CHAPTER XXI
LIKE A DOG AT HEEL
As soon as I realized that von Felsen had fainted, I laid him on hisback and hunted round for some spirits. I found some brandy, and afterhaving poured about half a wineglass down his throat, left him torecover his senses.
He was in a desperate plight when he came to; and at one time I was soalarmed by his looks and his feeble flickering pulse, that I was on thepoint of calling assistance. If his heart failed while he and I werealone together, it might be awkward for me.
For him I had no sort of feeling but loathing and contempt; and whetherhe lived or died was a matter of indifference so long as he lived longenough to do what I required.
When he was looking his worst, he rallied a bit, however, and anotherdose of the spirit set his pulse beating again with less irregularityand some strength.
After a while he sat up and looked about him vacantly.
"I fainted?" he said, in a weak shaky voice.
"Yes," I nodded. "I found your brandy and gave you some."
"Give me some more. Oh, my God, I remember now," he cried wildly, andclapped both his hands to his face.
I gave him the spirit and the glass rattled as he placed it to hischattering teeth. "You'd better get on that sofa and lie down for awhile."
He glanced at me like a dog at his master, crawled across the floor tothe couch and dragged himself up slowly on to it. He was shiveringviolently, so I threw over him the skirt of the dress I had worn, andleft him to himself for a long time: half an hour probably.
I took out again the paper he had stolen from his father's office andre-read it carefully, fixing all the main points in my memory.
Old Ziegler had known well what he was about in forcing von Felsen tosteal such a document, and in getting me to agree to publish it inLondon.
It was nothing less than a complete statement of the Kaiser'sshipbuilding policy for the future; the strength of the future navy, afull list of the ships which were to be built; their tonnage, equipmentand armament; the number of the crews needed; everything given withscrupulous detail.
Against every vessel indicated there was the name of a British vesselwith the same detail of its size and armament. In each case the Germanvessel was to be of superior strength. It told its own story with aclearness of inference that no one could mistake.
That it was an authentic document, I could not doubt. It was full ofinterlineations and corrections in different handwritings. I recognizedone or two of them, and the whole appearance of the thing convinced methat it would have been practically impossible for von Felsen or any oneelse to have forged it.
That its disclosure would have raised a storm all over Europe was ascertain as that day follows night; and that it would injure the ImperialGovernment immensely was equally clear, in view of the then excitedcondition of public feeling.
It might even have provoked a war with England. Already the relationsbetween the two countries had been strained almost to a breaking pointby the Kaiser's hot-headed telegram to the Boer President and the beliefof his desire to intervene in the war in South Africa.
Even had I been still a newspaper man I should have hesitated to takethe responsibility of publication; and as it was, I did not contemplatesuch a step for an instant. I had obtained possession of it for my ownprivate ends, and for those I would use it. For such a purpose it wasprecisely what I needed.
But the instant the theft was discovered there would be such a hue andcry raised that the mere possession of it would be a source of danger.Luckily I had foreseen something of this; and it was my plan to get itout of the country with the least possible loss of time. It was forthis I had told my sister to be ready to leave by the mail.
Time was getting on too; so I roused von Felsen. "Come, you must get towork," I said. "I can't wait any longer."
With a heavy sigh he sat up. "What do you want?"
"Write me the truth as to how you came by this paper. Where it waskept; in whose charge it was; how you knew of its existence; why youstole it; and precisely the steps you took to obtain it. As short asyou like; but in such detail that your story can be tested."
"I daren't. It's more than my life's worth," he protested.
"You can choose between that and standing your trial for Ziegler'smurder. Without this ring I have enough evidence to convict you--whatyou did before the crime; where you went from; how you gained admittanceto the house; when you left; where you went; and, mark this, what youdid with the weapon."
The greater part of all that was, of course, mere bluff; and I put itonly in general terms. But he was in such fear of me, that it was safebluff. Not for a second did he doubt that I could make every syllablegood. I could tell that by his looks.
After another groan of anguish he rose and crossed to the desk. "Whatdo you mean to do with it?" he asked, looking round with the pen in hishand.
"Hush it all up, if you go straight. Use it, if you don't."
After a pause he began to write; and the scratch, scratch of his pen wasthe only sound in the room for many minutes.
I took each half sheet as he finished it; and had no doubt he waswriting the truth. He was completely in the toils of the old Jew, andthe latter had forced him to do this under threats of ruin and exposure.He had been drawn into the toils of the Polish party and they hadthreatened to tell of the information which he had sold to them onformer occasions. This was to be the price of his complete emancipationfrom them; and in dire fear of them he had consented.
"You were to receive twenty thousand marks. Put that in," Iinterrupted.
It was an excellent stroke. He was overwhelmed by the fact that I knewso much; and it settled all thought of any doubts about the rest of myknowledge.
"Let me leave that out," he whined.
"Do as I say," I rapped back sternly; and he obeyed. Then he went on todescribe the means by which he had committed the theft. He hadduplicate keys of all the locks in his father's office.
When he had finished the confession and signed it, I made him hand overthose keys to me. With such a piece of evidence as they constituted inmy hands, I cared comparatively little whether his statement were trueor false. They would speak for themselves.
The writing of the confession with the breaks and pauses occupied nearlyan hour, and I could see that he was nearly collapsing; so I told him tomake the statement about Ziegler's murder very short.
"I have enough evidence without this at all," I declared; and hebelieved me. But I made him give such an account of his doings on thenight, and particularly about the dagger he had used, where he hadobtained it, and what he had done with it, as would enable me at need tofind the proofs of his guilt.
When the ordeal was over he tottered back to the couch and lay downexhausted; and I gave him a few minutes while I ran through both hisstatements. Then I was ready to leave.
"Now about your future. I'll keep my word to you. The stolen paper andyour keys shall be returned to your father's office as the price ofBaron von Ringheim's pardon. I shall see your father and show him whatyou have written about it all; and you know well enough that no harmwill come to you through him as the result. Are you listening?"
A feeble gesture of the hand was his only response.
"You'd better, for your life hangs on your understanding all I say anddoing what I tell you. Your admission of the murder I shall keep a deadsecret"--he started at that, raised himself on his elbow and lookedacross at me--"on one condition. You must be out of the country withintwenty-four hours. If I find you here at the end of that time I shallhand it to the police."
With a deep breath of relief he sank back. "I'll go; but I've--I've nomoney."
"I'll find you enough to get away with"; and I laid a sum on the table;"and as soon as you are across the frontier you can communicate withyour friends."
The assurance that he was to have a chance to save his worthless skinhad a surprisingly invigora
ting effect upon him. Now that the suspensewas over and he knew the worst which could befall him, he was greatlyrelieved. He got up and lighted a cigarette. "Don't go yet," he said.
I was at the door and turned.
"I've made an awful mess of things," he went on.
"I don't want to discuss the ethics of your conduct," I retorted.
"I'll go straight now. I'll prove it to you in a minute. But I want youto know that I didn't go to Ziegler's with any intention of killing him.I went to get off that marriage with the daughter; and it was only whenwe quarrelled and he made me mad that I did it. He threatened me."
"Anyhow you had arranged that some one else should do it, because youhad secretly accused him of treachery to his associates. And thereisn't much difference between the two."
"How the devil do you get to know so much? Yes, I did that. I'll admitit to you after all this. But I'll go straight, as I said. And here'sthe proof, so far as you are concerned. The police are still round yourhouse, and if you were to go back without a sign from me you'd all bearrested."
I had not thought of that. "You'd better give me something then."
He went again to the desk and wrote a line or two. "You are to withdrawyour men. Hugo von Felsen," I read when he handed it to me.
"Perhaps that will convince you that I am in earnest," he said. "Giveit to the fellow in charge there. I shall leave for Austria to-night";and with that we parted.
On my way home I found myself speculating whether he had been sincere inthat last act of his, or whether he could possibly have some other kindof motive at the back of his head. It was uncommonly like a Greek gift.
And then a possible solution occurred to me. My arrest at that momentwith the papers I was carrying would have betrayed everything. He hadhad wit enough to remember that, although I had overlooked it. Thatsudden return to comparative self-possession took a fresh light in thisconnexion.
Could he, even now, when I had possession of such damning proofs of hisguilt in both affairs, be contemplating some further treachery? Wouldhe dare such a step? He had been reduced to the lowest depths of abjectterror when I had confronted him with the proofs and extracted theconfessions from him, that it was difficult to credit it was allshamming.
What could he do? His life lay in the hollow of my hand, and he knew mewell enough to be certain that at the first glimpse of a trick I shouldact.
But he was such a slippery devil I could not be sure; and a dozensuggestions flashed into my thoughts. Had that parade of his about thepolice surrounding the house been no more than a bluff? There were menthere, because I had taken care to see them for myself. But were theyreally the police?
If it had been no more than a lie, it had at any rate resulteddisastrously for him. That was a consolation, anyway. But if they wereonly his creatures and not police, why had he given me the letter toorder them to withdraw?
He might be afraid of the papers falling into their hands, of course,and so constituting a source of practically inexhaustible blackmail forthem. But, on the other hand, he might be just laying a trap for me tofall into their hands.
Whatever view I took of it, I should have to be on the alert; and when Ireached the house I kept my hand on the revolver which had already doneme such service that night.
The men were still there, and as I approached one of them stopped me.He was dressed in the uniform of the police, but he lacked the militarybearing of that remarkably fine set of men.
"I am from Herr von Felsen, and have this note for one of you," I saidas I drew it out.
We went to a lamp close at hand, where another man not in uniform joinedus. They read it, put their heads together in a whispered conference,and then favoured me with a searching stare.
"It's right enough," said one of them. "Good-night, sir"; and with thatthey turned away, spoke to some others who appeared mysteriously from Ididn't know where, and all walked away in a body.
I waited until they were out of sight before I let myself into thehouse; and as I closed the door, my sister and Althea came runningdownstairs.
"Is that you, Paul?" asked Bessie.
"Yes. Everything is as well as we could wish."
Althea laid both her hands in mine. "It has been like a nightmare," shesaid.
"Von Felsen thought so too, I can assure you. But with a little lucknow a few hours will see all righted. Get ready to start, Bess. Youmust go right through to Brussels. Sew these papers into your dress; orhide them in any way you like, so long as you get them through safely."
"I shall be ready in a few minutes"; and she ran off with the packet.
"Tell me how you have managed it, Paul. It seems like a miracle," saidAlthea.
I put my arm about her. "I found out things that beat him, and you willhave no more trouble through him."
"What things?"
"Ah, there you must have patience. I am pledged not to speak fortwenty-tour hours, in order to give him time to leave the country."
"He will not go," she answered instantly, shaking her head vigorously.
"He dare not stay. If you love me, nothing now can come between us."
"If? Paul!" and she put her arms round my neck; and what followedconcerned nobody but ourselves. But when she drew away it was to shakeher head doubtingly. "I do not trust him."
"Him? No; but his fear, yes. I tell you he dare not play me false."
"Pray Heaven it will all be right; but I still fear for you, Paul."
"It will be as surely as I kiss you now," I whispered. "And now can youget your father to leave? There is no absolute need now, thank Heaven;but while I am doing what I have to do, it would be best for him to beout of the city."
"And you?" she asked with quick solicitude.
"I shall be all right. I hold all the winning cards, whatever happens."
Her dear face clouded and her brows puckered with a frown as she shookher head. "I could not go if you were to remain. I will not, at leastuntil I know that all is right with you. Nor indeed could I if I would.My father has been in a terrible state for some hours. I told him whatyou suggested--that the scheme had failed, you know--and he wanted torush out of the house on the instant. I only stopped him by pointingout the police to him."
"They are gone, I am glad to say. Von Felsen himself gave me a notecalling them away. What's that?" I broke off, as a sound upstairsreached us, followed a moment afterwards by the shutting of a door.
"Bessie probably," suggested Althea.
"Of course. I forgot; but I have been a bit strung up by the night'sbusiness. I was going to say that you had better not tell your fatherthe police have been removed. If he will not leave the city, he issafest here." I hurried away then to put von Felsen's confessions andthe keys I had taken from him in safe hiding, and soon after that Bessiecame down and we started for the station.
After what Dormund had told me that day at the station about thepassports, I had some doubt whether some demur might be raised aboutBessie's departure; but no questions were asked, and she was soon seatedin the ladies' compartment with two other Englishwomen who, I was gladto hear, were going through to Brussels. In the bustle of thepreparations and in giving her full instructions about the packet shewas carrying, I had thought no more of the little incident while I waswith Althea; but at the last moment I remembered it.
"By the way, Bess, did you come out of your room and go back again whileI was talking to Althea?"
"No. Why?"
"I thought I heard some one run upstairs and shut a door."
"It must have been Baron von Ringheim. He passed my room while I wassecreting the papers, and went into his own room. I wondered at thetime what had taken him downstairs."
"By Jove, I hope he didn't hear any thing about the police having leftthe house. I must get back. Wire me the instant you arrive, Bess.Good-bye."
The train was signalled out then, and with a last wave of the hand toher I left the station. I was eager to be home again. I
f the Baron hadbeen anxious to leave the house and had really heard me tell Althea theroad was clear, it was quite likely he might take advantage of myabsence to carry out his purpose.
Anxious as this thought made me, I was not too preoccupied to keep myeyes about me; and it was not without a start of concern that I observedone of the men whom I had seen a short while before at my house. It wasthe man in plain clothes who joined his uniformed companion to read theletter.
He was apparently absorbed in reading a timetable, but I saw that hefollowed me as I went out.
I got into a cab therefore and promised a liberal fare for a quickjourney. But the night horses of Berlin are not more brilliant thanthose of London, and we had gone a very short distance before the horsefell.
I jumped out, and found myself in a by thoroughfare which the man hadtaken for a short cut.
I knew my way well enough, however, and set off homewards at a briskpace; but as I turned into a narrow street I tripped and fell, just as aman rushed round the corner after me and fired a pistol at very shortrange, and then bolted like a rabbit.
My fall probably saved my life; and I jumped up and rushed after him,like a fool, instead of resting content with my narrow escape. But hedisappeared round a corner and, as I darted after him, I ran into acouple of policemen who had heard the shot fired. As no one else was tobe seen, they thought I had fired the shot and was running away; anddespite all I could say, they insisted upon arresting me.
Fortune could not have served me a more scurvy trick at such a moment.