CHAPTER XIX--_A shot that missed Fire_
The conspirators turned up at the office in a hopeful spirit nextmorning. Early as the hour was, Gray had evidently been assisting hiscourage with some beverage that cheers and yet inebriates.
"Who's going up first?" he asked in a confidential whisper. "I'd soonersteady my nerves a bit; I'm better in the afternoon."
"Let Polly go, then," said Busby. "I'm a bit shaky myself in themornings; must be the train journey."
Parrott, when consulted, did not seem to relish the idea much, andsuggested that they should go together. Union would be strength.
"Perhaps it would be better," agreed Busby.
"Anyhow," said the head clerk, "there's all the day yet. We don't wantto rush it. Let us give him time to get here and settle down to work."
This was agreed upon, and the matter was left until the morning's workwas well under way, when it was taken in hand again.
"Now," said Gray, "this is the best time to begin. He'll be in themiddle of the correspondence, and there's no fear of interruption."
At that moment Master Cacklin slapped a bundle of letters down onBusby's desk, and set Gray's nerves all on edge again.
"Pardon, sir," he said impudently, "hope I didn't disturb you. S'poseyou've heard the new rule, gents."
"You cut along," said Busby.
"Grand idea," said Cacklin; "every one's got to come up chaperoned byhis grandmother. If he ain't got a grandmother he gets the lady lodgerinstead. What do you think of it, eh?"
"Now, clear out," said Gray, threateningly.
"Excepting the guvnor," added Cacklin; "and he brings his aunt. Darlinglittle bit o' sugar-stuff she is, too, I give yer my word."
And the genial youth affected to put his lower jaw into a position fromwhich it would not return to the normal.
"What's all that rot?" asked Gray, who scented some truth in thenonsense.
Mr. Cacklin obligingly informed his hearers that their respected chiefhad been accompanied to the office that morning by his aunt, who wasnow settled in the biggest armchair upstairs with her hat and jacketoff, as if she meant to stay.
Gray and Busby exchanged glances.
"That settles it, for the present," said Busby, as Cacklin disappeared;"we can't go while she's there."
"She'll be off after lunch," said Gray. "On the whole I think it'sbetter to tackle him after lunch."
But Aunt Phoebe did not go after lunch; she returned to the officewith her nephew, and never left it till the two of them departedtogether at the close of business.
"It was bad luck," said Gray; "but we'll get him to-morrow safeenough."
On the morrow, however, fortune was equally unkind to the blackmailers,for this time Mrs. Early herself accompanied her husband to the office,and settled comfortably in the big armchair, as her aunt had done onthe previous day. At lunch they went out together and returnedtogether.
"We must bide our time," Gray said comfortingly to his co-conspirators."We'll have him right enough presently."
When, however, the morrow brought Aunt Phoebe again, and lunch-timesaw her return with George Early, Gray could scarcely contain himselffor rage.
"It's a plant," he said fiercely; "a put-up job. He's doing it onpurpose, so as we shan't get him alone."
And there seemed to be some truth in what he said, for whenever GeorgeEarly left his office to enter the showrooms, or tour the warehouse,his aunt always accompanied him. Together they interviewed customers,inspected the barges at the wharf, pulled stoves about, and went overthe numerous incidents of an ironmonger's day.
Once Gray plucked up courage, and boldly entered the upstairs office.Aunt Phoebe was seated at George's desk writing, while George himselflolled in an armchair, reading a paper.
The lady looked up inquiringly as Gray advanced.
"It's a little matter I'd like to see Mr. Early about," he said, with acough.
"I think you may tell me," said the lady. "I understand most of Mr.Early's business."
"You can tell my aunt, Gray," called out George, from behind the paper.
"If I could see Mr. Early alone----"
"Mr. Early has no secrets from his family," said Aunt Phoebe, atwhich George coughed and Gray frowned.
After two or three futile attempts to attain his object, Gray wasforced to retire with the feeble excuse of having forgotten something.
Aunt Phoebe looked meaningly at George, who nodded.
The chaperon game continued, and the three men were reduced to suchstraits as tracking the cab home to Kensington, and taking turns tokeep watch on the house, all without avail.
Perhaps not entirely without avail, for towards the end of a fortnightGeorge Early's bright looks gave way to a peevishness he could illconceal. Aunt Phoebe's temper was affected too, and frequentbickerings were reported by those who came in their way. WheneverMaster Cacklin happened to be the person, he gave to those below stairsa description that was most graphic and inspiring.
"She's wearing him out," said Busby, who clutched at these fragments inan endeavour to cheer his fellows.
Gray shook his head. "No fear of that," he said; "he's one of those menthat would keep it up just for the pleasure of annoying us. I knowhim."
George Early did keep it up, and succeeded in completely outwitting histrackers, until Gray, tired of waiting for his revenge and a sight ofthe firm's money, called a council to discuss some change of plans.
Neither Busby nor Parrott had any suggestion to make, so Gray unfoldedhis own idea. Not a bad plan either, the others agreed. Gray proposedthat the three should make a bargain with the lawyers, by which theywere to receive a certain fixed sum, say five hundred pounds, forinformation of George Early's lapses from grace. Having got thispromise, they could, if they felt disposed, hold it threateningly overthe chief's head, and demand a higher sum to keep silence. Of coursethe lawyers, not having the detective facilities of the three, wouldgladly accept their services; of this they felt assured.
It was arranged that Gray should take the next morning off with a badcold, and pay a visit to Dibbs and Dubbs, to arrange matters.
This new scheme so occupied the thoughts of the precious trio that theymissed the news of a breezy outburst between George and his belovedaunt, resulting in the lady bouncing off and leaving her nephew tohimself.
All unconscious of this missed opportunity, Gray made his way the nextmorning to St. Paul's Passage, passed the resplendent brass plate ofthe lawyers' office, and climbed the dark staircase. The new head ofthe firm, who had now sufficient confidence to print his own name ofDawkins as successor to the departed, received the informer with someinterest, which, being a lawyer, he was not foolish enough to disclose.
"You know my name, I dare say," said Gray, with a cough.
The lawyer coughed in sympathy, and warmed his hands by the fire.
"I remember it well, Mr. Gray. I'm afraid we were a little sharp on yousome time ago, but all a matter of business, you know. Quite a matterof business. If we can be as energetic on your behalf, we shall bedelighted, my dear sir; delighted, I assure you."
He coughed again, sat down, and looked inquiringly at Gray.
"Of course," said Gray, throwing one hand languidly over the back ofhis chair, "I hold a position of some importance at Fairbrothers, asyou doubtless know."
Mr. Dawkins bowed.
"And I am constantly, I may say continually, with the head of thefirm."
Mr. Dawkins bowed again.
"Now, it struck me," said Gray, leaning forward and gazing shrewdly atthe young lawyer, "that I might be of some service to you over thislegacy business. Of service to you and myself at the same time."
Mr. Dawkins raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.
"For reasons of my own," he went on, realizing for the first time thathis proposal was a blackguardly one, "I am disposed to assist youtowards the end for which you are working. In this, my two friends, whoenjoyed the legacies at the same time as myself, are willing to help.The
three of us, in fact, to cut the matter short, will work together.And I can assure you that we shall work in earnest."
At Gray's vehement tones the lawyer stuck a thumb in the armhole of hiswaistcoat, and laughed.
"Getting a bit of your own back, eh?"
Gray nodded. "We have exceptional opportunities," he added."Opportunities which you, as a man of business, will understand are notopen to the ordinary detective, nor for that matter to an extraordinaryone. One or other of us can be always at his elbow."
"His very shadow, in fact," said the lawyer.
"Exactly," said Gray. "What is more," he added, with a look intended toconvey a volume of sinister meaning, "we know his weaknesses."
The lawyer rose, and adopted a more negligent attitude against themantelpiece.
"You offer yourselves to me as amateur detectives, in fact, Mr. Gray;and purpose informing me of any lapse on the part of Mr. Earlyrespecting the matter concerned in the late Mr. Fairbrother's will?"
Gray leaned back, and bowed to indicate that Mr. Dawkins had summed upthe matter perfectly.
"And for which," said Mr. Dawkins, "you naturally expect somerecompense."
"That could be arranged," said Gray.
The lawyer toyed playfully with the seal on his watch-chain, andstudied in turn his visitor's hat, coat, and boots.
"Mr. Early has risen considerably in the firm, I believe," he saidpresently.
"Yes," said Gray, shortly.
"But you still enjoy his confidence, of course?" Gray nursed his kneewith all the nonchalance he could comfortably affect.
"If anybody has the chance to drop upon an error of judgment on hispart," he said, "I think I know who it is."
Mr. Dawkins smiled. "You have a good deal of confidence, Mr. Gray. Now,from what I have heard of Mr. George Early, he can, if he is sodisposed, set himself a task, and dare some of the boldest to turn himfrom it. When a young man makes up his mind on temperance, and has agood deal at stake, I'm inclined to think he won't easily run risks."
Gray tapped the crown of his hat impatiently. "He may keep off whiskyfor a bit," said he, "but the others are not so easy. Where we come inpromptly is on the borrowing score, and the little departures fromtruth. They'll be our first bull's-eyes, Mr. Dawkins."
The lawyer's eyes lit up suddenly. He left the mantelshelf, and satdown.
"May I ask, Mr. Gray, if you saw Mr. George Early yesterday?"
"I think so," said Gray; "yes, of course, many times."
"But not this morning?"
"Not yet; why?"
"Then you do not know," said the lawyer, in slow, even tones, "that Mr.Early has already forfeited two of the three legacies. It is now onlythe temperance legacy that he holds."
This news almost bereft Gray of speech. He murmured somethingunintelligible, and sat staring at the lawyer with open mouth.
"Yes," went on Mr. Dawkins. "Mr. Early threw them over voluntarily, andalready has our notices.
"Of course he does not need the money, and he is doubtless very surethat the temperance legacy is alone sufficient for his purpose. On thewhole, I must admit, although I am working against him, that it is adevilishly smart move. I tell you candidly, Mr. Gray, that I think itan infernally smart move."
Gray roused himself slowly, and got up from the chair.
"As to the temperance business, Mr. Gray," said the lawyer, with alaugh, "I'm afraid that'll be a hard nut to crack, eh? For my part, Iassure you, I think it pretty tough."
But Gray was not in the mood for further discussion. He drifted out ofthe office, and walked unsteadily down the stairs.