CHAPTER VI. THE LITTLE LADY FROM SERVIA
Westward sped the little electric brougham, driven without regard topolice regulations or any rule of the road: silent and swift, whollyregardless of other vehicles--as though, indeed, its occupants wereassuming to themselves the rights of Royalty. Inside, Peter Ruff, alittle breathless, was leaning forward, tying his white cravat with theaid of the little polished mirror set in the middle of the dark greencushions. At his right hand was Lady Mary, watching his proceedings withan air of agonised impatience.
"Let me tell you--" she begged.
"Kindly wait till I have tied this and put my studs in," Peter Ruffinterrupted. "It is impossible for me to arrive at a ball in thiscondition, and I cannot give my whole attention to more than one thingat a time."
"We shall be there in five minutes!" she exclaimed. "What is the good,unless you understand, of your coming at all?"
Peter Ruff surveyed his tie critically. Fortunately, it pleased him.He began to press the studs into their places with firm fingers. Aroundthem surged the traffic of Piccadilly; in front, the gleaming arc oflights around Hyde Park Corner. They had several narrow escapes. Oncethe brougham swayed dangerously as they cut in on the wrong side of anisland lamp-post. A policeman shouted after them, another held up hishand--the driver of the brougham took no notice.
"I am ready," Peter Ruff said, quietly.
"My younger brother--Maurice," she began, breathlessly--"you've nevermet him, I know, but you've heard me speak of him. He is privatesecretary to Sir James Wentley--"
"Minister for Foreign Affairs?" Ruff asked, swiftly.
"Yes! Maurice wants to go in for the Diplomatic Service. He is a dear,and so clever!"
"Is it Maurice who is in trouble?" Peter Ruff asked. "Why didn't he comehimself?"
"I am trying to explain," Lady Mary protested. "This afternoon he had animportant paper to turn into cipher and hand over to the Prime Ministerat the Duchess of Montford's dance to-night. The Prime Minister willarrive in a motor car from the country at about two o'clock, and thefirst thing he will ask for will be that paper. It has been stolen!"
"At what time did your brother finish copying it, and when did hediscover its loss?" Ruff asked, with a slight air of weariness. Thesepreliminary enquiries always bored him.
"He finished it in his own rooms at half-past seven," Lady Maryanswered. "He discovered its loss at eleven o'clock--directly he hadarrived at the ball."
"Why didn't he come to me himself?" Peter Ruff asked. "I like to havethese particulars at first hand."
"He is in attendance upon Sir James at the ball," Lady Mary answered."There is trouble in the East, as you know, and Sir James is expectingdispatches to-night. Maurice is not allowed to leave."
"Has he told Sir James yet?"
"He had not when I left," Lady Mary answered. "If he is forced to do so,it will be ruin! Mr. Ruff, you must help us Maurice is such a dear,but a mistake like this, at the very beginning of his career, would befatal. Here we are. That is my brother waiting just inside the hall."
A young man came up to them in the vestibule. He was somewhat pale, butotherwise perfectly self-possessed. From the shine of his glossy blackhair to the tips of his patent boots he was, in appearance, everythingthat a young Englishman of birth and athletic tastes could hope to be.Peter Ruff liked the look of him. He waited for no introduction, butlaid his hand at once upon the young man's shoulder.
"Between seven-thirty and arriving here," he said, drawing him on oneside--"quick! Tell me, whom did you see? What opportunities were thereof stealing the paper, and by whom?"
"I finished it at five and twenty past seven," the young man said,"sealed it in an official envelope, and stood it up on my desk by theside of my coat and hat and muffler, which my servant had laid there,ready for me to put on. My bedroom opens out from my sitting room. WhileI was dressing, two men called for me--Paul Jermyn and Count von Hern.They walked through to my bedroom first, and then sat together in thesitting room until I came out. The door was wide open, and we talked allthe time."
"They called accidentally?" Peter Ruff asked.
"No--by appointment," the young man replied. "We were all coming on hereto the dance, and we had agreed to dine together first at the Savoy."
"You say that you left the paper on your desk with your coat and hat?"Peter Ruff asked. "Was it there when you came out?"
"Apparently so," the young man answered. "It seemed to be standing inexactly the same place as where I had left it. I put it into my breastpocket, and it was only when I arrived here that I fancied the envelopeseemed lighter. I went off by myself and tore it open. There was nothinginside but half a newspaper!"
"What about the envelope?" Peter Ruff asked. "That must have been thesame sort of one as you had used or you would have noticed it?"
"It was," the Honorable Maurice answered.
"It was a sort which you kept in your room?"
"Yes!" the young man admitted.
"The packet was changed, then, by some one in your room, or some one whohad access to it," Peter Ruff said. "How about your servant?"
"It was his evening off. I let him put out my things and go at seveno'clock."
"You must tell me the nature of the contents of the packet," Peter Ruffdeclared. "Don't hesitate. You must do it. Remember the alternative."
The young man did hesitate for several moments, but a glance into hissister's appealing face decided him.
"It was our official reply to a secret communication from Russiarespecting--a certain matter in the Balkans."
Peter Ruff nodded.
"Where is Count von Hern?" he asked abruptly.
"Inside, dancing."
"I must use a telephone at once," Peter Ruff said. "Ask one of theservants here where I can find one."
Peter Ruff was conducted to a gloomy waiting room, on the table ofwhich stood a small telephone instrument. He closed the door, but hewas absent for only a few minutes. When he rejoined Lady Mary and herbrother they were talking together in agitated whispers. The latterturned towards him at once.
"Do you mean that you suspect Count von Hern?" he asked, doubtfully. "Heis a friend of the Danish Minister's, and every one says that he'ssuch a good chap. He doesn't seem to take the slightest interest inpolitics--spends nearly all his time hunting or playing polo."
"I don't suspect any one," Peter Ruff answered. "I only know that Countvon Hern is an Austrian spy, and that he took your paper! Has he beenout of your sight at all since you rejoined him in the sitting room? Imean to say--had he any opportunity of leaving you during the time youwere dining together, or did he make any calls en route, either on theway to the Savoy or from the Savoy here?"
The young man shook his head.
"He has not been out of my sight for a second."
"Who is the other man--Jermyn?" Peter Ruff asked. "I never heard ofhim."
"An American--cousin of the Duchess. He could not have had the slightestinterest in the affair."
"Please take me into the ballroom," Peter Ruff said to Lady Mary. "Yourbrother had better not come with us. I want to be as near the Count vonHern as possible."
They passed into the crowded rooms, unnoticed, purposely avoiding thelittle space where the Duchess was still receiving the late comers amongher guests. They found progress difficult, and Lady Mary felt her heartsink as she glanced at the little jewelled watch which hung from herwrist. Suddenly Peter Ruff came to a standstill.
"Don't look for a moment," he said, "but tell me as soon as you can--whois that tall young man, like a Goliath, talking to the little darkwoman? You see whom I mean?"
Lady Mary nodded, and they passed on. In a moment or two she answeredhim.
"How strange that you should ask!" she whispered in his ear. "That isMr. Jermyn."
They were on the outskirts now of the ballroom itself. One of LadyMary's partners came up with an open programme and a face full ofreproach.
"Do please forgive me, Captain Henderson," Lady Mary begge
d. "I havehurt my foot, and I am not dancing any more."
"But surely I was to take you in to supper?" the young officerprotested, good-humouredly. "Don't tell me that you are going to cutthat?"
"I am going to cut everything to-night with everybody," Lady Mary said."Please forgive me. Come to tea to-morrow and I'll explain."
The young man bowed, and, with a curious glance at Ruff, accepted hisdismissal. Another partner was simply waved away.
"Please turn round and come back," Peter Ruff said. "I want to see thosetwo again."
"But we haven't found Count von Hern yet," she protested. "Surely thatis more important, is it not? I believe that I saw him dancing justnow--there, with the tall girl in yellow."
"Never mind about him, for the moment," Ruff answered. "Walk down thiscorridor with me. Do you mind talking all the time, please? It willsound more natural, and I want to listen."
The young American and his partner had found a more retired seat now,about three quarters of the way down the pillared vestibule whichbordered the ballroom. He was bending over his companion with an air ofunmistakable devotion, but it was she who talked. She seemed, indeed,to have a good deal to say to him. The slim white fingers of one handplayed all the time with a string of magnificent pearls. Her dark, softeyes--black as aloes and absolutely un-English--flashed into his. Adelightful smile hovered at the corners of her lips. All the time shewas talking and he was listening. Lady Mary and her partner passed byunnoticed. At the end of the vestibule they turned and retraced theirsteps. Peter Ruff was very quiet--he had caught a few of those rapidwords. But the woman's foreign accent had troubled him.
"If only she would speak in her own language!" he muttered.
Lady Mary's hand suddenly tightened upon his arm.
"Look!" she exclaimed. "That is Count von Hern!"
A tall, fair young man, very exact in his dress, very stiff in hiscarriage, with a not unpleasant face, was standing talking to Jermyn andhis companion. Jermyn, who apparently found the intrusion an annoyance,was listening to the conversation between the two, with a frown upon hisface and a general attitude of irritation. As Lady Mary and herescort drew near, the reason for the young American's annoyancebecame clearer--his two companions were talking softly, but with greatanimation, in a foreign language, which it was obvious that he did notunderstand. Peter Ruff's elbow pressed against his partner's arm, andtheir pace slackened. He ventured, even, to pause for a moment, lookinginto the ballroom as though in search of some one, and he had by nomeans the appearance of a man likely to understand Hungarian. Then, toLady Mary's surprise, he touched the Count von Hern on the shoulder andaddressed him.
"I beg your pardon, sir," he said, "but I fancy that we accidentallyexchanged programmes, a few minutes ago, at the buffet. I have lost mineand picked up one which does not belong to me. As we were standing sideby side, it is possibly yours."
"I believe not, sir," he answered, with that pleasant smile which hadgone such a long way toward winning him the reputation of being "a goodfellow" amongst a fairly large circle of friends. "I believe at anyrate," he added, glancing at his programme, "that this is my own. Youmistake me, probably, for some one else."
Peter Ruff, without saying a word, was actor enough to suggest that hewas unconvinced. The Count good-humouredly held out his programme.
"You shall see for yourself," he remarked. "That is not yours, is it?Besides, I have not been to the buffet at all this evening."
Peter Ruff cast a swift glance down the programme which the Count hadhanded him. Then he apologised profusely.
"I was mistaken," he admitted. "I am very sorry."
The Count bowed.
"It is of no consequence, sir," he said, and resumed his conversation.
Peter Ruff passed on with Lady Mary. At a safe distance, she glanced athim enquiringly.
"It was his programme I wanted to see," Peter Ruff explained. "It is asI thought. He has had four dances with the Countess--"
"Who is she?" Lady Mary asked, quickly.
"The little dark lady with whom he is talking now," Peter Ruffcontinued. "He seems, too, to be going early. He has no dances reservedafter the twelfth. We will go downstairs at once, if you please. I mustspeak to your brother."
"Have you been able to think of anything?" she asked, anxiously. "Isthere any chance at all, do you think?"
"I believe so," Peter Ruff answered. "It is most interesting. Don'tbe too sanguine, though. The odds are against us, and the time is veryshort. Is the driver of your electric brougham to be trusted?"
"Absolutely," she assured him. "He is an old servant."
"Will you lend him to me?" Peter Ruff asked, "and tell him that he is toobey my instructions absolutely?"
"Of course," she answered. "You are going away, then?"
Peter Ruff nodded. He was a little sparing of words just then. Thethoughts were chasing one another through his brain. He was listening,too, for the sweep of a dress behind.
"Is there nothing I can do?" Lady Mary begged, eagerly.
Peter Ruff shook his head. In the distance he saw the Honourable Mauricecome quickly toward them. With a firm but imperceptible gesture he wavedhim away.
"Don't let your brother speak to me," he said. "We can't tell who isbehind. What time did you say the Prime Minister was expected?"
"At two o'clock," Lady Mary said, anxiously.
Peter Ruff glanced at his watch. It was already half an hour pastmidnight.
"Very well," he said, "I will do what I can. If my theory is wrong, itwill be nothing. If I am right--well, there is a chance, anyhow. In themeantime--"
"In the meantime?" she repeated, breathlessly.
"Take your brother back to the ballroom," Peter Ruff directed. "Make himdance--dance yourself. Don't give yourselves away by looking anxious.When the time is short--say at a quarter to two--he can come down hereand wait for me."
"If you don't come!" she exclaimed.
"Then we shall have lost," Peter Ruff said, calmly. "If you don't seeme again to-night, you had better read the newspapers carefully for thenext few days."
"You are going to do something dangerous!" she protested.
"There is danger in interfering at all in such a matter as this," heanswered, "but you must remember that it is not only my profession--itis my hobby. Remember, too," he added, with a smile, "that I do notoften lose!"
For twenty minutes Peter Ruff sat in the remote corner of Lady Mary'selectric brougham, drawn up at the other side of the Square, and waited.At last he pressed a button. They glided off. Before them was a large,closed motor car. They started in discreet chase.
Fortunately, however, the chase was not a long one. The car which PeterRuff had been following was drawn up before a plain, solid-lookinghouse, unlit and of gloomy appearance. The little lady with thewonderful eyes was already halfway up the flagged steps. Hastily liftingthe flap and looking behind as they passed, her pursuer saw her open thedoor with a latchkey, and disappear. Peter Ruff pulled the check-stringand descended. For several moments he stood and observed the houseinto which the lady whom he had been following had disappeared. Then heturned to the driver.
"I want you to watch that house," he said, "never to take your eyes offit. When I reappear from it, if I do at all, I shall probably be in ahurry. Directly you see me be on your box ready to start. A good dealmay depend upon our getting away quickly."
"Very good, sir," the man answered. "How long am I to wait here foryou?"
Peter Ruff's lips twisted into a curious little smile.
"Until two o'clock," he answered. "If I am not out by then, you needn'tbother any more about me. You can return and tell your mistress exactlywhat has happened."
"Hadn't I better come and try and get you out, sir?" the man asked."Begging your pardon, but her Ladyship told me that there might be queerdoings. I'm a bit useful in a scrap, sir," he added. "I do a bit ofsparring regularly."
Peter Ruff shook his head.
"If there's any scrap at all," he
said, "you had better be out of it. Doas I have said."
The motor car had turned round and disappeared now, and in a few momentsPeter Ruff stood before the door of the house into which the little ladyhad disappeared. The problem of entrance was already solved for him. Thedoor had been left unlatched; only a footstool had been placed againstit inside. Peter Ruff, without hesitation, pushed the door softly openand entered, replaced the footstool in its former position, and stoodwith his back to the wall, in the darkest corner of the hall, lookingaround him--listening intently. Nearly opposite the door of a room stoodajar. It was apparently lit up, but there was no sound of any one movinginside. Upstairs, in one of the rooms on the first floor, he could hearlight footsteps--a woman's voice humming a song. He listened to thefirst few bars, and understanding became easier. Those first few barswere the opening ones of the Servian national anthem!
With an effort, Peter Ruff concentrated his thoughts upon the immediatepresent. The little lady was upstairs. The servants had apparentlyretired for the night. He crept up to the half-open door and peered in.The room, as he had hoped to find it, was empty, but Madame's easy-chairwas drawn up to the fire, and some coffee stood upon the hob. StealthilyPeter Ruff crept in and glanced around, seeking for a hiding place. Amovement upstairs hastened his decision. He pushed aside the massivecurtains which separated this from a connecting room. He had scarcelydone so when light footsteps were heard descending the stairs.
Peter Ruff found his hiding place all that could have been desired. Thissecondary room itself was almost in darkness, but he was just able toappreciate the comforting fact that it possessed a separate exit intothe hall. Through the folds of the curtain he had a complete view of thefurther apartment. The little lady had changed her gown of stiff whitesatin for one of flimsier material, and, seated in the easy-chair, shewas busy pouring herself out some coffee. She took a cigarette from asilver box, and lighting it, curled herself up in the chair and composedherself as though to listen. To her as well as to Peter Ruff, as hecrouched in his hiding place, the moments seemed to pass slowly enough.Yet, as he realised afterward, it could not have been ten minutes beforeshe sat upright in a listening attitude. There was some one coming!Peter Ruff, too, heard a man's firm footsteps come up the flaggedstones.
The little lady sprang to her feet.
"Paul!" she exclaimed.
Paul Jermyn came slowly to meet her. He seemed a little out of breath.His tie was all disarranged and his collar unfastened.
The little lady, however, noticed none of these things. She looked onlyinto his face.
"Have you got it?" she asked, eagerly.
He thrust his hand into his breast-coat pocket, and held an envelope outtoward her.
"Sure!" he answered. "I promised!"
She gave a little sob, and with the packet in her hand came runningstraight toward the spot where Peter Ruff was hiding.
He shrank back as far as possible. She stopped just short of thecurtain, opened the drawer of a table which stood there, and slippedthe packet in. Then she came back once more to where Paul Jermyn wasstanding.
"My friend!" she cried, holding out her hands--"my dear, dear friend!Shall I ever be able to thank you enough?"
"Why, if you try," he answered, smiling, "I think that you could!"
She laid her hand upon his arm--a little caressing, foreign gesture.
"Tell me," she said, "how did you manage it?"
"We left the dance together," Jermyn said. "I could see that he wantedto get rid of me, but I offered to take him in my motor car. I told theman to choose some back streets, and while we were passing through oneof them, I took Von Hern by the throat. We had a struggle, of course,but I got the paper."
"What did you do with Von Hern?" she asked.
"I left him on his doorstep," the young American answered. "He wasn'treally hurt, but he was only half conscious. I don't think he'll botherany one to-night."
"You dear, brave man!" she murmured. "Paul, what am I to say to you?"
He laughed.
"That's what I'm here to ask," he declared. "You wouldn't give me myanswer at the ball. Perhaps you'll give it me now?"
They sprang apart. Ruff felt his nerves stiffen--felt himselfconstrained to hold even his breath as he widened a little the crackin the curtains. This was no stealthy entrance. The door had been flungopen. Von Hern, his dress in wild disorder, pale as a ghost, and with agreat bloodstain upon his cheek, stood confronting them.
"When you have done with your love-making," he called out, "I'll troubleyou to restore my property!"
The electric light gleamed upon a small revolver which flashed outtoward the young American. Paul Jermyn never hesitated for a moment. Heseized the chair by his side and flung it at Von Hern. There was a shot,the crash of the falling chair, a cry from Jermyn, who never hesitated,however, in his rush. The two men closed. A second shot went harmlesslyto the ceiling. The little lady stole away--stole softly across the roomtoward the table. She opened the drawer. Suddenly the blood in her veinswas frozen into fear. From nowhere, it seemed to her, came a hand whichheld her wrists like iron!
"Madam," Peter Ruff whispered from behind the curtain, "I am sorry todeprive you of it, but this is stolen property."
Her screams rang through the room. Even the two men released oneanother.
"It is gone! It is gone!" she cried. "Some one was hiding in the room!Quick!"
She sprang into the hall. The two men followed her. The front door wasslammed. They heard flying footsteps outside. Von Hern was out first,clearing the little flight of steps in one bound. Across the road hesaw a flying figure. A level stream of fire poured from his hand--twice,three times. But Peter Ruff never faltered. Round the corner he tore.The man had kept his word--the brougham was already moving slowly.
"Jump in, sir," the man cried. "Throw yourself in. Never mind about thedoor."
They heard the shouts behind. Peter Ruff did as he was bid, and sat uponthe floor, raising himself gradually to the seat when they had turnedanother corner. Then he put his head out of the window.
"Back to the Duchess of Montford's!" he ordered.
The latest of the guests had ceased to arrive--a few were alreadydeparting. It was an idle time, however, with the servants who loiteredin the vestibules of Montford House, and they looked with curiosity uponthis strange guest who arrived at five minutes to two, limping a little,and holding his left arm in his right hand. One footman on the thresholdnearly addressed him, but the words were taken out of his mouth when hesaw Lady Mary and her brother--the Honorable Maurice Sotherst--hastenforward to greet him.
Peter Ruff smiled upon them benignly.
"You can take the paper out of my breast-coat pocket," he said.
The young man's fingers gripped it. Through Lady Mary's greatthankfulness, however, the sudden fear came shivering.
"You are hurt!" she whispered. "There is blood on your sleeve."
"Just a graze," Peter Ruff answered. "Von Hern wasn't much good at arunning target. Back to the ballroom, young man," he added. "Don't yousee who's coming?"
The Prime Minister came up the tented way into Montford House. He, too,wondered a little at the man whom he met on his way out, holding hisleft arm, and looking more as though he had emerged from a street fightthan from the Duchess of Montford's ball. Peter Ruff went home smiling.