CHAPTER VI
A COMPACT OF THREE
Wolfenden, for an idler, was a young man of fairly precise habits. Byten o'clock next morning he had breakfasted, and before eleven he wasriding in the Park. Perhaps he had some faint hope of seeing theresomething of the two people in whom he was now greatly interested. Ifso he was certainly disappointed. He looked with a new curiosity intothe faces of the girls who galloped past him, and he was careful evento take particular notice of the few promenaders. But he did not seeanything of Mr. Sabin or his companion.
At twelve o'clock he returned to his rooms and exchanged hisriding-clothes for the ordinary garb of the West End. He even looked onhis hall-table as he passed out again, to see if there were any note orcard for him.
"He could scarcely look me up just yet, at any rate," he reflected, ashe walked slowly along Piccadilly, "for he did not even ask me for myaddress. He took the whole thing so coolly that perhaps he does not meaneven to call."
Nevertheless, he looked in the rack at his club to see if there wasanything against his name, and tore into pieces the few unimportantnotes he found there, with an impatience which they scarcely deserved.Of the few acquaintances whom he met there, he inquired casually whetherthey knew anything of a man named "Sabin." No one seemed to have heardthe name before. He even consulted a directory in the hall, but withoutsuccess. At one o'clock, in a fit of restlessness, he went out, andtaking a hansom drove over to Westminster, to Harcutt's rooms. Harcuttwas in, and with him Densham. At Wolfenden's entrance the three menlooked at one another, and there was a simultaneous laugh.
"Here comes the hero," Densham remarked. "He will be able to tell useverything."
"I came to gather information, not to impart it," Wolfenden answered,selecting a cigarette, and taking an easy chair. "I know precisely asmuch as I knew last night."
"Mr. Sabin has not been to pour out his gratitude yet, then?" Denshamasked.
Wolfenden shook his head.
"Not yet. On the whole, I am inclined to think that he will not come atall. He doubtless considers that he has done all that is necessary inthe way of thanks. He did not even ask for my card, and giving me hiswas only a matter of form, for there was no address upon it."
"But he knew your name," Harcutt reminded him. "I noticed that."
"Yes. I suppose he could find me if he wished to," Wolfenden admitted."If he had been very keen about it, though, I should think he would havesaid something more. His one idea seemed to be to get away before therewas a row."
"I do not think," Harcutt said, "that you will find him overburdenedwith gratitude. He does not seem that sort of man."
"I do not want any gratitude from him," Wolfenden answered,deliberately. "So far as the man himself is concerned I should ratherprefer never to see him again. By the bye, did either of you fellowsfollow them home last night?"
Harcutt and Densham exchanged quick glances. Wolfenden had asked hisquestion quietly, but it was evidently what he had come to know.
"Yes," Harcutt said, "we both did. They are evidently people of someconsequence. They went first to the house of the Russian Ambassador,Prince Lobenski."
Wolfenden swore to himself softly. He could have been there. He made amental note to leave a card at the Embassy that afternoon.
"And afterwards?"
"Afterwards they drove to a house in Chilton Gardens, Kensington, wherethey remained."
"The presumption being, then----" Wolfenden began.
"That they live there," Harcutt put in. "In fact, I may say that weascertained that definitely. The man's name is 'Sabin,' and the girl isreputed to be his niece. Now you know as much as we do. Therelationship, however, is little more than a surmise."
"Did either of you go to the reception?" Wolfenden asked.
"We both did," Harcutt answered.
Wolfenden raised his eyebrows.
"You were there! Then why didn't you make their acquaintance?"
Densham laughed shortly.
"I asked for an introduction to the girl," he said, "and was politelydeclined. She was under the special charge of the Princess, and waspresented to no one."
"And Mr. Sabin?" Wolfenden asked.
"He was talking all the time to Baron von Knigenstein, the GermanAmbassador. They did not stay long."
Wolfenden smiled.
"It seems to me," he said, "that you had an excellent opportunity andlet it go."
Harcutt threw his cigarette into the fire with an impatient gesture.
"You may think so," he said. "All I can say is, that if you had beenthere yourself, you could have done no more. At any rate, we have noparticular difficulty now in finding out who this mysterious Mr. Sabinand the girl are. We may assume that there is a relationship," he added,"or they would scarcely have been at the Embassy, where, as a rule, theguests make up in respectability what they lack in brilliancy."
"As to the relationship," Wolfenden said, "I am quite prepared to takethat for granted. I, for one, never doubted it."
"That," Harcutt remarked, "is because you are young, and a littlequixotic. When you have lived as long as I have you will doubteverything. You will take nothing for granted unless you desire to livefor ever amongst the ruins of your shattered enthusiasms. If you arewise, you will always assume that your swans are geese until you haveproved them to be swans."
"That is very cheap cynicism," Wolfenden remarked equably. "I amsurprised at you, Harcutt. I thought that you were more in touch withthe times. Don't you know that to-day nobody is cynical exceptschoolboys and dyspeptics? Pessimism went out with sack overcoats. Yourremarks remind me of the morning odour of patchouli and stale smoke ina cheap Quartier Latin dancing-room. To be in the fashion of to-day,you must cultivate a gentle, almost arcadian enthusiasm, you must wearrose-coloured spectacles and pretend that you like them. Didn't you hearwhat Flaskett said last week? There is an epidemic of morality in theair. We are all going to be very good."
"Some of us," Densham remarked, "are going to be very uncomfortable,then."
"Great changes always bring small discomforts," Wolfenden rejoined."But after all I didn't come here to talk nonsense. I came to ask youboth something. I want to know whether you fellows are bent upon seeingthis thing through?"
Densham and Harcutt exchanged glances. There was a moment's silence.Densham became spokesman.
"So far as finding out who they are and all about them," he said, "Ishall not rest until I have done it."
"And you, Harcutt?"
Harcutt nodded gravely.
"I am with Densham," he said. "At the same time I may as well tell youthat I am quite as much, if not more, interested in the man than in thegirl. The girl is beautiful, and of course I admire her, as every onemust. But that is all. The man appeals to my journalistic instincts.There is copy in him. I am convinced that he is a personage. You may,in fact, regard me, both of you, as an ally rather than as a rival."
"If you had your choice, then, of an hour's conversation with either ofthem----" Wolfenden began.
"I should choose the man without a second's hesitation," Harcuttdeclared. "The girl is lovely enough, I admit. I do not wonder at youfellows--Densham, who is a worshipper of beauty; you, Wolfenden, who arean idler--being struck with her! But as regards myself it is different.The man appeals to my professional instincts in very much the same wayas the girl appeals to the artistic sense in Densham. He is a conundrumwhich I have set myself to solve."
Wolfenden rose to his feet.
"Look here, you fellows," he said, "I have a proposition to make. We areall three in the same boat. Shall we pull together or separately?"
Harcutt dropped his eyeglass and smiled quietly.
"Quixotic as usual, Wolf, old chap," he said. "We can't, our interestsare opposed; at least yours and Densham's are. You will scarcely wantto help one another under the circumstances."
Wolfenden drew on his gloves.
"I have not explained myself yet," he said. "The thing must have itslimitations, of course, but
for a step or two even Densham and I canwalk together. Let us form an alliance so far as direct information isconcerned. Afterwards it must be every man for himself, of course. Isuppose we each have some idea as to how and where to set about makinginquiries concerning these people. Very well. Let us each go our own wayand share up the information to-night."
"I am quite willing," Densham said, "only let this be distinctlyunderstood--we are allies only so far as the collection and sharingof information is concerned. Afterwards, and in other ways, it is eachman for himself. If one of us succeeds in establishing a definiteacquaintance with them, the thing ends. There is no need for either ofus to do anything with regard to the others, which might militateagainst his own chances."
"I am agreeable to that," Harcutt said. "From Densham's very elaborateprovisoes I think we may gather that he has a plan."
"I agree too," Wolfenden said, "and I specially endorse Densham's limit.It is an alliance so far as regards information only. Suppose we go andhave some lunch together now."
"I never lunch out, and I have a better idea," said Harcutt. "Let usmeet at the 'Milan' to-night for supper at the same time. We can thenexchange information, supposing either of us has been fortunate enoughto acquire any. What do you say, Wolfenden?"
"I am quite willing," Wolfenden said.
"And I," echoed Densham. "At half-past eleven, then," Harcutt concluded.