CHAPTER XXVII
ONCE AGAIN IN THE TOILS
When Chalice's appeal to me to leave the house at once elicited noresponse from me--I was indeed too staggered for the moment by her news,and sat groping blindly for some clue to its real significance--hereager insistence gave way to despair at the thought of the possibleconsequences to herself.
"You will ruin me!" she cried vehemently; and throwing herself on to acouch she burst into an hysterical flood of tears.
She could have used no stronger weapon, and I pulled myself together. Iknew her grief was utterly self-centred; but the sight of her tears hadthat dismaying effect which most men will appreciate, so I rose at once."Tell me quickly all you know and I'll go," I said. "And the sooner youtell me, the sooner I shall be away."
This had the desired effect. She choked down her ready sobs."Fraeulein Ziegler telephoned to the Steiners, the people of the househere, about half an hour ago to ask if you had been here; and thedaughter came up to ask me where you were, adding that you were wantedby the police for--for that awful thing. For Heaven's sake don't letthem find you here. They will connect me in----"
"Never mind that," I cut in abruptly. "They won't do anything of thesort. I had no hand in it at all. Fraeulein Ziegler herself knows thatperfectly well. But there is something you must do at once. FraeuleinAlthea has disappeared from my house and I am searching for her."
"She is not here and has not been here," she interrupted. "And if theyfind you----"
Not a thought for Althea. Everything for herself. "Listen, please, andthen do what I tell you. I want to tell her that her father is lyingill in a farm-house, and that she must go at once to see to him andbring him back to the city. As she has been taken away, you must go andcare for him;" and I told her where and how to find the Baron.
But she burst into vehement protests. "Why should I go? It is Althea'smatter. He is not my father. He has never done anything for me. Whythen should I run this risk? Where could I take him?"
In disgust at this incessant note of self, I resumed my seat and saidcurtly: "I will wait here while you settle that."
"You wish to ruin me!" she cried again.
"No. I am only warning you. If some one does not go to him and takecare that he is placed in safety, he will do some mad thing and then youwill be ruined."
"But what can I do? He would not come with me. Oh, you are cruel. Youknow how helpless I am. No one thinks of me. Althea should be here."
"You can go out and stay with him, paying the people there to look afterhim until I can arrange something else."
"Stay with him! Are you mad? My concert! My practising! HerrGrumpel!"
"There will be no concert for you if he breaks loose. There will be aprison instead for you as well as for the rest of us."
"But you? Why do you not go?"
"I have to find Fraeulein Althea."
"She would not have you sacrifice my future in this way. Oh, howselfish you all are! All in league against me!"
"I have warned you, and can do no more now. If you do not go out andarrange for him to be kept safely where he is, you may as well leaveGermany by the next train for all the hope you will ever have ofsucceeding here. That is my last word; if you wish to sing at thatconcert, you will go instantly and do what I have said."
I turned to leave her then, and as I reached the door it was openedquickly from without and a woman of about thirty entered. She startedat seeing me, and stood holding the handle of the door and staring atme.
"Fraeulein Steiner!" exclaimed Chalice, in some dismay.
"Lotta told me Herr Bastable was here. I came to see."
"Yes, I am Herr Bastable."
"I beg your pardon," she said, nervously stepping back and making as ifto close the door again.
"I will come with you," I said, following her out. "Probably you wish totelephone to Fraeulein Ziegler that I am here. With your permission Iwill speak to her myself."
She was trembling a little. "She asked me to let her know," shefaltered. "She is holding the 'phone now."
"She will recognize my voice over the wire. I will save you thetrouble. A very serious mistake has been made"; and when we reached thehall, I went to the instrument at once. "Are you there?"
"Who is that?" came the reply in Hagar's voice.
"Mr. Bastable. I am just leaving the house here--Frau Steiner's. Imust see you at once. I have just learnt that you have been deceived inregard to me, and I can tell you the whole truth about your father'sdeath, and can put the proofs of what I have to say into your hands. Ido not blame you for what you have done; but before you do any more,please see me."
"What have you to say? It is too late now."
"It will be too late if you do not see me at once. It is about Herr vonFelsen. You will repent it all your life if you do not see me."
"Wait a moment." I heard the faint echo of a conversation; and then sheasked: "Will you come here?"
"Who is with you?"
There was another pause. "Herr von Felsen," she replied then to myinfinite surprise and relief.
"Yes. I will come at once."
"Wait a minute, he wishes to speak to you himself."
"Of course I will," I replied eagerly. I waited; but no sound came overthe wire; and when I spoke there was no reply.
In a flash I saw the plan. I dropped the receiver and hurried out ofthe house on the instant. The intention was to keep me at theinstrument until the police would have time to come and arrest me.
I jumped into the first cab I met and drove by a circuitous route to myown house. As they believed they could put their hand on me at once, Icalculated that I should have time to get home, change into some sort ofdisguise, get the papers from their hiding-place and set out in searchof Althea.
Von Felsen's presence at Hagar's house had at first baffled me ascompletely as this last move--the preposterous charge of murder; but Ibegan to see the meaning of all. He had probably found difficulty indealing with Althea and had also heard that the previous night's attempton my life had failed. This had cornered him.
He knew that his breach of faith would cause me to denounce him, and inhis desperation he had resolved to charge me with the murder and thusget me held by the police. This would give him the time he needed tocarry out his plan with regard to Althea.
It meant more than even that to him, indeed. It would both prejudiceany statement I might make impugning him, and at the same time veryprobably enable his father's agents to regain possession of theconfessions he had made.
It was a very ominous outlook; but it had a redeeming feature. If myreading of the case were right, it was clear that so far Althea wassafe. And the reasons which had forced him to leave her while hereturned to Hagar, to use the latter in this way, were likely to bestrong enough to prevent his purpose with her until he could satisfy herof my actual danger. In other words until he had secured my arrest andcould carry to her the proofs from the police themselves.
But it was only a question of a few hours at most. If I remained in thecity I should soon be caught; and remain I must of course.
My first thought was to get the papers which were of such vital import,and take them straight to Herr Borsen or to Feldermann; but there was arisk to Althea in that which alarmed me.
If von Felsen heard of it--and he was almost sure to learn itimmediately--he would be driven to bay; and in that mood ready to do herany violence.
I guessed that in regard to her he was calculating that, if he couldonce force her to become his wife, I should hold my hand rather thanbring all the shame and trouble upon her, consequent upon his having toanswer for the murder of the old Jew. And the problem I had to face washow to use the hour or two of freedom so as to find the means ofcheckmating his designs upon Althea.
I could see only one way--through Hagar herself.
If she had not been hopelessly poisoned against me by von Felse
n'sstory, I was confident that I could work upon her jealousy and set herto hound him down; and thus prevent mischief.
By the time I reached my house I had a crude sort of plan. Among therelics of my private theatrical days I had a suit of workman's overalls;and, dressed in these and carrying a small bag of tools, I could manageto escape the notice of any of the police to whom my face was not toofamiliar.
I told the two servants that, as I was now in some trouble they hadbetter leave the house at once. Then I hunted up the disguise, slippedthe overalls over my own clothes, secured the papers and set off to findHagar.
As I hurried along in the direction of her house I had to pass my oldoffice and the thought occurred to me to put the papers I carried intosafe hands. Bassett was the very man for such a purpose. So I went upto him, and explained that I was likely to be arrested on a falsecharge. I wished him to hold them for me until I could communicate withhim again. This precaution would, at any rate, frustrate the efforts ofvon Felsen to get hold of them.
To obtain an interview with Hagar was a very different matter, however.I hung about the house for some time at my wits' end for an excuse toget inside; and when at length I began to fear that my movements wouldbe regarded as suspicious, I put as bold a face on matters as I could,and rang the bell intending to ask for her openly.
Just as the servant opened the door I changed my tactics. "I'm sorry tohave been so long in coming, but the boss kept me. I'll soon put it allright, however," I said coolly and stepped inside.
The girl stared at me as if I were a lunatic. "What is it?" she asked.
"This is Fraeulein Ziegler's, isn't it?"
"Yes, of course. But what do you want?"
"She has just telephoned to the exchange that something is wrong withone of the instruments. Is it the office one?"
"What is that, Rebecca?" It was Hagar's voice.
"There is a man here who says he has come to see to the telephone," wasthe reply as the servant went toward her mistress.
"I'll soon have it right," I declared, and took advantage of the momentto step into the office. I knew the way well enough, of course.
"There is a mistake somewhere," said Hagar; and, as I had calculated,she followed me into the office.
I began to fool about with the instrument, keeping my back to her forthe moment. "We had a message," I growled, altering my voice, andspeaking in a tone of a man with a grievance.
"There is nothing the matter with that," she said quickly, crossing tome.
"I'll see to it all right," I mumbled, bending over the instrument.
"I tell you it's a mistake," she rapped back sharply, and tapped me onthe shoulder. "Don't meddle with it."
I affected to take umbrage at this. "Oh, all right," I muttered andcrossed to the door as if in a huff. A glance showed me that theservant had gone; so I shut the door and turned round.
She recognized me instantly. Her lips moved as if uttering my name, butno sound came. She flashed one rapid glance over my workman's garb, andher eyes lighted angrily as they met mine in a long steady stare, whileshe was thinking what to do.
"I have come prepared to answer the charge Herr von Felsen has inducedyou to bring against me; but we must have a square talk first. Then youcan send for the police if they are not already in the house."
She did not take her eyes from mine while I spoke, and made no reply.Her eyes were as hard as flints; and my task began to look hopeless.
"I see you have made up your mind; yet you might remember that I savedyour life that night."
Her lip curled. The only comment; but more eloquent than many words.
"I know the whole truth about that night's black work, and what broughtthose men to your house."
Her agitation and rage were mounting fast and after a pause she burstout bitterly: "Of course you do. The chief of them slept that night inyour house and has been concealed there ever since. Do you dare to denyit?"
"Whom do you mean?" Her lip curled again and she shrugged hershoulders. "You mean Baron von Ringheim? Von Felsen has told youthat?"
She gave an impatient gesture. "It is the truth that matters, not how Iknow it," she retorted.
"On the contrary his motive is everything. But he kept that to himself,of course. Did he tell you that he came here with these lies in orderto get you to accuse me so that he should have time to force Baron vonRingheim's daughter to marry him?"
"You lie," she cried fiercely. "You were seen to enter and leave thishouse shortly before I met you that night. The ring I saw on yourfinger was his and he had left it with my father that afternoon. And ifthat is not enough proof, one of your associates has shot himself,leaving behind him a confession that he and you together murdered myfather in revenge for his supposed betrayal of you. Do you think I haveforgotten your agitation when I recognized the ring?"
Von Felsen had told his story cunningly, and what she had termed myagitation at her recognition of the ring on the night of the murder lentcolour to it. My conduct was quite open to such a misconstruction asshe had placed upon it; but there was no time to attempt to shake herconviction by argument.
I paused a second in doubt as to the line to adopt, and she read thishesitation for guilt. "You cannot answer me; but you shall pay theprice."
"If you persist in this folly, it is you who will pay the price. VonFelsen went to my house to-day in my absence and compelled Fraeulein vonRingheim to go with him and consent to become his wife upon certainconditions. In order to be able to appear to be in a position to fulfilthese conditions, he came here to you to get me arrested on thisridiculous charge. No one in the whole empire knows better than he thatthere is not a glint of truth in the story. But you have fallen intothe trap, and within an hour of my arrest, Fraeulein von Ringheim willbe his wife."
"It is false," she exclaimed vehemently. "To-night we are to bemarried."
I smiled. "Where is he? Set him face to face with me and force him tolet her be present; and you will see."
This fired her jealousy. "It is false," she cried again; but her tonewas less vehement and her eyes signalled doubt. "You say this to turnmy anger against him, that you may escape. You shall not."
"Can you find him? He is not in his house in the Coursenstrasse. Heknew I should seek him there. Can you take me to him?"
She paused and then with a hard contemptuous smile replied: "So that youmay find a chance to escape on the way? I can trust you no longer."
"Did I not come here knowing full well the charge you have made againstme? Should I have come if I were guilty? Be reasonable."
"I do not trust you," she repeated.
"It is sheer madness," I cried in desperation. "You are wasting hoursthat may mean everything to both of us for all our lives. Name whatconditions you please, and I will accept them. I will go to him withyou under arrest, if you like. Will that prove to you I am in earnest?"
She paused and then nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes. If you dare to do that."
I crossed to the telephone to call up Feldermann.
She watched me closely and as I passed her, shrank out of my way lest Ishould touch her. I affected not to notice the gesture and stood at theinstrument with my back to her.
But the next instant I heard her open the door and turned to meet hereyes fixed on me with a glance of vindictive triumph. "You shall bearrested, as you say," she cried, and rushed away slamming the doorbehind her.
Just then the answer came through. "Is that Herr Feldermann?"
"Yes. What is it? Who are you?"
"Mr. Bastable. I am at Ziegler's house and have heard I am charged withhaving murdered him. Can you come at once? I have a----"
"Charged with what?" The tone was one of intense astonishment.
"Murder. I want you here at once."
"Are you out of your mind? There's no such charge----"
I heard no more, for the door was flung open, and two men in policeuniform rushed in and dragged me violently away
from the telephone, asHagar followed.
"That is the man. I charge him with the murder of my father," shecried.
Too late I saw the trap into which I had walked. "These are not thepolice," I protested to her. "I have telephoned to Herr Feldermann.This is a trap. They are von Felsen's----"
"We'll show you if we're not the police," cried one of them as heslipped a pair of handcuffs on my wrists. "No more talking here"; andhe whipped out a revolver and ordered me to hold my tongue and go withthem. "Bring her on to the station to make the charge there," he addedto a third man who had entered.
I shouted a last protest to Hagar, but a hand was clapped over my mouthand I was hurried out of the house toward a carriage which was waitingat a few yards' distance.
At that moment a motor car came slowly along the street and passed me asI walked between the two men in uniform.
I called out and this drew the eyes of the occupants upon me.
One was von Felsen, who leered at me in triumph; and by his side satAlthea, pale and distressed at seeing me thus handcuffed in the hands ofthe police.
As she fell back, burying her face in her hands, the chauffeur quickenedthe speed of the car and it whisked round a corner just as I was bundledinto the carriage.