CHAPTER XXXI
BELL ARRIVES
There were more sides to the mystery than David Steel imagined. It hadseemed to him that he had pretty well all the threads in his hands, buthe would have been astonished to know how much more Hatherly Bell andEnid Henson could have told him.
But it seemed to Bell that there was one very important thing to be donebefore he proceeded any farther. He was interested in the mystery as hewas interested in anything where crime and cunning played a part. But hewas still more intent upon clearing his good name; besides, this wouldgive him a wider field of action.
In the light of recent discoveries it had become imperative that heshould once more be on good terms with Lord Littimer. Once this wasaccomplished, Bell saw his way to the clearing up of the wholecomplication. It was a great advantage to know who his enemy was; it wasa still greater advantage to discover the hero of the cigar-case and thevictim of the outrage in Steel's conservatory was the graceless scamp VanSneck, the picture dealer, who had originally sold "The Crimson Blind" toLord Littimer.
It was all falling out beautifully. Not only had Van Sneck turned up inthe nick of time, but he was not in a position to do any furthermischief. It suited Bell exactly that Van Sneck should be _hors decombat_ for the moment.
The first thing to be done was to see Lord Littimer without delay. Bellhad no idea of humbly soliciting an interview. He proceeded to atelegraph office the first thing the following morning and wired Littimerto the effect that he must see him on important business. He had an houror two at his disposal, so he took a cab as far as Downend Terrace. Hefound Steel slug-hunting in the conservatory, the atmosphere of which wasblue with cigarette smoke.
"So you are not working this morning?" he asked.
"How the dickens can I work?" David exclaimed, irritably. "Not that Ihaven't been trying. I might just as well take a long holiday till thismystery is cleared up for all the good I am. What is the next move?"
"My next move is to go to Littimer and convince him that he has done me agreat wrong. I am bound to have Littimer's ear once more."
"You are going to show him the spare Rembrandt, eh?"
"That's it. I flatter myself I shall astonish him. I've sent a telegramto say I'm coming to-day, after which I shall proceed to storm thecitadel. I feel all the safer because nobody knows I have the engraving."
"My dear chap, somebody knows you have the picture."
"Impossible!" Bell exclaimed. "Only yourself and Enid Henson can possiblybe aware that--"
"All the same, I am speaking the truth," David said. "Last night when youwent into the hospital you gave me the print to take care of. At the sametime I noticed a rough-looking man presumedly asleep on the seat in theroad facing the hospital. Afterwards when I looked round he haddisappeared. At the time I thought nothing of it. When I came in here Iplaced the precious roll of paper on my writing-table under the windowyonder. The window is a small one, as you can see, and was opened about afoot at the top. I sat here with the light down and the room faintlyilluminated by the light in the conservatory. After a little time I saw ahand and arm groping for something on the table, and I'm quite sure thehand and arm were groping for your Rembrandt. The fellow mutteredsomething that I failed to understand, and I made a grab for him and gothim. Then the other hand made a dash for my head with an ugly piece ofgas-piping, and I had to let go."
"And you saw no more of the fellow?"
"No; I didn't expect to. I couldn't see his face, but there was onepeculiarity he had that I might tell you for your future guidance. He hada thumb smashed as flat as the head of a snake, with one tiny pink nailin the middle of it. So, if you meet a man like that on your journeyto-day, look to yourself. On the whole, you see that our enemies are alittle more awake than you give them credit for."
Bell nodded thoughtfully. The information was of the greatest possiblevalue to him. It told him quite plainly that Reginald Henson knewexactly what had happened. Under ordinary circumstances by this timeHenson would be on his way to Littimer Castle, there to checkmate theman he had so deeply injured. But fortunately Henson was laid by theheels, or so Bell imagined.
"I am really obliged to you," Bell said. "Your information is likely tobe of the greatest possible service to me. I'm sorry you can't work."
"Don't worry about me," David said, grimly. "I'm gaining a vast quantityof experience that will be of the greatest value to me later on. Besides,I can go and compare notes with Miss Ruth Gates whilst you are away. Sheis soothing."
"So I should imagine," Bell said, drily. "No, I must be off. I'll let youknow what happens at Littimer Castle. Good luck to you here."
And Bell bustled off. He was pleased to find a recent telegram ofacceptance from Littimer awaiting him, and before five o'clock he wasin the train for London. It was only after he left London that he beganto crawl along. Thanks to slow local lines and a badly fitting crossservice it was nearly eleven o'clock before he reached Moreton Station.It did not matter much, because Littimer had said that a carriageshould meet him.
However, there was no conveyance of any kind outside the station. Onesleepy porter had already departed, and the other one, who took Bell'sticket, and was obviously waiting to lock up, deposed that a carriagefrom the castle had come to the station, but that some clerical gentlemanhad come along and countermanded it. Whereupon the dog-cart had departed.
"Very strange," Bell muttered. "What sort of a parson was it?"
"I only just saw his face," the porter yawned. "Dressed in black, with awhite tie and a straw hat. Walked in a slouching kind of way with hishands down; new curate from St. Albans, perhaps. Looked like a chap ascould take care of himself in a row."
"Thanks," Bell said, curtly. "I'll manage the walk; it's only two miles.Good-night."
Bell's face was grim and set as he stepped out into the road. He knewfairly well what this meant. It was pretty evident that his arch-enemyknew his movements perfectly well, and that a vigorous attempt was beingmade to prevent him reaching the castle. He called back to the porter.
"How long since the carriage went?" he asked.
A voice from the darkness said "Ten minutes," and Bell trudged on withthe knowledge that one of his enemies at least was close at hand. ThatReginald Henson was at the castle he had not the remotest idea. Nor didhe fear personal violence. Despite his figure, he was a man of enormousstrength and courage. But he had not long to wait.
Somebody was coming down the lonely road towards him, somebody inclerical attire. The stranger stopped and politely, if a little huskily,inquired if he was on the right way to Moreton Station. Bell responded aspolitely that he was, and asked to know the time. Not that he caredanything about the time; what he really wanted was to see the stranger'shands. The little ruse was successful. In the dim light Bell could see aflattened, hideous thumb with the pink parody of a nail upon it.
"Thanks, very much," he said, crisply. "Keep straight on."
He half turned as the stranger swung round. The latter darted at Bell,but he came too late. Bell's fist shot out and caught him fairly on theforehead. Then the stick in Bell's left hand came down with crushingforce on the prostrate man's skull. So utterly dazed and surprised was hethat he lay on the ground for a moment, panting heavily.
"You murderous ruffian," Bell gasped. "You escaped convict in an honestman's clothes. Get up! So you are the fellow--"
He paused suddenly, undesirous of letting the rascal see that he knew toomuch. The other man rolled over suddenly like a cat and made a dash for agap in the hedge. He was gone like a flash. Pursuit would be useless, forpace was not Bell's strong point. And he was not fearful of beingattacked again.
"Henson seems to be pretty well served," he muttered, grimly.
Meanwhile, the man with the thumb was flying over the fields in thedirection of Littimer. He made his way across country to the cliffs withthe assured air of one who knows every inch of the ground. He had failedin the first part of his instructions, and there was no time to be lostif he was
to carry out the second part successfully.
He struck the cliffs at length a mile or so away, and proceeded toscramble along them till he lay hidden just under the terraces atLittimer Castle. He knew that he was in time for this part of theprogramme, despite the fact that his head ached considerably from theforce and vigour of Bell's assault. He lay there, panting and breathingheavily, waiting for the signal to come.
Meanwhile, Bell was jogging along placidly and with no fear in his heartat all. He did not need anybody to tell him what was the object of hislate antagonist's attack. He knew perfectly well that if the ruffian hadgot the better of him he would never have seen the Rembrandt again.Henson's hounds were on the track; but it would go hard if they pulledthe quarry down just as the sanctuary was in sight. Presently Bell couldsee the lights of the castle.
By the lodge-gates stood a dog-cart; in the flare of the lamps Bellrecognised the features of the driver, a very old servant of Littimer's.Bell took in the situation at a glance.
"Is this the way you come for me, Lund?" he asked.
"I'm very sorry, sir," Lund replied. "But a clergyman near the stationsaid you had gone another way, so I turned back. And when I got here Icouldn't make top nor tail of the story. Blest if I wasn't a bit nervousthat it might have been some plant to rob you. And I was going to driveslowly along to the station again when you turned up."
"Oh, there's nothing wrong," said Bell, cheerfully. "And I don't look asif I'd come to any harm. Anybody staying at the castle, Lund?"
"Only Mr. Reginald Henson, sir," Lund said, disparagingly.
Bell started, but his emotion was lost in the darkness. It came as agreat surprise to him to find that the enemy was actually in the field.And how apprehensive of danger he must be to come so far with his healthin so shattered a condition. Bell smiled to himself as he picturedHenson's face on seeing him once more under that roof.
"How long has Mr. Henson been here?" he asked.
"Only came yesterday, sir. Shall I drive you up to the house? And if youwouldn't mind saying nothing to his lordship about my mistake, sir--"
"Make your mind easy on that score," Bell said, drily. "His lordshipshall know nothing whatever about it. On the whole, I had better drive upto the house. How familiar it all looks, to be sure."
A minute later and Bell stood within the walls of the castle.