a look on his face as if he had been handling something morethan usually repulsive. 

"You needn't tell me what it is, " Venner said. "I know quite as well asyou do. Inside that box is a dried up piece of flesh, some three incheslong--in other words a mummified human forefinger. "

CHAPTER III

THE LOST MINE

Gurdon nodded thoughtfully. He was trying to piece the puzzle together inhis mind, but so far without success. He was not in the least surprisedto find that Venner had guessed correctly. 

"You've got it exactly, " he said. "That is just what the gruesome thingis. What does it all mean?"

By this time dinner had long been a thing of the past, and all the guestshad departed. Here and there the lights were turned down, leaving halfthe room in semi-darkness. It was just the time and place for an exchangeof confidences. 

"How did you know exactly what was in that box?" Gurdon asked. "I haveread things of this kind before, but they have generally taken the formof a warning previous to some act of vengeance. "

"As a matter of fact, this is something of the same kind, " Venner said;"though I am bound to say that my guess was somewhat in the nature of ashot. Still, putting two and two together, I felt that I could not havebeen far wrong. Since I have been here this evening, I have begun to forma pretty shrewd opinion as to where Fenwick gets his money. "

"What shall we do with that box?" Gurdon asked. 

"Leave it where it is, by all means. You may depend upon it that Fenwickwill return for his lost property. "

The prophecy came true quicker than Gurdon had expected, for out of thegloom there presently emerged the yellow face of Mark Fenwick. He came inwith a furtive air, like some mean thief who is about to do a shabbyaction. He was palpably looking for something. He made a gesture ofdisappointment when he saw that the table where he had dined was nowstripped of everything except the flowers. He did not seem to see theother two men there at all. Venner took the box from his companion'shand, and advanced to Fenwick's side. 

"I think you have lost something, sir, " he said coolly. "Permit me torestore your property to you. "

The millionaire gave a kind of howl as he looked at Venner. The noise hemade was like that of a child suffering from toothache. He fairlygrovelled at Venner's feet, but as far as the latter's expression wasconcerned, the two might have met for the first time. Just for a momentFenwick stood there, mopping his yellow face, himself a picture of abjectmisery and despair. 

"Well?" Venner said sharply. "Is this little box yours, or not?"

"Oh, yes, oh yes, " Fenwick whined. "You know that perfectly well--Imean, you must recognise--oh, I don't know what I mean. The fact is, I am really ill to-night. I hardly know what I am doing. Thank you, very much. "

Fenwick snatched the box from Venner's fingers, and made hastilyfor the door. 

"I believe we are allowed to smoke in here after ten, " Gurdon said. "Ifthat is the case, why not have a cigar together, and discuss the matter?What I am anxious to know at present is the inner meaning of the fingerin the box. "

There was no objection to a cigar in the dining-room at this late hour, and presently the two friends were discussing their Havanas together. Venner began to speak at length. 

"Perhaps it would be as well, " he said, "to stick to the box businessfirst. You will remember, some three years ago, my writing you to theeffect that I was going to undertake a journey through Mexico. I don'tsuppose I should have gone there at all, only I was attracted by thenotion of possible adventures in that country, among the hills where, atone time, gold was found. There was no question whatever that gold inlarge quantities used to be mined in the wild district where I had chosento take up my headquarters. Practical engineers say that the gold isexhausted, but that did not deter me in the least. 

"The first man who put the idea into my head was a half-caste Mexican, who had an extraordinary grip on the history of his country, especiallyas far as legends and traditions were concerned. He was a well-educatedman, and an exceedingly fascinating story-teller. It was he who firstgave me the history of what he called the Four Finger Mine. It appearsthat this mine had been discovered some century or more ago by aFrenchman, who had settled down in the country and married the daughterof a native chief. The original founder of the mine was a curious sort ofman, and was evidently possessed of strong miserly tendencies. Most menin his position would have gathered together a band of workers, andsimply exploited the mine for all it was worth. However, this man, LeFenu, did nothing of the kind. He kept his discovery an absolute secret, and what mining was to be done, he did himself. I understand that he wasa man of fine physique, and that his disposition was absolutely fearless. It was his habit at certain seasons of the year to go up to his mine, andthere work it for a month or two at a time, spending the rest of the yearwith his family. It is quite certain, too, that he kept his secret, evenfrom his grown-up sons; for when he died, they had not the slightest ideaof the locality of the mine, which fact I know from Le Fenu'sdescendants. 

"And now comes the interesting part of my story, Le Fenu went up intothe mountains early in May one year, to put in his solitary two months'mining, as usual. For, perhaps, the first time in his life, he sufferedfrom a serious illness--some kind of fever, I suppose, though he had juststrength of will enough to get on the back of a horse and ride as far asthe nearest _hacienda_. 

"Now, on this particular farm there dwelt a Dutchman, who, I believe, wascalled Van Fort. Whether or not Le Fenu partially disclosed his secret inhis delirium, will never actually be known. At any rate, two or threeweeks later the body of Le Fenu was discovered not very far away from thescene of his mining operations, and from the evidence obtainable, therewas no doubt in the world that he was foully murdered. Justice in thatcountry walks with very tardy footsteps, and though there was littlequestion who the real murderer was, Van Fort was never brought tojustice. Perhaps that was accounted for by the fact that he seemed to besuddenly possessed of more money than usual, and was thus in a positionto bribe the authorities. 

"And now comes a further development. Soon after the death of Le Fenu, itwas noted that Van Fort spent most of his time away from his farm in themountains, no doubt prospecting for Le Fenu's mine. Whether he ever foundit or not will never be known. Please to bear in mind the fact that for acouple of centuries at least Le Fenu's mysterious property was known asthe Four Finger Mine. With this digression, I will go on to speak furtherof Van Fort's movements. To make a long story short, from his lastjourney to the mountains he never returned. His widow searched for himeverywhere; I have seen her--a big sullen woman, with a cruel mouth and aheavy eye. From what I have heard, I have not the slightest doubt that itwas she who inspired the murder of the Frenchman. 

"She had practically given up all hope of ever seeing her husband again, when, one dark and stormy night, just as she was preparing for bed, sheheard her husband outside, screaming for assistance. From his tone, hewas evidently in some dire and deadly peril. The woman was by no meansdevoid of courage; she rushed out into the night and searched far andnear, but no trace of Van Fort could be found, nor did the imploring cryfor assistance come again. But the next morning, on the doorstep lay ableeding forefinger, which the woman recognised as coming from herhusband's hand. To make identity absolutely certain, on the forefingerwas a ring of native gold, which the Dutchman always wore. Please toremember once more that this mine was known as the Four Finger Mine. "

Venner paused just for a moment to give dramatic effect to his point. Gurdon said nothing; he was too deeply interested in the narrative tomake any comment. 

"That was what I may call the first act in the drama, " Venner went on. "Six months had elapsed, and Van Fort's widow was beginning to forget allabout the startling incident, when, one night, just at the same time, andin just the same circumstances, came that wild, pitiful yell forassistance outside the Dutchman's farm. Half mad with dread and terrorthe woman sat there listening. She did not dare to go outside now; sheknew how futile such an act would be. Also, she knew quite well what wasgoing to happen in the morning. She sat up half the night in a statebordering on madness. I need not insult your intelligence, my dearfellow, by asking you to guess what she found on the doorstep in thedaylight. "

"Of course, I can guess, " Gurdon said. "Beyond all question, it was thethird finger of the Dutchman's hand. "

"Quite so, " Venner resumed. "I need not over elaborate my story or boreyou by telling how, six months later, the second finger of the handappeared in the same sensational circumstances, and how, at the end of ayear, the four fingers were complete. Let me once more impress upon youthe fact that this mine was called the Four Finger Mine for more than acentury before these strange things happened. "

"It is certainly an extraordinary thing, " Gurdon muttered. "I don't thinkI ever listened to a weirder tale. And did the Dutch woman confess toher crime? This strikes me as being a fitting end to the story. I supposeit came from her lips. "

"She didn't confess, for the simple reason that she had no mind toconfess with, " Venner explained. "Of course, certain neighbors knewsomething of what was going on, but they never knew the whole truth, because, after the appearance of the last finger, Mrs. Van Fort wentstark raving mad. She lived for a few days, and at the end of that timeher body was found in a waterfall close to her house. That is the storyof the Four Finger Mine so far as it goes, though I should not besurprised if we manage to get to the last chapter yet. Now, you are anobservant man--did you notice anything peculiar in Fenwick's appearanceto-night?"

Gurdon shook his head slowly. It was quite evident that he had notnoticed anything out of the common in the appearance of the millionaire. Venner proceeded to explain. 

"Let me tell you this, " he said. "When I married my wife, we were withinan easy ride of the locality where the Four Finger Mine is situated. Mindyou, our marriage was a secret one, and I presume that Fenwick is stillin ignorance of it, though, of course, he was fully aware of the factthat I had more than a passing admiration for Vera. I merely mention thisby way of accentuating the little point that I am going to make. It ismore than probable that, when I stumbled upon Fenwick and the girl whopasses for his daughter, he also was in search of the Four Finger Mine. When he came in to-night he, of course, recognised me, though I treatedhim as an absolute stranger whom I had met for the first time. You willsee presently why I treated him in this fashion. I am glad I spoke tohim, because I noticed a slight thing that throws a flood of light uponthe mystery. Now, did it escape your observation, or did you notice thatFenwick took the box I gave him in his right hand?"

"Oh, dear, no, " Gurdon said. "A little thing like that would be almosttoo trivial for the typical detective of the cheap story. "

"All the same, it is very important, " Venner said. "He took the box inhis right hand; he made as if to extend his left, then suddenly changedhis mind, and put it in his pocket. But he was too late to disguise fromme that he had--"

"I know, " Gurdon shouted. "He had lost all the fingers on his lefthand. What an amazing thing! We must get to the bottom of this businessat all costs. "

"That is precisely what we are going to do, " Venner said grimly. "I amglad you are so quick in taking up the point. When I noted the loss ofthose fingers, I was absolutely staggered for a moment. If he had beenless agitated than he was, Fenwick would have guessed what I had seen. Ineed not tell you that when I last saw Fenwick his left hand was as soundas yours or mine. The inference of this is, that Fenwick has fallen underthe ban of the same strange vengeance that overtook Van Fort and hiswife. There is not the slightest doubt that he discovered the mine, andthat he has not yet paid the penalty for his temerity. "

"I presume the penalty is coming, " Gurdon said. "What a creepy sort ofidea it is, that terrible vengeance reaching across a continent in such asinister fashion. But don't forget that we know something as to the wayin which this thing is to be brought about. Don't forget the cripple whosat at yonder table to-night. "

"I am not likely to forget him, " Venner observed. "All the more becausehe evidently knows more about this matter than we do ourselves. When hecame here to-night, he little dreamed that there was one man in theroom, at least, who had a fairly good knowledge of the Four FingerMystery. We shall have to look him out, and, if necessary, force him tospeak. But it is a delicate matter, and as far as I can see, one notunattended with danger. "

Gurdon smoked in thoughtful silence for some little time, turning thestrange thing over in his mind. The more he dwelt upon it, the more wildand dramatic did it seem. 

"There is one thing in our favor, " he said, presently. "The mysteriouscripple is evidently a deadly enemy of Fenwick's. We shall doubtless findhim ready to accept our offer, provided that we put it in the right way. "

"I am not so sure of that, " Venner replied. "At any rate, we can make nomove in that direction without thinking the whole thing out carefully andthoroughly. Our crippled friend is evidently a fanatic in his way, and heis not alone in his scheme. Do not forget that we have also the littleman who played the part of the waiter to deal with. I am sorry that I didnot notice him. A man who could carry off a thing like that with suchsplendid audacity is certainly a force to be reckoned with. "

Gurdon rose from his seat with a yawn, and intimated that it was time togo to bed. It was long past twelve now and the hotel was graduallyretiring to rest. The Grand Empire was not the sort of house to cater tothe frivolous type of guest, and usually within an hour of the closing ofthe theatres the whole of the vast building was wrapped in silence. 

"I think I will go now, " Gurdon said. "Come and lunch with me to-morrow, and then you can tell me something about your own romance. What sort of anight is it, waiter?"

"Very bad, sir, " the waiter replied. "It's pouring in torrents. Shall Icall you a cab, sir?"

CHAPTER IV

IN THE LIFT

Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheetsof rain falling on the pavement. Silence reigned supreme but for thesteady plash of the raindrops as they rattled on the pavements. To walkhalf a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdonsomewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat. Half a dozen times the night porter blew his whistle, but no sign of acab could be seen. 

"We shan't get one to-night, " Venner said. "They are all engaged. Thereis only one thing for it--you must take a room here, and stay till themorning. I've no doubt I can fit you up in the way of pyjamas and thethings necessary. "

Gurdon fell in readily enough with the suggestion. Indeed, there wasnothing else for it. He took his number and key from the sleepy clerk inthe office, and made his way upstairs to Venner's bedroom. 

"I'll just have one cigarette before I turn in, " he said. "It seems as ifFate had ordained that I am to keep in close touch with the leadingcharacters of the mystery. By the way, we never took the trouble to findout who the handsome cripple was. "

"That is very easily done in the morning, " Venner replied. "A strikingpersonality like that is not soon lost sight of. Besides, he hasdoubtless been here before, for, if you will recollect, his attendantstook him to the right table as if it had been ordered beforehand. Andnow, if you don't mind, I'll turn in--not that I expect to sleep muchafter an exciting evening like this. Good night, old fellow. "

Gurdon went on to his own room, where he slowly undressed and satthinking the whole thing out on the edge of his bed. Perhaps he wassuffering from the same suppressed excitement which at that moment waskeeping Venner awake, for he felt not the slightest disposition to turnin. Usually he was a sound sleeper; but this night seemed likely to provean exception to the rule. 

An hour passed, and Gurdon was still sitting there, asking himselfwhether it would not be better to go to bed and compel sleep to come tohim. Impatiently he turned out his light and laid his head resolutely onthe pillow. 

But it was all in vain--sleep was out of the question. The room was notaltogether in darkness, either; for the sleeping apartments on thatlanding had been arranged back to back with a large, open ventilatorbetween them. Through this ventilator came a stream of light; evidentlythe occupant of the adjoining room had not yet retired. The lightworried Gurdon; he asked himself irritably why his neighbor should bepermitted to annoy him in this way. A moment or two later the sound ofsuppressed voices came through the ventilator, followed by the noise of aheavy fall. 

At any ordinary time Gurdon would have thought nothing of this, but hisimagination was aflame now, and his mind was full of hidden mysteries. Itseemed to him that something sinister and underhand was going on in thenext room. 

Usually, no one would identify the Grand Empire Hotel with crime andintrigue; but that did not deter Gurdon from rising from his bed andmaking a determined effort to see through the ventilator into theadjoining room. It was not an easy matter, but by dint of balancing twochairs one on top of the other the thing was accomplished. Verycautiously Gurdon pushed back the glass slide and looked through. So faras he could see, there was nothing to justify any suspicion. The roomwas absolutely empty, though it was brilliantly lighted; and for amoment Gurdon felt ashamed of his suspicions, and turned away, halfdetermined to try and sleep. It was at that instant that he noticedsomething out of the common. To his quickened ear there came a soundunmistakably like a snore, and pushing his body half through theventilator he managed to make out the bed in the next room. On it laythe body of a boy in uniform, unmistakably a messenger boy or hotelattendant of that kind. Gurdon could see the hotel name embroidered ingold letters on his collar. 

Perhaps there was nothing so very suspicious in this, except that the boywas lying on the bed fully dressed, even to his boots. It was a luxuriousroom; not at all the class of apartment to which the hotel managementwould relegate one of their messenger boys, nor was it possible that thelad had had the temerity to go into the vacant room and sleep. 

"Something wrong here, " Gurdon muttered. "Hang me if I don't get throughthe ventilator and see what it is. "

It was no difficult matter for an athlete like Gurdon to push his waythrough and drop on to the bed on the other side. Then he shook the formof the slumbering lad without reward. The boy seemed to be plunged in asleep almost like death. As Gurdon turned him over, he noticed on theother side of the lad's collar the single word "Lift. " It began to dawnupon Gurdon exactly what had happened. In large hotels like the GrandEmpire there is no fixed period when the lift is suspended, andconsequently, it has its attendants night and day. For some reason, thisboy had evidently been drugged and carried into the room where he nowlay. There was no doubt whatever about it, for it was impossible toshake the lad into the slightest semblance of life. Gurdon crossed tothe door, and found, not to his surprise, that it was locked. His firstimpulse was to return to his room and call the night porter; but astrange, wild idea had come into his mind, and he refrained from doingso. It occurred to him that perhaps Mark Fenwick or the cripple had hada hand in this outrage. 

"I'll wait a bit, " Gurdon told himself. "It is just possible that my keywill fit this door. Anyway, it is worth trying. "

Gurdon made his way back to his own room again, to return a minute or twolater with his key. To his great delight the door opened, and he stood ina further corridor, close against the cage in which the lift workednoiselessly up and down. 

It was absolutely quiet, so that anybody standing there would have beenable to carry out any operation of an unlawful kind without observation. Gurdon stood, looking down the lift shaft, until he saw that the cage wasonce more beginning to ascend. It came up slowly and smoothly and withoutthe least noise, until it was level with the floor on which Gurdon wasstanding. It was one of the open kind, so he could see inside quiteclearly. To all practical purposes, the lift was empty, save for thepresence of one man, who lay unconscious on the floor. The cage wasascending so leisurely that Gurdon was in a position to make a closeexamination of the figure before the whole structure had risen to thenext floor. It did not need a second glance to tell Gurdon that the manin the cage was the attendant, and that he was suffering from the samedrug which had placed his boy assistant beyond all power of interfering. 

"Now what does all this mean?" Gurdon muttered. "Who is there on thefloor above who is interested in getting these two people out of the way?What do they want to bring up or send down which it is not safe todispose of by the ordinary means? I think I'll wait and see. No sleep forme to-night. "

The lift vanished in the same silent way. It hung overhead for somelittle time, and once more appeared in sight, this time absolutely empty, save for a small square box with iron bands at the corners, which layupon the floor. As the cage descended, Gurdon suddenly made up his mindwhat to do. He sprang lightly on to the top of the falling cage, andgrasped the rope with both hands. A moment later and he was descending inthe darkness. 

As far as he could judge, the lift went down to the basement, where, forthe time being, it remained. There was a warm damp smell in the air, suggestive of fungus, whereby Gurdon judged that he must be in the vaultsbeneath the hotel. As his eyes became accustomed to the gloom, he couldmake out just in front of him a circular patch of light, which evidentlywas a coal shoot. 

He had no need to wait now for the full development of the adventure. He could hear whispered voices and the clang of metal, as if somebodyhad opened the door of the lift. One of the voices he failed tounderstand, but with a thrill he recognised the fact that the speakerwas talking in either Spanish or Portuguese. Instantly it flashed intohis mind that this was the language most familiar to the man who calledhimself Mark Fenwick. Beyond doubt he was quite right when heidentified this last development with the actors in the dramatic eventsearlier in the evening. 

"Now don't be long about it, " a hoarse voice whispered. "There are twomore cases to send up, and two more to come down here. Has that van comealong, or shall we have to wait until morning?"

"The van is there right enough, " another hoarse voice said. "We havethe stuff out on the pavement. Let's have the last lot here, and get itup at once. "

Gurdon could hear the sound of labored breathing as if the unseen man wasstruggling with some heavy burden. Presently some square object wasdeposited on the floor of the lift. It seemed to slip from someone'shands, and dropped with a heavy thud that caused the lift to vibrate likea thing of life. "

"Clumsy fool, " a voice muttered. "You might have dropped that on my foot. What did you want to let go for?"

"I couldn't help it, " another voice grumbled. "I didn't know it was halfso heavy. Besides, the rope broke. "

"Oh, are you going to be there all night?"--another voice, with asuggestion of a foreign accent in it, asked impatiently. "Don't forgetyou have to bring the man down yet, and see that the boy is taken to hisplace. Now, up with it. "

Standing there, holding on to the rope and quivering with excitement, Gurdon wondered what was going to happen next. Once more he felt himselfrising, and an instant later he was in the light again. He waited tillthe lift had reached his own floor; then he jumped quickly down, takingcare as he went to note the heavy box which lay on the floor of the lift. A corner of it had been split open by the heavy jar, and some shiningmaterial like sand lay in a little heap, glittering in the rays of theelectric light. 

Gurdon stood there panting for a moment, and rather at a loss to knowwhat to do next. Once more the lift came down, this time with two boxesof a smaller size. They vanished; and as the lift rose once again, Gurdonhad barely time to hide himself behind the bedroom door, and thus escapethe observation of two men who now occupied the cage. He just caught afleeting glimpse of them, and saw that one was an absolute stranger, buthe felt his heart beating slightly faster as he recognised in the otherthe now familiar form of Mark Fenwick. The mystery was beginning tounfold itself. 

"That was a close thing, " Gurdon muttered, as he wiped his hot face. "Ithink I had better go back to my own room, and wait developments. Onecan't be too careful. "

The lift-boy was still sleeping on the bed; but his features weretwitching, as if already the drug was beginning to lose its effect. Atleast, so Gurdon shrewdly thought, and subsequent events proved that hewas not far wrong. He was standing in his own room now, waiting by theventilator, when he heard the sound of footsteps on the other side of thewall. Two men had entered the room, and by taking a little risk, Gurdoncould see that they were examining the unconscious boy coolly andcritically. 

"I should think about five minutes more would do it, " one of them said. "Better carry him out, and shove him in that little sentry box of his. When he comes to himself again he won't know but what he has fallenasleep; barring a headache, the little beggar won't be any the worse forthe adventure. "

"Have we got all the stuff up now?" the other man asked. 

"Every bit of it, " was the whispered reply. "I hope the old man issatisfied now. It was not a bad idea of his to work this little game in agreat hotel of this kind. But, all the same, it is not without risks, and I for one should be glad to get away to that place in the countrywhere we are going in a week or two. "

Gurdon heard no more. He allowed the best part of half-an-hour to passbefore he ventured once more to creep through the ventilator and reachthe landing in the neighborhood of the lift. Everything looked quitenormal now, and as if nothing had happened. The lift boy sat in hislittle hut, yawning and stretching himself. It was quite evident that heknew nothing of the vile uses he had been put to. A sudden idea occurredto Gurdon. 

"I want you to bring the lift up to this floor, " he said to the boy. "No, I don't want to use it; I have lost something, and it occurs to me that Imight have left it in the lift. "

In the usual unconcerned manner of his class the boy touched an electricbutton, and the lift slowly rose from the basement. 

"Does this go right down to the cellars?" Gurdon asked. 

"It can if it's wanted to, " the boy replied. "Only it very seldom does. You see, we only use this lift for our customers. It's fitted with whatthey call a pneumatic cushion--I mean, if anything goes wrong, the liftfalls into a funnel shaped well, made of concrete, which forms a cushionof air, and so breaks the fall. They say you could cut the rope and letit down without so much as upsetting a glass of water. Not that I shouldlike to try it, sir, but there you are. "

Gurdon entered the lift, where he pretended to be searching for somethingfor a moment or two. In reality, he was scraping up some of the yellowsand which had fallen from the box to the floor of the lift, and this heproceeded to place in a scrap of paper. Then he decided that it wasabsolutely necessary to retire to bed, though he was still in fullpossession of his waking faculties. As a matter of fact, he was asleepalmost as soon as his head touched the pillow. Nevertheless, he was upearly the following morning, and in Venner's bedroom long beforebreakfast. He had an exciting story to tell, and he could not complainthat in Venner he had anything but an interested listener. 

"We are getting on, " the latter said grimly. "But before you say anythingmore, I should like to have a look at that yellow sand you speak of. Bring it over near the light. "

Venner let the yellow stuff trickle through his hands; then he turned toGurdon with a smile. 

"You look upon this as refuse, I suppose?" he said. "You seem to imaginethat it is of no great value. "

"Well, is it?" Gurdon asked. "What is it?"

"Gold, " Venner said curtly. "Pure virgin gold, of the very finestquality. I never saw a better sample. "

CHAPTER V

A PUZZLE FOR VENNER

Venner sat just for a moment or two with the thin stream tricklingthrough his fingers, and wondering what it all meant. With his superiorknowledge of past events, he could see in this something that it wasimpossible for Gurdon to follow. 

"I suppose this is some of the gold from the Four Finger Mine?" Gurdonsuggested. "Do you know, I have never handled any virgin gold before. Ihad an idea that it was more brilliant and glittering. Is this verygood stuff?"

"Absolutely pure, I should say, " Venner replied. "There are two ways ofgold mining. One is by crushing quartz in machinery, as they do in SouthAfrica, and the other is by obtaining the metal in what are calledpockets or placers. This is the way in which it is generally found inAustralia and Mexico. I should not be in the least surprised if this camefrom the Four Finger Mine. "

"There is no reason why it shouldn't, " Gurdon said. "It is prettyevident, from what you told me last night, that Mark Fenwick hasdiscovered the mysterious treasure house, but that does not account forall these proceedings. Why should he have taken all the trouble he didlast night, when he might just as well have brought the stuff in, andtaken the other boxes out by the front door?"

"That is what we have to find out, " Venner said. "That fellow may callhimself a millionaire, but I believe he is nothing more nor less than adesperate adventurer. "

Gurdon nodded his assent. There must have been something very urgent tocompel Mark Fenwick to adopt such methods. Why was he so strangelyanxious to conceal the knowledge that he was receiving boxes of pure goldin the hotel, and that he was sending out something of equal value?However carefully the thing might have been planned the drugging of liftattendants must have been attended with considerable risk. And theslightest accident would have brought about a revelation. As it was, everything seemed to have passed off smoothly, except for the chance bywhich Gurdon had stumbled on the mystery. 

"We can't leave the thing here, " the latter said. "For once in my life Iam going to turn amateur detective. I have made up my mind to get intoFenwick's suite of rooms and see what is going on there. Of course, thething will take time, and will have to be carefully planned. Do you thinkit is possible for us to make use of your wife in this matter?"

"I don't think so, " Venner said thoughtfully. 

"In the first place, I don't much like the idea; and in the second, Iam entirely at a loss to know what mysterious hold Mark Fenwick has onVera. As I told you last night, she left me within a very short time ofour marriage, and until a few hours ago I had never looked upon heragain. Something terrible must have happened, or she would never havedeserted me in the way she did. I don't for a moment believe that MarkFenwick knew anything about our marriage, but on that point I cannot beabsolutely certain. You had better come back to me later in the day, andI will see what I can do. It is just possible that good fortune may beon my side. "

The afternoon was dragging on, and still Venner was no nearer to apractical scheme which would enable him to make an examination ofFenwick's rooms without the chance of discovery. He was lounging in thehall, smoking innumerable cigarettes, when Fenwick himself came down thestairs. Obviously the man was going on a journey, for he was closelymuffled up in a big fur coat, and behind him came a servant, carrying twobags and a railway rug. It was a little gloomy in the lobby, so Vennerwas enabled to watch what was going on without being seen himself. He didnot fail to note a certain strained anxiety that rested on Fenwick'sface. The man looked behind him once or twice, as if half afraid of beingfollowed. Venner had seen that same furtive air in men who are wanted bythe police. Fenwick stopped at the office and handed a couple of keys tothe clerk. His instructions were quite audible to Venner. 

"I shan't want those for a day or two, " he said. "You will see that noone has them under any pretext. Probably, I shall be back by Saturday atthe latest. "

Venner did not scruple to follow Fenwick's disappearing figure as far asthe street. He was anxious to obtain a clue to Fenwick's destination. Straining his ears, he just managed to catch the words "Charing Cross, "and then returned to the hall, by no means dissatisfied. Obviously, Fenwick was intending to cross the Channel for a day or two, and he hadsaid to the clerk that he would not be back before Saturday. 

Here was something like a chance at last. Very slowly and thoughtfully, Venner went up the stairs in the direction of his own room. He hadascertained by this time that one part of Fenwick's suite was immediatelyover his own bedroom. His idea now was to walk up to the next floor, andmake a close examination of the rooms there. It did not take him long todiscover the fact that Fenwick's suite was self contained, like a flat. That is to say, a strong outer door once locked made communication withthe suite of rooms impossible. Venner was still pondering over hisproblem when the master door opened, and Vera came out so hurriedly asalmost to fall into Venner's arms. She turned pale as she saw him; and asshe closed the big door hurriedly behind her, Venner could see that shehad in her hand the tiny Yale key which gave entrance to the suite ofrooms. The girl looked distressed and embarrassed, but not much more sothan Venner, who was feeling not a little guilty. 

But all this was lost upon Vera; her own agitation and her ownunhappiness seemed to have blinded her to everything else. 

"What are you doing here?" she stammered. 

"Perhaps I am looking for you, " Venner said. He had quite recoveredhimself by this time. "I was in the lobby just now, when I saw thatscoundrel, Fenwick, go out. He is not coming back for a day or two, Iunderstand. "

"No, " Vera said with accents of evident relief. "He is gone, but I don'tknow where he is gone. He never tells me. "

Just for a moment Venner looked somewhat sternly at his companion. Herewas an opportunity for an explanation too good to be lost. 

"There is a little alcove at the end of the corridor, " he said. "I see itis full of ferns and flowers. In fact, the very place for a confidence. Vera, whether you like it or not, I am going to have an explanation. "

The girl shrank back, and every vestige of color faded from her face. Yet at the same time, the pleading, imploring eyes which she turned uponher companion's face were filled with the deepest affection. Badly as hehad been treated, Venner could not doubt for a moment the sincerity ofthe woman who had become his wife. But he did not fail to realise thatfew men would have put up with conduct like this, however much in lovethey might have been. Therefore, the hand that he laid on Vera's arm wasstrong and firm, and she made no resistance as he led her in thedirection of the little alcove. 

"Now, " he said. "Are you going to tell me why you left me so mysteriouslyon our wedding day? You merely went to change your dress, and you neverreturned. Am I to understand that at the very last moment you learnedsomething that made it absolutely necessary for us to part? Do you reallymean that?"

"Indeed, I do, Gerald, " the girl said. "There was a letter waiting for mein my bedroom. It was a short letter, but long enough to wreck myhappiness for all time. "

"No, no, " Venner cried; "not for all time. You asked me to trust youabsolutely and implicitly, and I have done so. I believe every word thatyou say, and I am prepared to wait patiently enough till the good timecomes. But I am not going to sit down quietly like this and see a purelife like yours wrecked for the sake of such a scoundrel as Fenwick. Surely it is not for his sake that you--"

"Oh, no, " the girl cried. "My sacrifice is not for his sake at all, butfor that of another whose life is bound up with his in the strangestpossible way. When you first met me, Gerald, and asked me to be yourwife, you did not display the faintest curiosity as to my past history. Why was that?"

"Why should I?" Venner demanded. "I am my own master, I have more moneythan I know what to do with and I have practically no relations toconsider. You were all-sufficient for me; I loved you for your own sakealone; I cared nothing, and I care nothing still for your past. What Iwant to know is, how long this is going on?"

"That I cannot tell you, " Vera said sadly. "You must go on trusting me, dear. You must--"

The speaker broke off suddenly, as someone in the corridor called hername. She slipped away from Venner's side, and, looking through the palmsand flowers, he could see that she was talking eagerly to a woman who hadthe appearance of a lady's maid. Venner could not fail to note the calmstrength of the woman's face. It was only for a moment; then Vera cameback with a telegram in her hand. 

"I must go at once, " she said. "It is something of great importance. Idon't know when I shall see you again--"

"I do, " Venner said grimly. "You are going to dine with me to-night. Come just for once; let us imagine we are on our honeymoon. Thatblackguard Fenwick is away, and he will be none the wiser. Now, I wantyou to promise me. "

"I really can't, " Vera protested. "If you only knew the danger--"

However, Venner's persistency got its own way. A moment later Vera washurrying down the corridor. It was not until she was out of sight thatVenner found that she had gone away, leaving the little Yale key behindher on the table. He thrilled at the sight of it. Here was theopportunity for which he had been waiting. 

Not more than ten minutes had elapsed when, thanks to the use of thetelephone, Gurdon had reached the Grand Empire Hotel. In a few hurriedwords, Venner gave him a brief outline of what had happened. There was notime to lose. 

"Of course, it is a risk, " Venner said, "and I am not altogether surethat I am justified in taking advantage of this little slip on the partof my wife. What do you think?"

"I think you are talking a lot of rot, " Gurdon said emphatically. "Youlove the girl, you believe implicitly in her, and you are desperatelyanxious to get her out of the hands of that blackguard, Fenwick. Fromsome morbid idea of self sacrifice, your wife continues to lead this lifeof misery rather than betray what she would probably call a trust. Itseems to me that you would be more than foolish to hesitate longer. "

"Come along, then, " Venner said. "Let's see what we can do. "

The key was in the lock at length, and the big door thrown open, disclosing a luxurious suite of rooms beyond. So far as the explorerscould see at present, they had the place entirely to themselves. Nodoubt Fenwick's servants had taken advantage of his absence to make aholiday. For the most part, the rooms presented nothing out of thecommon; they might have been inhabited by anybody possessing largemeans. In one of the rooms stood a desk, carefully locked, and by itsside a fireproof safe. 

"No chance of getting into either of those, " Gurdon said. "Besides, theattempt would be too risky. Don't you notice a peculiar noise going on?Sounds almost like machinery. "

Surely enough, from a distant apartment there came a peculiar click andrumble, followed by a whirr of wheels, as if someone was running out asmall motor close by. At the same time, the two friends noticed theunmistakable odor of petrol on the atmosphere. 

"What the dickens can that be?" Gurdon said. "Its most assuredly in theflat, and not far off, either. "

"The only way to find out is to go and see, " Venner replied. "I fancythis is the way. "

They came at length to a small room at the end of a long corridor. Itwas evidently from this room that the sound of machinery came, for thenearer they came the louder it grew. The door was slightly ajar, andlooking in, the friends could see two men, evidently engaged on somemechanical task. There was a fire of charcoal in the grate, and attachedto it a pair of small but powerful bellows, driven by a small motor. Inthe heart of the fire was a metal crucible, so white and dazzling hotthat it was almost impossible for the eye to look upon it. Venner did notfail to notice that the men engaged in this mysterious occupation weremasked; at least, they wore exceedingly large smoked spectacles, whichcame to much the same thing. Behind them stood another man, who had everyappearance of being a master workman. He had a short pipe in his mouth, apair of slippers on his feet, and his somewhat expansive body was swathedin a frock coat. Presently he made a sign, and with the aid of a longpair of tongs, the white hot crucible was lifted from the fire. It wasimpossible for the two men outside to see what became of it, butevidently the foreman was satisfied with the experiment, for he gave agrunt of approval. 

"I think that will do, " he muttered. "The impression is excellent. Now, you fellows can take a rest whilst I go off and finish the otherlot of stuff. "

"He's coming out, " Venner whispered. "Let us make a bolt for it. Itwon't do to be caught here. "

They darted down the corridor together, and stood in an angle of adoorway, a little undecided as to what to do next. The man in the frockcoat passed them, carrying under one arm a square case, that bore someresemblance to the slide in which photographers slip their negativesafter taking a photograph. The man in the frock coat placed his burden ona chair, and then, apparently, hurried back for something he hadforgotten. 

"Here is our chance, " Gurdon whispered. "Let's see what is in that case. There may be an important clue here. "

The thing was done rapidly and neatly. Inside the case, between layers ofcotton wool, lay a great number of gold coins, obviously sovereigns. Theyappeared to be in a fine state of preservation, for they glistened in thelight like new gold. 

"Put one in your pocket, " whispered Venner. 

"I'm afraid we are going to have our journey for our pains; but still, you can't tell. Better take two while you are about it. "

Gurdon slipped the coins into his pocket, then turned away in thedirection of the door as the man in the frock coat came back, thoughtfully whistling, as if to give the intruders a chance of escape. Before he appeared in sight the outer door closed softly, and Venner andGurdon were in the corridor once more. 

CHAPTER VI

A PARTIAL FAILURE

"Do you notice anything peculiar about these coins?" Venner said, whenonce more they were back in the comparative seclusion of thesmoking-room. "Have a good look at them. "

Gurdon complied; he turned the coins over in his hand and weighed them onhis fingers. So far as he could see they were good, honest, Britishcoins, each well worth the twenty shillings which they were supposed torepresent. 

"I don't see anything peculiar about them at all, " he said. "So far as Ican judge, they appear to be genuine enough. At first I began to thinkthat our friend Fenwick had turned coiner. Look at this. "

As he spoke Gurdon dashed the coin down upon a marble table. It rang trueand clear. 

"I'd give a pound for it, " he said. "The weight in itself is a good test. No coiner yet has ever discovered a metal that will weigh like gold andring as true. The only strange thing about the coin is that it is in sucha wonderful state of preservation. It might have come out of the Mintyesterday. I am afraid we shall have to abandon the idea of layingFenwick by the heels on the charge of making counterfeit money. I'llswear this is genuine. "

"I am of the same opinion, too, " Venner said. "I have handled too muchgold in my time to be easily deceived. Still, there is something wronghere, and I'll tell you why. Look at those two coins again, and tell methe dates on them. "

"That is very easily done. One is dated 1901 and the other is dated 1899. I don't see that you gain anything by pointing out that fact to me. Idon't see what you are driving at. "

"Well the thing is pretty clear. It would be less clear if those coinshad been worn by use and circulation. But they are both of them Mintperfect, and they are of different dates. Do you suppose that our friendFenwick makes a hobby of collecting English sovereigns? Besides, the manin the frock coat was going to do something with these coins; and, ofcourse, you noticed how carefully they were wrapped up in cotton wool. "

"I should like to make assurance doubly sure, " Gurdon said. "Let'stake these two coins to some silversmith's shop and ask if they areall right. "

It was no far journey to the nearest silversmiths, where the coins werecut up, tested, and weighed. The assistant smiled as he handed the piecesback to Venner. 

"We will give you eighteen and sixpence each for them, sir, " he said, "which is about the intrinsic value of a sovereign; and, as you areprobably aware, sir, English gold coinage contains a certain amount ofalloy, without which it would speedily deteriorate in circulation, justas the old guinea used to; but there is no doubt that I have just lostyou three shillings by cutting up those coins. "

Venner smiled as he left the shop. As a matter of fact, he was a littlemore puzzled now than he had been before. He had expected to findsomething wrong with the two coins. 

"We must suspend judgment for the present, " he said. "Still, I feelabsolutely certain that there is some trick here, though what thescheme is I am utterly at a loss to know. Will you come in this eveningafter dinner and take your coffee and cigar with me? My wife is diningwith me, but it was an express stipulation that she should go directlydinner is over. "

At a little after seven Venner was impatiently waiting the coming ofVera. He was not altogether sorry to notice that the dining-room wasfilling up more rapidly than it had done for some days past. Perhaps, onthe whole, there would be safety in numbers. Venner had secured a littletable for two on the far side of the room, and he stood in the doorwaynow, waiting somewhat restlessly and impatiently for Vera to appear. Hewas not a little anxious and nervous in case something should happen atthe last moment to prevent his wife's appearance. As a rule, Venner wasnot a man who was troubled much with nerves, though he became consciousof the fact that he possessed them to-night. 

Was ever a man so strangely placed as himself, he wondered? He marvelled, too, that he could sit down so patiently without asserting his rights. Hewas the possessor of ample means, and if money stood in the way he wasquite prepared to pay Fenwick his price. 

On these somewhat painful meditations Vera intruded. She was simplydressed in white, and had no ornaments beyond a few flowers. Her face wasflushed now, and there was in her eyes a look of something thatapproached happiness. 

"I am so glad you have come, dear, " Venner said, as he pressed the girl'shand. "I was terribly afraid that something might come in the way. Ifthere is any danger--"

"I don't think there is any danger, " Vera whispered, "though there areother eyes on me besides those of Mark Fenwick. But, all the same, I amnot supposed to know anybody in the hotel, and I come down to dinner as amatter of course, I am glad the place is so crowded, Gerald, it will makeus less conspicuous. But it is just possible that I may have to go beforedinner is over. If that is so, I hope you will not be annoyed with me. "

"You have given me cause for greater annoyance than that, " Venner smiled. "And I have borne it all uncomplainingly. And now let us forget theunhappy past, and try and live for the present. We are on our honeymoon, you understand. I wonder what people in this room would say if they heardour amazing story. "

"I have no doubt there are other stories just as sad here, " Vera said, asshe took her place at the table. "But I am not going to allow myself tobe miserable to-night. We are going to forget everything; we are going tobelieve that this is Fairyland, and that you are the Prince who--"

Despite her assumed gaiety there was just a little catch in Vera's voice. If Venner noticed it he did not appear to do so. For the next hour or sohe meant resolutely to put the past out of his mind, and give himselfover to the ecstasy of the moment.... All too soon the dinner came to anend, and Gurdon appeared. 

"This is my wife, " Venner said simply. "Dear, Mr. Gurdon is a very oldfriend of mine, and I have practically no secrets from him. All the same, he did not know till last night that I was married--until you came intothe room and my feelings got the better of me. But we can trust Gurdon. "

"I think I am to be relied upon, " Gurdon said with a smile. "You willpardon me if I say that I never heard a stranger story than yours; and ifat any time I can be of assistance to you, I shall be sincerely happy todo all that is in my power. "

"You are very good, " Vera said gratefully. "Who knows how soon I maycall upon you to fulfil your promise? But I am afraid that it will not bequite yet. "

They sat chatting there for some half an hour longer, when a waiter camein, and advancing to their table proffered Vera a visiting card, on theback of which a few words had been scribbled. The girl looked a littleanxious and distressed as her eyes ran over the writing on the card. Thenshe rose hurriedly. 

"I am afraid I shall have to go, " she said. "I have been anticipatingthis for some little time. "

She turned to the waiter, and asked if her maid was outside, to which theman responded that it was the maid who had brought the card, and that shewas waiting with her wraps in the corridor. Vera extended her hand toGurdon as she rose to go. 

"I am exceedingly sorry, " she said. "This has been a pleasant evening forme: perhaps the most pleasant evening with one exception that I everspent in my life. Gerald will know what evening I mean. "

As she finished she smiled tenderly at Venner. He had no words in reply. Just at that moment he was filled with passionate and rebellious anger. He dared not trust himself to speak, conscious as he was that Vera'sburden was already almost more than she could bear. She held out her handto him with an imploring little gesture, as if she understood exactlywhat was passing in his mind. 

"You will forgive me, " she whispered. "I am sure you will forgive me. Itis nothing but duty which compels me to go. I would far rather stay hereand be happy. "

Venner took the extended hand and pressed it tenderly. His yearning eyeslooked after the retreating figure; then, suddenly, he turned to Gurdon, who affected to be busy over a cigar. 

"I want you to do something for me, " he said. "It is a strange fancy, but I should like you to follow her. I suppose I am beginning to getold and nervous; at any rate, I am full of silly fancies tonight. I ampossessed with the idea that my unhappy little girl is thrustingherself into some danger. You can quite see how impossible it is for meto dog her footsteps, but your case is different. Of course, if youlike to refuse--"

"I am not going to refuse, " Gurdon said. "I can see nothing dishonorable. I'll go at once, if you like. "

Venner nodded curtly, and Gurdon rose from the table. He passed out intothe street just as the slim figure of Vera was descending the steps ofthe hotel. He had no difficulty in recognising her outline, though shewas clad from head to foot now in a long, black wrap, and her fair hairwas disguised under a hood of the same material. Rather to Gurdon'ssurprise, the girl had not called a cab. She was walking down the streetwith a firm, determined step, as of one who knew exactly where she wasgoing, and meant to get there in as short a time as possible. 

Gurdon followed cautiously at a distance. He was not altogether satisfiedin his own mind that his action was quite as straightforward as it mighthave been. Still, he had given his promise, and he was not inclined toback out of it now. For about a quarter of an hour he followed, untilVera at length halted before a house somewhere in the neighborhood ofGrosvenor Square. It was a fine, large corner mansion, but so far asGurdon could see there was not a light in the place from parapet tobasement. He could see Vera going up the steps; he was close enough tohear the sound of an electric bell; then a light blazed in the hall, andthe door was opened. So far as Gurdon could see, it was an old man whoopened the door; an old man with a long, grey beard, and a face lined andscored with the ravages of time. All this happened in an instant. Thedoor was closed again, and the whole house left in darkness. 

Gurdon paused, a little uncertain as to what to do next. He would haveliked, if possible, to be a little closer to Vera, for if there were anydangers threatening her he would be just as powerless to help now as ifhe had been in another part of the town. He walked slowly down the sideof the house, and noted that there was a line garden behind, and a smallgreen door leading to the lane. Acting on the impulse of the moment hetried the door, which yielded to his touch. If he had been asked why hedid this thing he would have found it exceedingly difficult to reply. Still, the thing was done, and Gurdon walked forward over the wideexpanse of lawn till he could make out at length a row of windows, looking out from the back of the house. It was not so very easy todiscern all this, for the night was dark, and the back of the housedarker still. Presently a light flared out in one of the rooms, and thenGurdon could make out the dome of a large conservatory leading from thegarden to the house. 

"I shall find myself in the hands of the police, if I don't take care, "Gurdon said to himself. "What an ass I am to embark on an adventure likethis. It isn't as if I had the slightest chance of being of any use tothe girl, seeing that I--"

He broke off, suddenly conscious of the fact that another of the roomswas lighted now--a large one, by the side of the conservatory. In thesilence of the garden it seemed to him that he could hear voices raisedangrily, and then a cry, as if of pain, from somebody inside. 

Fairly interested at last, Gurdon advanced till he was close to thewindow. He could hear no more now, for the same tense silence hadfallen over the place once more. Gurdon pressed close to the window; hefelt something yield beneath his feet, and the next moment he hadplunged headlong into the darkness of something that suggested anunderground cellar. Perhaps he had been standing unconsciously on agrating that was none too safe, for now he felt himself bruised and halfstunned, lying on his back on a cold, hard floor, amid a mass of brokenglass and rusty ironwork. 

Startled and surprised as he was, the noise of the breaking glass soundedin Gurdon's ears like the din of some earthquake. He struggled to hisfeet, hoping that the gods would be kind to him, and that he could getaway before his presence there was discovered. He was still dazed andconfused; his head ached painfully, and he groped in the pitch darknesswithout any prospect of escape. He could nowhere find an avenue. So faras he could judge, he was absolutely caught like a rat in a trap. 

He half smiled to himself; he was still too dazed to grasp thesignificance of his position, when a light suddenly appeared overhead, atthe top of a flight of stairs, and a hoarse voice demanded to know whowas there. In the same dreamy kind of way, Gurdon was just conscious ofthe fact that a strong pair of arms lifted him from the floor, and thathe was being carried up the steps. In the same dreamy fashion, he wascognisant of light and warmth, a luxurious atmosphere, and rows uponrows of beautiful flowers everywhere. He would, no doubt, awakepresently, and find that the whole thing was a dream. Meanwhile, therewas nothing visionary about the glass of brandy which somebody had put tohis lips, or about the hands which were brushing him down and removingall traces of his recent adventure. 

"When you feel quite up to it, sir, " a quiet, respectful voice said, "mymaster would like to see you. He is naturally curious enough to know whatyou were doing in the garden. "

"I am afraid your master must have his own way, " Gurdon said grimly. "Iam feeling pretty well now, thanks to the brandy. If you will take me toyour master, I will try to explain matters. "

The servant led the way into a large, handsome apartment, where a man inevening dress was seated in a big armchair before the fire. He lookedround with a peculiar smile as Gurdon came in. 

"Well, sir, " he said. "And what does this mean?"

Gurdon had no voice to reply, for the man in the armchair was thehandsome cripple--the hero of the forefinger. 

CHAPTER VII

THE WHITE LADY

Gurdon looked hopelessly about him, utterly at a loss for anything tosay. The whole thing had been so unexpected, so very opposite to thecommonplace ending he had anticipated, that he was too dazed andconfused to do anything but smile in an inane and foolish manner. He hadrather looked forward to seeing some eccentric individual, some elderlyrecluse who lived there with a servant or two. And here he was, face toface with the man who, at the present moment, was to him the mostinteresting in London. 

"You can take your time, " the cripple said. "I am anxious for you tobelieve that I am not in the least hurry. The point of the problem isthis: a well dressed man, evidently a gentleman, is discovered at a latehour in the evening in my cellar. As the gentleman in question isobviously sober, one naturally feels a little curiosity as to what itall means. "

The speaker spoke quite slowly and clearly, and with a sarcastic emphasisthat caused Gurdon to writhe impotently. Every word and gesture on thepart of the cripple spoke of a strong mind and a clear intellect in thattwisted body. Despite the playful acidity of his words, there was adistinct threat underlying them. It occurred to Gurdon as he stood therethat he would much rather have this man for a friend than a foe. 

"Perhaps you had better take a seat, " the cripple said. "There is plentyof time, and I don't mind confessing to you that this little comedyamuses me. Heaven knows, I have little enough amusement in my drearylife; and, therefore, in a measure, you have earned my gratitude. Butthere is another side to the picture. I have enemies who are utterlyunscrupulous. I have to be unscrupulous in my turn, so that when I havethe opportunity of laying one of them by the heels, my methods are apt tobe thorough. Did you come here alone to-night, or have you anaccomplice?"

"Assuredly, I came alone, " Gurdon replied. 

"Oh, indeed. You found your way into the garden. To argue out the thinglogically, we will take it for granted that you had no intention whateverof paying a visit to my garden when you left home. If such had been yourintention, you would not be wearing evening dress, and thin, patentleather shoes. Your visit to the garden was either a resolution taken onthe spur of the moment, or was determined upon after a certain discovery. I am glad to hear that you came here entirely by yourself. "

There was an unmistakable threat in these latter words; and as Gurdonlooked up he saw that the cripple was regarding him with an intensemalignity. The grey eyes were cold and merciless, the handsome face hardand set, and yet it was not a countenance which one usually associateswith the madman or the criminal. Really, it was a very noble face--theface of a philanthropist, a poet, a great statesman, who devotes hismoney and his talents to the interests of his country. Despite a feelingof danger, Gurdon could not help making a mental note of these things. 

"Won't you sit down?" the cripple asked again. "I should like to have alittle chat with you. Here are whisky and soda, and some cigars, for theexcellence of which I can vouch, as I import them myself. Perhaps, also, you share with me a love of flowers?"

With a wave of his strong arm, the speaker indicated the wealth ofblossoms which arose from all sides of the room. There were flowerseverywhere. The luxuriant blooms seemed to overpower and dwarf thehandsome furnishings of the room. At the far end, folding doorsopened into the conservatory, which was a veritable mass of brilliantcolors. The cripple smiled upon his blossoms, as a mother might smileon her child. 

"These are the only friends who never deceive you, " he said. "Flowers anddogs, and, perhaps, little children. I know this, because I havesuffered from contact with the world, as, perhaps, you will notice whenyou regard this poor body of mine. I think you said just now you camehere entirely by yourself. "

"That is a fact, " Gurdon replied. He was beginning to feel a little moreat his ease now. "Let me hasten to assure you that I came here with nofelonious intent at all. I was looking for somebody, and I thought thatmy friend came here. You will pardon me if I do not explain with anyamount of detail, because the thing does not concern myself altogether. And, besides--"

Gurdon paused; he could not possibly tell this stranger of the startlingevents which had led to his present awkward situation. In any case, hewould not have been believed. 

"We need not go into that, " the cripple said. "It is all by the way. Youcame here alone; and, I take it, when you left your home, you had not theslightest intention of coming here. To make my meaning a little moreclear, if you disappeared from this moment, and your friends never sawyou again, the police would not have the slightest clue to yourwhereabouts. "

Gurdon laughed just a little uneasily; he began to entertain the ideathat he was face to face with some dangerous lunatic, some man whosedreadful troubles and misfortunes had turned him against the world. Evidently, it would be the right policy to humor him. 

"That is quite correct, " he said. "Nobody has the least idea where I am;and if the unpleasant contingency you allude to happened to me, I shouldgo down to posterity as one of the victims of the mysterious type ofcrime that startles London now and again. "

"I should think, " said the stranger, in a thin, dry tone, that causedGurdon's pulses to beat a little faster--"I should think that yourprophecy is in a fair way to turn out correct. I don't ask you why youcame here, because you would not tell me if I did. But you must have beenspying on the place, or you would not have had the misfortune to tread ona damaged grating, and finish your adventure ignominiously in the cellar. As I told you just now, I have enemies who are absolutely unscrupulous, and who would give much for a chance of murdering me if the thing couldbe done with impunity. Common sense prompts me to take it for grantedthat you are in some wry connected with the foes to whom I have alluded. "

"I assure you, I am not, " Gurdon protested. "I am the enemy of no man. Icame here to night--"

Gurdon stopped in some confusion. How could he possibly tell this man whyhe had come and what he had in his mind? The thing was awkward--almost tothe verge of absurdity. 

"I quite see the quandary you are in, " said the cripple, with a smile. "Now, let me ask you a question. Do you happen to know a man by the nameof Mark Fenwick?"

The query was so straight and to the point that Gurdon fairly started. More and more did he begin to appreciate the subtlety and cleverness ofhis companion. It was impossible to fence the interrogation; it had to beanswered, one way or the other. 

"I know the man by sight, " he said; "but I beg to assure you that untillast night I had never seen him. "

"That may be, " the cripple said drily. "But you know him now, and thatsatisfies me. Now, listen. You see what I have in my hand. Perhaps youare acquainted with weapons of this kind?"

So saying, the speaker wriggled in his chair, and produced from somewherebehind him a small revolver. Despite its silver plated barrel and ivoryhandle, it was a sinister looking weapon, and capable of deadly mischiefin the hands of an expert. Though no judge of such matters, it occurredto Gurdon that his companion handled the revolver as an expert should. 

"I have been used to this kind of thing from a boy, " the cripple said. "Icould shoot you where you sit within a hair's breadth of where I wantedto hit you. "

"Which would be murder, " Gurdon said quietly. 

"Perhaps it would, in the eyes of the law; but there are times when oneis tempted to defy the mandates of a wise legislature. For instance, Ihave told you more than once before that I have enemies, and everythingpoints to the fact that you are the tool and accomplice of some of them. I have about me one or two faithful people, who would do anything I ask. If I shoot you now the report of a weapon like this will hardly beaudible beyond the door. You lie there, dead, shot clean through thebrain. I ring my bell and tell my servants to clear this mess away. Igive them orders to go and bury it quietly somewhere, and they would obeyme without the slightest hesitation. Nothing more would be said. I shouldbe as safe from molestation as if the whole thing had happened on adesert island. I hope I have succeeded in making the position clear, because I should be loth to think that a little incident like this shouldcause inconvenience to one who might after all have been absolutelyinnocent. "

The words were spoken quietly, and without the slightest trace ofpassion. Still, there was no mistaking the malignity and intense furywhich underlay the well chosen and well balanced sentences. 

Gurdon was silent; there was nothing for him to say. He was in a positionin which he could not possibly explain; he could only sit there, lookinginto the barrel of the deadly weapon, and praying for some diversionwhich might be the means of saving his life. It came presently in astrange and totally unexpected fashion. Upon the tense, nerve-breakingsilence, a voice suddenly intruded like a flash of light in a dark place. It was a sweet and girlish voice, singing some simple ballad, with anatural pathos which rendered the song singularly touching andattractive. As the voice came nearer the cripple's expression changedentirely; his hard eyes grew soft, and the handsome features werewreathed in a smile. Then the door opened, and the singer came in. 

Gurdon looked at her, though she seemed unconscious of his presencealtogether. He saw a slight, fair girl, dressed entirely in white, withher long hair streaming over her shoulders. The face was very sad andwistful, the blue eyes clouded with some suggestion of trouble anddespair. Gurdon did not need a second glance to assure him that he was inthe presence of one who was mentally afflicted. She came forward and tookher place by the side of the cripple. 

"They told me that you are busy, " she said, "Just as if it matteredwhether you were busy or not, when I wanted to see you. "

"You must go away now, Beth, " the cripple said, in his softest and mosttender manner. "Don't you see that I am talking with this gentleman?"

The girl turned eagerly to Gurdon; she crossed the room with a swift, elastic step, and laid her two hands on him. 

"I know what you have come for, " she said, eagerly. "You have come totell me all about Charles. You have found him at last; you are going tobring him back to me. They told me he was dead, that he had perished inthe mine; but I knew better than that. I know that Charles will come backto me again. "

"What mine?" Gurdon asked. 

"Why, the Four Finger Mine, of course, " was the totally unexpectedreply. "They said that Charles had lost his life in the Four FingerMine. It was in a kind of dream that I saw his body lying there, murdered. But I shall wake from the dream presently, and he will comeback to me, come back in the evening, as he always used to when the sunwas setting beyond the pines. "

There was something so utterly sad and hopeless in this that Gurdonaverted his eyes from the girl's face. He glanced in the direction of thedoor; then it required all his self control to repress a cry, for in thecomparative gloom of the passage beyond, he could just make out thefigure of Vera, who stood there with her finger on her lip as if imposingsilence. He could see that in her hand she held something that lookedlike a chisel. A moment later she flitted away once more, leaving Gurdonto puzzle his brain as to what it all meant. 

"I am sorry for all this, " the cripple said. "You have entirely byaccident come face to face with a phase in my life which is sacred andinviolate. Really, if I had no other reason for reducing you to silence, this would be a sufficiently powerful inducement. My dear Beth, I reallymust ask you--"

Whatever the cripple might have intended to say, the speech was neverfinished; for, at that moment, the electric lights vanished suddenly, plunging the whole house into absolute darkness. A moment later, footsteps came hurrying along in the hall, and a voice was heard to saythat the fuse from the meter had gone, and it would be impossible to turnon the light again until the officials had been called in to repair thedamage. At the same moment, Gurdon rose to his feet and crept quietly inthe direction of the door. Here, at any rate, was a chance of escape, forthat his life was in dire peril he had felt for some little time. He hadhardly reached the doorway when he felt a slim hand touch his, and he wasguided from the room into the passage beyond. He could give a pretty fairidea as to the owner of the slim fingers that trembled in his own, but hemade no remark; he allowed himself to be led on till his feet stumbledagainst the stairs. 

"This way, " a voice whispered. "Say nothing, and make no protest. Youwill be quite safe from further harm. "

Gurdon did exactly as he was told. He found himself presently at the topof a staircase, and a little later on in a room, the door of which wasclosed very quietly by his guide. 

"I think I can guess who I have to thank for this, " Gurdon murmured. "Butwhy did you not take me to the front door, or the back entrance leadingto the garden? It was lucky for me that the lights failed at the criticalmoment--a piece of nominal good fortune, such as usually only happens ina story. But I should feel a great deal safer if I were on the other sideof the front door. "

"That is quite impossible, " Vera said, for it was she who had come toGurdon's rescue. "Both doors are locked, and all the rooms on theground floor are furnished with shutters. As to the light going out, Iam responsible for it. I learned all about the electric light when Ilived in a mining camp in Mexico. I had only to remove one of the lampsand apply my chisel to the two poles, and thereby put out every fuse inthe house. That is why the light failed, for it occurred to me that inthe confusion that followed the darkness, I should be in a position tosave you. But you little realise how near you have been to deathto-night. And, why, oh, why did you follow me in this way? It was verywrong of you. "

"It was Venner's idea, " Gurdon said. "He had a strange fear that you weregoing into some danger. He asked me to follow you, and I did so. As tothe manner of my getting here--"

"I know all about that, " Vera said hurriedly. "I have been listening toyour conversation. I dare say you are curious to know something moreabout this strange household; but, for the present, you will be farbetter employed in getting away from it. I shall not be easy in my mindtill you are once more in the street. "

CHAPTER VIII

MISSING

Gurdon waited to hear what his companion was going to say now. He hadmade up his mind to place himself implicitly in her hands, and let herdecide for the best. Evidently, he had found himself in a kind of lunaticasylum, where one inhabitant at least had developed a dangerous form ofhomicidal mania, and he had a pretty sure conclusion that Vera had savedhis life. It was no time now to ask questions; that would come later on. 

"I am sure I am awfully grateful to you, " Gurdon said. "Who are thesepeople, and why do they behave in this insane fashion? This is notexactly the kind of menage one expects to find in one of the bestappointed mansions in the West End. "

"I can tell you nothing about it, " Vera said. There was a marked coldnessin her voice that told Gurdon he was going too far. "I can tell younothing. One thing you may rest assured of--I am in no kind of danger, nor am I likely to be. My concern chiefly at the present moment is withyou. I want you to get back as soon as you can to the Great Empire Hotel, and ease Gerald's mind as to myself. "

"I hardly like to go, without you, " Gurdon murmured. 

"But you must, " Vera protested. "Let me assure you once more that I am asabsolutely safe here as if I were in my own room. Now, come this way. Idare not strike a light. I can only take you by the hand and lead you tothe top of the house. Every inch of the place is perfectly familiar tome, and you are not likely to come to the least harm. Please don't wastea moment more of your time. "

Gurdon yielded against his better judgment. A moment or two later, hefound himself climbing through a skylight on to the flat leads at thetop of the house. By the light of the town he could now see what hewas doing, and pretty well where he was. From the leads he could lookdown into the garden, though, as yet, he could not discern any avenueof escape. 

"The thing is quite easy, " Vera explained. "The late occupant of thehouse had a nervous dread of fire, and from every floor he had a seriesof rope ladders arranged. See, there is one fixed to this chimney. I haveonly to throw it over, and you can reach the garden without delay; then Iwill pull the ladder up again and no one will be any the wiser. Please, leave me without any further delay, in the absolute assurance that Ishall be back again within an hour. "

A few minutes later Gurdon was in the street again, making his way backto the hotel where Venner was waiting for him. 

It was a strange story that he had to tell; a very thrilling andinteresting adventure, but one which, after all, still furthercomplicated the mystery and rendered it almost unintelligible. 

"And you mean to say that you have been actually face to face with ourcripple friend?" Venner said. "You mean to say that he would actuallyhave murdered you if Vera had not interfered in that providential manner?I suppose I must accept your assurance that she is absolutely safe, though I can't help feeling that she has exaggerated her own position. Iam terribly anxious about her. I have an idea which I should like tocarry out. I feel tolerably sure that this picturesque cripple of ourscould tell us everything that we want to know. Besides, unless I dosomething I shall go mad. What do you say to paying the interestingcripple a visit to-morrow night, and forcing him to tell us everything?"

Gurdon shook his head; he was not particularly impressed with thesuggestion that Venner had made. 

"Of course, we could get into the house easily enough, " he said. "Nowthat I have learned the secret of the cellar, there will be nodifficulty about that. Still, don't you think it seems rather ridiculousto try this sort of thing when your wife is in a position to tell youthe whole thing?"

"But she would decline to do anything of the kind, " Venner protested. "She has told me that her lips are sealed; she has even no explanation tooffer for the way in which she left me within half-an-hour of ourbecoming man and wife. I should almost be justified in forcing her tospeak; but, you see, I cannot do that. Therefore, I must treat her in away as if she were one of our enemies. I have a very strong fancy forpaying a visit to our cripple friend, and, if the worst came to theworst, we could convince him that we are emphatically not on the side ofMark Fenwick. At any rate, I mean to have a try, and if you don't like tocome in--"

"Oh, I'll come in fast enough, " Gurdon said. "You had better meet meto-morrow night at my rooms, say, about eleven; then, we will see what wecan do with a view to a solution of the mystery. "

At the appointed time, Venner duly put in an appearance. He was clothedin a dark suit and cap, Gurdon donning a similar costume. Under his armVenner had a small brown paper parcel. 

"What have you got there?" Gurdon asked. 

"A pair of tennis shoes, " was the response. "And if you take my advice, you should have a pair, too. My idea is to take off our boots directly weget into the seclusion of the garden and change into these shoes. Nowcome along, let's get it over. "

It was an easy matter to reach the garden without being observed, and ina very short time the two friends were standing close to the windows ofthe large room at the back of the house. There was not so much as aglimmer of light to be seen anywhere within. Very cautiously they felttheir way along until they came at length to the grating through whichGurdon had made so dramatic an entrance on the night before. He tookfrom his pocket a box of vestas, and ventured to strike one. He held itdown close to the ground, shading the tiny point of flame in the hollowof his hand. 

"Here is a bit of luck to begin with, " he chuckled. "They haven'tfastened this grating up again. I suppose my escape last night must haveupset them. At any rate, here is a way into the house without running therisk of being arrested on a charge of burglary, and if the police didcatch us we should find it an exceedingly awkward matter to frame anexcuse carefully, to satisfy a magistrate. "

"That seems all right, " Venner said. "When we get into the cellar it'sany odds that we find the door of the stairs locked. I don't suppose thegrating has been forgotten. You see, it is not such an easy matter to getthe British workman to do a job on the spur of the moment. "

"Well, come along; we will soon ascertain that, " Gurdon said. "Once downthese steps, we shall be able to use our matches. "

They crept cautiously down the stairs into the damp and moldy cellar;thence, up the steps on the other side, where Gurdon lighted one of hismatches. The door was closed, but it yielded quite easily to the touch, and at length the two men were in the part of the house which was givenover to the use of the servants. So far as they could judge the place wasabsolutely deserted. Doubtless the domestic staff had retired to bed. Allthe same, it seemed strange to find no signs of life in the kitchen. Thestove was cold, and though the grate was full of cinders, it was quiteapparent that no fire had been lighted there for the past four and twentyhours. Again, there was no furniture in the kitchen other than a largetable and a couple of chairs. The dressers were empty, and the shelvesdeprived of their usual burden. 

"This is odd, " Venner murmured. "Perhaps we shall have better luck on thedining-room floor. I suppose we had better not turn on the lights!"

"That would be too risky, " Gurdon said. "However, I have plenty ofmatches, which will serve our purpose equally well. "

On cautiously reaching the hall a further surprise awaited the intruders. There was absolutely nothing there--not so much as an umbrella stand. Themarble floor was swept bare of everything, the big dining-room which thenight before had been most luxuriously furnished, was now stripped andempty; not so much as a flower remained; and the conservatory beyondshowed nothing but wooden staging and glittering glass behind that. Aclose examination of the whole house disclosed the fact that it wasabsolutely empty. 

"If I did not know you as well as I do, " Venner said grimly, "I shouldsay that you had been drinking. Do you mean to tell me that you sat inthis dining-room last night, and that it was furnished in the luxuriousway you described? Do you mean to tell me that you sat here, oppositeour cripple friend, waiting for him to shoot you? Are you perfectlycertain that we have made our way into the right house? You have nodoubt on that score?"

"Of course, I haven't, " Gurdon said, a little hotly. "Would there be twohouses close together, both of them with a broken grating over thecellar? I tell you this is the same house right enough. It was just inthis particular spot I was seated when the lights went out, and yourwife's fertility of resource saved my life. It may be possible that theelectric fuses have not yet been repaired. At any rate, I'll see. "

Gurdon laid his hand upon the switch and snapped it down. No light came;the solitary illuminating point in the room was afforded by the matchwhich Venner held in his hand. 

"There, " Gurdon said, with a sort of gloomy triumph. "Doesn't thatprove it? I suppose that our cripple took alarm and has cleared out ofthe house. "

"That's all very well, but it is almost impossible to remove thefurniture of a great place like this in the course of a day. "

"My dear chap, I don't think it has been removed in the course of aday. Didn't you notice just now what a tremendous lot of dust westirred up as we were going over the house? My theory is this--onlythree or four of the rooms were furnished, and the rest of the housewas closed. When I made my escape last night, the cripple must havetaken alarm and gone away from here as speedily as possible. Whatrenders the whole thing more inexplicable is the fact that your wifecould explain everything if she pleased. But after a check-mate likethis, I don't see the slightest reason for staying here any longer. Thebest thing we can do is to get back to my rooms and discuss the matterover a whiskey and soda and cigar. But, talking about cigars, will youhave the goodness to look at this?"

From the empty grate Gurdon picked up a half smoked cigar of a somewhatpeculiar make and shape. 

"I want you to notice this little bit of evidence, " he said. "This is thevery cigar that the cripple gave me last night. I can't say that Ialtogether enjoyed smoking it, but it was my tip to humor him. I smokedthat much. When the white lady came in I naturally threw the end of thecigar into the fireplace. In the face of this, I don't think you willaccuse me of dreaming. "

More than one cigar was consumed before Venner left his friend's rooms, but even the inspiration of tobacco failed to elucidate a solitary pointat issue. What had become of the cripple, and where had he vanished somysteriously? Gurdon was still debating this point over a late breakfastthe following morning, when Venner came in. His face was flushed and hismanner was excited. He carried a copy of an early edition of an eveningpaper in his hand--the edition which is usually issued by most papers alittle after noon. 

"I think I've discovered something, " he said. "It was quite by accident, but you will not fail to be interested in something that appears in the_Comet_. It alludes to the disappearance of a gentleman called Bates, whoseems to have vanished from his house in Portsmouth Square. You know thename of the Square, of course?"

Gurdon pushed his coffee cup away from him, and lighted a cigarette. Hefelt that something of importance was coming. 

"I suppose I ought to know the name of the square, " he said grimly. "Seeing that I nearly lost my life in a house there the night beforelast. But please go on. I see you have something to tell me that is wellworth hearing. "

"That's right, " Venner said. "Most of it is in this paper. It appearsthat the aforesaid Mr. Bates is a gentleman of retiring disposition, andsomewhat eccentric habits. As far as one can gather, he has no friends, but lives quietly in Portsmouth Square, his wants being ministered to bya body of servants who have been in his employ for years. Of necessity, Mr. Bates is a man of wealth, or he could not possibly live in a housethe rent of which cannot be less than five or six hundred a year. As arule, Mr. Bates rarely leaves his house, but last night he seems to havegone out unattended, and since then, he has not been seen. "

"Stop a moment, " Gurdon exclaimed eagerly. "I am beginning to seedaylight at last. What was the number of the house where this Bateslived? I mean the number of the square. "

Venner turned to his paper, and ran his eye down the printed column. Thenhe smiled as he spoke. 

"The number of the house, " he said, "is 75. "

"I knew it, " Gurdon said excitedly. "I felt pretty certain of it. The manwho has disappeared lived at No. 75, and the place where we had ouradventure, or rather, I had my adventure, is No. 74. Now, tell me, whowas it who informed the police of the disappearance of Mr. Bates? Someservant, I suppose?"

"Of course; and the servant goes on to suggest that Mr. Bates hadmysterious enemies, who caused him considerable trouble from time totime. But now I come to the interesting part of my story. At the foot ofthe narrative which is contained in the _Comet_, that I hold in my hand, is a full description of Mr. Bates. "

"Go on, " Gurdon said breathlessly. "I should be little less than an idiotif I did not know what was coming. "

"I thought you would guess, " Venner said. "A name like Bates impliesmiddle age and respectability. But this Bates is described as being youngand exceedingly good looking. Moreover, he is afflicted with a kind ofparalysis, which renders his movements slow and uncertain. And now youknow all about it. There is not the slightest doubt that this missingBates is no other than our interesting friend, the good-looking cripple. The only point which leaves us in doubt is the fact that Mr. Bates is arespectable householder, living at 75, Portsmouth Square, while the manwho tried to murder you entertained you at No. 74, which house, now, isabsolutely empty. We need not discuss that puzzle at the present moment, because there are more important things to occupy our attention. Therecan be no doubt that this man who calls himself Bates has been kidnappedby somebody. You will not have much difficulty in guessing the name ofthe culprit. "

"I guess it at once, " Gurdon said. "If I mention the name of MarkFenwick, I think I have said the last word. "

CHAPTER IX

A NEW PHASE

There was not the slightest doubt that Gurdon had hit the mark. As far asthey could see at present, the man most likely to benefit by the death ordisappearance of the cripple was Mark Fenwick. Still, it was impossibleto dismiss the thing in this casual way, nor could it be forgotten thatthe cripple had actually been present at the Grand Empire Hotel on thenight when the alleged millionaire received his message by means of themummified finger. Therefore, logically speaking, it was only fair toinfer that on the night in question Fenwick had not been acquainted withthe personality of the cripple. Otherwise, the latter would have scarcelyventured to show himself in a place where his experiment had been broughtto a conclusion. 

On the other hand, it was just possible that Fenwick had been looking forthe cripple for some time past. But all this was more or less in the air, though there was a great deal to be said for the conclusion at which thetwo friends had arrived. 

"I work it out like this, " Venner said, after a long, thoughtful pause. "You know all about the Four Finger Mine; you know exactly what happenedto the Dutchman Van Fort after the murder of Le Fenu. It will be fresh inyour recollection how, by some mysterious agency, the fingers of theDutchman were conveyed to his wife, though he himself was never seenagain. It is quite fair to infer that Fenwick has contrived to get holdof the same mine, though that dangerous property does not seem to haveharmed him as much as it did the other thief. Still, we know that he haslost all the fingers of his left hand, and we have evidence of the factthat the vengeance has been worked out in the same mysterious fashion asit was worked out on the Dutchman. We know, too, who is at the bottom ofthe plot, we know that the cripple could tell us all about it if heliked. Obviously, this same cripple is a deadly enemy of Fenwick's. And, no doubt, Fenwick has found out where to lay his hands upon his man quiterecently. Fenwick is a clever man, he is bold and unscrupulous, andwithout question he set to work at once to get the better of the cripple. Of course, this may be nothing but a wrong theory of mine, and it maylead us astray, but it is all I can see to work upon at present. "

"I don't think you are very far wrong, " Gurdon said, "but I am stillpuzzled about the house in Portsmouth Square. "

"Which house do you mean?" Venner asked. 

"The one in which my adventure took place. The house from which thefurniture vanished so mysteriously. "

"That seems to me capable of an easy explanation, " Venner replied. "Thereis no doubt that the man called Bates and the cripple are one and thesame person. You must admit that. "

"Yes, I admit that freely enough. Go on. "

"Well, this Bates, as we will call him, has a large establishment at 75, Portsmouth Square. The house next door was empty, possibly it belonged toMr. Bates. He had a whim for furnishing a room or two in an empty house, or perhaps there was some more sinister purpose behind it. Anyway, afteryou had blundered on the place and had taken your life in your hands, itbecame necessary for the man to disappear from No. 74. Therefore, he hadthat furniture removed at once. I daresay if we investigated the housecarefully we should find that there was some means of communicationbetween the two; at least, that is the only explanation I can think of. "

"You've got it, " Gurdon cried. "I'll wager any money, you are right. ButI am sorry the man has vanished in this mysterious way, because it checksour investigations at the very outset. The last thing you wanted in thismatter was police interference. Now the whole thing has got into thepapers, and the public are sure to take the matter up. It is the veryclass of mystery that the cheap press loves to dwell upon. It has allthe attributes of the _cause celebre_. Here is a handsome man, picturesque looking, a cripple into the bargain, a man leading anabsolutely secluded life, and the very last person in the world one wouldexpect to have enemies. He is very rich, too, and lives in one of thefinest houses in the West End of London. He disappears in the mostmysterious manner. Unless I am greatly mistaken, within the next two orthree days London will be disclosing this matter and the newspapers willbe full of it. "

"I am afraid you are right, " Venner admitted; "but I don't see how we aregoing to gain any thing by telling the police what we have found out. Asyou know, I investigated this matter solely in the interests of the womanI love, and with the one intention of freeing her life from the cloudthat hangs over it. In any other circumstances I would go direct toScotland Yard and tell them everything we know. But not now. I think youwill agree with me that we should go our own way and say nothing toanybody about our discovery. "

The events of the next day or so fully verified the fears of the twofriends. The Bates case appealed powerfully to the large section of thepublic who delight in crimes of the mysterious order. Within a couple ofdays most of the papers were devoting much space to the problem. It sohappened, too, that the week was an exceedingly barren one from a newspoint of view; therefore, the Bates case had the place of honor. Therewas absolutely no fresh information, not a single line that pointed to adefinite solution of the problem. Indeed, the ingenious way in which mostof the papers contrived to fill some three columns a day was beyond allpraise. But both Gurdon and Venner searched in vain for a scrap ofinformation that threw any light on the identity of the missing man. Hishabits were described at some length, a tolerably accurate description ofhis household appeared in several quarters; but nothing very much beyondthat. The missing man's servants were exceedingly reticent, and if theyknew anything whatever about their master they had preferred to confideit to the police in preference to the inquisitive reporter. Not a singlerelative turned up, though it was generally understood that the missingman was possessed of considerable property. 

It was on the third day that Venner began to see daylight. One of theevening papers had come out with a startling letter which seemed to pointto a clue, though it conveyed nothing to the police. Venner came round toGurdon's rooms with a copy of the evening paper in his hand. He laid itbefore his friend and asked him to read the letter, which, though itcontained but a few lines, was of absorbing interest to both of them. 

"You see what this man says?" Venner remarked. "He appears to be aworkingman who got himself into trouble over a drinking bout. Two daysago he was charged before the magistrate with being drunk and disorderly, and was sentenced to a fine of forty shillings or fourteen days'imprisonment. According to his story, the money was not forthcoming, therefore he was taken to gaol. At the end of two days his friendscontrived to obtain the necessary cash and he was released. He writes allthis to show how it was that he was entirely ignorant of the startlingevents which had taken place in the Bates case. This man goes on to saythat on the night when Mr. Bates disappeared he was passing PortsmouthSquare on his way home from some public-house festivities. He was nonetoo sober, and has a hazy recollection of what he saw. He recollectsquite clearly, now that he has time to think the matter over, seeing acab standing at the corner of the Square within three doors of No. 75. Atthe same time, a telegraph boy called at No. 75 with a message. It was atthis point that the narrator of the story stopped to light his pipe. Itwas rather a windy evening, so that he used several matches in theprocess. Anyway, he stood there long enough to see the telegraph boydeliver his message to a gentleman who appeared to have great difficultyin getting to the door. No sooner had the telegraph boy gone than thegentleman crept slowly and painfully down the steps and walked in thedirection of the cab. Then somebody stepped from the cab and accosted thecripple, who, beyond all question, was the mysterious Bates. The writerof the letter says that he heard a sort of cry, then someone called outsomething in a language that he was unable to understand. He ratherthinks it was Portuguese, because among his fellow workmen is aPortuguese artisan, and the language sounded something like his. "

"We are getting on, " Gurdon said. "That little touch about the Portugueselanguage clearly points to Fenwick. "

"Of course, it does, " Venner went on. "But that is not quite all. Theletter goes on to say that something like a struggle took place, afterwhich the cripple was bundled into the cab, which was driven away. It wasa four-wheeled cab, and the peculiarity about it was that it had indiarubber tires, which is a most unusual thing for the typical growler. Theauthor of all this information says that the struggle appeared to be ofno very desperate nature, for it was followed by nothing in the way of acall for help. Indeed, the workman who is telling all this seemed tothink that it was more or less in the way of what he calls a spree. Hesaid nothing whatever to the police about it, fearing perhaps that hehimself was in no fit state to tell a story; and, besides, there was justthe possibility that he might find himself figuring before a magistratethe next morning. That is the whole of the letter, Gurdon, which thoughit conveys very little to the authorities, is full of pregnantinformation for ourselves. At any rate, it tells us quite clearly thatFenwick was at the bottom of this outrage. "

"Quite right, " Gurdon said. "The little touch about the Portugueselanguage proves that. Is there anything else in the letter likely to beuseful to us?"

"No, I have given you the whole of it. Personally, the best thing we cando is to go and interview the writer, who has given his name and address. A small, but judicious, outlay in the matter of beer will cause him totell us all we want to know. "

It was somewhere in the neighborhood of the Docks where the man who hadgiven his name as James Taylor was discovered later on in the day. He wasa fairly intelligent type of laborer, who obtained a more or lessprecarious livelihood as a docker. As a rule, he worked hard enough fouror five hours a day when things were brisk, and, in slack periods whenmoney was scarce, he spent the best part of his day in bed. He had oneroom in a large tenement house, where the friends found him partiallydressed and reading a sporting paper. He was not disposed to becommunicative at first, but the suggestion of something in the way ofliquid refreshment stimulated his good-nature. 

"Right you are, " he said. "I've had nothing today besides a mouthful ofbreakfast, and when I've paid my rent I shall have a solitary tannerleft; but I 'ope you gents are not down here with a view of getting apoor chap into trouble?"

Gurdon hastened to reassure him on that head. He was balancing ahalf-sovereign thoughtfully on his forefinger. 

"We are not going to hurt you at all, " he said. "We want you to give us alittle information. In proof of what I say you can take thishalf-sovereign and obtain what liquid refreshment you require. Also, youcan keep the change. If you don't like my proposal, there is an end ofthe matter. "

"Don't be short, guv'nor, " Taylor responded. "I like that thereproposition of yours so well that I'm going to take it; 'alf-sovereignsain't so plentiful as all that comes to. If you just wait a moment, I'llbe back in 'alf a tick. Then I'll tell you all you want to know. "

The man was back again presently, and professed himself ready to answerany questions that might be put to him. His manner grew just a littlesuspicious as Venner mentioned the name of Bates. 

"You don't look like police, " he said. "Speaking personally, I ain't fondof 'em, and I don't want to get into trouble. "

"We have no connection whatever with the police, " Venner said. "In fact, we would rather not have anything to do with them. It so happens that weare both interested in the gentleman that you saw getting into the cabthe other night. I have read your letter in the paper, and I am quiteprepared to believe every word of it. The only thing we want to know iswhether you saw the man in the cab--"

"Which one?" Taylor asked. "There were two blokes in the cab. "

"This is very interesting, " Venner murmured. "I shall be greatly obligedto you if you will describe both of them. "

"I couldn't describe the one, guv'nor, " Taylor replied. "His back was tome all the time, and when you come to think of it, I wasn't quite soclear in the head as I might have been. But I caught a glimpse of theother man's face; as he looked out of the cab the light of the lamp shoneon his face. He'd a big cloak on, as far as I could judge, with thecollar turned up about his throat, and a soft hat on his head. He knocksthe hat off looking out of the cab window, then I see as 'is head wasbald like a bloomin' egg, and yellow, same as if he had been painted. Ican't tell you any more than that, not if you was to give me another'alf-sovereign on the top of the first one. "

"Just another question, " Gurdon said. "Then we won't bother you any more. About what age do you suppose the man was?"

Taylor paused thoughtfully for a moment before he replied. 

"Well, I should think he was about fifty-five or sixty, " he said. "Lookedlike some sort of a foreigner. "

"That will do, thank you, " Venner said. "We will not detain you anylonger. At the same time I should be obliged if you would keep thisinformation to yourself; but, of course, if the police question you, youwill have to speak. But a discreet silence on the subject of this visitof ours would be esteemed. "

Taylor winked and nodded, and the friends departed, not displeased to getaway from the stuffy and vitiated atmosphere of Taylor's room. On thewhole, they were not dissatisfied with the result of their expedition. Atany rate, they had now proof positive of the fact that Fenwick was at thebottom of the mysterious disappearance of the man called Bates. 

"I don't quite see what we are going to do next, " Venner said. "Sofar, we have been exceedingly fortunate to find ourselves inpossession of a set of clues which would be exceedingly valuable tothe police. But how are we going to use these clues is quite anothermatter. What do you suggest?"

"Keeping a close eye upon Fenwick at any rate. For that purpose it wouldnot be a bad idea to employ a private inquiry agent. He need knownothing of what we are after. "

Thereupon it was decided that Gurdon was to dine with Venner that nightand go fully into the matter. 

CHAPTER X

THE SECOND FINGER

It was, perhaps, fortunate for all concerned that, though Venner was soclosely identified by the irony of Fate with the movements of MarkFenwick, he was not known to the latter personally, though they had beenalmost side by side three years previous in Mexico. Therefore, it waspossible for Venner to get a table in the dining-room quite close to thatof the alleged millionaire. It was all the more fortunate, as thingssubsequently turned out, that Fenwick had returned to town that afternoonand had announced his intention of dining at the hotel the same evening. This information Venner gave to Gurdon when the latter turned up abouthalf-past seven. Then the host began to outline the plan of campaignwhich he had carefully thought out. 

"Fenwick is dining over there, " he said. "He generally sits with his backto the wall, and I have had our table so altered that we can command allhis movements. Vera, of course, will dine with him. Naturally enough, shewill act as if we were absolute strangers to her. That will benecessary. "

"Of course, " Gurdon admitted. "But isn't it a strange thing that youshould be an absolute stranger to Fenwick?"

"Well, it does seem strange on the face of it. But it is capable of theeasiest explanation. You see, when I first met Vera, she was at school ina town somewhere removed from the Four Finger Mine. I saw a good deal ofher there, and when finally she went up country, we were practicallyengaged. At her urgent request the engagement was kept a secret, and whenI followed to the Mines it was distinctly understood that I should notcall at Fenwick's house or make myself known to him except in the way ofbusiness. As it happens, we never did meet, and whenever I saw Vera itwas usually by stealth. The very marriage was a secret one, and you maycharge me fairly with showing great weakness in the matter. But there, Ihave told you the story before, and you must make the best of it. On thewhole, I am glad things turned out as they did, for now I can play mycards in the game against Fenwick without his even suspecting that he hasme for an opponent. It is certainly an advantage in my favor. "

Venner had scarcely ceased speaking before Fenwick and Vera appeared. Shegave one timid glance at Venner; then, averting her eyes, she walkeddemurely across to her place at the table. Fenwick followed, lookingdowncast and moody, and altogether unlike a man who is supposed to bethe happy possessor of millions. His manner was curt and irritable, andhe seemed disposed to find fault with everything. Venner noticed, too, that though the man ate very little he partook of far more champagne thanwas good for anyone. Thanks no doubt to the wine, the man's dark moodlifted presently, and he began chatting to Vera. The two men at the othertable appeared to be deeply interested in their dinner, though, as amatter of fact, they were listening intently to every word that Fenwickwas saying. He was talking glibly enough now about some large house inthe country which he appeared to have taken for the winter months. Veralistened with polite indifference. 

"In Kent, " Fenwick was saying. "Not very far from Canterbury. A fine oldhouse, filled with grand furniture, just the sort of place you'd like. I've made all arrangements, and the sooner we get away from London thebetter I shall be pleased. "

"It will be rather dull, I fear, " Vera replied. "I don't suppose that Ishall get on very well with county people--"

"Hang the county people, " Fenwick growled. "Who cares a straw for them?Not but what they'll come along fast enough when they hear that MarkFenwick, the millionaire, is in their midst. Still, there is a fine parkround the house, and you'll be able to get as much riding as you want. "

Venner watching furtively saw that Vera was interested for the firsttime. He had not forgotten the fact that she was an exceedingly finehorsewoman; he recollected the glorious rides they had had together. Interested as he was in the mysterious set of circumstances which hadwound themselves into his life, he was not without hope that this changewould enable him to see more of Vera than was possible in London. In thelonely country he would be able to plan meetings with her; indeed, he hadmade up his mind to leave London as soon as Vera had gone. Moreover, inthis instance, duty and inclination pointed the same way. If the mysterywere to be solved and Vera freed from her intolerable burden, it would beessential that every movement of Fenwick's should be carefully watched. The only way to carry out this plan successfully would be to follow himinto Kent. 

"You heard that?" he murmured to Gurdon. "We must find out exactly wherethis place is, and then look out some likely quarters in theneighborhood. I must contrive to see Vera and learn her new addressbefore she goes. "

"No reason to worry about that, " Gurdon said. "It will all be in thepapers. The doings of these monied men are chronicled as carefully nowas the movements of Royalty. It is any odds when you take up your_Morning Post_ in the morning that you will know not only exactly whereFenwick is going to spend the winter, but get an exact history of thehouse. So far as I can see we might finish our dinner and go off to atheatre. We are not likely to hear any more to-night, and all thismystery and worry is beginning to get on my nerves. What do you say toan hour or two at the Gaiety?"

Venner pleaded for a few moments' delay. So far as he was personallyconcerned he felt very unlike the frivolity of the typical musicalcomedy; but still, he had finished his dinner by this time and was notdisposed to be churlish. Fenwick had completed his repast also, and wassipping his coffee in an amiable frame of mind, heedless apparently ofbusiness worries of all kinds. 

At the same moment a waiter came into the room and advanced to themillionaire's table with a small parcel in his hand. 

"A letter for you, sir. An express letter which has just arrived. Willyou be good enough to sign the receipt?"

"Confound the people, " Fenwick growled. "Can't you leave me alone forhalf an hour when I am having my dinner? Take the thing up to my room. You sign it, Vera. "

"I'll sign it, of course, " Vera replied. "But don't you think you hadbetter open the parcel? It may be of some importance. People don'tusually send express letters at this time of night unless they areurgent. Or, shall I open it for you?"

The waiter had gone by this time, taking the receipt for the letter withhim. With a gesture Fenwick signified to Vera that she might open theparcel. She cut the string and opened the flat packet, disclosing a smallobject in tissue paper inside. This she handed to Fenwick, who tore thepaper off leisurely. Then the silence of the room was startled by thesound of an oath uttered in tones of intense fury. 

"Curse the thing!" Fenwick cried. His yellow face was wet and ghastlynow. The big purple veins stood out like cords on his forehead. "Am Inever to be free from the terror of this mystery? Where did it come from?How could it be possible when the very man I have most reason to dread isno longer in a position--"

The speaker broke off suddenly, as if conscious that he was betrayinghimself. The little object in the tissue paper lay on the table in such aposition that it was impossible for Venner or Gurdon to see what it was, but they could give a pretty shrewd guess. Venn or looked inquiringly athis friend. 

"Well, what do you suppose it is?" he asked. 

"Personally, I have no doubt whatever as to what it is, " Gurdon said. "Iam as sure as if I held the thing in my hand at the present moment. Itis the second finger which at some time or another was attached toFenwick's hand. "

"You've got it, " Venner said. "Upon my word, the farther we go with thisthing the more complicated it becomes. No sooner do we clear up one pointthan a dozen fresh ones arrive. Now, is not this amazing? We knowperfectly well that the man whom we have to call Bates has been kidnappedby our interesting friend opposite, and yet here the second warningarrives just as if Bates were still free to carry out his vengeance. Whatcan one make of it?"

"Well, the logical conclusion is that Bates has an accomplice. I fail tosee any other way of accounting for it. "

Fenwick still sat there mopping his heated face and turning a disgustedeye upon the little object on the table. He seemed to be terriblydistressed and upset, though there was nothing like the scene on theprevious occasion, and, doubtless, few diners besides Venner and Gurdonknew that anything out of the common was taking place there. But theywere watching everything carefully; they noted Fenwick's anxious face, they could hear his stertorous breathing. Though he had dined so freelyhe called for brandy now, a large glass of which he drank without anyaddition whatever. Then his agitation became less uncontrollable and alittle natural color crept into his cheeks. Without glancing at it heslipped the little object on the table into his pocket and rose more orless unsteadily to his feet. 

"I have had a shock, " he muttered. "I don't deny that I have had aterrible shock. You don't understand it, Vera, and I hope you never will. I wish I had never touched that accursed mine. I wish it had been fathomsunder the sea before I heard of it, but the mischief has been done now, and I shall have to go on to the end. You can stay here if you like--asto me, I am going to my own room. I want to be alone for a bit and thinkthis matter out. "

Fenwick lurched across the room with the air of a man who is more or lessintoxicated, though his head was clear enough and his faculties undimmed. Still, his limbs were trembling under him and he groped his way to thedoor with the aid of a table here and there. It was perhaps rather arisky thing to do, but Venner immediately crossed over and took the seatvacated so recently by Fenwick. Vera welcomed him shyly, but it waspalpable that she was ill at ease. She would have risen had not Vennerdetained her. 

"Don't you think you are very imprudent?" she said. "Suppose he shouldchange his mind and come back here again?"

"I don't think there is much chance of that, " Venner said, grimly. "Fenwick will only be too glad to be by himself for a bit. But tell me, dear, what was it that gave him such a shock?"

"I don't understand it at all, " Vera said. "It was something to dowith that dreadful mine and the vengeance connected with it. This isthe second time the same thing has happened within the last few days, and I fear that it will culminate sooner or later in some fearfultragedy. I have some hazy idea of the old legend, but I have almostforgotten what it is. "

"I don't think you need worry about that, " Venner said. "Though itwill have to be spoken of again when the whole thing is cleared up;but now I wish to talk to you on more personal matters. Did I notunderstand Fenwick to say to-night that he was taking a large housesomewhere in Kent?"

"That is his intention, I believe, " Vera replied. "I understand it is alarge, dull place in the heart of the country. Personally I am notlooking forward to it with the least pleasure. Things are bad enough herein London, but there is always the comfortable feeling that one isprotected here, whereas in a lonely neighborhood the feeling ofhelplessness grows very strong. "

"You are not likely to be lonely or neglected, " Venner smiled. "As soonas I have definitely ascertained where you are going, Gurdon and myselfwill follow. It is quite necessary that we should be somewhere near you;but, of course, if you object--"

But Vera was not objecting. Her face flushed with a sudden happiness. Theknowledge that the man she loved was going to be so near her filled herwith a sense of comfort. 

"Don't you think it will be dangerous?" she asked. 

"Not in the least, " Venner said. "Don't forget that I am a stranger toMark Fenwick, which remark applies with equal force to Gurdon. And if wetake a fancy to spend a month or two hunting in the neighborhood ofCanterbury, surely there is nothing suspicious in that. I am lookingforward to the hunting as a means whereby we may manage to get some longrides together. And even if Fenwick does find it out, it will be easy toexplain to him that you made my acquaintance on the field of sport. "

"I am glad to hear you say that, " Vera whispered. "I may be wrong, ofcourse, but I feel that strange things are going to happen, and that Ishall need your presence to give me courage. "

Vera might have said more, but a waiter came into the room at the samemoment with an intimation to the effect that Mr. Fenwick desired to speakto her. She flitted away now, and there was nothing for it but for Vennerto fall in with Gurdon's suggestion of a visit to the theatre. 

It was not long after breakfast on the following morning that Vennerwalked into Gurdon's rooms with a new proposal. 

"I have been thinking out this confounded thing, " he said. "I have anidea; as you know, the house where you had your adventure the other nightis empty, it has occurred to me that perhaps it may be to let. If so, weare going to call upon the agent in the characters of prospectivetenants. What I want to do is to ascertain if possible the name of theowner of the premises. "

"I see, " Gurdon said thoughtfully. "I am ready for you now. "

It was some little time before the friends got on the right track, butthey found the right man at length. The agent was not quite sure whetherhe was in a position at present to make any definite arrangements on thepart of the owner. 

"I presume he wants to let the house, " he said, "though I have noinstructions, and it is some considerable time since I have heard from myclient. You see, he lives abroad. "

"Can't you give us his address, " Venner asked, "and let us write to himdirect? It would save time. "

"That I fear is equally impossible, " the agent explained. "My clientwanders about from place to place, and I haven't the remotest idea whereto find him. However, I'll do my best. "

"You might tell us his name, " Venner said. 

"Certainly. His name is Mr. Le Fenu. "

"What do you make of it?" Venner said, when once more he and Gurdon werein the street. "I see you have forgotten what the name of Le Fenuimplies. Don't you remember my telling you that the original owner ofthe Four Finger Mine who was murdered by the Dutchman, Van Fort, wascalled Le Fenu?"

CHAPTER XI

AN UNEXPECTED MOVE

On the whole the discovery was startling enough. It proved todemonstration that the man who called himself Bates must have been insome way connected with the one-time unfortunate owner of the Four FingerMine. There was very little said as the two friends walked down thestreet together. Venner paused presently, and stood as if an idea hadoccurred to him. 

"I have a notion that something will come of this, " he said. "I had agreat mind to go back to the agent's and try to get the key of the emptyhouse under some pretext or another. "

"What do you want it for?" Gurdon asked. 

"I am not sure that I want it for anything, " Venner admitted. "I have avague idea, a shadowy theory, that I am on the right track at last, but Imay be wrong, especially as I am dealing with so unscrupulous an opponentas Fenwick. All the same, I think I'll step round to that agent's officethis afternoon and get the key. Sooner or later, I shall want a townhouse, and I don't see why that Portsmouth Square place shouldn't suit mevery well. "

Venner was true to his intention, and later in the afternoon was oncemore closeted with the house-agent. 

"Do you really want to let the place?" he asked. 

"Well, upon my word, sir, I'm not quite sure, " the agent replied. "AsI said before, it is such a difficult matter to get in contact withthe owner. "

"But unless he wanted to let it, why did he put it in your hands?" Vennerasked. "Still, you can try to communicate with him, and it will save timeif you let me have the keys to take measurements and get estimates forthe decorating, and so on. I will give you any references you require. "

"Oh, there can be no objection to that, " the agent replied. "Yes, you canhave the keys now, if you like. You are not in the least likely to runaway with the place. "

Venner departed with the keys in his possession, and made his way back tothe hotel. He had hardly reached his own room before a waiter came inwith a note for him. It was from Vera, with an urgent request that Vennerwould see her at once, and the intimation that there would be no dangerin his going up to the suite of rooms occupied by Mark Fenwick. Vennerlost no time in answering this message. He felt vaguely uneasy andalarmed. Surely, there must be something wrong, or Vera would not havesent for him in this sudden manner. He could not quite see, either, howit was that he could call at Fenwick's rooms without risk. However, hehesitated no longer, but knocked at the outer door of the self-containedrooms, which summons was presently answered by Vera herself. 

"You can come in, " she said. "I am absolutely alone. Mr. Fenwick has goneoff in a great hurry with all his assistants, and my own maid will not beback for some little time. "

"But is there no chance of Fenwick coming back?" Venner asked. "If hecaught me here, all my plans would be ruined. My dear girl, why don't youleave him and come to me? I declare it makes me miserable to know thatyou are constantly in contact with such a man as that. It isn't as if youwere any relation to him. "

"Thank goodness, I am no relation at all, " Vera replied. "It is not formy own sake that I endure all this humiliation. "

"Then, why endure it?" Venner urged. 

"Because I cannot help myself. Because there is someone else whom I haveto look after and shield from harm. Some day you will know the wholetruth, but not yet, because my lips are sealed. But I did not bring youhere to talk about myself. There are other and more urgent matters. I amperfectly sure that something very wrong is going on here. Not long afterbreakfast this morning, Mr. Fenwick was sitting here reading the paper, when he suddenly rose in a state of great agitation and began sendingtelegrams right and left. I am certain that there was terribly disturbingintelligence in that paper; but what it was, I, of course, cannot say. Ihave looked everywhere for a clue and all in vain. No sooner were thetelegrams dispatched than the three or four men here, whom Mr. Fenwickcalls his clerks, gathered all his papers and things together and sentthem off by express vans. Mr. Fenwick told me that everything was goingto the place that he had taken at Canterbury, but I don't believe that, because none of the boxes were labelled. Anyway, they have all gone, andI am instructed to remain here until I hear from Mr. Fenwick again. "

Venner began to understand; in the light of his superior knowledge it wasplain to him that these men had been interrupted in some work, and thatthey feared the grip of the law. He expressed a wish to see the paperwhich had been the cause of all the trouble. The news-sheet lay on thefloor where Fenwick had thrown it, and Venner took it up in his hands. 

"This has not been disturbed?" he asked. 

"No, " Vera replied. "I thought it best not to. I have looked at bothsides of the paper myself, but I have not turned over a leaf. You see, it must have been on one side or another of this sheet that thedisturbing news appeared, and that is why I have not looked further. Perhaps you will be able to pick out the particular paragraph? There isplenty of time. "

Very carefully Venner scanned the columns of the paper. He came at lengthto something that seemed to him to bear upon the sudden change of planswhich appeared to have been forced upon Fenwick. The paragraph inquestion was not a long one, and emanated from the New York correspondentof the _Daily Herald_. 

"We are informed, " the paragraph ran, "that the police here believe thatat length they are on the track of the clever gang of internationalswindlers who were so successful in their bank forgeries two years ago. Naturally enough, the authorities are very reticent as to names and otherdetails, but they declare that they have made a discovery which embraceswhat is practically a new crime, or, at any rate, a very ingeniousvariant upon an old one. As far as we can understand, the police werefirst put on the track by the discovery of the fact that the head of thegang had recently transported some boxes of gold dust to London. Quite byaccident this discovery was made, and, at first, the police were underthe impression that the gold had been stolen. When, however, they hadproved beyond the shadow of a doubt that the gold in question washonestly the property of the gang, they naturally began to ask themselveswhat it was intended for. As the metal could be so easily transferredinto cash, what was the object of the gang in taking the gold to Europe?This question the Head of the Criminal Investigation Department feelsquite sure that he has successfully solved. The public may look forstartling developments before long. Meanwhile, two of the smartestdetectives in New York are on their way to Europe, and are expected toreach Liverpool by the _Lusitania_ to-day. "

"There is the source of the trouble, " Venner said. "I hardly care abouttelling you how I know, because the less information you have on thishead the better. And I don't want your face to betray you to the sharpeyes of Mark Fenwick. But I am absolutely certain that that paragraph isthe source of all the mischief. "

"I daresay it is, " Vera sighed. "I feel so terribly lonely and frightenedsometimes, so afraid of something terrible happening, that I feelinclined to run away and hide myself. What shall I do now, though I amafraid you cannot help me?"

"I can help you in a way you little dream of, " Venner said through histeeth. "For the present, at any rate, you had better do exactly asFenwick tells you. I am not going to leave you here all alone, when wehave a chance like this; after dinner, I am going to take you to atheatre. Meanwhile, I must leave you now, as I have much work to do, andthere is no time to be lost. It will be no fault of mine if you are notabsolutely free from Mark Fenwick before many days have passed. "

Venner sat alone at dinner, keeping a critical eye open for whatevermight be going on around him. He had made one or two little calculationsas to time and distance, and, unless his arithmetic was very far out, heexpected to learn something useful before midnight. 

The meal had not proceeded very far when two strangers came in and tooktheir places at a table close by. They were in evening dress and appearedto be absolutely at home, yet, in some subtle way, they differedmaterially from the other diners about them. On the whole, they mighthave passed for two mining engineers who had just touched civilisationafter a long lapse of time. Venner noticed that they both ate and dranksparingly, and that they seemed to get through their dinner as speedilyas possible. They went off to the lounge presently to smoke over theircoffee, and Venner followed them. He dropped into a seat by their side. 

"You have forgotten me, Mr. Egan, " he said to the smaller man of the two. "Don't you remember that night on the Bowery when I was fortunate enoughto help you to lay hands on the notorious James Daley? You were in rathera tight place, I remember. "

"Bless me, if it isn't Mr. Venner, " the other cried. "This is my friend, Grady. I daresay you have heard of him. "

"Of course I have, " Venner replied. "Mr. Grady is quite as celebratedin his way as you are yourself. But you see, there was a time when I tooka keen interest in crime and criminals, and some of my experiences in NewYork would make a respectable volume. When I heard that you were comingover here--"

"You heard we were coming here?" Egan exclaimed. "I should very much liketo know how you heard that. "

"Oh, you needn't be alarmed, " Venner laughed. "Nobody has betrayed yoursecret mission to Europe, though, strangely enough, I fancy I shall be ina position to give you some considerable assistance. I happened to see aparagraph in the _Herald_ to-day alluding to a mysterious gang ofswindlers who had hit upon a novel form of crime--something to do withgold dust, I believe it was. At the end of the paragraph it stated thattwo of the smartest detectives in the New York Force were coming overhere, and, therefore, it was quite fair to infer that you might be one ofthem. In any case, if you had not been, I could have introduced myself toyour colleagues and used your name. "

Egan looked relieved, but he said nothing. 

"You are quite right to be reticent, " Venner said. "But, as I remarkedbefore, I think I can help you in this business. You hoped to lay handson the man you wanted in this hotel. "

"I quite see you know something, " Egan replied. "As a matter of fart, weare a long way at present from being in a position to lay hands on ourman with a reasonable hope of convicting him. There will be a great dealof watching to do first, and a lot of delicate detective work. That isthe worst of these confounded newspapers. How that paragraph got into the_Herald, _ I don't know, but it is going to cause Grady and myself a greatdeal of trouble. To be quite candid, we did expect to find our man here, but when he had vanished as he did, just before we arrived, I knew atonce that somebody must have been giving him information. "

"Do I know the name of the man?" Venner asked. 

"If you don't, I certainly can't tell you, " Egan said. "One has to becautious, even with so discreet a gentleman as yourself. "

"That's very well, " Venner said. "But it so happens that I am just asmuch interested in this individual as yourself. Now let me describe him. He is short and stout, he is between fifty and sixty years of age, he hasbeady black eyes, and a little hooked nose like a parrot. Also, he has anenormous bald head, and his coloring is strongly like that of a yellowtomato. If I am mistaken, then I have no further interest in the matter. "

"Oh, you're not mistaken, " Egan said. "That is our man right enough. But tell me, sir, do you happen to know what his particular line isjust at present?"

"I have a pretty good idea, " Venner said; "but I am not quite sure asyet. I have been making a few inquiries, and they all tend to confirm mytheory, but I am afraid I cannot stay here discussing the matter anylonger, as I have an important appointment elsewhere. Do you propose tostay at the Empire Hotel for any time?"

Egan replied that it all depended upon circumstances. They were in no waypressed for time, and as they were there on State business they were notlimited as to expenses. With a remark to the effect that they might meetagain later on in the evening, Venner went on his way and stood waitingfor Vera at the foot of the stairs. She came down presently, and theyentered a cab together. 

"We won't go to a theatre at all, " Venner said. "We will try one of themusic halls, and we shall be able to talk better there; if we have a boxwe shall be quite secure from observation. "

"It is all the same to me, " Vera smiled. "I care very little where I goso long as we are together. How strange it is that you should have turnedup in this extraordinary way!"

"There is nothing strange about it at all, " Venner said. "It is only Fatemaking for the undoing of the criminal. It may be an old-fashioned theoryof mine, but justice always overtakes the rogue sooner or later, andFenwick's time is coming. I have been the instrument chosen to bringabout his downfall, and save you from your terrible position. If youwould only confide in me--"

"But I can't, dear, " Vera said. "There is somebody else. If it were notfor that somebody else, I could end my troubles to-morrow. But don't letus talk about it. Let us have two delightful hours together and thankProvidence for the opportunity. "

The time passed all too quickly in the dim seclusion of one of the boxes;indeed, Vera sat up with a start when the orchestra began to play theNational Anthem. It seemed impossible that the hour was close upontwelve. As to the performance itself, Vera could have said very little. She had been far too engrossed in her companion to heed what was takingplace upon the stage. 

"Come along, " Venner said. "It has been a delightful time, but all toobrief. I am going to put you in a cab and send you back to the hotel, asI have to go and see Gurdon. "

Vera made no demur to this arrangement, and presently was being conveyedback to the hotel, while Venner thoughtfully walked down the street. Lateas it was, the usual crop of hoarse yelling newsboys were ranging thepavement and forcing their wares on the unwilling passers-by. 

"Here you are, sir. 'Late Special. ' Startling development of the BatesCase. The mystery solved. "

"I'll take one of those, " Venner said. "Here's sixpence for you, and youcan keep the change. Call me that cab there. "

CHAPTER XII

THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR

Venner lost no time in reaching the rooms of his friend Gurdon, and wasfortunate enough to find the latter at home. He was hard at work on someliterary matter, but he pushed his manuscript aside as Venner cameexcitedly into the room. 

"Well, what is it?" he asked. "Anything fresh? But your face answers thatquestion. Have you found Bates?"

"No, I haven't, " Venner said; "but he seems to have been discovered. Ibought this paper just now in Piccadilly, but I have not been able tolook at it yet. It is stated here that the mystery has been solved. "

"Hand it over, " Gurdon cried excitedly. "Let's see if we can find it. Ah!here we are. The Press Association has just received a letter whichappears to come from Mr. Bates himself. He says he is very much annoyedat all this fuss and bother in the papers, about his so-calledkidnapping. He goes on to say that he was called to the Continent bypressing business, and that he had not even time to tell his servants hewas going, as it was imperatively necessary that he should catch themidnight boat to Dieppe. The correspondent of the Press Association saysthat Mr. Bates has been interviewed by a foreign journalist, who isabsolutely certain as to his identity. Moreover, an official has calledat Mr. Bates' residence and found that his servants have had a letterfrom their master instructing them to join him at once, as he has let hishouse furnished for the next two months. Well, my dear man, that seems tobe very satisfactory, and effectually disposes of the idea that Mr. Bateshas been mysteriously kidnapped. I am rather sorry for this in a way, because it upsets all our theories and makes it necessary to begin ourtask all over again. "

"I don't believe a word of it, " Venner said. "I believe it's a giganticbluff. I was coming to see you to-night in any case, but after buyingthat paper I came on here post haste. Now that story of the PressAssociation strikes me as being decidedly thin. Here is a man livingcomfortably at home who suddenly disappears in a most mysterious manner, and nothing is heard of him for some time. Directly the public began toregard it as a fascinating mystery and the miscreants realising what astorm they were likely to stir up, the man himself writes and says thatit is all a mistake. Now, if he had come back and shown himself, it wouldhave been quite another matter. Instead of doing that, he writes aletter from abroad, or sends a telegram or something of that kind, sayingthat he has been called away on urgent business. That might pass easilyenough, but mark what follows. He writes to his servants asking them tojoin him at once in some foreign town because he has let his house fortwo months, and the new tenant wishes to get in without delay. Did everanybody hear anything so preposterous? Just as if a man would let a housein that break-neck fashion without giving his servants due warning. Thething is not to be thought of. "

"Then you think the servants have been lured away on a fools' errand?"Gurdon asked. "You don't think there is anybody in the house?"

"Oh, yes, I do, " Venner said drily. "I have a very strong opinion thatthere _are_ people in the house, and I also have a pretty shrewd idea asto who they are. It happens, also, that I am in a position to test mytheory without delay. "

"How do you propose to do that?" Gurdon asked. 

"Quite easily. After I left you this afternoon I went back to the agentand succeeded in obtaining possession of the keys of the empty house inPortsmouth Square. My excuse was that I wanted to go into detail and totake measurements and the like. I need not remind you that Bates' houseis next door to the empty one. In fact, there is no question that bothhouses belong to the same person. You will remember, also, the mysteriousway in which that furniture vanished from the scene of your adventure. "

"I remember, " Gurdon said grimly. "But all the same I don't quite seewhat you are driving at. "

"The thing is quite plain. That furniture did not vanish through theprosaic medium of a van, nor was it carted through the front door fromone house to the other. The two houses communicated in some way, and itwill be our business to find the door. As I have the keys and everylegitimate excuse for being on the premises, we can proceed to make ourinvestigations without the slightest secrecy, and without the least fearof awkward questions being asked. Now do you follow me?"

"I follow you fast enough. I suppose your game is to try and get into thenext house by means of the door?"

"You have hit it exactly, " Venner said. "That is precisely what I meanto do. We shall find it necessary to discover the identity of Mr. Bates' tenant. "

"When are we going to make the experiment?" Gurdon asked. 

"We are going to make it now, " Venner replied. "We will have a cab as faras the Empire Hotel, so that I can get the keys. After that, the thingwill be quite easy. Come along, and thank me for an exciting evening'sadventure. I shall be greatly surprised if it is not even more excitingthan the last occasion. "

They were in the empty house at last. The windows were closed andshuttered, so that it was possible to use matches in the various roomswithout attracting attention from the outside. But search how they would, for upwards of two hours, they could find no trace whatever of a means ofcommunication between the two houses. They tapped the walls and soundedthe skirtings, but without success. Venner paced the floor of thedrawing-room moodily, racking his brains to discover a way out of thedifficulty. 

"It must be here somewhere, " he muttered. "I am sure all thatfurniture was moved backwards and forwards through some door, and awide one at that. "

"Then it must be on the ground floor, " Gurdon remarked. "When you come tothink of it, some of that furniture was so heavy and massive that itwould not go through an ordinary doorway, neither could it have beenbrought upstairs without the assistance of two or three men of greatstrength. We shall have to look for it in the hall; if we don't find itthere, we shall have to give it up as a bad job and try some other plan. "

"I am inclined to think you are right, " Venner said. "Let us go down andsee. At any rate, there is one consolation. If we fail to-night we cancome again to-morrow. "

Gurdon did not appear to be listening. He strode resolutely down thestairs into the hall and stood for some moments contemplating the panelsbefore him. The panels were painted white; they were elaboratelyornamented with wreaths of flowers after the Adams' style of decoration. Then it seemed to Gurdon that two pairs of panels, one above and onebelow, had at one time taken the formation of a doorway. He tapped on oneof the panels, and the drumming of his fingers gave out a hollow sound. Gurdon tapped again on the next panel, but hardly any sound came inresponse. He looked triumphantly at Venner. 

"I think we have got it at last, " he said. "Do you happen to have a knifein your pocket? Unless I am greatly mistaken, the decorations aroundthese panels come off like a bead. If you have a knife with you we cansoon find out. "

Venner produced a small knife from his pocket, and Gurdon attempted toinsinuate the point of the blade under the elaborate moulding. Surelyenough, the moulding yielded, and presently came away in Gurdon's hands. 

"There you are, " he said. "It is exactly as I told you. I thought atfirst that those mouldings were plaster, but you can see for yourself nowthat they are elaborately carved wood. "

Venner laid the ornament aside and stood watching Gurdon with breathlessinterest while the latter attacked another of the mouldings. They cameaway quite easily, pointing to the fact that they must have been removedbefore within a very short period. Once they were all cleared away, Gurdon placed the point of the knife behind one of the panels, and itcame away in his hands, disclosing beyond a square hole quite largeenough for anybody to enter. Here was the whole secret exposed. 

"Exactly what I thought, " Gurdon said. "If I removed all the mouldingsfrom the other three panels there would be space enough here to drive atrap through. I think we have been exceedingly lucky to get to the bottomof this. How clever and ingeniously the whole thing has been managed!However, I don't think there is any occasion for us to worry about movingany more of the panels, seeing that we can get through now quite easily. Wouldn't it be just as well to put all the lights out?"

"I haven't thought of that, " Venner muttered. "On the whole, it would beexceedingly injudicious not to extinguish all the lights. We had bettergo on at once, I think, and get it over. "

The house was reduced to darkness, and very quietly and cautiously thetwo adventurers crept through the panel. They were in the hall on theother side, of which fact there was no doubt, for they stepped at onceoff a marble floor on to a thick rug which deadened the sound of theirfootsteps. They had, naturally enough, expected to find the whole placein darkness, and the tenant of the house and his servants in bed. This, on the whole, would be in their favor, for it would enable them to takeall the observations they required with a minimum chance of beingdisturbed. 

A surprise awaited them from the first. True, the hall was in darkness, and, as far as they could judge, so was the rest of the house. But fromsomewhere upstairs came the unmistakable sound of a piano, and ofsomebody singing in a sweet but plaintive soprano voice. Gurdon clutchedhis companion by the arm. 

"Don't you think it is just possible that we have made a mistake?" hewhispered. "Isn't it quite on the cards that this is a genuine affair, and that we are intruding in an unwarrantable manner upon somerespectable private citizen? I am bound to say that that beautiful voicedoes not suggest crime to me. "

"We must go on now, " Venner said, impatiently. "It won't do to judge byappearances. Let us go up the stairs and see what is going on forourselves. If we are intruding, we will get away as speedily aspossible. "

Gurdon made no further objection, and together they crept up the stairs. There was no chance of their being surprised from behind by the servants, for they had taken good care to notice that the basement was all indarkness. They were getting nearer and nearer now to the sound of themusic, which appeared to come from the drawing-room, the door of whichwas widely enough open for the brilliant light inside to illuminate thestaircase. A moment later the music ceased, and someone was heard toapplaud in a hoarse voice. 

"Sing some more, " the voice said. "Now don't be foolish, don't begin tocry again. Confound the girl, she makes me miserable. "

"Do you recognise the voice?" Venner whispered. 

"Lord! yes, " was Gurdon's reply. "Why, it's Fenwick. No mistaking thosetones anywhere. Now, what on earth does all this mean?"

"We shall find out presently, " Venner said. "You may laugh at me, but Iquite expected something of this kind, which was one of the reasons why Iobtained the keys of the house. "

"It's a most extraordinary thing, " Gurdon replied. "Now isn't thisman--Fenwick--one of the last persons in the world you would credit witha love of music?"

"I don't know, " Venner said. "You never can tell. But don't let's talk. We are here more to listen than anything else. I wish we could get aglimpse of the singer. "

"I am going to, " Gurdon declared. "Unless I am greatly mistaken, I havemade a discovery, too. Oh, I am not going to take any risk. Do you seethat mirror opposite the door? It strikes me if I get close enough tolook into it that I shall be able to see who is in the room withoutbetraying my presence. "

So saying, Gurdon crept forward till he was close enough to the mirror toget a very good idea of the room and its occupants. He could see a palefigure in white standing by a piano; he could see that Fenwick wassprawling in a big armchair, smoking a large cigar. Then he noticed thatthe girl crossed the floor and laid a slim hand half timidly, halfimploringly, on Fenwick's shoulder. 

"Why are you so unkind to me?" she said. "Why so cruel? How many timeshave you promised me that you will bring him back to me again? I get sotired of waiting, I feel so sad and weary, and at times my mind seems togo altogether. "

"Have patience, " Fenwick said. "If you will only wait a little longer hewill come back to you right enough. Now go to the piano and sing meanother song before I go to bed. Do you hear what I say?"

The last words were harshly uttered; the girl reeled back as if fearinga blow. Gurdon standing there clenched his fists impulsively; he hadconsiderable difficulty in restraining himself. 

"Very well, " she said; "just one more, and then I will go to bed, for Iam so tired and weary. "

Once more the sweet pathetic voice rang out in some simple song; thewords gradually died away, and there was silence. Gurdon had barely timeto slip back to the head of the stairs before the girl came out and madeher way to the landing above. Standing just below the level of the floor, Venner gazed eagerly at the pretty tired face and mournful blue eyes. Hegrasped his companion by the arm in a grip that was almost painful. 

"We are getting to it, " he said. "It was a good night's work coming hereto-night. Do you mean to say you don't notice the likeness? Making dueallowance for the difference in height and temperament, that poor girl isthe image of my wife. "

"I must have been a dolt not to have noticed it before, " Gurdon said. "Now that you mention it, the likeness is plain enough. My dear fellow, can't you see in this a reason for your wife's reticence in speaking ofthe past?"

There was no time to reply, for the sinister evil face of Fenwickappeared in the doorway, and he called aloud in Spanish some hoarsecommand, which was answered from above by someone, in the same language. Gurdon whispered to his companion, with a view to ascertaining what hadbeen said. 

"You will see for yourself in a minute, " Venner said in an excitedwhisper. "You are going to have another surprise. You wanted to know justnow what had become of Bates. Unless I am greatly mistaken, you will beable to judge for yourself in a few moments. I believe the man to be aprisoner in his own house. "

CHAPTER XIII

THE WHITE LADY AGAIN

It was perhaps an imprudent thing for the two friends to remain there, exposed as they were to the danger of discovery at any moment; but, socompletely were they fascinated by what was going on about them, thatthey had flung caution to the winds. One thing was in their favor, however; there was not much likelihood of their being attacked frombelow, seeing that all the servants had gone to bed; unless, perhaps, some late comer entered the house. Still, the risk had to be run, and sothey stood there together, waiting for the next move. It was Venner whospoke first. 

"I cannot get over the extraordinary likeness of that girl to my wife, "he said. "Is she anything like the woman you saw next door? I mean thepoor half-demented creature who happened to come into the room when youwere talking with the owner?"

"Why, of course, it is the same girl, " Gurdon replied. 

"Then I am sure she is Vera's sister. I'll ask her about it the firsttime I have an opportunity. Be silent and get a little lower down thestairs. There is somebody coming from the top of the house. We can seehere without being seen. "

Assuredly there were sounds emanating from the top of the house. A voicewas raised in angry expostulation, followed by other voices morose andthreatening. As far as the listeners could judge, two men were dragging athird down the stairs against his will. But for that, the house wasdeadly silent; the watchers could hear the jingle of a passing cab bell, a belated foot passenger whistled as he went along. It seemed almostimpossible to believe that so close to light and law and order and thewell-being of the town a strange tragedy like this should be in progress;hidden from the eye of London, by mere skill of brick and mortar, thisstrange thing was going on. Venner wondered to himself how many suchscenes were taking place in London at the same moment. 

But he had not much time for his meditation, for the shuffling of feetcame closer. There were no more sounds of expostulation now; only theheavy breathing of three people, as if the captive had ceased to struggleand was making but a passive resistance. Then there emerged on thelanding the figure of the handsome cripple with a guardian on eitherside. His face was no longer distorted with pain; rather was it whitewith an overpowering anger--his eyes shone like points of flame. On hisright side Venner and Gurdon recognised the figure of the man in thelist slippers--the man who had been handling the sovereigns in Fenwick'srooms. His comrade was a stranger, though of the same type, and it seemedto Venner that anyone would have been justified in repudiating either ofthem as an acquaintance. It was perfectly evident that the cripple cameagainst his will, though he was struggling no longer. Probably thecondition of his emaciated frame had rendered the task of his captors aneasy one. They dragged him, limp and exhausted, into the drawing-roomwhere Fenwick was seated and they stood in the doorway awaiting furtherinstructions. 

"You needn't stay there, " Fenwick growled. "If I want you I can call. Youhad better go back to your cards again. "

The two men disappeared up the stairs, and just for a moment there wassilence in the drawing-room. It was safe for Venner and his companionnow to creep back to the drawing-room door and take a careful note ofwhat was going on. With the aid of a friendly mirror on the oppositeside of the room, it was possible to see and note everything. Thecripple had fallen into a chair, where he sat huddled in a heap, hishand to his head, as if some great physical pain racked him. His heavybreathing was the only sound made, except the steady puffing ofFenwick's cigar. A fit of anger gripped Venner for the moment; he wouldhave liked to step in and soundly punish Fenwick for his brutality. Doubtless the poor crippled frame was racked with the pain caused by theviolence of his late captors. 

But under that queer exterior was a fine spirit. Gradually the crippleceased to quiver and palpitate; gradually he pulled himself up in hischair and faced his captor. His face was still deadly white, but it washard and set now; there was no sign of fear about him. He leaned forwardand stared Fenwick between the eyes. 

"Well, you scoundrel, " he said in a clear, cold voice, "I should like toknow the meaning of this. I have heard of and read of some strangeoutrages in my time, but to kidnap a man and keep him prisoner in his ownhouse is to exceed all the bounds of audacity. "

"You appear to be annoyed, " Fenwick said. "Perhaps you have not alreadylearned who I am?"

"I know perfectly well who you are, " the cripple responded. "Your name isMark Fenwick, and you are one of the greatest scoundrels unhung. Atpresent, you are posing as an American millionaire. Fools may believeyou, but I know better. The point is, do you happen to know who I am?"

"Yes, I know who you are, " Fenwick said with a sardonic smile. "You electto call yourself Mr. Bates, or some such name, and you pretend to be arecluse who gives himself over to literary pursuits. As a matter offact, you are Charles Le Fenu, and your father was, at one time, thepractical owner of the Four Finger Mine. "

"We are getting on, " Venner whispered. "It may surprise you to hear this, but I have suspected it for some little time. The so-called absent ownerof these houses is the man sitting opposite Fenwick there. Now do youbegin to see something like daylight before you? I wouldn't have missedthis for worlds. "

"We have certainly been lucky, " Gurdon replied. 

There was no time for further conversation, for the cripple was speakingagain. His voice was still hard and cold, nor did his manner betray theslightest sign of fear. 

"So you have found that out, " he said. "You know that I am the son of theunfortunate Frenchman who was murdered by a rascally Dutchman at yourinstigation. You thought that once having discovered the secret of themine you could work it to your own advantage. How well you worked it yourleft hand testifies. "

The jeer went home to Fenwick, his yellow face flushed, and he half rosefrom his chair with a threatening gesture. 

"Oh, you can strike me, " the cripple said. "I am practically helpless asfar as my lower limbs are concerned, and it would be just the sort ofcowardly act that would gratify a dirty little soul like yours. Ithurts me to sit here, helpless and useless, knowing that you are thecause of all my misfortunes; knowing that, but for you, I should be asstraight and strong as the best of them. And yet you are not safe--youare going to pay the penalty of your crime. Have you had the first ofyour warnings yet?"

Fenwick started in his seat; in the looking-glass the watchers could seehow ghastly his face had grown. 

"I don't know what you mean, " he muttered. 

"Liar!" the cripple cried. "Paltry liar! Why, you are shaking from headto foot now--your face is like that of a man who stands in the shadow ofthe gallows. "

"I repeat, I don't know what you mean, " Fenwick said. 

"Oh, yes, you do. When your accomplice Van Fort foully murdered myfather, you thought that the two of you would have the mine toyourselves; you thought you would work it alone as my father did, andsend your ill-gotten gains back to England. That is how the murdered manaccomplished it, that is how he made his fortune--and you were going todo the same thing, both of you. When you had made all your arrangementsyou went down to the coast on certain business, leaving the rascallyDutchman behind. He was quite alone in the mine, there was no one withinmiles of that secret spot. And yet he vanished. Van Fort was never heardof again. The message of his fingers was conveyed to his wife, for shewas implicated in the murder of my father, and how she suffered youalready know. But you are a brave man--I give you all the credit forthat. You went back to the mine again, determined not to be deterred bywhat had happened. What happened to you, I need not go into. Shall I tellthe story, or will you be content with a recollection of your sufferings?It is all the same to me. "

"You are a bold man, " Fenwick cried. He was trembling with the rage thatfilled him. "You are a bold man to defy me like this. Nobody knows that Iam here, nobody knows that you are back in your own house again. I couldkill you as you sit there, and not a soul would suffer for the crime. "

The cripple laughed aloud; he seemed to be amused at something. 

"Really!" he sneered. "Such cheap talk is wasted upon me. Besides, whatwould you gain by so unnecessary a crime, and how much better off wouldyou be? You know as well as I do, disguise it as you will, that the longarm has reached for you across five thousand miles of sea, and that, when the time comes, you will be stricken down here in London as surelyand inevitably as if you had remained in Mexico under the shadow of themountains. The dreadful secret is known to a few, in its entirety it iseven unknown to me. I asked you just now if you had received the firstof your messages, and you denied that you knew what I meant. Youactually had the effrontery to deny it to me, sitting opposite to you asI am, and looking straight at the dreadful disfigurement of your lefthand. For over three centuries the natives of Mexico worked the FourFinger Mine till only two of the tribe who knew its secret remained. Then it was that my father came along. He was a brave man, and anadventurer to his finger tips. Moreover, he was a doctor. His healingart made those rough men his friends, and when their time came, myfather was left in possession of the mine. How that mine was guarded andhow the spirit of the place took its vengeance upon intruders, you knowtoo well. Ah, I have touched you now. "

Fenwick had risen, and was pacing uneasily up and down the room. All thedare-devil spirit seemed to have left the man for a moment; he turned atroubled face on the cripple huddled in his chair. He seemed halfinclined to temporise, and then, with a short laugh, he resumed his ownseat again. 

"You seem to be very sure of your ground, " he sneered. 

"I am, " the cripple went on. "What does it matter what becomes of amelancholy wreck like myself? Doctors tell me that in time I may becomemy old self again, but in my heart I doubt it, and as sure as I sit herethe mere frame-work of a human being, my injuries are due to you. Imight have had you shot before now, or I might even have done it myself, but I spared you. It would have been a kindness to cut your life short, but I had another use for you than that. And now, gradually, but surely, the net is closing in around you, though you cannot yet see its meshes, and you are powerless to prevent the inevitable end. "

"You seem to have mapped it all out, " Fenwick replied. "You seem to havesettled it all to your own satisfaction, but you forget that I may havesomething to say in the matter. When I discovered, as I did quite byaccident, that you were in London, I laid my plans for getting you intomy hands. It suits me very well, apart from the criminal side of it, tohide myself in your house, but that is not all. I am in a position now todictate terms, and you have nothing else to do but to listen. I amprepared to spare your life on one condition. Now kindly follow mecarefully. "

"I am listening, " the cripple said, coldly. "If you were not the blindfool you seem to be you would know that there could be no conditionsbetween us; but go on. Let me hear what you have to say. "

"I am coming to that. I want you to tell me where I can find Felix Zary. "

Suddenly, without the slightest premonition, the cripple burst into ahearty laugh. He rocked backward and forward in a perfect ecstasy ofenjoyment; for the moment, at any rate, he might have been on the verybest of terms with his companion. 

"Oh, that is what you are driving at?" he said. "So you think that if youcould get Felix Zary out of the way you would be absolutely safe? Really, it is marvellous how an otherwise clever man could be so blind to thetrue facts of the case. My good sir, I will give you Zary's address withpleasure. "

Fenwick was obviously puzzled. Perhaps it was beginning to dawn uponhim that he had a man of more than ordinary intellect to grapple with. He looked searchingly at the cripple, who was leaning back with eyeshalf closed. 

"Hang me, if I can understand you, " he muttered. "I am in imminent dangerof my life, though I should be safe enough if Felix Zary and yourselfwere out of the way. "

"And you are quite capable of putting us out of the way, " the cripplesaid, gently. "Is not that so, my friend?"

"Aye, I could, and I would, " Fenwick said in a fierce whisper. "If youwere both dead I could breathe freely; I could go to bed at night feelingsure that I should wake in the morning. Nothing could trouble me then. Asto that accursed mine, I have done with it. Never again do I plant myfoot in Mexico. "

"Fool that you are!" the cripple said in tones of infinite pity. "So youthink that if Zary and myself were out of the way you might dieeventually in your bed honored and respected of men? I tell you, never!The vengeance is upon you, it is following you here, it is close at handnow. You have already had your warning. Perhaps, for all I know to thecontrary, you may have had your second warning; that you have had one, your face told me eloquently enough a few moments ago. I am quite surethat a little quiet reflection will show you the absurdity of keeping mea prisoner in my own house. Of course, I know I am entirely in yourhands, and that you may keep me here for weeks if you choose. It will bevery awkward for me, because I have important business on hand. "

"I know your important business, " Fenwick sneered. "Everything that goesin your favor will naturally spell disaster to me. As I told you before, it was only an accident that told me where you were; indeed, so changedare you that I should not have recognised you if I had met you in thestreet. No, on the whole, you will stay where you are. "

At this point Venner clutched Gurdon's arm and dragged him hurriedlyacross the landing down to the half staircase. So quickly was this donethat Gurdon had no time to ask the reason for it all. 

"Someone coming down the stairs, " Venner whispered. "Didn't you hear avoice? I believe it is the girl in white again. "

Surely enough, looking upward, they could see the slim white figurecreeping down the stairs. The girl was crooning some little song toherself as she came along. She turned into the drawing-room and calledaloud to the cripple in the chair. With an oath on his lips, Fenwickmotioned her away. 

CHAPTER XIV

MASTER OF THE SITUATION

"What have you come back here for?" Fenwick demanded. "You said you weretired, and that you were going to bed, long ago. "

The girl looked dreamily about her; it was some little time before sheappeared to appreciate the significance of Fenwick's question. She wasmore like one who walks in her sleep than a human being in the fullpossession of understanding. 

"I don't know, " she said, helplessly. She rubbed her eyes as if there hadbeen mist before them. "I was so tired that I lay on the bed withoutundressing, and I fell fast asleep. Then I had a dream. I dreamed thatall the miserable past was forgotten, and that Charles was with me oncemore. Then he seemed to call me, and I woke up. Oh, it was such a vividdream, so vivid, that I could not sleep again! I was so restless andanxious, that I made up my mind to come downstairs, and, as I was passinga door just now, it opened, and the face of Charles looked out. It wasonly for a moment, then two men behind him dragged him back and the doorclosed once more. "

"A foolish fancy, " Fenwick growled. 

"It was not, " the girl cried almost passionately. "I tried the door amoment later, and it was locked. I tell you that Charles is in that room. I cannot go to bed again until I am certain of the truth. Oh, why do youkeep me in suspense like this?"

"Mad, " Fenwick muttered. "Mad as a March hare. Why don't you send her toan asylum?"

"She is not mad, " the cripple said in a curiously hard voice. "Somethingtells me that she has made a discovery. You rascal, is it possible thatyou have Charles Evors under this roof?"

Fenwick laughed, but there was something uneasy and strained about hismirth. He glanced defiantly at the cripple, then his eyes dropped beforethe latter's steady gaze. 

"Why should I worry about Evors?" he asked. "The man is nothing to me, and if by chance--"

The rest of Fenwick's sentence was drowned in a sudden uproar whichseemed to break out in a room overhead. The tense silence was broken bythe thud of heavy blows as if someone were banging on a door, then camemuttered shouts and yells of unmistakable pain. Hastily Fenwick rose fromhis seat and made in the direction of the door. He had hardly advancedtwo steps before he found himself confronted with the rim of asilver-plated revolver, which the cripple was holding directly in theline of his head. 

"Sit down, " the latter said tersely. "Sit down, or, as sure as I am aliving man, I'll fire. I could say that I fired the shot in self-defence, and when the whole story comes to be told I have no fear that a jurywould disbelieve me. Besides, there is nothing to be afraid of. Thosesounds don't come from the police trying to force their way into thehouse. On the contrary, it seems to me that some of your parasites arehaving a misunderstanding over their cards. At any rate, you are not tomove. If you do, there will be an end once and for all of the millionaireMark Fenwick. Sit down, my child--you are trembling from head to foot. "

"It was his voice, " the girl cried. "I am certain that it was Charles whocalled out just now. "

Once more the shouts and cries broke out, once more came that banging onthe panels, followed by a splitting crash, after which the uproardoubled. Evidently a door had given way and the conflict was being foughtout on the stairs. 

"Shall we go and take a hand?" Gurdon whispered excitedly. "Murder mightbe going on here. "

"I think we had better risk it a little longer, " was Venner's cautiousreply. "After all is said and done, we must not make ourselves tooprominent. If necessary we will take a hand, but, unless I am greatlymistaken, the prisoner upstairs has got the better of his captors. Ah, Ithought so. "

The sound of strife overhead suddenly ceased after two smashing blows, in which evidently a man's clenched fist had come in contact with nakedflesh. There was a groan, the thud of a falling body, and the man in thelist slippers came rolling down the stairs. He was followed a momentlater by a young clean-shaven man dressed in a grey Norfolk suit. Hisframe suggested power and strength, though his face was white like thatof one who is just recovering from a long illness. He was breathing veryhard, but otherwise he did not appear to have suffered much in thestruggle out of which he had emerged in so victorious a fashion. He madehis way direct to the drawing-room, and immediately a woman's voiceuprose in a long wailing cry. 

"I'd give something to see that, " Venner whispered. "Only I am afraid wecan't do anything until the man in the list slippers comes to his sensesand takes himself off. There is another one coming now. He doesn't lookmuch better off than his colleague. "

Another man crept down the stairs, swaying as he came and holding on tothe balusters. He had a tremendous swelling over his left eye and aterrible gash in his lip, from which the blood was flowing freely. Altogether he presented a terrible aspect as he bent over the prostrateform of his unconscious companion. 

"Here, get up, wake up, " he said. "What are you lying there for? He'llbe out of the house before we can turn round, and what will the governorsay then?"

The man in the slippers gradually assumed a sitting position and staredstupidly about him. A hearty kick in the ribs seemed to restore him tosome measure of consciousness. 

"Don't ask me, " he said. "I never saw anything like it. Here's a chap whohas been in bed on and off for months coming out in this unexpectedmanner and knocking us about as if we had been ninepins. What's become ofhim, I should like to know?"

"What are you two ruffians doing there?" came Fenwick's voice from thedrawing-room. "Go back to your room, and I will send for you when Iwant you. "

The men slunk back again, probably by no means sorry to be out of furthertrouble. No sooner had they disappeared than the two friends stood in theentrance to the door of the drawing-room once more. The friendly mirroragain stood them in good stead, for by its aid they watched as dramaticand thrilling a picture as ever was presented on any stage. 

The young man in the Norfolk suit stood there side by side with the girlin white. He had his arm about her waist. She clung to him, with her headupon his shoulder; there were words of endearment on her lips. Just forthe moment she seemed to have forgotten that they were not alone; allthe world might have been made for herself and her lover. For the moment, too, the dreamy look had left her face, and she no longer conveyed theimpression to a stranger's eyes that she was suffering from some form ofinsanity. She was alert and vigorous once more. 

"Oh, I knew that you would come back to me, " she said. "I knew that youwere not dead, for all they told me so. How cruel they were to tell methese things--"

"Stop, " the cripple cried. "It sounds cruel and heartless for me to haveto interfere just now, but I must insist that you go back to your room, Beth. Back at once. "

"Can't I stay a little longer?" the girl pleaded. "It is such a long timesince Charles and I--"

"No, no, you must do as I tell you. It will be far better in the longrun. We are only two men against three, and there may be others concealedin the house for all I know. For myself, I am perfectly helpless, andCharles looks as if he had just come from the grave. Evidently hisstruggles have tried him. "

"Well, I must confess, I am feeling rather down, " Charles Evors said. "Icould not stand it any longer, and I made a dash for liberty. Goodnessknows how long I have been in the hands of those men; and how long theyhave kept me under the influence of drugs. I suppose the supply fellshort. Anyway, I had just sense enough to take advantage of my firstopportunity. You can explain all to me presently, but the mere fact ofFenwick being here is enough to tell me who is at the bottom of thisbusiness. "

Fenwick placed his fingers to his lips and whistled shrilly. Almostimmediately sounds of footsteps broke out overhead, and a door openedsomewhere with a loud crash. The cripple turned to the girl, who hadcrept reluctantly as far as the doorway. 

"Now listen to me, " he said quickly. "Listen and act quickly. Godownstairs into the street and bring here the first policeman you canfind. Tell him a violent quarrel has broken out between Mr. Bates andsome of his guests, and say you fear that some mischief will be done. Doyou understand me?"

The girl nodded quickly. Evidently she quite understood. Shedisappeared so suddenly that Venner and Gurdon had barely time to getout of her way. They heard the street door open--they were conscious ofthe sudden draught rushing up the stairs; the sound of passing cabs wasdistinctly audible. 

The girl had hardly time to get outside before three or four men camedown the stairs. They rushed headlong into the drawing-room, where theyseemed to pause, no doubt deterred in their violence for a moment by thesight of the cripple's revolver. 

"Here's our chance, " Gurdon whispered. "The girl will be back with thepolice in two minutes, and we have heard quite enough to know theingenious scheme which is uppermost in the cripple's mind. Let's lockthem in. Don't you see that the key is in on this side of the door? Turnit quickly. "

"Good business, " Gurdon chuckled as he snapped the key in the lock. "Nowthey can fight as long as they like. At any rate, they can't do muchmischief so long as they are caged in there. "

A din of mingled voices came from the other side of the door, followedquickly by the whiplike crack of a revolver shot. Then someone tried thedoor and yelled aloud that it was locked. Fists battered violently on thepanels, and just as the din was at its height the helmets of twopolicemen appeared mounting the stairs. Venner stepped coolly forward asif he had every right to be there. 

"I'm glad you officers have come, " he said. "There seems to be somethingin the nature of a free fight going on here. We took the liberty ofturning in as the door was open to see what had happened. You had bettergo in yourself. "

The policeman tried the door, which, naturally, did not yield to hishand, and he called out to those inside to open in the name of the law. Avoice on the other side pleaded that the door was locked. Venner turnedthe key in the door. 

"Probably the young lady had the sense to lock them in, " he said. "Youhad better go inside, officer. No, there is no reason why we shouldaccompany you. As a matter of fact our presence here is more or less anintrusion. "

The policemen stepped into the room and demanded to know what was thematter. They could see the master of the house sitting there in hischair, with a tall young man in a Norfolk suit by his side, and oppositehim Fenwick, flushed and sullen, with his satellites behind him. Therewere four of them altogether, and the appearance they made was by nomeans attractive, seeing that two at least of them were showingunmistakable signs of violence. 

It was the cripple who first recovered his self-possession. 

"I am sorry to trouble you, " he said, "but I am afraid we have ratherforgotten ourselves. You know me, of course?"

"Oh, yes, sir, " the first officer replied. "You are Mr. Bates, thegentleman who is supposed to have been kidnapped the other night; theinspector told me that you were still on the Continent. "

"Well, I am not, " the cripple said curtly. "I am back home again, as youcan see with your own eyes. The gentleman over there with the yellowface is Mr. Mark Fenwick, the well-known millionaire. I daresay you haveheard of him. "

Both officers touched their hats respectfully; they had probably comehere prepared to make more than one arrest and thus cover themselves withcomparative glory; but the mere mention of Fenwick's name settled thatpoint once and for all. 

"As you are probably aware, " the cripple went on, "until quite recentlyMr. Fenwick was staying at the Great Empire Hotel, but the place was toopublic for one of his gentle and retiring disposition, and so he madearrangements to take my house furnished, though the understanding wasthat nobody should know anything about it, and nobody would have knownanything about it but for the fact that in the way of business Mr. Fenwick had to consult these other gentlemen. Perhaps they don't look inthe least like it, but they are all American capitalists, having madetheir money by gold mining. They don't look a very attractive lot, officer, but if you knew them as well as I do you would learn to lovethem for their many engaging qualities, and their purity of heart. "

The officers touched their helmets again, and appeared to be undecided intheir minds as to whether the cripple was chaffing them or not. Butthough his voice had a certain playfulness of tone, his face was quitegrave and steadfast. 

"Very well, sir, " the foremost of the constables said. "I understand thatneither of you gentlemen desires to make any charge against the other. Ishall have to make a note of this. "

"Of course you will, " the cripple said sweetly. "Now I appeal to Mr. Fenwick and his companions as to whether or not the whole thing has notbeen a silly misunderstanding. You see, officer, gold mining is rather athirsty business, and occasionally leads to rather more champagne than isgood for one. I can only apologise to my tenant, Mr. Fenwick, for losingmy temper, and I will at once rid him of my presence. It is getting verylate, and I can come round in the morning and make my peace here. As I ama little lame, I will ask one of you officers to give me your arm. Charles, will you be good enough to give me your arm also? I wish yougood-night, Mr. Fenwick. In fact, I wish all of you good-night. I shallnot fail to call round in the morning--"

"But you are not going, " Fenwick cried in dismay. "You are not going awayfrom your own house at this time of night?"

"You forget, " the cripple said, gravely, "that for the time being you aremy tenant, and that I have no more right in this house, indeed, not somuch right, as one of these policemen. I have sent my servants away, andI am at present staying--in fact, it does not matter much where I amstaying. Come along. "

The trap was so neatly laid and so coolly worked that Fenwick could onlysit and gasp in his chair, while his two victims walked quietly away inthe most natural manner in the world. 

"We had better be off, " Gurdon whispered. "There is no occasion for us tostay any longer. Let us follow the cripple. By Jove, I never saw anythingdone more neatly than that!"

CHAPTER XV

FELIX ZARY

It would have been a comparatively easy matter for the two friends tohave slipped out of the house before the cripple came down the stairsaccompanied by the young man who called himself Charles Evors. The frontdoor was still open, and there was no one to bar their way. Then itsuddenly occurred to Gurdon that by so doing they would betray the secretof the moveable panel which communicated with the house next door. 

"It would never do to go away like this, " he said, hurriedly. "Besides, it is more than likely that we shall want to use that entrance again. We shall have to run the risk of losing sight of the cripple; anythingis better than leaving that panel open for the servants to discover inthe morning. "

Venner could see for himself at once that there was no help for it, sowithout any further discussion on the matter, the two men hurried downthe stairs, their feet making no noise on the thick carpet, and then theydarted through the hole into the house next door. It was only the work ofa moment to replace the panel, but hardly had they done so before theyheard a confused murmur of voices on the other side. Gurdon pressed hisback to the panel until the noise of the voices ceased. 

"That was a pretty close call, " he said. "Give me the mouldings and Iwill try to make them secure without any unnecessary noise. I daresay wecan get the nails to fit the same holes. Anyway, there must be nohammering, or we shall be pretty sure to rouse the suspicions of thepeople next door. "

It was perhaps fortunate that the mouldings fitted so well, for Gurdonmanaged to work the nails into the original holes and complete a more orless workmanlike job to his own satisfaction. Certainly, anybody who wasnot in the secret would never have detected anything wrong with thepanels or imagined for a moment that they had been so recently moved. 

"That's a good job well done, " Venner said. 

"Yes, but what do you do it for? In fact, what are you two gentlemendoing here at all?"

The voice came with a startling suddenness. It was an exceedingly clear, melodious voice, yet with a steely ring in it. The two friends wheeledround sharply to find themselves face to face with an exceedingly tallindividual, whose length was almost grotesquely added to by the amazingslimness of his figure. In that respect he was not at all unlike the typeof human skeleton which one generally expects to find in a travellingcircus, or some show of that kind. The man, moreover, was dressed indeep black, which added to his solemnity. He had an exceedingly long, melancholy face, on both sides of which hung a mass of oily-looking blackhair; his nose, too, was elongated and thin, and a long droopingmoustache concealed his mouth. On the whole his appearance was redeemedfrom the grotesque by an extraordinary pair of black eyes, which wereround and large as those of a Persian cat. Despite the man's exceedingthinness, he conveyed a certain suggestion of strength. At that moment hehad a handkerchief between his fingers, and Gurdon could see that hiswrists were supple and pliable as if they had been made of india rubber. Gurdon had heard that sort of hands before described as conjurer's hands. As he looked at them he half expected to see the handkerchief disappearand an orange or apple or something of that kind take its place. Then thestranger coolly walked across the hall and turned up another of thelights. He seemed to be perfectly at home, and conveyed a curiousimpression to the visitors that he expected to find them there. 

"I beg to remind you that you have not yet answered my question, " hesaid. "What are you doing here?"

"Let me answer your question with another, " Venner said. "Who are you, and what may you be doing here?"

The man smiled in a peculiar fashion. His big black eyes seemed toradiate sparks; they were luminous and full of vivid fury, though, at thesame time, the long horse-like face never for a moment lost its look ofprofound dejection. They might have been eyes gleaming behind a dull, painted mask. 

"We will come to that presently, " he said. "For the moment the mention ofmy name must content you. It is just possible that you might have heardthe name of Felix Zary. "

Venner and Gurdon fairly started. The name of Felix Zary was familiar tothem, but only during the last three-quarters of an hour. In fact, thatwas the name of the man as to whose whereabouts Fenwick had been soanxious to hear. Here was another element in the mystery, which, up tothis moment, had not advanced very far towards solution. 

"I have heard the name before, " Venner said, "but only quiterecently--within the last hour, in fact. "

"Oh, yes, " the stranger said, "I know exactly what you mean. Youprobably heard it next door when you were listening so intently tothe conversation between my friend Charles Le Fenu, the cripple, andthat scoundrel who calls himself Fenwick. He is exceedingly anxiousto know where I am, though without the smallest intention ofbenefitting me. Before long, his curiosity will be gratified; butnot in the way he thinks. "

The latter words came from the speaker's lips with a spitting hiss, suchas a cat emits in the presence of a dog. The great round black eyesadded intensity to the threat, and rendered the feline simile complete. The prophecy boded ill for Fenwick when at length he and Felix Zary cameface to face. 

"I see my conjecture is quite right, " the stranger went on. "And as toyou gentlemen, I have asked your names merely as a matter of courtesy. Asa matter of fact I know perfectly well who you are--you are Mr. GeraldVenner and Mr. James Gurdon. But there is one thing I don't know, andthat is why you have thrust yourself into this diabolical business. Youmust be brave men, or absolutely unconscious of the terrible danger youare running. If either of you are friends of Fenwick's--"

"Not for a moment, " Venner cried. "You pay us a poor compliment indeed ifyou take us to be in any way friendly with that scoundrel. "

"And yet you are here, " Zary went on. "You are spying on the movements ofmy friend, Le Fenu. You have contrived to obtain possession of the keysof his house for no other purpose. Why?"

Venner paused before he answered the question. He did not recognise theright of this man to put him through a cross-examination. Indeed, itseemed to him, the less he said the better. Perhaps Zary saw somethingof what was going on in his mind, for his big black eyes smiled, thoughthe dejected visage remained the same. 

"I see, you do not trust me, " he said. "Perhaps you are right to becautious. Let me ask you another question, assuring you at the same timethat I am the friend of Charles Le Fenu and his sisters, and that ifnecessary I will lay down my life to save them from trouble. Tell me, Mr. Venner, why are you so interested in saving the girl who passes forFenwick's daughter from her miserable position? Tell me. "

Zary came a step or two closer to Venner and looked down into his facewith a searching yearning expression in those magnetic black eyes. Theappeal to Venner was irresistible. The truth rose to his lips; it refusedto be kept back. 

"Because, " he said slowly, "because she is my wife. "

A great sigh of relief came from Zary. 

"I am glad of that, " he said. "Exceedingly glad. And yet I had suspectedsomething of the kind. It is good for me to know that I am with friends, and that you two are only actuated by the best motives. For some days nowI have had you under close observation. I followed you here to-night;indeed, I was in the house when you removed those panels. As a matter offact, Mr. Gurdon's first involuntary visit here absolutely ruined acarefully laid plan of mine for getting Mark Fenwick into my hands. ButI will tell you later on all about the mystery of the furnisheddining-room and how and why the furniture vanished so strangely. When Ifollowed you here to-night I was quite prepared to shoot you both ifnecessary, but some strange impulse came over me to speak to you and askyou what you were doing. I am rather glad I did, because I should notlike to have a tragedy on my hands. Now would you like to come with me asfar as my own rooms, where I shall be in a position to throw a littlelight upon a dark place or two?"

Venner and Gurdon clutched eagerly at the suggestion. Without furtherwords, they passed into the street, and would have walked down the stepshad not Zary detained them. 

"One moment, " he whispered. "Hang back in the shadow of the portico. Don't you see that there are two or three men on the steps of the housenext door? Ah, I can catch the tones of that rascal Fenwick. If only thatvile scoundrel knew how close to him I was at the present moment! But letus listen. Perhaps we may hear something useful. "

It was very still and quiet in the Square now, for the hour was late, andtherefore the voices from the portico came clear and distinct to thelisteners' ears. 

"What is the good of it?" one of the voices said. "Why on earth can't youwait till morning? Le Fenu has got clear away, and there isn't muchchance of catching him again in a hurry. It was one of the coolestthings I have seen for a long time. "

"Oh, he doesn't lack brains, or pluck either, " Fenwick said. "I shouldhave been proud of a trick like that myself. I ought to have poisoned himwhen I had the chance. I ought to have got him out of the way withoutdelay. But it seemed such a safe thing to kidnap him and hide him in hisown house, where we could go on with our work without the slightestdanger or interruption from those accursed police. And then, when Fateplayed into our hands and we got hold of Evors as well, it looked as ifeverything was going our way. How you fools ever contrived to let him getthe upper hand of you is more than I can understand. "

"It was Jones's fault, " another voice growled. "He forgot the drug, andwe ran clean out of it. Then, I suppose, we got interested over a game ofcards, and one way and another, Evors managed to get six or seven hours'sleep without having any of that stuff inside him. Bless me, if it wasn'tall like a dream, guv'nor. There we were, interested in our cards, andbefore we knew where we were our heads were banged together, and I waslying on the floor thinking that the end of the world had come. Thatfellow has got the strength of the very devil itself. "

"Poor weak creature, " Fenwick sneered. 

"Weak-minded, perhaps, and easily led, " the first speaker said. "Butthere is not much the matter with him when it comes to fists. "

"We can't stop chattering here all night, " Fenwick cried. "It is all verywell for you men, who don't care so long as you have something to eat anddrink. You would be quite satisfied to sit like a lot of hogs in a sty inLe Fenu's house, but he'll certainly be back in the morning with someinfernal scheme or other for getting the best of us. Don't you see it isimpossible for me any longer to play the part of a tenant of a furnishedhouse, now that the owner of the house is at large again? It is a veryfortunate thing, too, in a way, that I can pass all you people off as myservants. Now get away at once and do as I tell you. As for me, I amgoing to take a cab as far as the old place by the side of the river. Inan hour's time I hope to be on my way to Canterbury. Now, you are quitesure you all know what to do? It's confoundedly awkward to have one'splans upset like this, but a clever man always has an alternative schemeon hand, and I've got mine. There, that will do. Be off at once. "

"That's all very well, guv'nor, " another voice said. "It is easy enoughto put the door on the latch and turn out of the crib, leaving it empty, but what about the girl in the white dress? I ain't very scrupulous as arule, but it seems rather cruel to leave the poor kid behind and she notmore than half right in her head. "

"Devil fly away with the girl, " Fenwick said passionately. "We canpick her up at any time we want to. Besides, I think I can see a wayto arrange for her and a method of getting her out of the house withinthe next hour. It was no bad thing for men who get their living as wedo when some genius invented motor cars. Now do go along or we shallnever finish. "

The little group on the portico steps melted away, and one by one theslouching figures vanished into the darkness. Zary stepped on to thepavement, and proceeded to open the front door of the next house. Ityielded to his touch. 

"I am glad of this, " he said; "and, really, we owe quite a debt ofgratitude to the tender-hearted ruffian who was averse to leaving a poorgirl in this house all alone. We will spare Fenwick the trouble of anyinconvenience so far as she is concerned. "

So saying, Zary proceeded to walk up the stairs, turning up the lights ashe went. He called the name of Beth softly three or four times, andpresently a door opened overhead and a girl in a white dress came out. Apleased smile spread over her face as she looked over the balusters andnoted the caller. 

"Felix, " she said softly, "is it really you? I have been hiding myself inmy room because I was terrified, and after Charles had gone those menquarrelled so terribly among themselves! I suppose Charles forgot allabout me in the excitement of the moment. "

"Oh, no, he didn't, dear one, " Zary said very gently. "He would havecome back to you in any case. But I am going to take you away from thishouse where you have been so miserable; I am going to see that you arenot molested in the future. "

"That is all very well, " Venner interposed, "but where can the young ladygo? She is quite alone and helpless, and unless you have some reputablefemale relation--"

"It is not a matter of my relations, " Zary smiled. "Miss Beth will go toone who is her natural protector, and one who will watch over her welfarewith unceasing care. To put it quite plainly, Miss Beth is going to theGreat Empire Hotel, and you are going to take her. To-night she willsleep under the same roof as her sister. "

Venner was just a little startled by the suddenness of the proposal, yet, on the whole, the suggestion was an exceedingly natural one, for who wasbetter capable of looking after the unfortunate Beth than her own sister?True, the hour was exceedingly late; but then a huge place like the GreatEmpire Hotel was practically open night and day, and a request at oneo'clock in the morning that a guest in the house should be awakened toreceive another guest would be nothing in the way of a novelty. 

"Very well, " Venner said. "Let her put on her hat and jacket, and she cancome with me at once. "

CHAPTER XVI

FENWICK MOVES AGAIN

Beth raised no objection to the programme; indeed, the suggestion seemedto fill her with delight. She would not be a moment, she said. She wouldput certain necessaries in a handbag, and come back for the rest of herwardrobe on the morrow. Venner had expressed a desire that Zary shouldaccompany him, but the latter shook his head emphatically. 

"No, no, " he said; "you are going alone. As for me, I have importantbusiness on hand which will not brook the slightest delay. Mr. Gurdon hadbest return to his own rooms; and, for his own sake, I would advise himto keep in the middle of the road. You two little know the danger youincurred when you decided to thrust your head into this hornet's nest. Now I will see you both off the premises and put out all the lights. Imay mention in passing that I have a latchkey to this place. "

A few minutes later Venner found himself walking down the desertedstreets with his fair little companion hanging on his arm. She chatteredto him very prettily and daintily, but there was a great deal in herremarks which conveyed nothing to him at all. She constantly alluded tomatters of which he was entirely ignorant, apparently taking it forgranted that he was _au fait_ with what she was saying. It struck Vennerthat though not exactly mentally deficient, she was suffering fromweakness of intellect, brought about, probably, by some great shock orterrible sorrow. On the whole, he was not sorry to find himself in thegreat hall of the hotel, the lights of which were still burning, andwhere several guests were lounging for a final cigar. 

"I know it is exceedingly late, " Venner said to the clerk, "but it isquite imperative that this young lady should see Miss Fenwick. Willyou be good enough to send up to her room and tell her how sorry I amto disturb her at this time of night, but that the matter isexceedingly urgent?"

"Miss Fenwick is not in, sir, " came the startling response. "She went outshortly after eleven o'clock, and she told me that she might not be backfor some considerable time. You see, she wanted to be quite sure that shecould get back into the hotel at any time she returned. Oh, no doubt sheis returning, or I don't suppose for a moment that she would have askedme all those questions. "

The information was sufficiently disturbing, but there was no help forit. All they had to do was to sit down and wait patiently till Vera cameback. They were not in the least likely to attract any attention, seeingthat several men in evening dress together with their wives were seatedin the hall for a final chat after the theatre or some party orreception. In her long white frock, partially concealed by a cloak andhood, Beth would have easily passed for a girl fresh from a theatre or adance. It was a long weary wait of over an hour, and Venner was feelingdistinctly anxious, when the big folding doors at the end of the hallopened and Vera's tall, graceful figure emerged. 

"Here is your sister, " Venner said. There was just a stern suggestion inhis voice. "Now, you are not to cry or make any scene, you are not toattract any attention to yourself, but take it all for granted. You canbe as emotional as you please when you are alone together in your room. "

Vera came across the hall in a jaded, weary way, as if she werethoroughly tired out. Her face flushed a little as she recognised Venner. Then she looked at his companion and almost paused, while the blood ebbedfrom her face, leaving it deadly pale. 

"Gerald, " she whispered. "Gerald and Beth. What does it mean? Whatstrange thing has happened to bring you both together here. "

"Don't make a scene, for goodness' sake, " Venner said. "Take it as calmlyas you can. Unless you are self-possessed, your sister is sure to giveway, and that is the last thing in the world to be desired. I cannotpossibly stop now to tell you all the extraordinary things which havehappened to-night. Let it be sufficient to say that it is absolutelyimperative that you give your sister shelter, and that nobody butyourself should know where she is. "

"But how did you find her?" Vera asked. "And who was it suggested thatyou should bring her to me?"

"Let me just mention the name of Zary, " Venner replied. "Oh, I can comeround here to-morrow and tell you all about it. If you think that thereis any possible danger--"

"Of course there is danger, " Vera said. "Mr. Fenwick may be back at anymoment. He does not know that I am aware that my sister is even alive. Ifhe became acquainted with the fact that we had come together again, allmy plans would be absolutely ruined, and my three years of self-sacrificewould be in vain. "

"I am afraid you must run the risk now, " Venner said. "At any rate, yoursister will have to stay here till the morning. It is perhaps a goodthing that she does not understand what is going on. "

Apparently the girl had no real comprehension of all the anxieties andemotions of which she was unconsciously the centre. She was holding hersister's hand now and smiling tenderly into her face, like a child whohas found a long-lost friend. 

"You may rest assured on one point, " Venner went on. "For the presentthere is not the slightest reason to fear Fenwick. He has had a greatshock to-night; all his plans have been upset, and he finds himself in aposition of considerable danger. I know for a fact that he is goingstraight away to Canterbury, and probably by this time he is on his waythere. According to what your mysterious friend Zary said, he had someplan cut and dried for providing for your sister's safety to-morrow. Nowtake the poor child to bed, for she is half asleep already, and when onceyou have made her comfortable I want you to come down again and have afew words with me. You need not hesitate; surely a man can talk to hiswife whenever he pleases--and, besides, there are several people here whoshow not the slightest signs of going to bed yet. "

"Very well, " Vera said. "Come along, dear, I see you are dreadfullysleepy--so sleepy that you do not appear to recognise the sister you havemet for the first time for three years. "

Venner had time to smoke the best part of a cigar before Vera reappeared. They took a seat in a secluded corner of the hall, where it was possibleto talk without interruption. 

"Now, please, tell me everything, " the girl said. 

"I am afraid that is impossible, " Venner replied. "This is one of themost extraordinary and complicated businesses that I ever heard of. Inthe first place, I came to England, weary and worn out with my search foryou, and half inclined to abandon it altogether. In the very last placein the world where I expect to meet you, I come In contact with you inthis hotel. I find that you are being passed off as the daughter of oneof the greatest scoundrels who ever cheated the gallows. But that doesnot check my faith in you. I had kept my trust in you intact. Ever sinceyou left me on the day of our marriage I have had nothing but a few wordsto explain your amazing conduct; and now here am I doing my best to freeyou from the chains that bind you, and all the while you seem to bestruggling to hug those chains about you and to baffle all my efforts. Why do you do this? What is the secret that you conceal so carefully fromthe man who would do anything to save you from trouble, from the man youprofess to love? If you do care for me--"

"Oh, I do indeed, " Vera whispered. There were tears in her eyes now andher cheeks were wet. "It is not for my own sake--it is for the sake ofthe poor girl upstairs. I had promised to say nothing of that toanyone--to try and save her--and I left you and ran the risk of for everforfeiting your affection. But if Beth is better in the morning I willtry to get her to absolve me from my promise and induce her--"

"She is not capable of giving a promise of rescinding it, " Venner said. "Don't you think it would be far better if, instead, you discussed thematter with your brother, Charles Le Fenu?"

"So you know all about that?" Vera cried. 

"Yes, I do. I have seen him to-night. Gurdon has already had an interviewwith him--an interview that almost cost him his life. We have been havingsome pretty fine adventures the last two or three days--but if it allends in saving you and lifting this cloud from your life I shall be wellcontent. I am not going to ask you to go into explanations now, because Isee they would be distasteful to you, and because you have given somefoolish promise which you are loth to break. But tell me one thing. Yousaid just now that you had not seen your sister for three years, thoughshe has been living with your brother, whom you visited quite recently. "

"That is easily explained, " Vera said. "It was deemed necessary to tellBeth one or two fictions with a view to easing her mind and leaving herstill with some slight shadow of hope, which was the only means ofpreventing her reason from absolutely leaving her. These fictionsentailed my keeping out of the way. Beth is exceedingly different fromme, as you know. "

"Indeed, she is, " said Venner, smiling for the first time. "But does itnot strike you as an extraordinary thing that I should be fighting inthis fierce way in your behalf, and that you should be placing negativeobstacles in my way all the time? I won't worry you any more to-night, dearest--you look tired and worn out. You had better go to your ownroom, and we can discuss this matter further in the morning. "

It was dark enough and sheltered enough in that secluded corner of thehall for Venner to draw the girl towards him and kiss her lipspassionately. Just for a brief moment Vera lay in her husband's arms;then, with a little sigh, she disengaged herself and disappeared slowlyup the stairs. 

She had placed Beth in her own room, which they would share together forthat night, at any rate. The younger girl was sleeping placidly; therewas a smile on her face--her lips were parted like those of one who isutterly and entirely happy. She made a fair picture as she lay there, with her yellow hair streaming over her shoulders. She just murmuredsomething in her sleep, as Vera bent over her and brushed her foreheadlightly with her lips. 

"Oh, I wonder how long this cloud will last!" Vera murmured--"how muchlonger I shall be till I am free! How terrible it is to have the offer ofa good man's love, and be compelled to spoil it as I do, or, at least, asI appear to do. And yet I should be a happy woman if I could only throwoff these shackles--"

Vera paused, unable to say more, for something seemed to rise in herthroat and choke her. She was utterly tired and worn out, almost tootired to undress and get into bed--and yet once her head was on thepillow she could not sleep; she tossed and turned wearily. All Londonseemed to be transformed into one noisy collection of clocks. The noiseand the din seemed to stun Vera and throb through her head like thebeating of hammers on her brain. She fell off presently into a troubledsleep, which was full of dreams. It seemed to her that she was locked ina safe, and that somebody outside was hammering at the walls to let herfree. Then she became conscious of the fact that somebody really wasknocking at the door. As Vera stumbled out of bed a clock somewherestruck three. She flicked up the light and opened the door. Asleepy-looking chambermaid handed her a note, which was marked "Urgent"on the envelope. With a thrill, she recognised the handwriting of MarkFenwick. What new disaster was here? she wondered. 

"Is there anybody waiting for an answer?" she asked tremblingly. "Is themessenger downstairs?"

"Yes, miss, " the sleepy chambermaid replied. "It was brought by agentleman in a motor. I told him you were in bed and fast asleep, but hesaid it was of the greatest importance and I was to wake you. Perhaps youhad better read it. "

With a hand that trembled terribly, Vera tore open the envelope. Therewere only two or three lines there in Fenwick's stiff handwriting;they were curt and discourteous, and very much to the point. They ranas follows--

"I am writing you this from Canterbury, where I have been for the lasthour, and where I have important business. I have sent one of the carsover for you, and you are to come back at once. Whatever happens, seethat you obey me. "

 * * * * *

"You will tell the gentleman I will be down in a few moments, " Vera said. "I will not detain him any longer than I can help. "

"What is to be done?" the girl wondered directly she was alone. She feltthat she dared not disobey this command; she would have to go at allcosts. She knew by bitter experience that Fenwick was not the man tobrook contradiction. Besides, at the present moment it would be a fatalthing to rouse his suspicions. And yet, she felt how impossible it wasfor her to leave Beth here in the circumstances. Nor could she see herway to call up Venner at this hour and explain what had happened. All shecould do was to scribble a short note to him with a view to explainingthe outline of the new situation. Ten minutes later she was downstairs inthe hall, where she found the man awaiting her. He was clad in furs, hismotor cap was pulled over his eyes as if he shrank from observation; butall the same Vera recognised him. 

"So it is you, Jones, " she said. "Do you know that you have been sent allthe way from Canterbury to fetch me at this time in the morning? It isperfectly monstrous that I should be dragged out of bed like this;perfectly disgraceful!"

"I don't know anything about that, miss, " the man said sullenly. "It isthe guv'nor's orders, and he gave me pretty plainly to understand thathe would want to know the reason why if I came back without you. Don'tblame me. "

"I'm not blaming you at all, " Vera said, coldly. "Nor am I going to standhere bandying words with you. I will just go to my room and put on a furcoat--then I shall be ready. "

"Very well, miss. That's the proper way to take it. But where is theother young lady?"

Vera's heart fairly stood still for a moment. Fenwick's note had saidnothing about her sister, though this man seemed to be aware of the factthat she was here. There was only one thing for it, and that was to lieboldly and without hesitation. She looked the speaker in the face inblank astonishment. 

"I fail to understand you, " she said. "There is nobody here but me; therecould be nobody here but me. And now I have nothing further to say. Onemoment and I will be with you. "

CHAPTER XVII

MERTON GRANGE

Vera came down a few moments later ready for her journey. Now that shehad had time to think matters over, she was looking forward with somedread to her forthcoming interview with Mark Fenwick. Surely somethingout of the common must have taken place, or he would never have sent forher at such an extraordinary time, and Vera had always one thing tocontend with; she had not forgotten, in fact, she could not forget, thatfor the last three years she had been engaged in plotting steadilyagainst the man by whose name she was known. Moreover, she was not in theleast blind to Fenwick's astuteness, and there was always the unpleasantfeeling that he might be playing with her. She had always loathed anddetested this man from the bottom of her soul; there were times when shedoubted whether or not he was a relation of hers. As far as Vera knew, hewas supposed to be her mother's half-brother, and so much as this sheowed the man--he had come to her at the time when she was nearlydestitute, and in no position to turn her back on his advances. That itsuited Fenwick to have a well-bred and graceful girl about him, she knewperfectly well. But long before would she have left him, only she wasquite certain that Fenwick was at the bottom of the dreadful businesswhich had resulted in Beth's deplorable state of mind. 

But as to all this, Vera could say nothing at the moment. All she had todo now was to guard herself against a surprise on the part of Fenwick. She had been startled by the mere suggestion on the part of her companionthat she had not been alone at the Great Empire Hotel. Much as she wouldhave liked illumination on this point, she had the prudence to saynothing. Silently she stepped into the car, a big Mercedes with greatglaring eyes; silently, too, she was borne along the empty streets. Itwanted yet three hours to daylight, and Vera asked how long they would bein reaching their destination. Her companion put on speed once theoutskirts of town were reached. Vera could feel the cold air streamingpast her face like a touch of ice. 

"Oh, about an hour and a half, " the driver said carelessly. "I suppose itis about fifty-five miles. With these big lamps and these clear roadswe'll just fly along. "

The speaker touched a lever, and the car seemed to jump over the smoothroads. The hedges and houses flew by and the whole earth seemed tovibrate to the roar and rattle of the car. It was Vera's first experienceof anything like racing, and she held her breath in terror. 

"What would happen if a wheel gave way?" she asked. She had muffled herface in her veil, so that she could breathe more freely now. "Surely apace like this is dangerous. "

"You have to take risks, miss, " the driver said coolly. "We are moving atabout five and forty miles an hour now. I'm very sorry if it makes younervous, but my instructions were to get back as quickly as possible. "

"I don't feel exactly nervous, " Vera said. 

"Oh, no, you are getting over it. Everybody does after the first fewmoments. When you get used to the motion you will like it. It gives you afeeling like a glass of champagne when you're tired. You'll see foryourself presently. "

Surely enough Vera did see for herself presently. As the feeling oftimidity and unfamiliarity wore off she began to be conscious of a glowin her blood as if she were breathing some pure mountain air. The breezefairly sang past her ears, the car ran more smoothly now with nothing tocheck its movement, and Vera could have sung aloud for the very joy ofliving. She began to understand the vivid pleasure of motoring; she couldeven make an excuse for those who travelled the high roads at top speed. Long before she had reached her destination she had forgotten everythingelse beside the pure delight of that trip in the dark. 

"Here we are, miss, " the driver said at length, as he turned in througha pair of huge iron gates. "It's about a mile up the avenue to thehouse--but you can see the lights in front of you. "

"Have we really come all that way in this short time?" Vera asked. "Itonly seems about ten minutes since we started. "

The driver made no reply, and Vera had little time to look curiouslyabout her. So far as she could judge, they were in a large park, filledwith magnificent oak trees. Here and there through the gloom she seemedto see shadowy figures flitting, and these she assumed to be deer. Oneach side of the avenue rose a noble line of elm trees, beyond which werethe gardens; then a series of terraces, culminating in a fine house ofthe late Tudor period. Beyond question, it was a fine old family mansionin which Fenwick had taken up his quarters for the present. 

"What do you call the place?" Vera asked. 

"This is Merton Grange, miss, " the driver explained. "It belongs to LordSomebody or another, I forget his name. Anyway, he has had to let thehouse for a time and go abroad. You had better get out here, and I'lltake the car to the garage. I wouldn't ring the bell if I were you, miss. I'd just walk straight into the house. You'll find the door open and theguv'nor ready to receive you. He is sure to have heard the car coming upthe drive. "

Vera descended and walked up the flight of steps which led to a nobleportico. Here was a great massive oak door, which looked as if itrequired the strength of a strong man to open it, but it yielded toVera's touch, and a moment later she was standing in the great hall. 

Tired as she was and frightened as she was feeling now, she could notbut admire the beauty and symmetry of the place. Like most historicmansions of to-day, the place had been fitted with electric light, anda soft illuminating flood of it filled the hall. It was a magnificentoak-panelled apartment, filled with old armor and trophies, and linedwith portraits of the owner's ancestors. It seemed to Vera thatanybody might be happy here. It also seemed strange to her that a manof Fenwick's type should choose a place like this for his habitation. She was destined to know later what Fenwick had in his mind when hecame here. 

Vera's meditations were cut short by the appearance of the man himself. To her surprise she noted that he was dressed in some blue material, justlike an engineer on board ship. His hands were grimy, too, as if he hadbeen indulging in some mechanical work. He nodded curtly to the girl. 

"So you've come at last, " he said. "I daresay you wonder why I sent foryou. There is a little room at the back yonder, behind thedrawing-room, that I have turned into a study. Go in there and waitfor me, and I'll come to you as soon as I have washed my hands. I hopeyou have brought all you want with you; for there is precious littleaccommodation for your sex here at present. You can take your choice ofbed-rooms--there are enough of those and to spare. I have somethingserious to say to you. "

With a sinking at her heart Vera passed into the little room that Fenwickhad pointed out to her. At any other time she would have admired the oldfurniture and the elegant refined simplicity of it all; now she had otherthings to think of. She stood warming her hands at the fire till Fenwickcame in and carefully closed the door behind him. 

"Now we can get to business, " he said. "I daresay you wonder why I sentfor you instead of leaving you in London for the present. Up to now Ihave always regarded you as perfectly safe--indeed, I thought you weresufficiently grateful to me for all my kindness to you. I find I ammistaken. "

Vera looked up with a challenge in her eyes. She knew that she hadsomething to face now, and she meant to see it through without showingthe white feather. She was braced up and ready, now that the moment foraction had come. 

"Have you ever really been kind to me?" she challenged. "I mean, have youreally been kind to me for my own sake, and out of pure good-nature? Ivery much doubt it. "

"This is your gratitude, " Fenwick sneered. "I think we had betterunderstand one another. "

"I would give a great deal to understand you, " the girl said boldly. "Butwe are wasting time fencing here like this, and I am very tired. You sentfor me at this extraordinary hour, and I came. I have every right to knowwhy you asked me to come here. "

"Sit down, " Fenwick growled. "I sent for you because I did not trust you. I sent for you because you have betrayed your promise. You are doingsomething that you told me you would not do. "

"And what is that?" Vera asked. 

"Just as if you did not know. Let us go back a bit, back three years anda half ago. Your father was alive in those days; it was just before hemet his death in Mexico. "

"I remember perfectly well, " Vera said, quietly. "I am not likely toforget the time. Pray continue. "

"Have patience please, I am coming to it all in time. Your father diedmore or less mysteriously, but there is not the shadow of a doubt that hewas murdered. Nobody knows how he was murdered, but a good many peoplebehind the scenes can guess why. The thing was hushed up, possiblybecause the tragedy took place in so remote a corner of theworld--possibly because the authorities were bribed. Tell me the name ofthe man, or, at least, tell me the name of the one man who was with yourfather at the time of his death. "

Vera's face paled slightly, but she kept her eyes steadily fixed on hercompanion's face. She began to understand where the point of the torturewas coming in. 

"I will not affect to misunderstand you, " she said. "The man who was withmy father at that time was Mr. Charles Evors. He was a sort of pupil ofmy father's, and had more than once accompanied him on his excursions. You want to insinuate that my father met his death at the hands of thisyoung man, who, overcome by certain temptation and a desire to obtain thesecret of the Four Finger Mine, murdered his master?"

"I am in a position to prove it, " Fenwick said sternly. "I have given youpractical proof of it, more than once. Why should I have interfered inthe way I did, unless it was that I desired to save you pain? I couldhave brought the whole thing into the light of day, but I refrained fromdoing so because, it seemed to me, nothing could be gained by bringingthe criminal to justice. I had another reason, too, as you know. "

"Yes, I am aware of that, " Vera said. "I could never make it out--I couldnever really believe that Charles Evors was guilty of that dreadfulcrime. He was so frank and true, so kind to everybody! I know he wasweak--I know that he had been sent away from England because he hadfallen into bad company; I know, too, that he was a little fond of drink. There was only one point on which he was reticent--he never spoke muchabout his people; but I rather gathered that they were in a highposition. "

"They were, " Fenwick grinned. "You'd be surprised if you knew how high aposition. But go on. "

"I was saying that I could not credit Charles Evors with such a crime. Aman who is so fond of children, so sympathetic to things weaker thanhimself, could not have taken the life of a fellow-creature. He was fondof my father, too, but that was not the strangest feature of the mystery. Do you suppose for a moment that the man who was engaged to be married tomy sister could have laid violent hands on her father?"

"But he did do it, " Fenwick cried impatiently. "Otherwise why did hevanish so mysteriously? Why did he go away and leave us to infer that hehad perished at sea? It was the kindest thing we could do to let yoursister think that her lover was dead, though the shock seems to havedeprived her of her reason; and, though I acted all for the best, yourbrother chose to proclaim me an abandoned scoundrel, and to say that yourfather's death lay at my door. You know why it became necessary for youto remain with me and treat your brother henceforth as a stranger. Youvolunteered to do it, you volunteered to turn your back on your familyand remain with me. Why did you do so?"

No reply came from Vera's lips. It seemed to her that her safest courselay in silence. To her great relief, Fenwick went on without waiting foran answer. 

"Now I am coming to my point, " he said. "You have broken faith with me. Three or four times since we came to England you have seen your brother. You have seen him by stealth; you know all about that strange householdin Portsmouth Square where he chooses to hide himself under the name ofBates. I want to know why it is that you have chosen to break your wordwith me? I have had you watched to-night, and I have learned all yourmovements by means of the telephone. You will stay down here during mypleasure. If you fail to do so, or if you try to deceive me again, assure as I stand here at the present moment I will betray Charles Evorsinto the hands of the police. Now look me in the face and answer myquestion truthfully Do you know where that young man is?"

It was fortunate for Vera that she could reply in the negative. A fewmore hours, perhaps, and she might have been able to afford theinformation; but, luckily for her, the startling events that had recentlytaken place in Portsmouth Square were not known to her in their entirety. She could look Fenwick in the face. 

"I don't, " she said. "I have never seen him since that fatefulmorning--but I don't care to go into that. I admit that I have seen mybrother. I admit, too, that I have seen my sister; the temptation to findthem and see them once more was too strong for me. You will not besurprised to find that I have some natural feelings left. It is not sovery extraordinary. "

Fenwick shot a suspicious glance at Vera, but she was gazing into thefire with a thoughtful look. She was acting her part splendidly; shewas deceiving this man who, as a rule, could read the thoughts ofmost people. 

"Perhaps you are right, " he said doubtfully. "But to make assurancedoubly sure you are going to help me out of a difficulty. I suppose youhave not forgotten Felix Zary?"

"No, " Vera said, in a curiously low voice. "I have not forgotten myfather's faithful companion. I should very much like to see him again. Ifyou know where he is--"

"Oh, I know where he is, " Fenwick said with a laugh. "We will have himdown here as a pleasant surprise. That is all I want you to do--I wantyou to write a letter to Zary, telling him that you are in great trouble, and asking him to come down here and see you at once. I should like youto write that letter now. "

CHAPTER XVIII

A COUPLE OF VISITORS

Something in the tone of Fenwick's voice caused Vera to look uphastily. Perhaps it was her imagination that in the unsteady light ofthe flickering fire his face seemed to have changed almost beyondrecognition. The features were dark and murderous and the eyes werefull of a lust for vengeance. It was only just for a moment--then theman became his normal self again, just as if nothing had happened. Aviolent shudder passed over Vera's frame, but Fenwick appeared tonotice nothing of this. 

"You want me to write that letter now?" she asked. 

"At once, " Fenwick responded. "I don't mind telling you that I am ingreat trouble over business matters; there is a conspiracy on footamongst certain people to get me into trouble. I may even find myselfinside the walls of a prison. The man who can save me from all this isyour friend, Felix Zary. Unfortunately for me, the man has the bad tasteto dislike me exceedingly. He seems to think that I was in some wayresponsible for your father's death. And, as you know, he loved yourfather with a devotion that was almost dog-like. If I could get Zarydown here I should have no difficulty in convincing him that he waswrong. But he would not come near the place so long as he knew that Iwas present; so, therefore, I want you to write to him and conceal thefact that I am on the premises. Directly he gets your letter he willcome at once. "

"I have not the slightest doubt of it, " Vera said slowly. "There isnothing that Zary would not do for one of us, if you will assure me thatyou mean no harm by him--"

"Harm?" Fenwick shouted. "What harm could I do the man? Didn't I tell youjust now that I want him to do me a service? One does not generallyill-treat those who are in a position to bestow favors. Now sit down likethe good girl that you are, and write that letter at once. Then you cango to bed. "

"I will write it in the morning, " Vera said. "Surely there cannot beall this desperate hurry. If the letter is written before the post goesout tomorrow afternoon it will be in good time. I am much too tired todo it now. "

Just for a moment Fenwick's eyes blazed angrily again. It seemed to Verathat the man was about to burst forth into a storm of passion. The hotwords did not come, however, for Fenwick restrained himself. Perhaps hewas afraid of going a little too far; perhaps he was afraid of arousingVera's suspicions, and thus defeating his own object by a refusal on herpart to write the letter. He knew from past experience that she could beas firm of purpose as himself if she chose. 

"Very well, " he said, with an almost grotesque attempt at good-humor. "You look very tired tonight, and I daresay you have had a fatiguingjourney--and, after all, there is no great hurry. I will show you up tothe room which I have set apart for your use. "

Vera was only too glad to get away. Despite her strange surroundings, anddespite the sense of coming danger, she threw herself on the bed andslept the sleep of utter exhaustion. It was getting towards noon beforeshe came back to herself, invigorated and refreshed by her long rest. 

So far as the girl could see, there were no servants in the house atpresent besides an old retainer of the family and her husband. Fenwickhad made some excuse about the staff of domestics who were to followlater on; but up to now he only had about him the men whom Vera had knownmore or less well for the last two years. The meals appeared to be servedin a remarkably irregular fashion; even the lunch was partaken ofhurriedly by Fenwick, who pleaded the pressure of business. 

"I can't stop a minute, " he said. "I have more to do now than I canmanage. I should just like to have a look at that letter that you havewritten to Zary. There is no excuse for not doing it now, and I want toput it in the post-bag. "

"Very well, " Vera said serenely. "If you will come with me to the libraryyou will see exactly what I write. I know you are a suspicious man andthat you don't trust anybody, therefore I shall be very glad for you toknow that I have carried out your request to the letter. "

Fenwick laughed as if something had pleased him. Nevertheless, he lookedover Vera's shoulder until she had penned the last word. She slowlyfolded up the communication and sealed it. 

"How am I to address the envelope?" she said. "I have not the slightestidea where Zary is to be found. For all I know to the contrary, he maynot even be in England. "

"Oh, yes, he is, " Fenwick chuckled. "He is in London at the presentmoment. If you address that letter, 17, Paradise Street, Camberwell, Zarywill be in receipt of it to-morrow morning. "

Vera wrote the address boldly and firmly, and handed the letter with moreor less contempt to her companion. She wanted him to feel that she heldhis suspicions with scorn. She wanted him to know that so far as she wasconcerned here was an end of the matter. Nevertheless, she followed himcarelessly from the room and saw him place the letter, together withothers, on the hall table. A moment later he had vanished, and she wasleft alone to act promptly. She did not hesitate for a moment; she madeher way back to the drawing-room and addressed a second envelope to thehouse in Paradise Street, into which envelope she slipped a blank sheetof notepaper. Then she stamped the envelope and made her way backcautiously to the hall. There was a chance of being discovered, a chancethat she was being watched, but she had to run the risk of that. She wascrossing the hall freely and carelessly now, and so contrived as to sweepthe mass of letters with her sleeve to the floor, exclaiming at her ownclumsiness as she did so. Like a flash she picked out the one letter thatshe needed and swiftly exchanged it for the other. A moment later she wasout of doors, with the dangerous communication in her pocket. 

So far as she could see, she had succeeded beyond her wildestexpectations. It was only a simple ruse, but like most simple things, generally successful. Vera was trembling from head to foot now, but thefresh air of the park and the broad, beautiful solitude of it soothed herjarred nerves, and brought back a more contented frame of mind. Herspirits rose as she walked along. 

"I am glad I did that, " she told herself, "I may be mistaken, but Ifirmly believe that I have saved Zary's life. Had he come down here hewould never have left the place again. And yet there is danger for himstill, and I must warn him of it. I must manage to communicate in someway with Gerald. I wonder if it would be safe to send him a telegram fromthe village. I wonder, too, in what direction the village lies. Still, Ihave all the afternoon before me, and a brisk walk will do me good. "

With a firm, elastic step, Vera walked across the grass in the directionof a wood, beyond which she could see the slope of the high road. She hadhardly entered the wood before she heard a voice calling her name, and toher intense delight she turned to find herself face to face with Venner. 

"Oh, this is glorious, " she said, as she placed both her hands in his. "But do you think that it is quite safe for you to come here so soon? Forall I know, I may be followed. 

"I don't think so, " Venner said. "Now let me take you in my arms and kissyou. Let us sit down here in this snug corner and try to imagine that weare back in the happy days when no cloud loomed between us, and we werelooking forward to many joyous years together. We will talk mundanematters presently. "

Vera yielded to the ecstasy of the moment. Everything was so dark andmelancholy that it seemed a sin to lose a gleam of sunshine like this. But the time crept on and the November sun was sinking, and it was bornein upon Vera that she must get back to the house again. Very gently, shedisengaged herself from Venner's embrace. 

"We must be really practical now, " she said. "Tell me what has happenedsince I left the hotel last night?"

"So far as I can see, nothing, " Venner replied. "I asked for you thismorning, and to my surprise I found that you had vanished in the dead ofthe night with a mysterious chauffeur and a Mercedes car. By great goodluck I found a policeman who had made a note of the number of the car;after which I went to the makers, or rather the agents of the makers, andit was quite easy to find out that the Mercedes in question had recentlybeen delivered to Mr. Mark Fenwick's order at Merton Grange nearCanterbury. After that, you will not be surprised to find that I camedown here as soon as possible, and that I have been hiding here with apair of field-glasses trying to get a glimpse of you. "

"That was very interesting, " Vera laughed. "But tell me about my sister. I am so anxious over her. "

"No reason to be, " said Venner. "I have seen to that. She has gone backto your brother. "

"Oh, I am so glad. Now listen to me carefully. "

She went on with some detail to tell the story of her last night'sexperiences. She spoke of Felix Zary and the letter which she had beenmore or less compelled to write to him. Also, she described the ruse bywhich the letter had been regained. 

"Now you must go and see this Zary, " she said. "Tell him that you comefrom me, and tell him all about the letter. Mind, he must reply to myletter just as if it had reached him in the ordinary way through thepost, because, as you see, I shall have to show the answer to Mr. Fenwick, and I want to lull his suspicions to rest entirely. You may findZary a little awkward at first. "

"I don't think I shall, " Venner smiled. "In fact, he and I are alreadyacquainted. But I am not going to tell you anything about that; youprefer to keep your secrets as far as I am concerned, and I am going toguard mine for the present. I am working to put an end to all thismystery and bother, and I am going to do it my own way. Anyway, I willsee Zary for you and tell him exactly what has happened. In fact, I willgo to town this evening for the express purpose. Then I will come back inthe morning and meet you here the same time to-morrow afternoon. "

They parted at that, and Vera made her way back to the house. She sawthat the letters were no longer on the hall table, and therefore sheconcluded that they had been posted. She assumed a quiet, dignifiedmanner during the rest of the evening. She treated Fenwick more or lessdistantly, as if she were still offended with his suspicions. Fenwick, onthe other hand, was more than usually amiable. Something had evidentlypleased him, and he appeared to be doing his best to wipe out theunpleasant impression of the morning. Vera felt quite easy in her mindnow; she knew that her ruse had been absolutely successful. All the same, she ignored Fenwick's request of a little music, professing to beexceedingly tired, which, indeed, was no more than the truth. 

"I am going to bed quite early to-night, " she said. "I have been sleepingvery indifferently of late. "

It was barely ten before she was in her room, and there she lay, oblivious of all that was taking place around her, till she wokepresently with an idea that she could hear the sound of hammering closeby. As she sat up in bed with all her senses about her, she could hearthe great stable clock strike the hour of three. Her ears had notdeceived her; the sound of metal meeting metal in a kind of musical chinkcame distinct and clear. Then from somewhere near she could hear voices. The thing was very strange, seeing that Fenwick was a business man pureand simple, and that he had never confessed to any knowledge ofmechanics. It came back to her mind now, that directly she had enteredthe house Fenwick had greeted her in a suit of blue overalls which sheunderstood men who followed mechanical pursuits generally wore. Sherecollected, too, that his hands were black and grimy. What could begoing on, and why had she seen nothing of this during the day-time? Shecould comprehend men sitting up all night and working in a factory, butsurely there could be no occasion for a thing like this in a privatehouse, unless, perhaps, Fenwick and his satellites were engaged in somepursuit that needed careful concealment from the eyes of the law. 

It would be well, perhaps, Vera thought, if she could find out what wasgoing on. The discovery might be the means of putting another weaponinto her hands. She rose from her bed and partially dressed herself. Then, with a pair of slippers on her feet and a dark wrap round hershoulders, she stole into the corridor. A dim light was burning there, so that she had no fear of being discovered, especially as the wallswere draped with tapestry, and here and there armored figures stood, which afforded a capital means of concealment. As Vera sidled along shenoticed that at the end of the corridor was a small room down a flightof steps. From where she stood she could see into the room, the door ofwhich was open. Fenwick stood there apparently engaged in superintendingthe melting of metal in a crucible over a fire, which was driven towhite heat by a pair of bellows. The rest of his gang seemed to be doingsomething on an iron table with moulds and discs. Vera could see thegleam of yellow metal, then somebody closed the door of the room and shecould learn no more. It was all very strange and mysterious, and therewas a furtive air about it which did not suggest honesty of purpose. There was nothing more for it now except for Vera to return to herroom, with a determination to see the inside of that little apartmentthe first time that the coast was clear. 

She hurried along back to her own room, and had almost succeeded inreaching it, when she came face to face with a man who had stepped out ofa doorway so suddenly that the two figures came almost in contact. Afraction of a second later a hand was laid over Vera's mouth, whileanother grasped her wrist; then she saw that the intruder had been joinedby a companion. 

"Please don't say a word, miss; and, whatever you do, don't call out, "one of the men whispered. "We know all about you and who you are. Believeme, we are here to do you the greatest service in our power. My colleaguewill tell you the same. "

"But who are you?" Vera asked, as the man removed his hand from hermouth. Her courage had come back to her now. "Why do you come inthis fashion?"

"My name is Egan, " the stranger said, "and this is my companion, Grady. We are New York detectives, over here on important business. The man weare after is Mark Fenwick. "

CHAPTER XIX

PHANTOM GOLD

Vera had entirely recovered her self-possession by this time. She wasable to regard the men coolly and critically. There was nothing aboutthem that suggested anything wrong or underhand; on the contrary, thegirl rather liked their appearance. All the same it was a strange andunique experience; and though Vera had been through a series of trialsand tribulations, she thrilled now as she recognised how near she hadbeen to the man who was thus running himself into the hands of justice. 

"But how can you know anything about me?" she said. "You surely do notmean to say that you suspect--"

"Not at all, miss, " Egan said, civilly. "Only, you see, it is always ourbusiness to know a great deal more than people imagine. I hope you won'tsuppose that we are going to take any advantage of our position here, orthat we want you to betray Mr. Fenwick into our hands; but since we havebeen unfortunate enough to be discovered by you, we will ask you to go sofar as to say nothing to Mr. Fenwick. If you tell him, you will be doingconsiderable harm to a great many deserving people who have sufferedterribly at that man's hands. I think you understand. "

Vera understood only too well, and yet her delicate sense of honor wasslightly disturbed at the idea of continuing there without warningFenwick of the danger that overshadowed him. Personally, she would haveliked to have told him exactly how he stood, and given him theopportunity to get away. Perhaps Egan saw something of this in Vera'sface, for he went on to speak again. 

"I know it isn't very nice for you, miss, " he said, "and I am notsurprised to see you hesitate; but seeing that Mr. Fenwick has done youas much harm as anybody else--"

"How do you know that?" Vera exclaimed. 

"Well, you see, it is our business to know everything. I feel quitecertain that on reflection you will do nothing to defeat the endsof justice. "

"No, " Vera said, thoughtfully. "In any case, it cannot much matter. Youare here to arrest Mr. Fenwick, and you probably know where he is to befound at the present moment. "

"There you are wrong, miss, " Grady said. "We are not in a position atpresent to lay hands on our man. We came here prepared to take a fewrisks--but I don't suppose you would care to hear anything about ourmethods. It will be a great favor to us if you will retire to your roomand stay there till morning. "

Vera went off without any further ado, feeling that once more the currentof events had come between her and the sleep that she so sorely needed. But, in spite of everything, she had youth and health on her side, andwithin a few minutes she was fast asleep. It was fairly late when shecame down the next morning, and she was rather surprised to find thatFenwick had not finished his breakfast. He sat there sullen andheavy-eyed, and had no more than a grunt for Vera in response to hermorning greeting. He turned over his food with savage disapproval. Evidently, from the look of him, he had not only been up late overnight, but he had also had more wine than was good for him. 

"Who can eat rubbish like this?" he growled. "The stuff isn't fit to feeda dog with. Look at this bacon. "

"You can expect nothing else, " Vera said, coldly. "If you choose to tryand run a large house like this with practically no servants beyond acaretaker and his wife, you must put up with the consequences. You are anexceedingly clever man, but you seem to have overlooked one fact, andthat is the amount of gossip you are providing for the neighbors. Itisn't as if we were still in town, where the man next door knows nothingof you and cares less. Here people are interested in their neighbors. Itwill cause quite a scandal when it becomes known that you are occupyingLord Merton's house with nothing more than a number of questionable men. As far as I can see, you are far worse off here than if you had stayed inLondon. I may be wrong, of course. "

"I begin to think you are quite right, " Fenwick grunted. "I must see tothis. It will never do for all these chattering magpies to pry into mybusiness. You had better go into Canterbury this morning and see if youcan't arrange for a proper staff of servants to come. Well, what's thematter now?"

One of the men had come into the room with a telegram in his hand. Hepitched it in a contemptuous way upon the table and withdrew, whistlingunconcernedly. The man's manner was so flippant and familiar that Veraflushed with annoyance. 

"I wish you would keep your subordinates a little more under yourcontrol, " she said. "One hardly expects a man of your wealth to betreated in this way by his clerks. "

But Fenwick was not listening. His brows were knotted in a sullen frownover the telegram that he held in his hand. He clutched the flimsy paperand threw it with a passionate gesture into the fire. Vera could see thathis yellow face had grown strangely white, and that his coarse lips weretrembling. He rose from the table, pushing his plate away from him. 

"I've got to go to town at once, " he said. "How strange it is thateverything seems to have gone wrong of late! I shall be back again intime for dinner, and I shall be glad if you are good enough to see that Ihave something fit to eat. Perhaps you had better telephone to town forsome servants. It doesn't much matter what you pay them as long as theyare good. "

Fenwick walked rapidly from the room, and a few moments later Vera couldsee his car moving swiftly down the drive. On the whole, she was notsorry to have Fenwick out of the house. She was pleased, also, to knowthat he had made up his mind over the servant question. Already the housewas beginning to look shabby and neglected; in the strong morningsunshine Vera could see the dust lying everywhere. Her womanly instinctsrebelled against this condition of things; she was not satisfied untilshe had set the telephone in motion and settled the matter as far as thedomestic staff was concerned. 

Then a sudden thought flashed into her mind. Here was the opportunityfor examining the little room where Fenwick and his satellites hadbeen busy the previous evening. Vera had not failed to notice the factthat three of the men had gone off with Fenwick in his car, so that, in all probability, they meant to accompany him to town. If thisturned out to be correct, then there was only one man to be accountedfor. Possibly with the assistance of Gerald, the fourth man might begot out of the way. 

It was nearly three o'clock in the afternoon before Vera managed to seeher husband. Eagerly and rapidly she told him all that had taken placethe previous evening, though she was rather surprised to find himmanifesting less astonishment than she had expected. Venner smiled whenVera mentioned this. 

"Oh, that's no new thing to me, " he said. "I saw all that going on inyour suite of rooms at the Great Empire Hotel, though I haven't the leastnotion what it all means. I should have thought that your interestingguardian was manufacturing counterfeit coins. But we managed to get holdof one of them, and a jeweller pronounced at once that it was a genuinesovereign. Still, there is no question of the fact that some underhandbusiness is going on, and I am quite ready to assist you in finding outwhat it is. The point is whether the coast is clear or not. "

"There is only one man left behind. " Vera explained. "All the rest havegone to London with Mr. Fenwick, who received a most disturbing telegramat breakfast this morning. Of course, the old caretaker and his wifecount for nothing; they are quite innocent parties, and merely regardtheir stay here as temporary, pending the arrival of our staff ofservants. "

"In that case, I don't see why it shouldn't be managed, " Venner said. "You had better go back to the house, and I will call and see you. Thereis not the slightest reason why I shouldn't give my own name, nor isthere the slightest reason why you should not show me over the house whenI come. I daresay all this sounds a bit cheap, but one cannot be toocareful in dealing with these people. "

It was all arranged exactly as Venner had suggested, and a little laterVera was shaking hands with her own husband as if he were a perfectstranger. They proceeded presently to walk up the grand staircase andalong the corridor, Vera doing the honors of the place and speaking in amanner calculated to deceive anybody who was listening. She stoppedpresently and clutched Venner's arm excitedly. She pointed to a doorwayleading to a little room down the steps at the end of the corridor. 

"There, " she whispered, "that is the room, and, as far as I can see, itis absolutely empty. What do you say to going in there now? The coastseems to be quite clear. "

Venner hesitated for a moment; it would be just as well, he thought, to err on the side of caution. A casual glance from the corridordisclosed nothing, except that on the table there stood a bottleapparently containing wine, for a glass of some dark ruby liquid stoodbeside it. Very rapidly Venner ran down the flight of stairs andlooked into the room. 

"There is nobody there for the moment, " he said, "but that bulldog ofFenwick's can't be far off, for there is a half-smoked cigarette on theend of the table which has not yet gone out. I think I can see my way nowto working this thing without any trouble or danger. Do you happen toknow if that rheumatic old caretaker uses snuff?"

"Really, I don't, " Vera said with a smile. "But what possible connectionis there between the caretaker and his snuff--?"

"Never mind about that at present. Go down and ask the old man for hissnuff box. By the look of him, I am quite sure he indulges in the habit. Tell him you want to kill some insects in the conservatory. Tell himanything, so long as you get possession of the box for a few minutes. "

Vera flew off on her errand. She was some moments before she could makethe old man understand what she needed; then, with the air of one whoparts with some treasure, he handed over to her a little tortoiseshellbox, remarking, at the same time, that he had had it for the last sixtyyears and would not part with it for anything. A moment later, Vera wasback again at the end of the corridor. Venner had not moved, a sure signthat no one had approached in the meantime. Taking the box from Vera'shand, and leaving her to guard the corridor, he stepped into the littleroom, where he proceeded to stir a little pellet of snuff into the glassof wine. This done, he immediately hurried Vera away to the other end ofthe corridor. 

"I think that will be all right now, " he said. "We have only got to waittill our man comes back and give him a quarter of an hour. Snuff is avery strong drug, and within a few minutes of his finishing his wine hewill be sound asleep on the floor. "

It all fell out exactly as Venner had prophesied. The man came backpresently, passing Vera and her companion without the slightest suspicionof anything being wrong. Then he turned into the little room and closedthe door behind him. Half an hour passed before Vera knocked at the dooron some frivolous pretext, but no answer came from the other side. Sheknocked again and again, after which she ventured to open the door. Thewine-glass was empty, a half-finished cigarette smouldered on the floor, and, by the side of it, lay the man in a deep and comatose sleep. Vennerfairly turned him over with his foot, but the slumbering form gave nosign. The thing was safe now. 

"We needn't worry ourselves for an hour or so, " Venner said. "And now wehave to see if we can discover the secrets of the prison house. Evidentlynothing is going on at present. I should like to know what the table isfor. It is not unlike a modern gas stove--I mean a gas stove used forcooking purposes, and here is a parcel on the table, just the same sortof parcel that the mysterious new sovereigns were wrapped up in. "

"Oh, let me see, " Vera said eagerly as she pulled the lid off the box. "See, this stuff inside is just like asbestos, and sure enough here is alayer of sovereigns on the top. How bright and new they look. I havenever seen gold so attractive before. I--"

Vera suddenly ceased to speak, and a sharp cry of pain escaped her as shedropped to the floor one of the coins which she had taken in her hand. She was regarding her thumb and forefinger now with some dismay, for theywere scorched and swollen. 

"Those coins are red hot, " she said. "You try--but look out you don'tget burned. "

Surely enough, the coins were almost at white heat; so much so, that awax match placed on the edge of one flared instantly. Venner lookedpuzzled; he could not make it out. There was no fire in the room, andapparently no furnace or oven in which the metal could have been heated. Then he suddenly recollected that Vera must be in pain. 

"My poor child, " he said. "I am so sorry. You must go down to the oldhousekeeper at once and get her to put something on your hand. Meanwhile, I will stay here and investigate, though I don't expect for a moment thatI shall make any further discoveries. "

Vera's hand was dressed at length, and the pain of the burn had somewhatabated when Venner came down the stairs again. He shook his head inresponse to the questioning glance in Vera's eyes. 

"Absolutely nothing, " he said. "I found a safe there let into the wall, but then, you see, the safe has been built for years, and no doubt hasbeen used by Lord Merton to store his plate and other valuables of thatkind. It is just possible, of course, that Fenwick has the key of it, andthat the safe had been cleared out for his use. I am afraid we shallnever solve this little puzzle until Fenwick is in the hands of thosedetectives who gave me such a fright last night. "

"But there must have been some means of heating those coins, " Veraprotested. "They must have come straight from a furnace. "

"Of course, " Venner said. "The trouble is where to find the furnace. Iam perfectly sure, too, that the sovereigns were genuine. Now what onearth can a man gain by taking current coins of the realm and makingthem red hot? The only chance of a solution is for me to find Egan andGrady and tell them of my discovery. I shall be at the same spotto-morrow afternoon at the same time, and if I find anything out I willlet you know. "

There was nothing more for it than this, whereupon Venner went away andVera returned thoughtfully to the dining-room. She was just a little bitin doubt as to whether the man upstairs would guess the trick played uponhim, but that she had to risk. 

CHAPTER XX

THE PRODIGAL'S RETURN

Money can do most things, even in the matter of furnishing a large housewith competent servants, and by six o'clock Vera had contrived for thedomestic machine to run a little more smoothly. At any rate, she was in aposition now to provide Fenwick with something in the shape of arespectable dinner on his return from town. 

It was about a quarter to eight when he put in an appearance, and for thefirst time for some days he changed into evening dress for the chief mealof the day. He appeared to be as morose and savage as he had been in themorning, in fact even more so if that were possible. He answered Vera'squestions curtly, so that she fell back upon herself and ate her soup insilence. And yet, though Fenwick was so quiet, it seemed to Vera that hewas regarding her with a deep distrust, so that she found herselfflushing under his gaze. He put his spoon down presently, and pointedwith his hand to Vera's swollen fingers. 

"What have you got there?" he demanded. "How did you do that?"

"I burnt it, " Vera stammered. "It was an accident. "

"Well, I don't suppose you burnt it on purpose, " Fenwick growled. "Idon't suppose you put your hand into the fire to see if it was hot. WhatI asked you was how you did it. Please answer my question. "

"I repeat it was an accident, " Vera said, coldly. "I burnt my fingers insuch a way--"

"Yes, and you are not the first woman who has burnt her fingersinterfering with things that don't concern her. I insist upon knowingexactly how that accident happened. "

Vera turned a cold, contemptuous face to her companion; she began tounderstand now that his suspicions were aroused. It came back to hervividly enough that she had dropped the hot sovereign on the floor, andthat, owing to the shock and sudden surprise, she had not replaced it. Itwas just possible that Fenwick had gone into the little room and hadmissed the sovereign from the neat layer of coins on the top of the box. And then another dreadful thought came to Vera--supposing that thedrugged man had not recovered from the effects of his dose by the timethat Fenwick had returned? It was a point which both she and Venner hadoverlooked. There was nothing for it but to take refuge behind an assumedindignation, and decline to answer offensive questions put in that toneof voice. Vera was still debating as to the most contemptuous reply whenthe dining-room door opened and one of the newly-arrived servantsannounced Mr. Blossett. 

Fenwick rose to his feet and an unmistakable oath escaped his lips. Allthe same, he forced a kind of sickly smile to his face, as a big man, with an exceedingly red face and an exceedingly offensive swaggeringmanner, came into the dining-room. The stranger was quite well dressed, nothing about his garments offended the eye or outraged good taste, yet, all the same, the man had "bounder" written all over him in largeletters. His impudent red face, his aggressively waxed moustache, and theeasy familiarity of his manner, caused Vera to shrink within herself, though she could have been grateful to the fellow for the diversion whichhis appearance had created. 

"Well, Fenwick, my buck!" he cried. "You didn't expect that I shouldaccept your invitation quite so promptly, but I happen to be knockingaround here, and I thought I'd drop in and join you in your chop. This isyour daughter, I suppose? Glad to make your acquaintance, miss. I wastold there were many beauties at Merton Grange, but I find that there isone more than I expected. "

Vera merely bowed in reply. The man was so frankly, hopelessly, utterlyvulgar that her uppermost feeling was one of amusement. She could seethat Fenwick was terribly annoyed, though for some reason he had to keephimself in hand and be agreeable to Blossett. 

"Sit down, " he said. "Ring the bell, and we will get another cover laid. I don't suppose you mind missing the soup. "

"I have been in the soup too often to care about it, " Blossett laughed. "To tell the truth, we had such a warm time last night that solid foodand myself are not on speaking terms just now. Here, waiter, fill me atumbler of champagne. I daresay when I have got that down my neck I shallbe able to pay my proper attentions to this young lady. "

Fenwick made no reply; he cut savagely at his fish as if he were passingthe knife over the throat of the intruder. Meanwhile the stranger rattledon, doubtless under the impression that he was making himself exceedinglyagreeable. Vera sat there watching the scene with a certain sense ofamusement. She was still a little pale and unsteady, still doubtful as tothe amount of information that Fenwick had gleaned as to her movementsthat afternoon. She would be glad to get away presently and try toascertain for herself whether the drugged man had recovered or not. Meanwhile, there was no occasion for her to talk, as the intruder wasquite able to carry on all the necessary conversation. 

"This is mighty fine tipple, " he said. "Waiter, give me another tumblerof champagne. In my chequered career I don't often run up against thisclass of lotion. The worst of it is, it makes one talk too fast, andseeing that I have got to run the gauntlet with the next little parcel ofsparklers--"

"Fool!" Fenwick burst out. His face was livid with rage, his eyes wereshot with passionate anger. "Fool! can't you be silent? Don't you seethat there is one here who is outside--"

"Beg pardon, " Blossett said, unsteadily. "I thought the young woman knewall about it. Lord, with her dainty face and her aristocratic air, what abonnet she'd make. Wouldn't she look nice passing off as the daughter ofthe old military swell with a fondness for a little game of cards? Youknow what I mean--the same game that old Jim and his wife used to play. "

"Be silent, " Fenwick thundered in a tone that at last seemed topenetrate the thick skull of his companion. "My--my daughter knowsnothing of these things. "

Blossett stammered something incoherent, his manner became more sullen, and long before dinner was completed it was evident that he had had farmore wine than was good for him. 

"If you will excuse me, I will leave you, " Vera said coldly. "I do notcare for any dessert or coffee to-night. "

"Perhaps you had better go, " Fenwick said with an air of relief. "I willtake care that this thing does not happen again. "

But Vera had already left the room; she was still consumed with anxiety, and desired to know more of what had happened to the man whom Venner haddrugged. She did not dare venture as far as the little room, for fearthat suspicious eyes should be watching her. It was just possible thatFenwick had given his satellites a hint to note her movements. Therefore, all she could do was to sit in the drawing-room with the door open. Someof the men began to pass presently, and after a little time, with a sighof relief, Vera caught sight of the one upon whom the trick of the snuffwas played. He seemed all right, as far as she could judge, and the girlbegan to breathe a little more freely. 

As she sat there in the silence watching and waiting, she saw Fenwick andhis companion emerge from the dining-room and cross the hall in thedirection of the billiard room. Blossett was still talking lightly andincoherently; he leant on the arm of his host, and obviously the supportwas necessary. Vera had never before seen a drunken man under the sameroof as herself, and her soul revolted at the sight. How much longer wasthis going on, she wondered? How much more would she be called upon toendure? For the present, she had only to possess herself in patience andhope for the best. She was longing now for something like action. Thesilence and stillness of the house oppressed her; she would have liked tobe up and doing something. Anything better than sitting there. 

The silence was broken presently by the sound of angry voices proceedingfrom the billiard-room. Half-a-dozen men seemed to be talking at the sametime--words floated to Vera's ears; then suddenly the noise ceased, as ifsomebody had clapped down a lid upon the meeting. Vera guessed exactlywhat had happened. The billiard-room door had been closed for fear of theservants hearing what was going on. It was just possible that behindthose closed doors the mystery that had so puzzled Vera was beingunfolded. She recollected now that between the dining-and thebilliard-room was a fairly large conservatory opening on either side intothe apartments in question. It was just possible that Fenwick and hiscompanions might have overlooked the conservatory. At any rate, Veradetermined to take advantage of the chance. The conservatory was full ofpalms and plants and flowers, behind which it was possible for the girlto hide and listen to all that was going on. 

Vera fully understood the danger she was running, she quite appreciatedthe fact that discovery might be visited with unpleasant consequences. But this did not deter her for a moment. She was in the conservatory alittle later, and was not displeased to find that the door leading tothe billiard-room was open. Behind a thick mask of ferns she took herstand. Between the feathery fronds she could see into the billiard-roomwithout being seen. Fenwick was standing by the side of the table layingdown the law about something, while the rest of his men were scatteredabout the room. 

"Why should I do it?" Fenwick was saying. "Why should I trust a manlike you? You come down to-night on the most important errand, wellknowing the risks you are running, and you start by getting drunk atthe dinner table. "

"I wasn't drunk, " Blossett said sullenly. "As to the girl, why, Inaturally expected--"

"Who gave you the right to expect?" Fenwick demanded. "Couldn't you seeat a glance that she knew nothing about it. Another word and you wouldhave betrayed the whole thing. You can stay here all night and talk ifyou like, but you are not going to have that parcel to take away toLondon with you. In your present condition you would be in the hands ofthe police before morning. "

"But I haven't got a cent, " Blossett said. "I hadn't enough money in mypocket to pay my cab fare from Canterbury; and don't you try on any ofyour games with me, because I am not the sort of man to stand them. Youare a fine lot of workmen I know, but there isn't one of you who has thepluck and ability to take two thousand pound's worth of that stuff andturn it into cash in a week. Now look at the last parcel I had, I gotrid of it in such a manner that no one could possibly discover that Iever handled the metal at all. Who among you could say the same thing?"

"Oh, you are right enough so long as you keep sober, " Fenwick said. "But, all the same, I shall not trust you with the parcel that is waitingupstairs. "

Vera listened, comprehending but little of what was going on. After all, she seemed to be having only her trouble for her pains. Beyond doubtthese men were doing something illicit with the coinage of the country, though Vera could not bring herself to believe that they were passing offcounterfeit money, seeing that the sovereigns were absolutely genuine. 

"Well, something has got to be done, " another of the gang remarked. "Weare bound to have a few thousand during the next few days, and, asBlossett says, there is nobody that can work the oracle as well as hecan. The best thing I can do is to go to town with him and keep a closeeye on him till he has pulled round once more. He can keep sober enoughon occasions if he likes, and once the drinking fit has passed he may beright for weeks. "

"I am going to have no one with me, " Blossett roared. "Do you think I amgoing to be treated like a blooming kid? I tell you, I am the best man ofthe lot of you. There isn't one of you can hold a candle to me. Fenwick, with all his cunning, is a child compared with Ned Blossett. Ask any ofthe old gang in New York, ask the blistering police if you like; and asto the rest of you, who are you? A set of whitefaced mechanics, withoutpluck enough to rob a hen-roost. Take that, you cur!"

The speaker rose suddenly to his feet and lurched across the room inFenwick's direction. He aimed an unexpected blow at the latter which senthim headlong to the floor, and immediately the whole room was a scene ofangry violence. 

Vera shrank back in her shelter, hardly knowing what to do next. Shesaw that Blossett had disentangled himself from the mob about him andwas making his way headlong into the conservatory. There was nothingfor it but instant retreat. On the opposite side was a doorway leadingto the garden, and through this Vera hastily slipped and darted acrossthe grass, conscious of the noise and struggle going on behind. Shepaused with a little cry of vexation as she came close to a man who wasstanding on the edge of the lawn looking at the house. It was only fora moment that she stood there in doubt; then a glad little cry brokefrom her lips. 

"Charles, " she said. "Mr. Evors, what are you doing here?"

"We will come to that presently, " Evors replied. "Meanwhile, you can beobserved from where you are, and those rioters yonder may make it awkwardfor you. When they have patched up their quarrel, I will return to thehouse with you and explain. We can get in by the little green door behindthe gunroom. "

Vera suffered herself to be led away, feeling now utterly unable to beastonished at anything. They came at length to the secluded side of thehouse, where the girl paused and looked at her companion for anexplanation. 

"You seem to be strangely familiar with this place, " she said. "You walkabout here in the dark as if you had known this house all your lifetime, Have you been here before?"

"Many a time, " Evors replied sadly. "Up to the time I was twenty myhappiest years were spent here. But I see you are still in the dark. Cannot you guess who I really am, Vera? No? Then I will enlighten you. Myname is Charles Evors, and I am the only son of Lord Merton. I was bornhere, and, if the Fates are good to me, some day I hope to die here. "

CHAPTER XXI

THE THIRD FINGER

Vera ought to have experienced a feeling of deepest surprise; but she waslong post any emotion of that kind. On the contrary, it seemed quitenatural that Evors should be there telling her this extraordinary thing. The sounds of strife and tumult in the house had now died away;apparently the men in the billiard-room had patched up their quarrel, fornothing more could be heard save a sudden pop which sounded like thewithdrawal of a cork. With a gesture of contempt, Evors pointed to thebilliard-room window. 

"I don't think you need worry about them, " he said. "As far as I canjudge, they were bound to come to some truce. "

"But do you know what they were doing?" Vera asked. 

"I haven't the remotest idea, " Evors replied. "Some rascality, beyondquestion. There always is rascality where Fenwick is concerned. Is it nota strange thing that I should come down here and find that fellow settledin the home of my ancestors?"

"Then you did not come down on purpose to see him?"

"No, I came here entirely on my own responsibility. If you havehalf-an-hour to spare, and you think it quite safe, I will tell youeverything. But there is one thing first, one assurance you must give me, or I am bound to remain silent. The death of your poor father in thatmysterious fashion--"

"Stop, " Vera said gently. "I know exactly what you are going to say. Youwant me to believe that you had no hand whatever in my father's murder. My dear Charles, I know it perfectly well. The only thing that puzzlesme is why you acted in that strange weak fashion after the discovery ofthe crime. "

"That is exactly what I am going to tell you, " Evors went on. "It is astrange story, and one which, if you read it in the pages of a book, youwould be inclined to discredit entirely. And yet stranger and moreremarkable things happen every day. "

Evors led the way to a secluded path beside the terrace. 

"You need not worry about getting to the house, " he said. "I can show youhow to manage that at any time of the day or night without disturbinganybody. I am afraid that on many occasions I put my intimate knowledgeof the premises to an improper use, and that was the beginning of mydownfall. What will you say to me when I confess to you that when I cameout to Mexico I was driven out of the old country, more or less, like acriminal?"

"I understood you to be a little wild, " Vera said. 

"A little wild!" Evors echoed bitterly. "I behaved in a perfectlydisgraceful fashion. I degraded the old name, I made it a byword in thedistrict. As sure as I am standing here at the present moment, I am moreor less answerable for my mother's death. It is a strange thing with usEvors that all the men begin in this way. I suppose it is some taint inour blood. Up to the age of five-and-twenty, we have always been morelike devils than men, and then, for the most part, we have settled downto wipe out the past and become respectable members of society. I thinkmy father recognised that, though he was exceedingly hard and stern withme. Finally, after one more unusually disgraceful episode, he turned meout of the house, and said he hoped never to look upon my face again. Iwas deeply in debt, I had not a penny that I could call my own, and, finally, I drifted out to Mexico with the assistance of a booncompanion. On the way out I took a solemn oath that I would do my bestto redeem the past. I felt heartily ashamed of my evil ways; and for sixmonths no one could possibly have led a purer and better life thanmyself. It was about this time that I became acquainted with your fatherand your sister Beth. "

Evors paused a moment and paced up and down the avenue with Vera by hisside. She saw that he was disturbed about something, so that she deemedit best not to interrupt him. 

"It was like getting back to a better world again, " Evors went on. "Ibelieved that I had conquered myself; I felt pretty sure of it, or Iwould have never encouraged the friendship with your sister, which sheoffered me from the first. I don't know how it was or why it was that Idid not see much of you about that time, but you were not in themountains with the others. "

"I was down in the city, " Vera explained. "There was a friend of mine whohad had a long serious illness, and I was engaged in nursing her. That isthe reason. "

"But it doesn't much matter, " Evors went on. "You were not there to watchmy friendship for Beth ripening into a warmer and deeper feeling. Mindyou, she had not the remotest idea who I really was, nor had your father. They were quite content to take me on trust, they had no vulgar curiosityas to my past. And then the time came when Beth discovered what myfeelings were, and I knew that she had given her heart to me. I had notintended to speak, I had sternly schooled myself to hold my tongue untilI had completed my probation; but one never knows how these things comeabout. It was all so spontaneous, so unexpected--and before I knew whathad really happened, we were engaged. It was the happiest time of mylife. I had rid myself of all my bad habits. I was in the full flush andvigor of my manhood. I did not say anything to Beth about the past, because I felt that she would not understand, but I told your fatherpretty nearly everything except who I really was, for I had made up mymind not to take the old name again until I had really earned the rightto do so. Of course, the name of Evors conveyed no impression to anybody. It did not imply that I was heir to Lord Merton. Your father wasintensely friendly and sympathetic, he seemed to understand exactly. Webecame more than friends, and this is how it came about that Iaccompanied him finally on one of his secret visits to the Four FingerMine. Your father's regular journeys to the mine had resulted in hisbecoming a rich man, and, as you know, he always kept the secret tohimself, taking nobody with him as a rule, with the exception of FelixZary. I will speak of Zary again presently. You know how faithful he wasto your father, and how he would have laid down his life for him. "

"Zary was an incomprehensible character, " Vera said. "He was one of thesurviving, or, rather, the only surviving member of the tribe who placedthe Four Finger Mine in my father's hands. That was done solely out ofgratitude, and Zary steadfastly declined to benefit one penny from thegold of the mine. He had a curious contempt for money, and he alwayssaid that the gold from the Four Finger Mine had brought a curse on histribe. I really never got to the bottom of it, and I don't suppose I evershall; but I am interrupting you, Charles. Will you please go on withyour story. "

"Where was I?" Evors asked. "Oh, yes, I was just leading up to the timewhen I accompanied your father on his last fatal journey to the mine. Atone time I understand it was his intention to take with him theDutchman, Van Fort, or your mother's brother, Mark Fenwick. However, your father decided against this plan, and I went with him instead. To agreat extent it was my doing so that kept Van Fort and Fenwick out ofit, for I distrusted both those men, and I believed that they would havebeen guilty of any crime to learn the secret of the mine. Your father, always trustful and confiding, laughed at my fears, and we started onthat fateful journey. I don't want to harrow your feelingsunnecessarily, or describe in detail how your father died; but he wasfoully murdered, and, as sure as I am in the presence of my Maker, themurder was accomplished either by the Dutchman or Fenwick, or betweenthe two of them. Zary mysteriously vanished about the same time, andthere was no one to back me up in my story. You may judge of my horrorand surprise a little later when Van Fort and Fenwick entered into adeliberate conspiracy to prove that I was responsible for your father'sdeath. They laid their plans with such a diabolical ingenuity that, hadI been placed upon my trial at that time, I should have been hanged to acertainty. They even went so far as to tell Beth what had happened, withwhat result upon her mind you know. At this time Van Fort disappeared, and was never heard of again. Of the strange weird vengeance whichfollowed him I will talk another time. I suppose I lost my nerveutterly, for I became as clay in the hands of Mark Fenwick. Badly as hewas treating me, he professed to be my friend, and assured me he hadfound a way by which I could escape from the death which threatened me. Goodness only knows what he had in his mind; perhaps he wanted to partBeth and myself and get all your father's money into his hands. Isuppose he reckoned without your brother, though the latter did notcount for much just then, seeing that he was in the hospital at VeraCranz, hovering between life and death, as the result of his accident. For my own part, I never believed it was an accident at all. I believedthat Fenwick engineered the whole business. But that is all by the way. Like the weak fool that I was, I fell in with Fenwick's suggestion andallowed myself to become a veritable tool in his hands, but I did not gotill I heard that you had come back again to look after Beth. "

Vera recollected the time perfectly well; she was following Evors'narrative with breathless interest. How well she recollected the dayof her own marriage and the receipt of that dreadful letter, whichparted Gerald and herself on the very steps of the altar, andtransformed her life from one of happiness into one of absoluteself-sacrifice. She was beginning to see daylight now, she wasbeginning to discern a way at length, whereby she would be able to defyFenwick and part with him for all time. 

"It is getting quite plain now, " she said. "But please go on. You cannotthink how deeply interested I am in all you are saying. Presently I willtell you my side of the story. How I came to part with Beth, how I placedher in my brother's hands, how I elected to remain with Mark Fenwick, andmy reasons for so doing. I may say that one of my principal reasons forstaying with my uncle was to discover the real cause of my father'sdeath. That you had anything to do with it I never really believed, though appearances were terribly against you, and you deliberatelyelected to make them look worse. But we need not go into that now. Whathappened to you after you fled from Mexico?"

"I am very much afraid that I dropped back into the old habits, " Evorssaid, contritely. "I was reckless and desperate, and cared nothing foranybody. I had honestly done my best to atone for the past, and it seemedto me that Fate was dealing with me with a cruelty which I did notdeserve. One or two of Fenwick's parasites accompanied me everywhere;there seemed to be no lack of money, and I had pretty well all I wanted. There were times, of course, when I tried to break the spell, but theyused to drug me then, until my mind began to give way under the strain. Sometimes we were in Paris, sometimes we were in London, but I have notthe slightest recollection of how I got from one place to another. I waslike a man who is constantly on the verge of delirium. How long this hadbeen going on I can't tell you, but finally I came to my senses in thehouse in London, and there for two days I was practically all right. Allthrough this time I had the deepest horror of the drink with which theyplied me, and on this occasion the horror had grown no less. For somereason or another, no doubt it was an oversight, they neglected me fortwo days, and I began to get rapidly better. Then, by the purest chancein the world, I discovered that I was actually under the same roof asBeth and your brother, and the knowledge was like medicine to me. Irefused everything those men offered me, I demanded to be allowed to goout on business. They refused, and a strange new strength filled myveins. I contrived to get the better of the two men, and half an hourafterward I left the house in company with your brother. "

All this was news indeed to Vera, but she asked no questions--she wasquite content to stand there and listen to all that Evors had to say. 

"I would not stay with your brother, " he went on. "I went offimmediately to an old friend of mine, to whom I told a portion of mystory. He supplied me with money and clothing, and advised me that thebest thing I could do was to go quietly away into the country and givemyself an entire rest. I followed his advice, and I drifted down here, Isuppose, in the same way that an animal finds his way home. I did notknow my father was away, and you can imagine my surprise when Idiscovered to whom he had left the house. I feel pretty much myself now;there is no danger of my showing the white feather again. If you are inany trouble or distress, a line to the address on this card will bring meto you at any time. In this house there are certain hiding-places where Icould secrete myself without anybody being the wiser; but we need not gointo that. Now perhaps you had better return to the house, or you may bemissed. Good-night, Vera. You cannot tell how wonderfully helpful yoursympathy has been to me. "

He was gone a moment later, and Vera returned slowly and thoughtfully tothe house. The place was perfectly quiet now; the billiard-room door wasopen, and Vera could see that the apartment was deserted. Apparently thehousehold had retired to rest, though it seemed to be nobody's businessto fasten up the doors. Most of the lights were out, for it was gettingvery late now, so that there was nothing for it but for Vera to go upthe stairs to her own room. She had hardly reached the landing when adoor halfway down burst open, and Fenwick stood there shouting at the topof his voice for such of his men as he mentioned by name. He seemed to bealmost beside himself with passion, though at the same time his face waspallid with a terrible fear. He held a small object in his hand, which heappeared to regard with disgust and loathing. 

"Why don't some of you come out?" he yelled. "You drunken dogs, wherehave you all gone to? Let the man come out who has played this trick onme, and I'll break every bone in his body. "

One or two heads emerged, and presently a little group stood around theenraged and affrighted Fenwick. Standing in a doorway, Vera could hearevery word that passed. 

"I locked my door after dinner, " Fenwick said. "It is a patent lock, nokey but mine will fit it. When I go to bed I find this thing lying on thedressing table. "

"Another of the fingers, " a voice cried. "The third finger. Are you quitesure that you locked your door?"

"I'll swear it, " Fenwick yelled. "And if one of you--but, of course, itcan't be one of you. There is no getting rid of this accursed thing. Andwhen the last one comes--"

Fenwick stopped as if something choked him. 

CHAPTER XXII

"THE TIME WILL COME"

The startled group on the stairs stood gazing at Fenwick as if they werestricken dumb. There was not one of them who had the slightest advice tooffer, not one of them but felt that Fenwick's time was close at hand. Every man there knew by heart the strange story of the Four Finger Mine, and of the vengeance which had overtaken the Dutchman. The same unseenvengeance was very near Fenwick now; he had had his three warnings, andthere was but one more to come before the final note of tragedy wasstruck. Most of them looked with dazed fascination at the mutilated lefthand of their chief. 

"How did you lose yours?" somebody whispered. 

"Don't ask me, " Fenwick said hoarsely. "I break into a cold sweatwhenever I think of it. But why don't you do what I tell you? Why don'tyou find Zary? Find him out and bring him down here, and then I can laughat the vengeance of the Four Fingers. But I have my plans laid, and Ishall know how to act when the times comes. Now you all get off to bedagain and forget all my foolishness. I suppose I was startled by seeingthat accursed thing lying on my table, and lost my nerve. "

The little group melted away, and once more the house became silent. Whenmorning came there was no sign or suggestion of the events of the nightbefore. For the first time for many months, Vera felt comparativelyhappy. She felt, too, that at last she was reaping the reward of all herself-sacrifice, and was approaching the time when she would be able tothrow off the yoke and take up her life at the point where she haddropped it. She could afford to wait on events now; she could afford topossess her soul in patience till the hour and the man came together. 

Somewhat to her relief, Fenwick did not appear at breakfast, so that, foronce, she could partake of the meal in comparative comfort. Swaggering upand down the terrace outside, with a large cigar in his mouth, was theman who called himself Blossett. He had the air of one who is waiting forsomething; possibly he was waiting for the parcel which had been themeans of breeding last night's disturbance in the billiard-room. Anyway, Vera noticed that Fenwick was very busy up and downstairs, and that allhis parasites had gathered in the little room at the end of the corridor. For the present, at any rate, Vera's curiosity was satisfied. She had nointention of running any more risks, and as soon as she had finished herbreakfast she went out into the grounds, with no intention of returningbefore lunch. She made her way across the wood which led to the highroad, on the possible chance of meeting Gerald. It was not Gerald, however, who advanced from the deepest part of the copse to meet her, butthe thin, cadaverous form of Felix Zary. He advanced towards the girl, and, in a grave, respectful way, he lifted her hand to his lips. 

"You had not expected me, dear lady, " he said. 

"Well no, Felix, " Vera said. "Though I am not in the least surprised. Isuppose Mr. Venner has been to see you and has explained to you themeaning of that sheet of blank paper which reached you in an envelopebearing my handwriting. "

"I have seen Mr. Venner, " Zary replied in his smooth, respectful, evenvoice, "and he explained to me. I did not suspect--if I had received yourletter I should have come to you at once--I believe I would come beyondthe grave at the call of one bearing the beloved name of Le Fenu. Thereis nothing I would not do for you. At this moment I owe my life to yourresourcefulness and courage. Had I come in response to your letter, Ishould never have left the house alive. Fenwick would have murdered me, and the vengeance of the Four Fingers would have been lost. "

"Why should it not be?" Vera said with a shudder. "Why extract blood forblood in this fashion? Can all your revenge bring my dear father back tolife again? And yet the vengeance draws nearer and nearer, as I know. Isaw Mark Fenwick last night after he had received the third of thosedreadful messages, and he was frightened to the depths of his soul. Letme implore you not to go any further--"

"It is not for me to say yes or no, " Zary responded in the same quiet, silky manner. It seemed almost impossible to identify this man withmurder and outrage. "I am but an instrument. I can only follow thedictates of my instinct. I cannot get away from the traditions of thetribe to which I belong. For two years now I have been a wanderer on theface of the earth; I have been in many strange cities and seen manystrange things; with the occult science that I inherited from myancestors, the Aztecs, I have earned my daily bread. I am what some calla medium, some call a conjurer, some call a charlatan and a quack. It isall the same what they call me, so long as I have the knowledge. Forgenerations the vengeance of the Four Fingers has descended upon thosewho violate the secret of the mine, and so it must be to the end of time. If I did not obey the voice within me, if I refused to recognise theforms of my ancestors as they come to me in dreams, I should for ever andever be a spirit wandering through space. Ah, dear lady, there are thingsyou do not know, things, thank God, beyond your comprehension, so, therefore, do not interfere. Rest assured that this thing is absolute andinevitable. "

Zary spoke with a certain gentle inspiration, as if all this was part ofsome ritual that he was repeating by heart. Quiet, almost timid as helooked, Vera knew from past experience that no efforts of hers could turnhim from his intention. That he would do anything for a Le Fenu she knewfull well, and all this in return for some little kindness which herfather had afforded one or two of the now almost extinct tribe from whichhad come the secret of the Four Finger Mine. And Zary was absolutely thelast of his race. There would be none to follow him. 

"Very well, " she said, "I see that anything I could say would be wastedon you, nor would I ask you what you are going to do next, because I amabsolutely convinced that you would not tell me if I did. Still, I have aright to know--"

"You have a right to know nothing, " Zary said, in a tone of deephumility. "But do not be afraid--the vengeance will not fall yet, for arenot the warnings still incomplete? I will ask you to leave me here and goyour way. "

There was nothing for it but to obey, and Vera passed slowly through thewood in the direction of the high road. A strange weird smile flickeredabout the corner of Zary's mouth, as he stood there still and motionless, like some black statue. His lips moved, but no words came from them. Heappeared to be uttering something that might have passed for a silentprayer. He took a battered gold watch from his pocket and consulted itwith an air of grim satisfaction. Then, suddenly, he drew behind athicket of undergrowth, for his quick ears detected the sound ofapproaching footsteps. Almost immediately the big form of Fenwick loomedin the opening, and a hoarse voice asked if somebody were there. Zarystepped out again and confronted Fenwick, who started back as if the slimblack apparition had been a ghost. 

"You here!" he stammered. "I did not expect to see you--I came hereprepared to find somebody quite different. "

"It matters little whom you came to find, " Zary said. "The message sentto bring you here was merely a ruse of mine. Murderer and treacherous dogthat you are, so you thought to get me here in the house among your hiredassassins by means of the letter which you compelled my dear mistress towrite? Are you mad that you should pit your paltry wits against mine?"

"I am as good as you, " Fenwick said. 

"Oh, you rave, " Zary went on. "I am the heir of the ages. A thousandyears of culture, of research, of peeps behind the veil, have gone tomake me what I am. Your scientists and your occult researchers think theyhave discovered much, but, compared with me, they are but as childrenarguing with sages. Before the letter was written, the spirits that floaton the air had told me of its coming. I have only to raise my hand andyou wither up like a drop of dew in the eye of the sunshine. I have onlyto say the word and you die a thousand lingering deaths in one--but forsuch cattle as you the vengeance of the Four Fingers is enough. You shalldie even as the Dutchman died, you shall perish miserably with yourreason gone and your nerves shattered. If you could see yourself now as Ican see you, with that dreadful look of fear haunting your eyes, youwould know that the dread poison had already begun its work. The thirdwarning came to you last night, the message that you should get youraffairs in order and be prepared for the inevitable. The Dutchman is nomore, his foul wretch of a wife died, a poor wreck of a woman, bereft ofsense and reason. "

"This is fine talk, " Fenwick stammered. "What have you against me thatyou should threaten me like this?"

Zary raised his hand aloft with a dramatic gesture; his great round blackeyes were filled with a luminous fire. 

"Listen, " he said. "Listen and heed. I am the last of my race, a racewhich has been persecuted by the alien and interloper for the last threecenturies. Time was when we were a great and powerful people, educatedand enlightened beyond the dreams of to-day. Our great curse was thepossession of large tracts of land which contained the gold for whichyou Eastern people are prepared to barter honor and integrity andeverything that the honest man holds dear. For it you are prepared tosacrifice your wives and children, you are prepared to cut the throat ofyour best friend. When you found your heart's desire in my country, youcame in your thousands, and by degrees murders and assassination workedhavoc with my tribe. It was not till quite recently that there cameanother man from the East, a different class of creature altogether. Iam alluding to your late brother-in-law, George Le Fenu. He sought nogold or treasure; he came to us, he healed us of diseases of which weknew no cure. And in return for that we gave him the secret of the FourFinger Mine. It was because he had the secret of the mine and because herefused to share it with you that you and the Dutchman, with the aid ofhis foul wife, killed him. "

"It's a lie, " Fenwick stammered. "George Le Fenu suffered nothing at myhands. It was the young man Evors. "

"It is false, " Zary thundered. His eyes were dark, and in a sudden floodof fury he reached out a long thin hand and clutched Fenwick by thecollar. "Why tell me this when I know so well how the whole thinghappened? I can give it you now chapter and verse, only it would merelybe a waste of breath. I declare as I stand here with my hand almosttouching your flesh that I can scarcely wait for the vengeance, so eageram I to extract the debt that you owe to George Le Fenu and hischildren. "

By way of reply, Fenwick dashed his fist full into the face of Zary. Thelatter drew back just in time to avoid a crushing blow; then his longthin arms twisted about the form of his bulky antagonist as a snake windsabout his prey. So close and tenacious, so wonderfully tense was thegrip, that Fenwick fairly gasped for breath. He had not expected a virileforce like this in one so slender. A bony leg was pressed into the smallof his back--he tottered backward and lay upon the mossy turf with Zarywith one bony hand at his throat, on the top of him. It was all so suddenand so utterly unexpected that Fenwick could only gasp in astonishment. Then he became conscious of the fact that Zary's great luminous eyes werebent, full of hate, upon his face. A long curved knife gleamed in thesunshine. Very slowly the words came from Zary. 

"I could finish you now, " he whispered. "I could end it once and for all. It is only for me to put in action the forces that I know of, and youwould utterly vanish from here, leaving no trace behind. One swift blowof this knife--"

"What are you doing?" a voice asked eagerly. "Zary, have you taken leaveof your senses? Release him at once, I say. "

Very slowly Zary replaced the knife in his pocket and rose to his feet. There was not the least trace of his recent passion--he was perfectlycalm and collected, his breathing was as even and regular as it had beenbefore the onslaught. 

"You are quite right, master, " he said. "I had almost forgotten myself. Iam humiliated and ashamed. The mere touch of that man is pollution. Weshall meet again, Mr. Evors. "

Zary went calmly away and vanished in the thick undergrowth as quicklyand mysteriously as if he had been spirited from the spot. Fenwick roseto his feet and wiped the stains from his clothing. 

"I certainly owe you one for that, " he growled. "That fellow would mostassuredly have murdered me if you had not come up just at the rightmoment. It is fortunate, too, that you should have turned up here justnow. Come as far as the house. I should like to say a few words to youin private. "

It was well, perhaps, that Evors could not see the expression of hiscompanion's face, that he did not note the look of mingled triumph andmalice that distorted it. It never for a moment occurred to him aspossible that black treachery could follow so closely upon the heels ofhis own magnanimity. Without the slightest demur he followed Fenwick tothe house. The latter led the way upstairs into a room overlooking theancient part of the house, murmuring something to the effect that herewas the thing that he wished to show Evors. They were inside the room atlength, then, with a muttered excuse, Fenwick hastened from the room. The key clicked in the door outside, and Evors knew that he was oncemore a prisoner. 

"You stay there till I want you, " Fenwick cried. "I'll teach you to playthese tricks on me after all I have done for you. "

"You rascal, " Evors responded. "And so you think that you have me aprisoner once more. Walk to the end of the corridor and back, then comein here again and I will have a pleasant surprise for you. You need notbe afraid--I am not armed. "

Perhaps some sudden apprehension possessed Fenwick, for he turned rapidlyas he was walking away and once more opened the door. Evors had been asgood as his word--the surprise which he had promised Fenwick was completeand absolute. 

"Vanished, " Fenwick cried. "Gone! Curse him, what can have become ofhim?"

CHAPTER XXIII

SMOKED OUT

A feeling of helpless exasperation gripped Fenwick to the exclusion ofall other emotions. Everything seemed to be going wrong just now; turnin any direction he pleased some obstacle blocked his path. Like mostcunning criminals he could never quite dispossess himself of the ideathat honesty and cleverness never went together. All honest men werefools of necessity, and therefore the legitimate prey of rogues likehimself. And yet, though he was more or less confronted now with men ofintegrity, he was as helpless in their hands as if he had been a child. The maddening part of the whole thing was his inability to find anythingto strike. He was like a general leading an army into the dark in astrange country, and knowing all the time that he had cunning unseenfoes to fight. 

Thoughts like these were uppermost in Fenwick's mind as he gazed inconsternation about the little room from which Evors had vanished. So faras Fenwick knew, Evors had saved his life from Zary, but that had notprevented Fenwick from behaving in a dastardly fashion. It seemed to himas if Fate were playing into his hands by bringing Evors here at thismoment. Hitherto he had found Evors such plastic material that he hadnever seriously considered him in the light of a foe. Now, for the firsttime, he saw how greatly he had been mistaken. 

"Where can the fellow have gone to?" he muttered. "And whence comes hisintimate knowledge of the house?"

He tapped the walls, he examined the floor, but there was no signwhatever of the means by which Evors had made good his escape. 

Fenwick furiously rang the bell and demanded that the old caretakershould be sent to him at once. The man came to him, shambling unsteadilyalong and breathing fast as if he had been running. His aged featureswere quivering with some strange excitement, as Fenwick did not fail tonotice, despite his own perturbation. 

"What on earth is the matter with you?" he exclaimed. "You look as if youhad seen a ghost! What is it? Speak up, man!"

"It isn't that, sir, " the old man said in trembling tones. "It is a sightthat I never expected to see again. A bit wild he was--aye, a rarehandful at times, though we were all precious fond of him. And to see himback here again like this--"

"What the devil are you talking about?" Fenwick burst out furiously. "Theold fool is in his second childhood. "

"It was the young master, " the caretaker babbled on. "Why, you couldhave knocked me down with a feather when he came in the house with you. As soon as I set eyes on Mr. Charles--"

"Mr. What?" Fenwick asked. "Oh, I see what you mean. You are speaking ofMr. Evors, who came in with me. "

"That's it, sir, that's it, " the old man said. "Mr. Evors, only we usedto call him Mr. Charles. "

Fenwick began to understand. 

"Let's have it out, " he said. "Mr. Evors, whom you saw with me just now, is Lord Merton's only son?"

"That he be, sir, that he be. And to think that he should come home likethis. It'll be a good day for the old house when he returns to settledown altogether. "

Fenwick dismissed the old man with a contemptuous gesture. He had foundout all he wanted to know, though his information had come to him as anunpleasant surprise. It was a strange coincidence that Fenwick shouldhave settled upon Merton Grange for a dwelling-place, and thus had pickedout the actual home of the young man who had suffered so much at hishands. But there was something beyond this that troubled Fenwick. It wasa disturbing thought to know that Charles Evors could find his way aboutthe house in this mysterious fashion. It was a still more disturbingthought to feel that Evors might be in league with those who wereengaged in tracking down the so-called millionaire. There were certainthings going on which it was imperative to keep a profound secret. Doubtless there were secret passages and panels in this ancient house, and Fenwick turned cold at the thought that perhaps prying eyes hadalready solved the problem of the little room at the end of the corridor. He lost no time in calling his parasites about him. In a few words hetold them what had happened. 

"Don't you see what it means?" he said. "Charles Evors is here, he hascome back to his old home, and what is more he has come back to keep aneye on us. I feel pretty certain that someone is behind him. Very likelyit is that devil Zary. If the police were to walk in now, guided byEvors, we should be caught like rats in a trap. I didn't want to trustthat stuff to Blossett, but he must get away with it now without delay. There is a train about twelve o'clock to London, and he must get one ofthe servants to drive him over in a dogcart. Now don't stand gazing at mewith your mouths open like that, for goodness knows how close the dangeris. Get the stuff away at once. "

The man Blossett came into the garden, a big cigar between his lips. Helaughed in his insolent fashion when he was told of his errand. The hotblood was in Fenwick's face, but he had not time to quarrel with theswaggering Blossett. 

"I thought you would come to your senses, " the latter said. "Nobodylike me to do a little thing of that sort. Now let me have the case andI'll be off without delay. Better put it in a Gladstone bag. If I haveany luck I shall be back here to-night, and then we can share thebank-notes and there will be an end of the matter. You had better sinkall the materials in the moat. Not that I am afraid of anythinghappening, myself. "

Half an hour later Blossett was being bowled down the drive behind afleet horse. A little later still, as the train pulled out of thestation, Egan and Grady stood there watching it with rueful faces. Vennerwas with them, and smiled to himself, despite the unfortunate nature ofthe situation. 

"I thought we had cut it a bit too fine, " Grady said. "It is all thefault of that confounded watch of mine. Now what's the best thing to bedone? Shall we telegraph to Scotland Yard and ask to have Blossettdetained when he reaches Victoria?"

"I don't quite like the idea, " Egan said. "If we were English detectivesit wouldn't much matter, but I guess I don't want Scotland Yard to havethe laugh of me like this. It may cost a deal of money, and I shallprobably have to pay it out of my own pocket, but I am going to have aspecial train. "

"My good man, " Venner said, "it is absurd to think that you can get aspecial train at a roadside station like this. Probably they do thingsdifferently in America, but if you suggest a special to thestation-master here, he will take you for an amiable lunatic. I have anidea that may work out all right, though it all depends upon whether thetrain that has gone out of the station is a fast or a slow one. "

The inquiry proved the fact that the train was a slow one, stopping atevery station. It would be quite two hours in reaching Victoria. Vennersmiled with the air of a man who is well pleased with himself. He turnedeagerly to his companions. 

"I think I've got it, " he said. "We will wound Fenwick with one of hisown weapons. It will be the easiest thing in the world to got from hereto Victoria well under two hours in a motor. "

"I guess that's about true, " Grady said, drily. "But what applies tothe special equally applies to the motor. Where are we to get themachine from?"

"Borrow Fenwick's, " Venner said. "I understand the working of a Mercedes, and, I know where the car is kept. If I go about this thing boldly, oursuccess is assured. Then you can wait for me at the cross roads and I canpick you up. "

"Well, you can try it on, sir, " Egan said doubtfully. "If you fail wemust telegraph to Scotland Yard. "

But Venner had not the slightest intention of failing. There were nohorses in the stable at Merton Grange, and consequently no helpersloafing about the yard. There stood the big car, and on a shelf all thenecessaries for setting the machine in motion. In an incredibly shortspace of time Venner had backed the Mercedes into the yard; he turned herdexterously, and a moment later was speeding down a side avenue which ledto the Park. The good old saying that fortune favors the brave was notbelied in this instance, for Venner succeeded in reaching the high roadwithout mishap. It was very long odds against his theft being discovered, at any rate, for some considerable time; and even if the car weremissing, no one could possibly identify its loss with the chase afterBlossett. It was consequently in high spirits that the trio set out ontheir journey. Naturally enough Venner was curious to know what thecriminal charge would be. 

"Though I have found out a good deal, " he said, "I am still utterly at aloss to know what these fellows have been up to. Of course, I quiteunderstand that there is some underhand business with regard to certaincoins--but then those coins are real gold, and it would not pay anybodyto counterfeit sovereigns worth twenty shillings apiece. "

"You don't think so, " Egan said, drily. "We shall be able to prove thecontrary presently. But hadn't you better wait, sir, till the criticalmoment comes?"

"Very well, " Venner laughed good-naturedly. "I'll wait and see whatdramatic surprise you have in store for me. "

The powerful car sped over the roads heedless of police traps or othertroubles of that kind, and some time before the appointed hour for thearrival of Blossett's train in London they had reached Victoria. It wasan easy matter to store the car in a neighboring hotel, and presentlythey had the satisfaction of seeing Blossett swagger from a first-classcarriage with a heavy Gladstone bag in his hand. He called a cab and wasrapidly driven off in the direction of the city. Egan in his turn calledanother cab, giving the driver strict injunctions to keep the firstvehicle in sight. It was a long chase, but it came to an end presentlyoutside an office in Walbrook. Blossett paid his man and walked slowly upa flight of steps, carrying his bag. He paused at length before a doorwhich was marked "Private, " and also placarded the information that herewas the business place of one Drummond, commission agent. Scarcely hadthe door closed on Blossett than Egan followed without ceremony. Hemotioned the other two to remain behind; he had some glib story to tellthe solitary clerk in the outer office, from whom he gleaned theinformation that Mr. Drummond was engaged on some particular business andcould not see him for some time. 

"Very well, " he said; "I'll wait and read the paper. "

He sat there patiently for some five minutes, his quick ears strained tocatch the faintest sound of what was taking place in the inner office. There came presently the chink of metal, whereupon the watcher whistledgently and his comrade and Venner entered the room. Very coolly Egancrossed over and locked the door. 

"Now, my young friend, " he said to the astonished clerk, "you will obligeme by not making a single sound. I don't suppose for a moment you havehad anything to do with this; in fact, from your bewildered expression, Iam certain that you haven't. Now tell me how long have you been in yourpresent situation. "

"About three months, " the clerk replied. "If you gentlemen happen to bepolice officers--"

"That is exactly what we are, " Grady smiled. "Do you find businessbrisk--plenty of clients about?"

The clerk shook his head. He was understood to say that business wasinclined to be slack. He was so frightened and uneasy that it wassomewhat difficult to discern what he was talking about. From time totime there came sounds of tinkling metal from the inner office. ThenGrady crossed the floor and opened the door. He stepped insidenimbly, there was a sudden cry, and then the voice of the detectivebroke out harshly. 

"Now drop it, " he said. "Keep your hands out of your pocket--there arethree of us here altogether, and the more fuss you make the worse it willbe for both of you. You know perfectly well who I am, Blossett; and weare old friends, too, Mr. Drummond, though I don't know you by that name. You will come with me--"

"But what's the charge?" Blossett blustered. "I am doing business with myfriend here quite in a legitimate way. "

"Counterfeit coining, " Grady said crisply. "Oh, we know all about it, soyou need not try to bluff it out in that way. I'll call a cab, and we candrive off comfortably to Bow Street. "

All the swaggering impudence vanished from Blossett. As for hiscompanion, he had not said a word from start to finish. It was about anhour later that Venner and his companions were seated at lunch at a hotelin Covent Garden, and Venner was impatiently waiting to hear what was thecharge which had laid Blossett and his companion by the heels. Gradysmiled as he drew from his pocket what appeared to be a brand newsovereign. 

"This is it, " he said. "A counterfeit. You wouldn't think so to look atit, would you? It appears to be perfectly genuine. If you will balance iton your finger you will find that it is perfect weight, and as to thefinish it leaves nothing to be desired. And yet that coin is false, though it contains as much gold as any coin that you have in your purse. "

"Now I begin to understand, " Venner exclaimed. "I have already told youall about my discovery at the Empire Hotel, also what happened quiterecently at Merton Grange. I could not for the life of me understand whatthose fellows had to gain by making sovereigns red-hot. Of course, I tookthem to be real sovereigns--"

"Well, so they are practically, " Egan said. "They contain absolutely asmuch gold as an English coin of equal value. They are made from the metalFenwick managed to loot from the Four Finger Mine. "

"What, do you know all about that?" Venner cried. 

"We know all about everything, " Grady said gravely. "We have beentracking Fenwick for years, and it is a terrible indictment we shall haveto lay against him when the proper time comes. We shall prove beyond theshadow of a doubt that he was one of the murderers of Mr. George Le Fenu--but we need not go into that now, for I see you are anxious to know allabout the trick of the sovereigns. After Fenwick was compelled to abandonthe Four Finger Mine, he found himself with a great deal less gold thanhe had expected. Then he hit upon the ingenious scheme which we are hereto expose. His plan was to make sovereigns and half-sovereigns, and putthem on the market as genuine coins. Now do you see what he had to gainby this ingenious programme?"

CHAPTER XXIV

THE MOUTH OF THE NET

"I am afraid I am very dense, " Venner said, "but I quite fail to see howa man could make a fortune by selling for a sovereign an article thatcost him twenty shillings, to say nothing of the trouble and cost oflabor and the risk of being discovered--"

"As a matter of fact, the risk is comparatively small, " Grady said. "Itwas only by a pure accident that we got on the inside track of thismatter. You see, the coins are of actual face value, they are mostbeautifully made, and, indeed, would pass anywhere. Let me tell you thatevery sovereign contains a certain amount of alloy which reduces itsactual value to about eighteen and threepence. Now you can see where theprofit comes in. Supposing these men turn out a couple of thousandsovereigns a day--no very difficult matter with a plant like theirs; and, of course, the money can be disposed of with the greatest possible ease. This leaves a profit of a hundred and seventy-five pounds a day. When Ihave said so much, I think I have told you everything. Don't you admirethe ingenuity of an idea like this?"

It was all perfectly plain now--indeed, the mystery appeared to beridiculously simple now that it was explained. 

"And what are you going to do now?" Venner asked. 

Grady explained that the next step would be the arrest of Fenwick and hisgang at Merton Grange. For that purpose it would be necessary to enlistthe assistance of the local authorities. And in no case did the Americandetectives purpose to effect the arrest before night. So far as Vennerwas concerned, he was quite at liberty to accompany the Americans ontheir errand; at the same time they let him infer that here was asituation in which they preferred his room to his company. 

"As you will, " Venner smiled. "So far as I am concerned, I am going toget back to Canterbury as soon as I can. With all your preparations youhave an exceedingly clever man to deal with, and it is just possible thatby this time Fenwick already knows that you have laid the messenger bythe heels. Men of that sort never trust one another, and it isexceedingly probable that Blossett has been watched. "

Grady and Egan admitted this possibility cheerfully enough. Doubtlessthey had made plans which they did not care to communicate to Venner. Heleft them presently, only to discover to his annoyance that he had justmissed a train to Canterbury, and that there was not another one tillnearly six o'clock. It was quite dark when he stepped out of the carriageat Canterbury Station and stood debating whether he should walk as far asthe lodgings he had taken near Merton Grange, or call a cab. As he wasidly making up his mind, he saw to his surprise the figure of thehandsome cripple descending from the next carriage. He noted, too, thatthe cripple did not seem anything like as feeble as before, though heappeared to be glad enough to lean on the arm of a servant. At the samemoment Le Fenu was joined by Evors, who came eagerly forward and shookhim warmly by the hand. What these two were doing here, and what they hadin their minds, it was not for Venner to say. He wondered what they wouldthink if they knew how close he was, and how deeply interested he was intheir movements. He hung back in the shadow, for just then he did notwant to be recognised by Le Fenu. 

"What a queer tangle it all is, " he said to himself. "If I spoke to LeFenu, he would recognise me in a moment as an old friend of his father's. I wonder what he would say to me if he knew I was his brother-in-law--and Evors, too. Imagine their astonishment if I walked up to them atthis moment. Still, on the whole, I think I prefer to watch theirmovements. If they are going to thrust their heads into the lion's mouth, perhaps I may be able to stand by and render some assistance. "

It was as Venner had anticipated, for presently Le Fenu and Evorsentered a cab and gave the driver directions to take them as far asMerton Grange. Venner made up his mind that he could do no better thanfollow their example. 

The cab stopped at length outside the lodge gates, where Evors and LeFenu alighted, and walked slowly up the drive. It was rather a painfuleffort for Le Fenu, but he managed it a great deal better than Venner hadanticipated. They did not enter the house by the front door--on thecontrary, they crept round a small side entrance, beyond which theyvanished, leaving Venner standing on the grass wondering what he hadbetter do next. 

Meanwhile, Evors led the way down a flight of stairs till he emergedpresently in a corridor. With his companion on his arm he walked to thelittle room at the end and boldly flung open the door. 

The room was empty, a thing which both of them seemed to expect, for theysmiled at one another in a significant manner, and nodded with the air ofmen who are quite pleased with themselves. 

"You had better sit down, " Evors said. "That walk must have tired youterribly. I should be exceedingly sorry--"

"You need not worry about me, " Le Fenu said in a clear, hard voice. "I ama little tired, perhaps, but I have a duty to fulfil, and the knowledgeof it has braced me wonderfully. Besides, I am so much better of late, and I am looking eagerly forward to the time when I shall be as othermen. Now go and fetch him, and let us get the thing done. But for thefact that he is my mother's brother I would have had no mercy on thescoundrel. Still, the same blood flows in our veins, and I am in amerciful mood to-night. "

Evors walked boldly out of the room and down the stairs into thehall--then in a loud voice he called out the name of Mark Fenwick. Thedining-room door burst open and Fenwick strode out, his yellow faceblazing with passion in the light. 

"So you are back again, " he said hoarsely. "You are a bold man to thrustyour head into the lion's mouth like this. "

"There are others equally bold, " Evors said, coolly. "I am strong enoughand able enough to take you by that fat throat of yours and choke thelife out of you. You have a different man to deal with now--but there areothers to be considered, so I will trouble you to come along with me. Theinterview had best take place in the little room at the end of thecorridor. You know the room I mean. Ah, I see you do. "

Fenwick started. It was quite plain that Evors' hint was not lost onhim. Without another word he led the way up the staircase into thelittle room. He started again and half turned when he caught sight ofthe white, handsome face of Le Fenu. In all probability he would havedisappeared altogether, but for the fact that Evors closed the door andturned the key. 

Fenwick stood there, his yellow face scared and terrified. Cold as itwas, a bead of perspiration stood on his bulging forehead. He looked fromone to the other as if he anticipated violence. Le Fenu sat up in hischair and laughed aloud. 

"You are but a sorry coward after all, " he said. "You have no need tofear us in the slightest. We shall leave the vengeance to come in thehands of others. And now sit down--though you are not fit to take a chairin the company of any honest men. "

"In my own house, " Fenwick began feebly, "you are--"

"We will overlook that, " Le Fenu went on. "It is our turn now, and Idon't think you will find our conditions too harsh. It is not so longago since my friend here was a prisoner in your hands, and since youreduced him to such a condition of mind that he had abandoned hope andlost all desire to live. It is not so long ago, either, since you daredto make me a prisoner in my own house for your own ends. It wasfortunate for you that I chose to live more or less alone in London andunder an assumed name. But all the time I was looking for you, all thetime I was working out my plans for your destruction. Then you found meout--you began to see how I could be useful to you, how I could becomeyour miserable tool, as Mr. Evors here did. You dared not stay at yourhotel--things were not quite ripe for you to come down here. Thereforeyou hit upon the ingenious idea of making me a prisoner under my ownroof. But Fate, which has been waiting for you a long time, intervened, and I became a free man again just at the very moment when Mr. Evorsalso regained his liberty. Since then we have met more than once, andthe whole tale of your villainy is now plain before me. You might havebeen content with the murder of my father and the blood money youextracted from the Four Finger Mine, but that was not enough foryou--nothing less than the extermination of our race sufficed. It was nofault of yours that I was not killed in the so-called accident that hasmade me the cripple that I am. That was all arranged by you, as I shallbe able to prove when the proper time comes. I escaped death by amiracle, and good friends of mine hid me away beyond the reach of yourarm. Even then you had no sort of mercy, even then you were not contentwith the mischief you had wrought. You must do your best to pin yourcrime to Mr. Evors, though that conspiracy cost my sister Beth herreason. Of course, you would deny all these things, and I see you areprepared to deny them now. But it is absolutely useless to add one lieto another, because we know full well--"

"Stop, " Fenwick cried. "What are you here for? Why do you tell me this?A desperate man like myself--"

"No threats, " Le Fenu said, sternly. "I am simply here to warn you. Godknows what an effort it is on my part not to hand you over to yourpunishment, but I cannot forget that you are a blood relation ofmine--and, therefore, I am disposed to spare you. Still, there is anotherNemesis awaiting you, which Nemesis I need not mention by name. When Ilook at your left hand I feel sorry for you. Bad as you are, the terriblefate which is yours moves me to a kind of pity. "

Le Fenu paused and glanced significantly at Fenwick's maimed hand. The latter had nothing more to say; all his swaggering assurance hadleft him--he sat huddled up in his chair, a picture of abject terrorand misery. 

"You can help me if you will, " he said hoarsely. "You are speaking ofZary. That man is no human being at all, he is no more than acold-blooded tiger, and yet he would do anything for you and yours. Ifyou asked him to spare me--"

Fenwick broke off and covered his face with his hands. His shoulderswere heaving with convulsive sobs now, tears of self-pity ran throughhis fingers. For the time being, at any rate, the man's nerve wasutterly gone. He was prepared to make any conditions to save his skin. Agitated and broken as he was, his cunning mind was yet moving swiftly. A little time ago, these two men would not have dared to intrudethemselves upon his presence, he had held them like prisoners in thehollow of his hand; and now it seemed to him that they must feel theirposition to be impregnable, or they would never have intruded upon himin this bold fashion. 

"I am not the man I was, " he gasped. "It is only lately that my nerveseems to have utterly deserted me. You do not know what it is to befighting in the dark against a foe so cold and relentless as Felix Zary. When the first warning came I was alarmed. The second warning frightenedme till I woke in the night with a suffocating feeling at my heart as ifI were going to die. Against the third warning I took the most elaborateprecautions; but it came all the same, and since then I have beendrinking to drown my terror. But what is the good of that?--how littledoes it serve me in my sober moments? As I said just now, Zary would doanything for your family, and if you would induce him to forego thatdreaded vengeance which hangs over me--"

"Impossible, " Le Fenu said coldly. "Zary is a fanatic, a dreamer ofdreams; he has a religion of his own which no one else in the worldunderstands but himself. He firmly and honestly believes that some divinepower is impelling him on, that he is merely an instrument in the handsof the Maker of the universe. There have been other beings of the sameclass in a way. Charlotte Corday believed herself to be the chosenchampion of Heaven when she stabbed the French monster in his bath. Nothing I could say or do would turn Zary from what he believes to be hisduty. The only thing you can do is to go away and lose yourself in someforeign country where Zary cannot follow you. "

"Impossible, " Fenwick said hoarsely. "I could not get away. If the manpossesses the powers he claims he would know where to find me, even if Ihid myself in the depths of a Brazilian forest. I tell you I am doomed. Icannot get away from the inevitable. "

Fenwick slipped from his chair and fairly grovelled in his anguish onthe floor. It was a pitiable sight, but one that moved the watchers withcontempt. They waited patiently enough for the paroxysm of terror topass and for Fenwick to resume something like the outer semblance ofmanhood. He drew himself up at length, and wiped the tears from hissickly yellow face. 

"I cannot think, " he said. "My mind seems to have ceased to act. Ifeither of you have any plan I shall be grateful to hear it. It seemsalmost impossible--"

The speaker suddenly paused, for there came from below the unmistakablesounds of high voices raised in expostulation. It occurred to Fenwick fora moment that his subordinates were quarrelling among themselves; thenhis quick ears discerned the sound of strange voices. He rose to his feetand made in the direction of the door. A minute later a stealthy tap washeard on the door, and a voice whispered, asking to be admitted. Evorsglanced at Le Fenu in an interrogative kind of way, as if asking forinstructions. The latter nodded, and the door opened. The man in the listslippers staggered into the room, his red face white and quivering, hiswhole aspect eloquent of fear. 

"What is it?" Fenwick whispered. "What's the trouble? Why don't you speakout, man, instead of standing there like that?"

The man found his voice at last, his words came thickly. 

"They are here, " he said. "The men from America. You know who I mean. Getaway at once. Wait for nothing. Those two devils Egan and Grady aredownstairs in the hall. "

CHAPTER XXV

AN ACT OF CHARITY

Fenwick looked at the speaker as if he did not exactly comprehend what hehad said. The man's mind was apparently dazed, as if the accumulation ofhis troubles had been too much for him. He passed his hand across hisforehead, striving to collect his thoughts and to find some way of facingthis new and unexpected peril. 

"Say that again, " he faltered. "I don't quite understand. Surely Egan andGrady are in New York. "

"They are both down in the hall, " the man said, vehemently. "And, what'smore, they know that you are here. If you don't want to spend the nightin gaol, get away without any further delay. "

Fenwick could only look about him helplessly. It seemed to him futile tomake further effort. Turn which way he would, there was no avenue open tohim. He looked imploringly in the direction of Charles Evors. 

"I think I can manage it, " the latter said. "Now, you fellow, whateveryour name is, leave the room at once and go downstairs and close thedoor behind you. "

The man slunk away, and, at a sign from Le Fenu, Evors closed the door. Evors jumped to his feet and crossed the room to where a picture was letinto the panelling. He pushed this aside and disclosed a dark openingbeyond to Fenwick's astonished gaze. The latter stared about him. 

"Now get through there, " Evors said. "It is a good thing for you that Iknow all the secrets of the old house. There are many panels and passageshere, for this used to be a favorite hiding-place for the fugitivecavaliers in the time of Cromwell. "

"But where does it go to?" Fenwick stammered. 

Evors explained that the passage terminated in a bedroom a littledistance away. He went on to say that Fenwick would only have to presshis hand upon the wall and that the corresponding panel of the bedroomwould yield to his touch. 

"It is the Blue Room, " he said, "in which you will find yourselfpresently. Wait there and I'll see what I can do for you. I fancy that Ishall be able to convey you outside the walls of the house withoutanybody being the wiser. "

Fenwick crept through the hole, and Evors pulled the panel across, leaving the room exactly as it had been a few minutes before. He hadhardly done so when there was a sound of footsteps outside, and withoutceremony the American detectives came in. The occupants of the room hadhad ample time to recover their self-possession, so that they could lookcoolly at the intruders and demand to know what this outrage meant. TheAmericans were clearly puzzled. 

"I am sure I beg your pardon, " Egan said, "but I understand that Mr. Fenwick is the tenant of the house. "

"That is so, " Evors said. "Do you generally come into a gentleman's housein this unceremonious fashion?"

"Perhaps I had better explain my errand, " Egan said. "We are down herewith a warrant for the apprehension of Mark Fenwick, and we know that alittle time ago he was in the house. He is wanted on a charge of stealingcertain valuables in New York, and also for manufacturing counterfeitcoins. We quite expected to find him here. "

"In that case, of course, you have perfect liberty to do as you please, "Evors said. "I may explain that I am the only son of Lord Merton, andthat I shall be pleased to do anything to help you that lies in my power. By all means search the house. "

Grady appeared as if about to say something, but Egan checked him. It wasno time for the Americans to disclose the fact that they knew all aboutthe murder of Mr. George Le Fenu, and how Evors had been more or lessdragged into the business. Their main object now was to get hold ofFenwick without delay, and take him back with them to London. 

"Very well, sir, " Egan said. "We need not trouble you any further. Ifour man is anywhere about the house, we are bound to find him. Comealong, Grady. "

They bustled out of the room, and presently they could be heard rangingabout the house. As the two friends discussed the situation in whispersthe door was flung open and Vera came in. Her face was aflame withindignation--she was quivering with a strange unaccustomed passion. 

"Charles, " she cried. "I hardly expected to see you here. "

"Perhaps you are equally surprised to see Evors, " Le Fenu said. "We havehad an explanation--"

"I have already met Charles, " Vera said. "But he did not tell me you werecoming down here. Still, all that is beside the point. There will beplenty of time for full explanation later on. What I have to complain ofnow is an intolerable outrage on the part of Mark Fenwick. He hasactually dared to intrude himself on the privacy of my bedroom, anddespite all I can say--"

"By Jove, this is a piece of bad luck, " Evors exclaimed. "My dear Vera, Ihad not the slightest idea that you were occupying the Blue Room. Infact, I did not know that it was being used at all. I managed to sendFenwick that way for the simple reason that there are two Americandetectives downstairs with a warrant for his arrest. It was yourbrother's idea to get him away--"

"What for?" Vera asked, passionately. 

"Why should we trouble ourselves for the safety of an abandoned wretchlike that? He is the cause of all our troubles and sorrows. For the lastthree years he has blighted the lives of all of us, and there is worsethan that--for, as sure as I am speaking to you now, the blood of ourdear father is upon his head. "

"Yes, and mine might have been also, but for a mere miracle, " Le Fenusaid. "He tried to do away with me--he would have done away with all ofus if he had only dared. But one thing do not forget--he is our mother'sonly brother. "

Vera started and bit her lips. It was easy to see that the appeal was notlost upon her, and that she was ready now to fall in with her brother'sidea. She waited quite humbly for him to speak. 

"I am glad you understand, " he said. "It would never do for us to handthat man over to justice, richly as he deserves his sentence. And you canhelp us if you will. Those men will search every room in the house, including yours. If you are in there when they come and show a certainamount of indignation--"

"Oh, I quite understand, " Vera responded. 

"And I will do what I can for that wretched creature. "

"What is he doing now?" Le Fenu asked. 

"He has huddled himself up in a wardrobe, " Vera explained. "He seems soparalysed with fear that I could not get anything like a coherent accountof what had happened. Anyway, I will go back to my room now. You need notbe afraid for me. "

As matters turned out, Vera had no time to spare, for she was hardly backin her room before the detectives were at the door. She came out to them, coldly indignant, and demanded to know what this conduct meant. As wasonly natural, the Americans were profoundly regretful and almost abjectlypolite, but they had their duty to perform, and they would be glad toknow if Vera had seen anything of Mark Fenwick, for whose apprehensionthey held a warrant. 

"Well, " Vera said, loftily, "you don't expect to find him in here, Isuppose? Of course, if your duty carries you so far as to ransack alady's room, I will not prevent you. "

The absolute iciness of the whole thing profoundly impressed thelisteners. Astute as they were, it never occurred to them that the girlwas acting a part; furthermore, with their intimate knowledge ofFenwick's past, they knew well enough that Vera had no cause to shieldthe man of whom they were in search. 

"We will not trouble you, " Egan stammered. "It is a mere matter of form, and it would be absurd to suppose that our man is concealed in your room. In all probability he received news of our coming and got away withoutwarning his companions. It is just the sort of thing that a man of histype would do. We have the rest of the gang all safe, but we shallcertainly have to look elsewhere for their chief. Will you please acceptour apologies?"

Vera waved the men aside haughtily. She was glad to turn her back uponthem, so that they could not see the expression of her face. She wastrembling violently now, for her courage had suddenly deserted her. Forsome long time she stood there in the corridor, until, presently, sheheard the noise of wheels as two vehicles drove away. Then, with a greatsigh of relief, she recognised the fact that the detectives had left thehouse. She opened the door of her room and called aloud to Fenwick. Shecalled again and again without response. 

"You can come out, " she said, contemptuously. "There is no cause to fear, for those men have gone. "

A moment later the yellow, fear-distorted face of Mark Fenwick peeped outinto the corridor. He came shambling along on tottering limbs, and hiscoarse mouth twitched horribly. It seemed to Vera as if she were lookingat a mere travesty of the man who so short a time ago had been so strongand masterful and courageous. 

"They gave me a rare fright, " Fenwick said in a senile way. He seemed tohave aged twenty years in the last few minutes. "That--that--was verycool and courageous of you, my dear. I couldn't have done any bettermyself. You dear, kind girl. He advanced now and would have taken Vera'shands in his, but she turned from him with loathing. She was wonderingwhich she disliked most--the cold, cruel, determined criminal, or thismiserable wreck of a man glad to lean on anyone for support. 

"Don't touch me, " she said, with a shudder. "Don't thank me for anythingfor I should have handed you over to those men gladly, I was ready andwilling to do so, only my brother recalled to me the fact that the sameblood runs in the veins of both of us. It was the remembrance of thisthat made me lie just now, that caused me to run the risk of a criminalcharge myself. For I understand that anybody who harbors a thief forwhose arrest a warrant has been issued, runs the risk of going to gaol. And to think that Le Fenu should do a thing of that kind for such acreature as yourself--it is too amazing. "

"I suppose it is, my dear, " Fenwick said in the same carneying voice. "Inever expected to find myself shielded behind a woman. But I have lostall my nerve lately, and the more I drink to drown my troubles, the worseI get. But you must not think too badly of me, for I am not so black asI am painted. "

"Could you be any blacker?" Vera asked. "Could any human being havedescended lower than you have descended? I think not. You imagine becauseI threw in my lot with you three years ago that I knew nothing of yourcrimes. As a matter of fact, I knew everything. I knew how you hadshifted the responsibility of that dastardly murder on to the shouldersof the man who is in love with my sister Beth. It was for her sake that Ipretended ignorance, for her sake that I came with you to try to get tothe bottom of your designs. What I have endured in the time nobody butmyself can know. But it has all come out now, and here am I to-day tryingto shield you from the very vengeance that I have been plotting for youall this time. Oh, don't say anything, don't deny it, don't add moreuseless lies to the catalogue of your vices. Go now. Let us see the lastof you, and never intrude upon us again. "

All this outburst of indignation had apparently been wasted on Fenwickfor he did not appear to be listening at all. He had enough troubles ofhis own, and, despite the fact that his nerve had failed him, it was nofeeling of remorse that left him stricken and trembling and broken downbefore Vera's scornful eyes. He could only whine and protest that he wasabsolutely helpless. 

"But what can I do?" he murmured, with tears in his eyes. "I am not soyoung as I was, indeed I am much older than people take me for. I have nomoney and no friends, there is not a place I can go to. Don't turn meout--let me stay here, where I shall be safe. "

"It is impossible, " Vera said, coldly. "We have done enough, and morethan enough for you. Now come this way, and I will hand you over tomy brother and Mr. Evors. They are cleverer than I am, and may beable to devise some means for getting you out of the country. Whydon't you come?"

"I can't, " Fenwick almost sobbed. "There is something in my limbs thatrenders them powerless. If you will give me your arm, I daresay I shallbe able to get as far as the little room. "

The touch of the man was pollution, yet Vera bravely endured it. Shecould hear the excited servants talking in whispers downstairs, and oneof them might appear at any moment. It would be far better for thedomestic staff to assume that the culprit had vanished, otherwise theirgossip would assuredly bring the detectives back again without delay. Vera was glad enough when her task was finished and the trembling form ofMark Fenwick was lowered into a seat. The cunning look was still in hiseyes; the born criminal would never get rid of that expression, thoughfor the rest he was an object now more for pity than fear. 

"It is very good of you, " he said. "It is far better than I deserve. Youwill say I can't stay here--"

"That is absolutely certain, " Le Fenu said, coldly. "Most assuredly youcan't remain here. You may remain for the night, and Mr. Evors and myselfwill try and think of a plan between us. "

"And Zary, " Fenwick whispered. The mention of that dreaded name set himtrembling again. "Keep me away from Zary. I am afraid of a good manythings, but the mere mention of that man's name stops my heart beatingand suffocates me. "

"You had better go away, " Le Fenu said to Vera, "and leave the wretchedcreature to us. There will be no trouble in hiding him here for a bit. There are two rooms here that nobody knows anything about except Evorsand his father. "

Vera was only too glad to get away into the open air, glad to feel thatat last this nerve-destroying mystery was coming to an end. She wanted tosee Venner, too, and tell him all that had happened. In all probabilityhe was waiting at the accustomed spot. With a light heart and a feelingof youthfulness upon her that she had not felt for some time, she set outon her journey. 

CHAPTER XXVI

THE LAST FINGER

In the ordinary course of things, and but for the dramatic events of theevening, it would have been about the time of night when dinner wasfinished and the house-party had gathered in the drawing-room. It hadbeen somewhere about seven when the Americans reached Merton Grange, andnow it was getting towards nine. It was not exactly the temperature atwhich one enjoys an evening stroll, but the recent events had been soexciting that Vera felt how impossible it would be to settle down toanything within the limits of the house. There was a moon, too, whichmade all the difference in the world. As Vera walked along, she almostsmiled to herself to think how strange her conduct might look in theeyes of those formal people whose lives run in conventional channels. She told herself more than once that it would be absurd to hope to seeGerald at this time of night, but all the same she continued her journeyacross the park. 

She had not so far to go as she expected, for presently she could see theglow of a cigar in the distance, and Venner came up. A little joyful crycame from Vera. 

"This is very fortunate, " she said. "How lucky it is that I should runagainst you in this fashion. "

"Well, I was flattering myself that you came on purpose, " Venner said. "And, after all, it is not so very lucky, seeing that I have been hangingabout this house on the chance of seeing you since it became dark. Butyou look rather more disturbed and anxious than usual. My dear girl, I dohope and trust that there are no new complications. I shall really haveto take you by force and carry you out of the country. Why should we haveto go on living this miserable kind of existence when we can take ourhappiness in both hands and enjoy it? Now don't tell me that somethingfresh has occurred which will keep us apart, for another year or two? Bythe way, have you had any visitors to-night?"

"What do you know about them?" Vera asked. "Have you found out anythingabout Mr. Fenwick?"

"Well, I should say so, " Venner said, drily. "I have absolutely got tothe bottom of that mysterious coin business. In fact, I accompanied Eganand Grady to London, and I was with them when they arrested that awfulcreature, Blossett. Egan and Grady are old friends of mine, and I toldthem all about the strange coins and how you literally burnt your fingersover them. They were coming down here to arrest Fenwick, and I offered toaccompany them; but they declined my offer, so I returned here alone, andhave been hanging about the house, curious to know what had taken place. Have they bagged our friend Fenwick yet?"

"It is about Mr. Fenwick that I wish to speak to you, " Vera replied. "Mr. Evors is down here. By the way, I don't know whether you are aware of thefact that he is the son of Lord Merton. "

"Perhaps you had better tell me the story, " Venner said. 

"I am coming to that presently. Mr. Evors is down here; he is the man whois engaged to my sister Beth. "

Venner whistled softly to himself. At any rate, he knew all about that, for his mind went swiftly back to the series of dramatic events which hadtaken place some time previously in the house in Portsmouth Square. Herecollected now the white-faced young man who had broken away from hiscaptors and joined Le Fenu, otherwise Bates, in the drawing-room. Herecollected the joy and delight of the girl, and how she had clung to thestranger as if he had come back to her from the other side of the grave. 

"There will be a great many things to be explained between us, presently, " he said, gravely. "But for the present, I want to know allabout Fenwick. Where is he now?"

"He is hiding up at the house. I believe they have put him into a secretroom, the whereabouts of which is known only to Charles Evors. Of course, he will not stay. "

"But why shield such a blackguard at all?" Venner asked. "Surely, afterall the trouble he has caused you--"

"You must not forget that he is our own flesh and blood, " Vera said, quietly. "I had almost ignored the fact--I am afraid I should haveignored it altogether had not my brother taken a strong view of thematter. At any rate, there he is, and we are in a conspiracy to get himsafely out of the country. For the present the man is utterly broken downand absolutely incapable of taking care of himself. I want you to do me afavor, Gerald. I want you to take a hand in this business. While thepolice are still hot upon the track it would not be prudent for Mr. Evorsor my brother to be too much in evidence just now. "

"My dearest girl, I would do anything in the world for you, " Vennercried. "And if I am to take that sorry old rascal out of the country andget rid of him altogether, I will do so with pleasure and never count thecost. If I could see your brother--"

"Then why not come and see him now?" Vera said. "You will have to meetsooner or later, and there could be no better opportunity for anexplanation. "

To Le Fenu and Evors smoking in the dining-room came Vera and Venner. LeFenu looked up with a sort of mild surprise and perhaps just a suspicionof mistrust in his eyes. 

"Whom have we here, Vera?" he said. 

"This is Mr. Gerald Venner, " Vera said. "You know him perfectly well byname--he was with us, on and off, for a considerable time before our poorfather died. Father had a great regard for him, and I hope you will havethe same, for a reason which I am just going to mention. "

"I am sure I am very pleased to meet you, " Le Fenu said, politely. "Thisis my friend, Mr. Charles Evors, the only son of the owner of the house. When I come to look at you, Mr. Venner, I confess that your appearancepleases me, but I have had to deal with so many suspicious characterslately that really--"

"Don't apologise, " Venner laughed. "You will have to make the best ofme. I came here to-night with Vera to have a thorough explanation ofcertain matters. "

"Oh, indeed, " Le Fenu responded with uplifted brows. "My sister and youappear to be on very familiar terms--"

"It is only natural, " Vera laughed. A vivid blush flooded her face. "Charles, Mr. Venner is my husband. "

"I am not in the least surprised to hear it, " Le Fenu said. "In fact, Iam not surprised at anything. I have quite outgrown all emotions of thatkind, but perhaps you will be good enough to tell me how this cameabout, and why I have not heard it before. As your brother, I amentitled to know. "

"Of course, you are. It was just after our father died that I promisedmyself to Gerald. I had my own ideas why the marriage should be kept asecret. You see, I had more or less thrown in my lot with my uncle, MarkFenwick, because I had determined to get to the bottom of the business ofour father's death. I felt certain that Charles here had nothing to dowith it; though, owing to his folly and weakness, he played directly intothe hands of the man who was really responsible for the crime. "

"We all know who is responsible for the crime, " Le Fenu said. "There isno necessity to mention his name. "

"Oh, I know that, " Vera went on. "The explanation I am making now is moreto my husband than either of you. He has been goodness and kindnessitself, and he is entitled to know everything. It was within a fewminutes of my being married that I learned something of the dreadfultruth. I learned that Fenwick had conspired to throw the blame of thetragedy upon Charles Evors. I found out what an effect this conspiracyhad had on our poor Beth. There and then I came to a great resolution. Iwrote to my husband and told him that in all probability I could neversee him again--at any rate, I could not see him for a long space of time. I implored him to trust me in spite of all appearances, and he did so. Now he knows the reason why I acted so strangely. I can see that he has athousand questions to ask me, but I hope that he will refrain from doingso at present. The thing that troubles me now is what has become of poorlittle Beth. "

"Oh, she is all right enough, " Le Fenu said. "I thought of that before Icame down. I have left her in the safe hands of the very clever doctorwho has my case under his charge, and Beth is with his family. We canhave her down here to-morrow if you like. "

"Nothing would please me better, " Vera said, fervently. "And now, I wantto know if you have done anything or formed any plan for getting rid ofMark Fenwick. I shall not be able to breathe here until he is gone. "

Le Fenu explained that they had come to no conclusion at present. He wasquite alive to the fact that delay was dangerous, seeing that LordMerton's agents would have to communicate with him by telegram, and thatthe owner of the house might be back again at any moment. Therefore, itwas absolutely necessary that something should be done in the matter ofMark Fenwick without loss of time. Vera indicated her companion. 

"That is why I brought Gerald here, " she said. 

"I thought he might he able to help us. He knows all sorts andconditions of people, and it is probable that he may be able to find anasylum in London where the wretched man upstairs can hide till it isquite safe to get him out of the way. "

"I think I can manage that part of the programme, " Venner said. "There isan old servant of mine living down Poplar way with his wife who will doanything I ask him. The man has accompanied me all over the world, and heis exceedingly handy in every way. Those people would take a lodger tooblige me, and when you come to think of it, Poplar is not at all a badplace for anybody who wants to get out of the country without beingobserved. It is close to the river, and all sorts of craft are constantlygoing up and down. What do you think of the idea?"

"Excellent, " Evors cried. "Couldn't be better. Do you think those peoplewould mind if you looked them up very late to-night?"

"Not in the least, " Venner said. "There is only one drawback, and that isthe danger of traveling. "

Le Fenu suggested that the difficulty could be easily overcome by the useof Fenwick's motor, which, fortunately, the detectives had brought backwith them when they came in search of the culprit. It was an easy matterto rig Fenwick up in something suggestive of a feminine garb and smugglehim out into the grounds, and thence to the stable, where the motor waswaiting. Fenwick came downstairs presently, a pitiable object. His mindstill seemed wandering; but he braced himself up and became a little morelike his old self when the plan of action was explained to him. Vera drewa deep breath of relief when once the man was outside the house. 

"Thank God, we shall never see him again, " she said, fervently. "And now, I believe I could eat something. It is the first time that the idea offood has been pleasant to me for days. "

Meanwhile, Venner and Fenwick were speeding along in the car towardsLondon. Perhaps it was the knowledge that safety lay before him, perhapsit was the exhilaration caused by the swift motion of the car, butFenwick became more and more like himself as they began to near theMetropolis. 

"This is very kind of you, " he said, "considering you are a stranger tome. If you only knew my unfortunate story--"

"I know your story perfectly, " Venner said, coldly. "You see, I had thepleasure of the friendship of the late Mr. George Le Fenu, and Mr. Evorsand the younger Mr. Le Fenu are also known to me. Not to be behindhand inexchanging confidence for confidence, I may also say that your niece, Vera, is my wife. "

Fenwick said no more, for which Venner was profoundly grateful. They cameat length to the little house in Poplar, where Fenwick was smuggled in, and a certain part of the story confided to a seafaring man and hiscomfortable, motherly wife, who professed themselves ready and willing todo anything that Venner asked them. 

"Give him a sitting-room and a bedroom, " Venner said; "and take thisten-pound note and buy him a rough workman's wardrobe in the morning asif you were purchasing it for yourself. Let him lie low here for a day ortwo, and I will write you instructions. As to myself, I must get back toCanterbury without delay. "

Trembling with a sort of fearful joy, Fenwick found himself presently ina comfortable sitting-room at the back of the house. He noted thecleanliness of the place, and his heart lightened within him. Somethingof his own stern self-reliant courage was coming back to him; his busymind began to plan for the future. Presently he was conscious of ahealthy desire to eat and drink. In response to his ring, the landladyinformed him that she had some cold meat in the house, and that it wasnot yet too late to send out for some wine if he desired it. 

"Very well, " Fenwick said in high good-humor. "Give me the cold meat, andask your husband to get me a bottle of brandy. I shall feel all thebetter for a thorough wash, and don't be long, my good woman, for I havenever been so hungry in my life as I am now. "

Fenwick returned to the sitting-room a few minutes later to find a decentmeal spread out for him. There was cheese and butter and some cold meatunder a metal cover. A bottle of brandy stood by the side of Fenwick'splate, with a syphon of soda-water. He took a hearty pull of the mixture. The generous spirit glowed in his veins. He would cheat the world yet. 

"And now for the food, " he said. "I trust it is beef. Nothing like beefon occasions like this. Also--"

He raised the cover from a dish. Then he jumped to his feet with asnarling oath. He could only stand there trembling in every limb, with afascinated gaze on the dish before him. 

"God help me, " he whispered. "There is no getting away from it. The lastwarning--the fourth finger!"

CHAPTER XXVII

NEMESIS

For a long space of time Fenwick stood there, his head buried in hishands. All the way through, he had never been able to disguise fromhimself the feeling that, sooner or later, this dread thing must happen. Years ago he had taken his life in his hands in exploring the recesses ofthe Four Finger Mine; he had more or less known what he had to expect, for the mine had been a sacred thing, almost a part of the religion ofthe diminishing tribe which had imparted the secret to Le Fenu, and anyintruder was bound to suffer. So far as Fenwick knew, the last survivorof this tribe was Felix Zary. Leaving out of account altogether thelatter's religious fanaticism, he had been deeply and sincerely attachedto the family of Le Fenu, and now he was playing the part of the avenginggenius. All these things came back to Fenwick as he sat there. 

He knew full well the character of the man he had to deal with; he knewhow clever and resourceful Felix Zary was. Hitherto, he had scorned thesuggestion that there was some mysterious magic behind Zary's movements, but now he did not know what to think. All he knew was that he wasdoomed, and that all the police in the Metropolis could not shield himfrom the reach of Zary's long arm. 

And here, indeed, was proof positive of the fact. Two hours before, nobody, not even Fenwick himself, knew that he would spend the night atthe little house in Poplar. And here was Zary already upon his track, almost before he had started on the long journey which was intended tolead to the path of safety. Fenwick never troubled to think what hadbecome of the meal prepared for him, or how the extraordinary change hadbeen brought about. Gradually, as he sat there, something like strengthand courage came back to him. Come what might, he would not yield, hewould not surrender himself into the hands of the foe without a struggle. He replaced the cover on the dish, and rang the bell for his landlady. She came in a moment later, comfortable and smiling, the very picture ofrespectable middle-age. As Fenwick glanced at her, he at once acquittedher of any connection with his final warning. 

"I am sorry to trouble you, " he said, "but I should like to know if youhave any other lodgers. You see, I am rather a bad sleeper, suffering agreat deal from nightmare, and I should not like to alarm your otherlodgers in the middle of the night. "

"Lord bless you, sir, " the woman said, "we haven't any lodgers at all. Wedon't need to take them, seeing that my man is comfortably fixed. Ofcourse, we are pleased to do anything we can for you, but we shouldn'thave had you here at all if it hadn't been to please Mr. Venner. We'd doanything for him. "

"No doubt, " Fenwick said, hastily. "I suppose your husband sees a goodmany of his old friends occasionally?"

"No, he doesn't, " the woman replied. "I don't suppose we have had anybodyin the house except yourself for the last two months. I hope you haveenjoyed your supper, sir?"

"Oh, yes, " Fenwick stammered. "I finished all the meat. There is onething more I should like to ask you. I may have to go out presently, lateas it is. Do you happen to have such a thing as a latchkey? If youhaven't, the key of the front door will do. "

The latchkey was forthcoming, and presently Fenwick heard his landlordand his wife going upstairs to bed. He did not feel comfortable until hehad crept all over the house and seen that everything was made secure. Then he sat down to think the matter out. Twice he helped himselfliberally to brandy, a third time his hand went mechanically to thebottle--then he drew back. 

"I mustn't have any more of that, " he said. "It would be simply playinginto the hands of the fiend who is pursuing me. "

With a resolution that cost him an effort, Fenwick locked the brandyaway in a cupboard and threw the key out of the window. In his presentstate of mind he dared not trust himself too far. Partially divestinghimself of his clothing he drew from about his waist a soft leather beltcontaining pockets, and from these pockets he produced a large amount ofgold coins and a packet of banknotes. Altogether there were some hundredsof pounds, and Fenwick congratulated himself on the foresight which hadled him to adopt this plan in case necessity demanded it. He had enoughand more than enough to take him to the other side of the world, if onlyhe could manage to get rid of Felix Zary. 

His mind was made up at length; he would creep out of the house in thedead of the night and make his way down to the Docks. At every hour shipsof various size and tonnage put out of the port of London, and, no doubt, the skipper of one of these for a consideration would take him whereverhe wanted to go; and Fenwick knew, moreover, that there were scores ofpublic-houses along the side of the river which are practically neverclosed, and which are run entirely for the benefit of seafaring men. Itwould be easy to make inquiries at some of these and discover whatvessels were leaving by the next tide, and a bargain could be struckimmediately, go far as Fen wick was concerned, he inclined towards asailing ship bound for the Argentine. His spirits rose slightly at theprospect before him; his step was fairly light and buoyant as heproceeded in the direction of his bedroom. There was no light in theroom, so that he had to fumble about in his pockets for a box of matcheswhich fell from his fingers and dropped on to the floor. 

"Confound it, " Fenwick muttered. "Where are they?"

"Don't trouble, " a calm, quiet voice said out of the darkness. "I havematches, with which I will proceed to light the gas. "

Fenwick could have cried aloud, had he been physically able to do so. There was no reason for a light to be struck or the gas to be lighted sothat he might see the face of the speaker. Indeed, he recognised thevoice far too well for that. A moment later, he was gazing at theimpassive face of Felix Zary. 

"You did not expect to see me, " the latter said. "You were under theimpression that you were going to get away from me. Never did man make agreater mistake. It matters little what you do, it will matter nothing toyou or anybody else in twelve hours from now. Do you realise the factthat you have but that time to live? Do you understand that?"

"You would murder me?" Fenwick said hoarsely. 

"You may calm yourself on that score. You are unarmed, and I have not somuch as a pocket knife in my possession. I shall not lay a hand uponyou--I shall not peril my soul for the sake of a creature like you. Thereare other ways and other methods of which you know nothing. "

"How did you get here?" Fenwick asked hoarsely. "How did you put thatdreadful thing on my table?"

Zary smiled in a strange, bland fashion. He could have told Fenwickprosaically what a man with a grasp like his could do in connection witha water pipe. He could have told, also, how he had dogged and watched hisvictim within the last few hours, with the pertinacity of a bloodhound. But Zary could see how Fenwick was shaken and dazed by some terriblething which he could not understand. It was no cue of Zary's to enlightenthe miserable man opposite. 

"There are things utterly beyond your comprehension, " he said, calmly. "If you look back to the past you will remember how we laid our mark uponthe man who stole the Four Finger Mine. That man, I need not say, wasyourself. To gain your ends you did not scruple to take the life of yourgreatest friend, the greatest benefactor you ever had. You thought thething out carefully. You devised a cunning scheme whereby you mightbecome rich and powerful at the expense of George Le Fenu, and scarcelywas the earth dry upon his coffin before your warnings came. You knewthe legend of the Four Finger Mine, and you elected to defy it. A weekwent by, a week during which you took the gold from the mine, and allseemed well with you. Then you woke one morning to find that in the nightyou had lost your forefinger without the slightest pain and with verylittle loss of blood. That was the first sign of the vengeance of thegenius of the mine. Shaken and frightened as you were, you hardened yourheart, like Pharaoh of old, and determined to continue. Another weekpassed, and yet another finger vanished in the same mysterious fashion. Still, you decided to stand the test, and your third warning came. Withthe fourth warning, your nerves utterly gave way, and you fled from themine with less ill-gotten gain than you had expected. It matters nothingto me what followed afterwards, but you will admit that at the presentmoment you have not benefitted much by your crime. I have nothing more tosay to you. I only came here tonight just to prove to you how impossibleit is for you to hide from the vengeance of the mine. In your last bittermoments I want you to think of my words and realise--"

As Zary spoke he moved across the room in the direction of the gasbracket; he laid his hand upon the tap, and a moment later the room wasin darkness. There was a sound like the sliding of a window, followed bya sudden rush of cold air, and by the time that Fenwick had found hismatches and lighted the gas again there was not so much as a trace ofZary to be seen. 

"I wish I hadn't thrown away the key of that cupboard, " Fenwick said, hoarsely. "I would give half I possess for one drop of brandy now. Still, I won't give in, I won't be beaten by that fellow. At any rate, he can'tpossibly know what I intend to do. He could not know that I shall be onboard a vessel before morning. "

Half an hour later, Fenwick left the house and made his way straight tothe Docks. At a public-house in the vicinity he obtained the brandy thathe needed so badly, and felt a little stiffened and braced up by thespirit. He found presently the thing he wanted, in the shape of a largebarque bound for the River Plate. The skipper, a burly-looking man withan enormous black beard, was uproariously drunk, but not quite sointoxicated that he could not see the business side of a bargain. 

"Oh, you want to go out with me, mister?" he said. "Well, that'seasily enough managed. We've got no passengers on board, and you'llhave to rough it with the rest of us. I don't mind taking you on forfifty pounds. "

"That's a lot of money, " Fenwick protested. 

The black-bearded skipper winked solemnly at the speaker. 

"There's always a risk in dealing with stolen goods, " he said. "Besidesfifty pounds isn't much for a man who wants to get out of the country asbadly as I see you do, and once I have passed my word to do it, I'll seeyou safe through, and so will my crew, or I'll know the reason why. Now, my yellow pal, fork out that money, and in half an hour you'll be as safeas if you were on the other side of the herring-pond and not a policemanin London will know where to find you. Now, is it a bargain or not?"

Fenwick made no further demur; he accepted the conditions there and then. There was nothing to be gained by affecting to pose as an honest man, andhe was a little frightened to find how easily this drunken ruffian hadspotted him for a fugitive from justice. 

"I can't give you the money just now, " he whispered. "I've got itconcealed about me, and to produce a lot of cash in a mixed company likethis would be too dangerous. "

The skipper nodded, and proposed further refreshment. Fenwick agreedeagerly enough; he was feeling desperate now, and he did not seem to caremuch what happened to him. He could afford to place himself entirely inthe hands of the black-bearded skipper, who would look after him closelyfor his own sake. After all said and done, he had no cause to doubt thehonesty of the seaman, who appeared to be fairly popular with hiscompanions and well-known in the neighborhood. It was the best part of anhour before the commander of the barque staggered to his feet andannounced in an incoherent voice that it was time to get aboard. Presently they were straggling down to the dock, Fenwick propping up hiscompanion and wondering if the latter was sober enough to find his way tohis ship. It was very dark; a thin rain had begun to fall, and the watersof the river were ruffled by an easterly breeze. The skipper stumbleddown a flight of steps and into a roomy boat, which was prevented fromcapsizing by something like a miracle. Presently they came alongside theblack hull of a vessel, and Fenwick found himself climbing up a greasyladder on to a dirty deck, where two seamen were passing the time playinga game of cards. Down below, the skipper indicated a stuffy little bunkleading out of his own cabin, which he informed Fenwick would be placedat his disposal for the voyage. 

"If you don't mind I'll turn in now, " the latter said. "I'm dead tiredand worn out. My nerves are all jumping like red hot wires. Do you thinkI shall be safe here?"

"Safe as houses!" the skipper said. "And, besides, we shall be droppingdown the river in about an hour. "

Just as he was, Fenwick rolled into the bunk, and in a moment was fastasleep. When he came to himself again, the vessel was pitching androlling; he could hear the rattling creak of blocks and rigging; therewas a sweeter and fresher atmosphere in the little cabin. A sense ofelation possessed the fugitive. It seemed to him that he was absolutelysafe at last. The skipper had evidently gone on deck after havingfinished his breakfast, for the plates lay about the table and some tepidcoffee in a tin had apparently been left for the use of the passenger. 

"I don't think much of this, " Fenwick muttered. "Still I daresay I canbetter it if I pay for it. I'll go on deck presently and see what theblack-bearded pirate has to say. At any rate, I am absolutely safe now, and can afford to laugh at the threats of Felix Zary. If that manthinks--"

Fenwick paused, and the knife and fork he was holding over the cold baconfell from his hands. It was too cruel, the irony of Fate too bitter, forthere, just in front of him, propped up by the sugar basin, was a cabinetphotograph of the very man who was uppermost in his thoughts. It wasFelix Zary to the life; the same calm, philosophic features, the samegreat round eyes like those of a Persian cat. It all came back to Fenwicknow, the whole horror of the situation. His head whirled, and spotsseemed to dance before his eyes; a string snapped somewhere in his brain. Zary was behind him, he thought, close behind him like an avenging fury. 

With a horrid scream, Fenwick tumbled up the stairs on to the slipperydeck. All round him was a wild waste of white waters. The ship heeledover as Fenwick darted to the side.... 

CHAPTER XXVIII

EXPLANATIONS

Night was beginning to fight with morning by the time that Vennerreturned to Merton Grange. There was no one to be seen; the house was intotal darkness, so that Venner placed the motor in the stable andreturned to his own rooms. On the whole, he was disposed to congratulatehimself upon the result of his night's work. It mattered very little tohimself or anybody else what became of Fenwick, now he was once out ofthe way. He was never likely to trouble them again, and as far as Vennercould see, he was now in a position openly to claim his wife before allthe world. 

Despite his feeling of happiness, Venner slept but badly, and a littleafter ten o'clock the next morning found him back at Merton Grange. Evorsgreeted him cordially, with the information that he alone was up as yet, and that the others had doubtless taken advantage of the opportunity toget a good night's rest. 

"And you will see, my dear fellow, " he said, "how necessary such a thingis. Goodness knows how long it is since I went to bed with my mindabsolutely at rest. The same remark applies with equal force to Miss LeFenu--I mean your wife. "

"I can quite understand that, " Venner said. "It has been much the samewith me, though I must confess that I was so happy last night that Icould not sleep at all. By the way, have you any information as to yourfather's movements? He probably knows by this time that his house hasbeen given over to a gang of swindlers. "

"He does, " Evors said. "I have had a telegram from him this morning tosay that he will be home some time in the course of the day; and, to tellthe truth, I am looking forward with some dread to meeting my father. ButI think I shall be able to convince him now that I am in earnest and thatI am anxious to settle down in the old place and take my share in theworking of the estate. When my father sees Beth and knows her story, I amsanguine that he will give us a welcome, and that my adventures will beover. I want him to meet Beth down here, and last night after you hadgone, and we were talking matters over, Vera promised to go up to townto-day and fetch her sister. By the way, what has become of yourfriend--Gurdon, I think his name is? I mean the fellow who very nearlylost his life the night he fell down the cellar trap and found himselflanded in the house in Portsmouth Square. "

"Oh, Gurdon's all right, " Venner laughed. 

"I hope you will have the chance of making his acquaintance in thecourse of the day. You seem to have been in Charles Le Fenu'sconfidence for some time--tell me, why all that mystery about the housein Portsmouth Square? Of course, I don't mean Le Fenu's reason forcalling himself Bates, and all that kind of thing, because that wasperfectly obvious. Under the name of Bates he was lying low andmaturing his plans for crushing Fenwick. As a matter of fact, Fenwickwas almost too much for him. Indeed, he would have been if Gurdon andmyself had not interfered and given both of you a chance to escape. Itwas a very neat idea of Fenwick's to kidnap a man and keep him aprisoner in his own house. "

"Yes, " Evors said. "And he used his own house for illegal purposes. Butbefore I answer your question, let me ask you one. Why was Gurdonprowling about Portsmouth Square that night?"

"That is quite easily explained, " Venner replied. "I sent him. To go backto the beginning of things, I have to revert to the night when I firstsaw Mark Fenwick at the Great Empire Hotel, posing as a millionaire, andhaving for company a girl who passed as his daughter. Seeing that thispseudo Miss Fenwick was my own wife, you can imagine how interested Iwas. She has already told in your hearing the reason why she left me onour wedding day, and if I am satisfied with those reasons it is nothingto do with anybody. As a matter of fact, I am satisfied with them, andthere is no more to be said; but when I ran against Vera again at thehotel I knew nothing of past events, and I made an effort to find out thecause of her apparently strange conduct. In a way, she was fightingagainst me; she would tell me nothing, and I had to find out everythingfor myself. On the night in question I sent Gurdon to Portsmouth Square, and he had the misfortune to betray himself. "

"It nearly ended in his death, " Evors said, soberly. "Charles Le Fenuwas very bitter just about that time. You can quite understand how itwas that he mistook Gurdon for one of Fenwick's spies. But why did hego there?"

"He followed my wife, and there you have the simple explanation of thewhole thing. But you have not yet told me why those two or three roomswere furnished in the empty house. "

"Who told you about that?" Evors asked. 

"What a chap you are to ask questions! We got into the empty house afterthe so-called Bates was supposed to have been kidnapped, and to oursurprise we found that all that fine furniture had vanished. There was nolitter of straw or sign of removal outside, so we came to the conclusionthat it had been conveyed from one house to the other. After a good dealof trouble, we lit upon a moveable panel, and by means of it entered thehouse where you and Le Fenu were practically prisoners. We were on thepremises when you managed to get the better of that man in the carpetslippers and his companion; we heard all that took place in thedrawing-room between Fenwick and Beth and Le Fenu. In fact, we aided andabetted in getting the police into the house. You will recollect howcleverly Le Fenu managed the rest, and how he and you got away from thehouse without causing any scandal. That was very smartly done. But come, are you going to tell me the story of the empty house, and why it waspartly furnished?"

"I think I can come to that now, " Evors said. "The whole thing was bornin the ingenious brain of Felix Zary. He was going to lay some sort oftrap for Fenwick, but we shall never know what it was now, because Fatehas disposed of Fenwick in some other way. Now, won't you sit down andhave some breakfast with me?"

At the same moment Vera came in. Familiar as her features were and wellas Venner knew her, there was a brightness and sweetness about her nowthat he had never noticed before. The cloud seemed to have lifted fromher face; her eyes were no longer sad and sombre--they were beaming withhappiness. 

"I am so glad you have come, " she said. "We want you to know all thathappened last night after you had gone. "

Venner explained that he knew pretty well all that had taken place, ashe had been having it all out with Evors. What he wanted now was to getVera to himself, and presently he had his way. 

"We are going for a long walk, " he said, "where I have something seriousto say to you. Now that you have no longer any troubles on yourshoulders, I can be very firm with you--"

"Not just yet, " Vera laughed. "Later on you can be as firm as you like, and we are not going for a long walk either. We shall just have time toget to the station and catch the 11. 15 to Victoria. I am going up toLondon to-day to bring Beth down here. I think the change will do hergood. Of course, we can't remain in the house, so I have taken rooms forthe three of us at a farm close by. When Beth has had everythingexplained to her and knows that the man she loves is free, you will see achange for the better in the poor child. There is nothing really thematter with her mind, and when she realises her happiness she will soonbe as well as any of us. You will come with me to London, Gerald?"

"My dearest girl, of course I will, " Venner said. "I will do anything youlike. Let us get these things pushed through as speedily as possible, sothat we can start on our honeymoon, which has been delayed for a triflingmatter of three years, and you cannot say that I have been undulyimpatient. "

Vera raised herself on her toes and threw her arms round her husband'sneck. She kissed him twice. There were tears in her eyes, but there wasnothing but happiness behind the tears, as Venner did not fail to notice. 

"You have been more than good, " she whispered. "Ah, if you only knew howI have missed you, how terrified I was lest you should take me at my wordand abandon me to my fate, as you had every right to do. And yet, all thetime, I had a curious feeling that you trusted me, though I dared notcommunicate with you and tell you where you could send me so much as asingle line. I was fearful lest a passionate appeal from you should turnme from my purpose. You see, I had pledged myself to fight the battle forBeth and her lover, and for the best part of three years I did so. Andthe strangest part of it all is that you, my husband, from whom Iconcealed everything, should be the very one who eventually struckstraight to the heart of the mystery. "

"Yes, that's all right enough, " Venner smiled, "but why could not youhave confided in me in the first instance? Do you think that I shouldhave refused to throw myself heart and soul into the affair and do mybest to help those who were dear to you?"

"I suppose I lost my head, " Vera murmured. "But do not let us waste toomuch time regretting the last three years; and do not let us waste toomuch time at all, or we shall lose our train. "

"That is bringing one back to earth with a vengeance, " Venner laughed. "But come along and let us get all the business over, and we can lookeagerly forward to the pleasure of afterwards. "

It was all done at length--the long explanation was made in the West Enddoctor's drawing-room, and at length Beth seemed to understand thecomplicated story that was told her. She listened very carefully, herquestions were well chosen; then she flung herself face downwards on thecouch where she was seated and burst into a passion of weeping. Veraheld her head tenderly, and made a sign to Venner that he should leavethem together. 

"This is the best thing that could happen, " she whispered. "If you willcome back in an hour's time you will see an entirely different girl. Don't speak to her now. "

It was exactly as Vera had predicted, for when Venner returned presentlyto the drawing-room, he found a bright, alert little figure clad in fursand eager for her journey. She danced across the room to Venner and heldup her lips for him to kiss them. 

"I understand it all now, " she cried. "Vera has told me absolutelyeverything. How good and noble it was of her to sacrifice her happinessfor the sake of Charles and myself, and how wicked I must have been everto think that Charles could have been guilty of that dreadful crime. Eversince then there has been a kind of cloud over my mind, a certain senseof oppression that made everything dim before my eyes. I could not feel, I could not even shed a tear. I seemed to be all numb and frozen, andwhen the tears came just now, all the ice melted away and I became myselfagain. Don't you think I look quite different?"

"I think you look as if you would be all the better for a lot of care andfussing, " Venner said. "You want to go to some warm spot and be pettedlike a child. Now let us go and say good-bye to these good friends ofyours and get down to Canterbury. There is somebody waiting for you therewho will bring back the roses to your pale cheeks a great deal betterthan I can. "

"Isn't Mr. Gurdon coming with us?" Vera asked. 

"He can't" Venner explained. "I've just been telephoning to him, and hesays that he can't come down till the last train. He will just look inpresently after dinner--he is sharing my rooms with me. But hadn't webetter get along?"

Canterbury was reached at length, and then Merton Grange, where Le Fenuand Evors were waiting in the portico. Lord Merton had not yet arrived:indeed, Evors explained that it was very uncertain whether he would getthere that night or not. 

"Not that it makes much difference, " he said, eagerly. "Of course, youwill all dine with me. For my part, I can't see why you shouldn't stayhere altogether. "

"What?" Vera cried, "without a chaperon?"

"I like that, " Le Fenu exclaimed. "What do you call yourself? Have youso soon forgotten the fact that you are a staid married woman? What doyou think of that, Venner?"

Vera laughed and blushed softly; she was not thinking so much now of herown happiness as of the expression of joy and delight on the face of hersister. Beth had hung back a little shyly from Evors as they crossed thehall, and he, in his turn, was constrained and awkward. Very cleverlyVera managed to detach her husband and her brother from the others. 

"Let them go into the dining-room, " she whispered. "It doesn't matterwhat becomes of us. "

"But is she really equal to the excitement of it?" Le Fenu asked, anxiously. "She must have had an exceedingly trying day. "

"I am quite sure that she is perfectly safe, " Vera said. "Of course, shewas terribly excited and upset at first, but she was quite calm andrational all the way down, as Gerald will tell you. All Beth wants now isquiet and change, and to feel that her troubles are over. Let's go andhave tea in that grand old hall. If the others don't care to come in totea we will try not to be offended. "

The others did not come in to tea, neither were they seen till it wasnearly time to dress for dinner. Assuredly Vera had proved a trueprophet, for Beth's shy, quiet air of happiness indicated that she hadsuffered nothing through the events of the day. It was a very quiet mealthey had later on, but none the less pleasant for that. Dinner had cometo an end and the cigarettes were on the table before Gurdon appeared. Hecarried a copy of an evening paper in his hand, and despite his usual airof calmness and indifference, there was just the suspicion of excitementabout him that caused Venner to stand up and reach for the paper. 

"You have news there for us, I am sure, " he said. "I think we are all ina position to stand anything you like to tell us. "

"You have guessed it correctly, " Gurdon said. "It is all here in the_Evening Herald_. "

"What is all here?" Le Fenu demanded. 

"Can't you guess?" Gurdon asked. "I see you can't. It is the dramaticconclusion, the only conclusion of the story. Our late antagonist, Fenwick, has committed suicide!"

CHAPTER XXIX

THIS MORTAL COIL

It cannot be said that Gurdon's announcement caused any particularsensation. To all of those who knew anything about the inner history ofthe Four Finger Mine the conclusion appeared to be perfectly logical. Itwas Venner who mentioned the secret of the mine before anybody had eventhe curiosity to ask to see the paper. 

"Do you think that this has been the outcome of anything that Zary did?"he asked Le Fenu. "You see, as far as I am concerned, I was only in themine once or twice, and before your father's death my knowledge of itsromantic history was limited. I can't altogether bring myself to believethat the mine was haunted by avenging spirits and all that kind of thing. In this twentieth century of ours, one is naturally very cynical aboutsuch matters. "

"I really cannot tell you, " Le Fenu replied. "Of course there must behuman agency afoot. Zary always declared that he was the last of histribe, and when he died the secret of the mine would belong to our familyalone. As a matter of fact, my father died first, so that Zary alone isin possession of the strange secret of that dread place. One thing isvery certain. It was none of us who took vengeance on the Dutchman whomurdered my father. Who was responsible for that I do not know. Still, there was something very terrible and awe-striking about the way in whichthe Dutchman's fingers returned to his wife, one by one. I should like tohave known, also, how Fenwick lost his fingers. But Zary would never tellme. I think he professed that it had been done through the agency of thespirits of his departed ancestors, who guarded the mine. Mind you, Idon't say that it is impossible, for we are beginning to understand thatthere are hidden forces in Nature which till quite recently were a sealedbook to us. It is no use speculating about the matter, because we shallnever know. Zary has been always fond of us, but I have a feeling nowthat we shall never see him again. I believe he came to England onpurpose to accomplish the death of Mark Fenwick, and you may rely upon itthat he will vanish now without making any further sign. "

"That is more than possible, " Gurdon said, thoughtfully; "but so far as Ican judge from what this paper says, Fenwick's death seems to have beenprosaic enough. Perhaps I had better read you the account in thenewspaper. "

Without waiting for any further permission, Gurdon began to read aloud:--

"STRANGE SUICIDE IN THE CHANNEL. 

"DEATH OF MR. MARK FENWICK. 

"Late this afternoon the barque _British Queen_ put back into the Port ofLondon with the schooner _Red Cross_ in tow. It appears that the barquein question was bound for the River Plate, and had dropped down the riverwith the morning tide. Outside the mouth of the Thames she hadencountered exceedingly squally weather, so much so that she had lost aconsiderable amount of running gear owing to the gusty and uncertaincondition of the wind. About eleven o'clock in the morning an extraviolent squall struck the vessel, and the skipper, Luther Jones, decidedto put back again and wait till the next tide. It was at this point thatthe _Red Cross_ was sighted making signals of distress. At considerablehazard to himself and his crew the skipper of the _British Queen_ managedto get the schooner in tow, and worked her up the river on a short sail. This in itself is simply an incident illustrating the perils of the sea, and merely leads up to the dramatic events which follow. It appears, according to Captain Jones' statement, that very early this morning a mancalled upon him in a public-house and demanded to know what he wouldrequire for a passage to the River Plate. Satisfactory terms having beenarranged, the stranger came aboard the _British Queen_ and immediatelyrepaired to his bunk. So far as the captain could see, his passenger wasexceedingly reticent, and desirous of avoiding publicity; in fact, theskipper of the _British Queen_ put him down as a fugitive from justice. All the same he asked no questions; presumably he had been well contentto hold his tongue in return for a liberal fee in the way of passagemoney. So far as Captain Jones knows, his passenger slept comfortablyenough, and it is quite evident that he partook of breakfast in themorning. What happened subsequently, it is somewhat difficult to say, forCaptain Jones was busy on his own deck looking after the safety of hisship. These events took place shortly before the _Red Cross_ was sighted. 

"It was at this time that Captain Jones believes that he heard a shrillscream coming from the cabin, as if his passenger had met with anaccident, or had been frightened by something out of the common. He cameon deck a moment later, looking like a man who had developed a dangerousmania. He seemed to be flying from some unseen terror, and, indeed, gaveevery indication suggestive of the conclusion that he was suffering froma severe attack of _delirium tremens_. Captain Jones does not share thisview, though it is generally accepted by his crew. Before anybody couldinterfere or stretch out a hand to detain the unfortunate man, he hadreached the side of the vessel and thrown himself into the tremendous seawhich was running at the time. It was absolutely out of the question tomake any attempt to save him, though, naturally, Captain Jones did whathe could. Then occurred one of the strange things which so frequentlyhappen at sea. Five minutes later a great wave breaking over the foredeckcast some black object at the feet of Captain Jones, which object turnedout to be the body of the unhappy suicide. The man was quite dead;indeed, he had sustained enough bodily injuries to cause death, withouttaking drowning into consideration. 

"As before stated, Captain Jones came in contact with the _Red Cross_ alittle later, and on reaching the safety of the Pool he immediatelycommunicated with the police, who took possession of the body of thesuicide. On Scotland Yard being communicated with, a detective was sentdown and immediately recognised the body as that of Mr. Mark Fenwick, theAmerican millionaire. 

"No doubt is entertained that the police officer is right, as Mr. Fenwickwas well-known to thousands of people in London, not only on account ofhis wealth, but owing, also, to his remarkable personal appearance. Atthe present moment the body lies in a public-house by the side of theThames, and an inquest will be held in the morning. 

"Later. --Since going to press, we hear that startling developments areexpected in the matter of the suicide of Mr. Mark Fenwick. On excellentauthority we are informed that the police hold a warrant for the arrestof Fenwick and others, on a series of criminal charges, among which thatof uttering counterfeit coin is not the least prominent. If these factsprove to be correct, it will be easy to see why Mr. Fenwick wasattempting to leave the country in fugitive fashion. Further details willappear in a later edition. "

"That is the whole of the story, " Gurdon said when he had concluded. "Onthe whole, I should say that Mark Fenwick is very well out of it. He hashad a pretty fair innings, but Fate has been too strong for him in thelong run. It is just as well, too, that he has escaped his punishment--Imean, for your sakes, more than anything else. If that man had been putupon his trial, a charge of murder would have been added sooner or later, and you would have all been dragged from police court to criminal courtto give evidence over and over again. In fact, you would have been thecentre of an unpleasant amount of vulgar curiosity. As it is, the inquestwill be more or less of a formal affair, and the public will never knowthat Fenwick has been anything more than a common swindler. "

Venner was emphatically of the same view; personally, he was exceedinglyglad to think that the knot had been cut in this fashion and that theunpleasant business was ended. He discussed the matter thoughtfully withGurdon as he and the latter walked in the direction of his rooms, for hehad refused to spend the night at Merton Grange, though Vera, ofnecessity, had arranged to stay there. 

"I suppose one ought to be thankful, " he said, "that matters are noworse. Still, at the same time, I must confess that I should like tohave a few words with Zary. I wonder if we could get him to take us backto Mexico with a view to exploring the Four Finger Mine. After all saidand done, it seems a pity that that rich treasure house should be lostto the world. "

"Better leave it alone, " Gurdon said. "It makes me creep when I think ofit. All the same, I am with you in one thing. I should certainly like tosee Zary again. "

Gurdon and his companion were destined to have their wish gratifiedsooner than they had expected. They let themselves into the farmhousewhere they were staying, and Venner turned up the lamp in the bigrambling sitting-room. There, half-asleep in a chair before the fire, satthe very man whom they had been discussing. He appeared to be heavy withsleep--his melancholy eyes opened slowly as he turned to the newcomers. 

"You have been thinking about me, " he said--"you have been wondering whathad become of me. We are strangers, and yet we are not strangers. Mr. Venner is known to me, and Mr. Venner's wife also. I was aware that mydear young mistress was his wife when it was still a secret to everybodyelse. You are puzzled and mystified over the death of Mark Fenwick. Mr. Gurdon has been reading an account to you from a newspaper. "

"You are certainly a very remarkable man, " Gurdon said. "As a matter offact, that is exactly what I have been doing. But tell me, Zary, how didyou know?"

"You have a great poet, " Zary said, calmly and deliberately. "He was oneof the noblest philosophers of his time. I have read him, I hope to readhim again many times. His name is Shakespeare, and he says 'there aremore things in Heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy. 'Gentlemen, that is so, as you would know if you possessed the powers thatI do. But I could not explain--you would not understand, for your mindsare different from mine. I am going away; I shall never see my dearfriends again--for the last time we have met. And because I could notendure a formal parting I have come to you to give them all a messagefrom me. It is only this, that I shall never cease to think of themwherever I may be--but I need not dwell upon that. As to Fenwick, I didnot design that he should die so peaceful a death. I had gauged his mindincorrectly; I had goaded him into a pitch of terror which drove him overthe border land and destroyed his reason. Therefore, he committedsuicide, and so he is finished with. "

There was a pause for some time, until it became evident that Zary had nomore to say. He rose to his feet, and was advancing in the direction ofthe door when Gurdon stopped him. 

"Pardon me, " the latter said, "but like most ordinary men, I am by nomeans devoid of my fair share of curiosity. What is going to be done inthe matter of the Four Finger Mine?"

Zary's large round eyes seemed to emit flashes of light. His face hadgrown hard and white like that of a statue. 

"Well, " he demanded, "what about the mine?"

"Why, you see, it practically belongs to Mr. Le Fenu's children, " Gurdonsaid. "In which case it should prove an exceedingly valuable property. "

"The mine belongs to us, it belongs to me, " Zary cried. "I am the last ofmy tribe, and the secret shall die with me. Man, do you suppose thathappiness lies in the mere accumulation of money? I tell you that thething is a curse, one of the greatest curses that ever God laid onhumanity. To hundreds and thousands of us this life of ours on earth is averitable hell through the greed for gold. Of all the wars that havebrought pain and suffering to humanity, none has done a tithe of the harmwrought by the incessant battle for the yellow metal which you callgold. If there had been no such thing on earth, the tribe to which Ibelong would to-day walk as gods amongst ordinary men. No, I shall donothing to pander to this disease. When I die the secret of the mineperishes with me. Never more will man work there as long as I have thehealth and strength to prevent it. "

The latter part of Zary's speech had sunk almost to a whisper; he made aprofound bow to Venner and Gurdon, then left the room softly. He seemedto vanish almost like the spirit of one of his departed ancestors, andhis place knew him no more. 

"Curious man, " Gurdon said, thoughtfully. "Very quiet and gentle as arule, but not the kind of person you would care to have as a foe. I havea very strong feeling that none of us will ever see Felix Zary again. Now, don't you think we can begin to forget all about this kind of thing?Surely we have had enough horrors and mysteries, and I can only wonder atthe way in which those girls have borne up against all their troubles. Tell me, what are you going to do? I mean as to your future. "

"Upon my word, I really haven't given it a thought, " Venner said. "It isnot very often that a man has the unique experience of being marriedthree years without a honeymoon, and without more than half an hour inhis wife's company. You can but feebly guess, my dear fellow, howterribly I have suffered during the time to which I refer. Still, Itrusted my wife implicitly, though all the dictates of common-sense wereagainst me, and I am sincerely and heartily glad now that I took the lineI did. As soon as possible, I intend to take Vera away for a long tour onthe Continent. When I come back I shall have the old house done up again, and, I suppose, settle down to the life of a country gentleman. But, ofcourse, I can't do anything till Beth's future is settled. I suppose, forthe present, she will go back again to Le Fenu's doctor friends, pendingher marriage with Charles Evors. "

"The programme is all right, " Gurdon said. "But suppose Lord Mertonobjects to the arrangement?"

"I don't fancy that he will do that, from what I hear, " Venner said. "Allthe Evors have been wild in their youth, and the present lord is noexception to the rule. Depend upon it, he will be very glad to have hisson back again, happily married, and eager to become domesticated. Besides, from what I understand from Vera, her father worked the FourFinger Mine to considerable advantage during his lifetime, and Beth issomething quite considerable in the way of an heiress. On the whole, I amnot disposed to worry. Now let us have one quiet cigar, and then go tobed like a pair of average respectable citizens. "

CHAPTER XXX

A PEACEFUL SUNSET

"Upon my word, " Evors was saying to Beth, "I feel as nervous as an Etonboy sent up to the head for a flogging. It is just the same sensation asI used to enjoy in my schooldays; but I don't care what he says, I amgoing to marry you whether he likes it or not, though, of course, he isbound to like it. No one could look at that dear sweet little face ofyours without falling in love with you on the spot. "

Beth demurely hoped so; she pretended an easy unconcern, though, on thewhole, she was perhaps more anxious than Evors, for the latter hadwritten to his father at some length explaining how matters stood, andLord Merton had telegraphed to say that he would be at home the followingafternoon. The afternoon had arrived in due course, and now the wheels ofhis carriage might be heard at any moment. Vera and her husband were notfar off; they had promised to come in and give their moral support if itbecame necessary. 

"I don't see how he can possibly help liking you, " Evors went on. "Thank goodness, we shall be spared the trouble of making a longexplanation. If my father had been against the arrangement he probablywould have done something else besides telegraphing that he was coming;but I don't care, it doesn't matter what he says, I have quite made upmy mind what to do. "

"But you couldn't go against your father, " Beth said, timidly. 

"Oh, couldn't I? My dear girl, I have been doing nothing else all mylifetime. I have been a most undutiful son, and I have no doubt that Ihave come near to breaking my father's heart many a time, as he nearlybroke the heart of his father before him. In common fairness he will haveto admit that we Evors are all alike as young men; and, in any case, Icouldn't give you up, Beth. Just think how faithful you have been to meall these years, when all the time it has seemed as if I had a terriblecrime on my conscience. Your father's death--"

Beth laid her little hand upon the speaker's mouth. 

"Oh, hush, hush, " she whispered. "I implore you never to speak of thatagain. They told me, or, at least, that dreadful man told me, that youhad committed that awful deed. He gave me the most overwhelming proofs, and when I demanded a chance to speak to you and hear from your own lipsthat it was all a cruel lie, you were nowhere to be found. This, Fenwicktold me, was proof positive of your guilt. It was such a shock to methat, for the time being, I lost my reason--at least, I did not exactlylose my reason, but my brain just seemed to go to sleep in some strangeway. And yet, from first to last, I never believed a word that MarkFenwick said. There was always present the knowledge that your name wouldbe cleared at last, and the most gratifying part of it all is theknowledge that there can be no scandal, no slanderous tongues to say thatthere is no smoke without fire, and those wicked things that sound sosmall and yet imply so much. "

"Don't let us think of it. Let our minds dwell only on the happy futurethat is before us. We shall be able to marry at once; then we can go andlive in the old Manor House by the park gates. The place is alreadyfurnished, and needs very little doing up. Sooner or later you will bemistress of this grand old home, though I hope that time may not come formany years. It seems to me--"

But Beth was not attending. She seemed to be listening with more or lessfear to the sound of wheels crunching on the gravel outside. Evors hadhardly time to reassure her, when the door opened and Lord Merton camein. He was a tall man of commanding presence, a little cold andhaughty-looking, though his lips indicated a genial nature, and he couldnot altogether suppress the grave amusement in his eyes. 

"This is an unconventional meeting, " he said. "I received your letter, Charles, and I am bound to say the contents would have astonished meexceedingly had they been written by anybody but an Evors. But ourrace has always been a law unto itself, with more or less disastrousconsequences. We have been a wild and reckless lot, but this is thefirst time, so far as I know, that one of the tribe has been accusedof murder. "

"It is a wicked lie, " Beth burst out, passionately. She had forgotten allher fears in her indignation. "My father was killed by the man Fenwickand his colleagues. That has all been proved beyond a doubt!"

Lord Merton smiled down upon the flushed, indignant face. It was quiteevident that Beth had made a favorable impression upon him. 

"I admire your loyalty and your pluck, " he said. "My dear child, manya woman has risked her happiness by marrying an Evors--not one ofthem did so except in absolute defiance of the advice of theirfriends. In every case it has been a desperate experiment, and yet, Ibelieve, in every case it has turned out perfectly happily. It was thesame with Charles's mother. It was the same with my mother. No Evorsever asked permission of his sire to take unto himself a wife; noEvors ever cared about social position. Still, at the same time, I amglad to know that my boy has chosen a lady. When he was quite a youngman, I should not have been in the least surprised if he had come homewith a flaunting barmaid, or something exquisitely vulgar in the wayof a music hall artiste. "

Beth laughed aloud. She had quite forgotten her fears now; she wasbeginning rather to like this caustic old gentleman, whose cynical wordswere belied by the smile in his eyes. 

"I am very glad to know that you are satisfied with me, " she said, timidly: "It is good to know that. "

"I suppose it would have been all the same in any case, " Lord Mertonreplied with a smile. "You would have married Charles and he would havehad to have earned his own living, which would have been an excellentthing for him. "

"Indeed, he wouldn't, " Beth laughed. "Do you know, Lord Merton, that I amquite a large heiress in my way. I am sure you won't mind my speakinglike this, but I feel so happy to-day that I hardly know what I amsaying. If you only knew the dread with which I have been looking forwardto meeting you--"

"Oh, they are all like that, " Lord Merton laughed. "To strangers, I amsupposed to be a most terrible creature, but everybody on my estate knowshow lamentably weak I am. They all take advantage of me and bully me, even down to the lads in the stable, and I won't disguise from you thesatisfaction I feel in the knowledge that you have money of your own. Forsome considerable time past I have been severely economising with a viewto paying off some alarming mortgages on the estate, so that I should nothave been in a position to allow Charles much in the way of an income. Itwill be my ambition when my time comes to hand you over the propertywithout a penny owing to anybody. "

"May that day be a long way off, sir, " Charles said, with feeling. "Ihope to assure you how I appreciate the noble manner in which you haveforgiven--"

"Say no more about it, say no more, " Lord Merton said. He seemed to havesome little difficulty in the articulation of his words. "Let us shakehands on the bargain and forget the past. I was profoundly interested inyour long letter, and I must confess to some little curiosity to see yourother friends, especially Mrs. Venner, who seems to have played so noblea part in the story. I understand that she and her husband are down here. I suppose you made them more or less comfortable, which must have been arather difficult undertaking in the circumstances. However, I havearranged to have all the old servants back to-morrow, and it will be someconsiderable time before I let the old house again. Now run away andenjoy yourselves, and let us meet at dinner as if nothing had happened. Idon't want it to appear that there has been anything like a quarrelbetween us. "

So saying, Lord Merton turned and proceeded to his own room, leavingBeth in a state of almost speechless admiration. It was so different fromanything she had expected, that she felt as if she could have cried forpure happiness. The sun was shining outside; through the window she couldsee the deer wandering in the park. It was good to know that the old darkpast was gone, and that the primrose path of happiness lay shining beforethem. Presently, as they wandered out in the sunshine, Vera came on theterrace and watched them. There was no need to tell her that theinterview with the master of the house had been a smooth one. She couldjudge that by the way in which the lovers were walking side by side. Venner came and stood by his wife's side. 

"So that's all right, " he said. "As far as one can judge, they havemanaged to propitiate the ogre. "

"What do you mean by calling a man an ogre in his own house?" the voiceof Lord Merton asked at the same moment. "For some few minutes I havebeen keeping an eye on you two, but I suppose I must introduce myself, though you will guess who I am. Mr. Venner, will you be good enough to dome the honor of introducing me to your wife? I have heard a great deal ofher from my son. Mrs. Venner, if you will shake hands with me I shallesteem it a great favor. "

"Then you are not annoyed with us?" Vera asked. "You are not displeasedat the way we have taken possession of your house? I am afraid thatindirectly we have been the cause of a great scandal. "

"Oh, don't worry yourself about that, " Lord Merton, said breezily. "Therehave been far worse scandals than this in great houses before now; and, at any rate, it does not touch us. I am afraid you have been ratherinconvenienced here, and that the Grange has not upheld its reputationfor hospitality. Still, I hope it will be all right to-morrow, and Isincerely trust that you can see your way to stay here for some littletime to come. I am going to ask my sister, Lady Glynn, to come down andact the part of hostess. Somebody will have to introduce Beth to thecounty as my future daughter-in-law. "

"You are pleased with the arrangement?" Vera asked, demurely. 

"Indeed, I am, " Lord Merton cried. "You do not know what an eccentric lotwe are. I should not have been at all surprised if Charles had come homewith some curiosity in the way of a bride, and I am only too profoundlygrateful to find that he has made so sweet a choice. But, tell me, youwill stay here some little time--"

"I am afraid not, " Venner, said regretfully. "If you will allow us tocome back a little later on, I am sure that my wife and myself will bevery pleased. I have no doubt that Evors will be impatient to claim hisbride, but I hope he will wait for a month or two at least. You see, Ihave a bride of my own, though, in a way, we are old married people. Idon't know whether Charles told you anything of our story, but if youwould like to hear it--"

Lord Merton intimated that he had already done so. He expressed a hopethat Venner and his wife would return again a little later on; then, making some excuse, he returned to the house, leaving Venner and Veratogether. For some little time they wandered across the park verysilently, for the hearts of both were full, and this was one of thosemoments when words are not necessary to convey thought from one mind toanother. Presently Evors and Beth appeared in the distance and joinedthe others. 

"Well, " Venner said with a smile, "it is some time since I saw two peoplelook more ridiculously happy than you two. But I am sincerely glad tofind that the ogre is only one in name. My dear Charles, your father isquite a delightful person. I quite understood from what you told me thatwe had a lot of trouble in store for us. On the contrary, he seems to beas pleased with the course of events as we are. "

"He seems to have altered so much lately, " Evors said. "At any rate, hehas been particularly good to me, and I am not likely to forget it. Behold in me a reformed character, ready to settle down to a country lifewith Beth by my side--"

"Not quite, yet, " Venner said, hastily. "You will have to curb yourimpatience for a bit; you must not forget how Vera has suffered for thesake of you both, and how patiently I waited for my happiness. You mustpromise us that the marriage will not take place under two months, or Igive you a solemn warning that we shall not be there. Our ownhoneymoon--"

"Of course Charles will promise, " Beth said, indignantly. "Oh, I couldnever dream of being married unless Vera were present. And, after all, what are two months when you have a whole lifetime before you? I am surethat Charles agrees with me. "

"I don't, indeed, " Evors said, candidly. "Still, I am not going to bedisagreeable, and Beth knows that she has only to look at me with thoseimploring eyes of hers to get absolutely her own way. "

They left it at that, and gradually drifted apart again. When Vera andher husband returned to the Grange, the setting sun shone fully in theirfaces, flinging their shadows far behind. Venner paused just for amoment under the sombre shadow of a clump of beeches, and drew his wifeto his side. 

"One moment, " he said. "We have not yet decided where we are going. Ihave everything in readiness in London, and I suppose that you are notlacking in the matter of wardrobe. Don't tell me, while havingeverything that woman can want in the way of dress, that you havenothing to wear. "

"I won't, " Vera said, softly. "My dear boy, cannot you see how glad Ishall be to be alone with you at last? Everything is going well here, andBeth is entirely happy. You have been very good and patient, and I willkeep you waiting no longer. If you so will it, and I think you do, let itbe tomorrow. "

Venner stooped and kissed the trembling lips held up to his. Then verysilently, their hearts too full for further speech, they turned towardsthe house.