*CHAPTER XXIX*
*A MESSAGE*
The morning dragged slowly and Wilfrid began to think that Shelton hadforgotten about his patient. It was maddening to wander about the housewasting precious time, when perhaps the blow had already fallen atOldborough. More than once Wilfrid was tempted to make his way to theCity where he could discuss his affairs with Russell and Uzali.
And what had happened to the latter? How was he getting on after hiscruel treatment of the previous evening? And what was Russell doing allthis time? Wilfrid was debating the matter seriously when, aboutmidday, a motor car drove up and Dr. Shelton, accompanied by acolleague, got out. Shelton raised his brows interrogatively atWilfrid, who shook his head.
"No change," the latter murmured. "He is just as you left him, hoveringbetween life and death. I don't wish to be inconvenient but I shall bevery glad if you will release me as soon as possible. I have urgentbusiness in the City which is going to rack and ruin without me."
"Give us half an hour," Shelton said. "We are going to try anexperiment--a desperate one I admit--but there seems nothing else to doin the circumstances. But, if you can get back by two o'clock to keepan eye upon things till the nurse I have written for arrives, I shall begreatly obliged."
Wilfrid yielded with as good grace as possible. He began to feelreckless and desperate. He paced up and down outside the house smokingone cigarette after another until Shelton appeared again.
"I don't think we need detain you any longer," the latter said. "Ouroperation has been partially successful and I am leaving Mr. Flower withmy colleague at present. There has been serious brain trouble, and Ivery much doubt if my patient will ever be the same again. If you canmanage to return by two o'clock for an hour, I think I shall then beable to dispense with your services."
Wilfrid waited to hear no more. He had already laid his plans. In thefirst place, he would call upon Fowler & Co., who had written regardingthe bill, which threatened destruction to his home and future. He mightperhaps obtain some information from them, though time was growing shortand there remained barely a day and a half in which to satisfy theseblood-suckers and breathe freely once more. A reference to the _PostOffice Directory_ gave Wilfrid the information he was in need of, and ahansom conveyed him to London Wall where the offices of Fowler & Co.were situated. The place was dingy, the office small and dirty. For amoment Wilfrid hesitated whether to go in or not, when he suddenlypaused and looked into a shop-window as if fearful of being seen, for onthe steps of the office stood Cotter in close conversation with a small,slight man, whose keen dark eyes bespoke a foreign origin. It was plainenough to Wilfrid now. Cotter had come down on business connected withthe very security which was likely to be Wilfrid's ruin. The two menparted by and by and Wilfrid crossed the road, his mind fully made upwhat to do.
A shabby-looking clerk in the outer office announced the fact that Mr.Fowler was not engaged. Without waiting for any reply Wilfrid crossedto the inner office and opened the door. Surely enough, seated at adesk, was the little man with whom Cotter had been talking so earnestlya few minutes before.
"My name is Dr. Mercer," Wilfrid said bluntly. "You are Mr. Fowler, Iunderstand. I came to see you in regard to a security which I gave to afirm called Darton & Co. for one hundred and seventy-five pounds. Thissecurity will fall due to-morrow and I am anxious to get it renewed."
The man shrugged his shoulders and took up his pen.
"My dear sir, I am very busy this morning," he said. "If you cannotmeet the security, why, there is an end of it. I am sorry, but businessis business, and of course you know the consequences if the bill is nottaken up to-morrow."
"I am aware of that," Wilfrid said impatiently. "But what I want to knowis, where do you come in? What connexion have you with Darton & Co.?And why should they turn over my liability to you? These are simplequestions."
They _were_ simple but Mr. Fowler had some difficulty in answering them.He changed colour slightly and his dingy hands fingered a bell on thetable before him.
"Oh, you needn't be afraid," Wilfrid said contemptuously. "I am notgoing to do you any harm, but I came here for certain information and Imean to have it. Is my credit so good that you could afford tospeculate in a bill of mine? But perhaps I had better come to the point.Where is the security?"
Mr. Fowler laughed somewhat unpleasantly. He was more at his ease. Hepointed over his shoulder to a safe in the wall.
"The security is all right, sir," he said. "The point is, do you wantto take it up? If you have the money with you the thing could bearranged quite amicably."
There was a sneer underlying these words which brought the blood intoWilfrid's face. The man was laughing at him. Here was a chance to testthe truth of what Fowler was saying. Wilfrid took a bulky packet ofletters from his pocket and laid them on the table before him.
"I didn't come here to offer you a cheque," he said, "because itoccurred to me you might refuse it. But I suppose you have no objectionto banknotes."
Fowler was taken aback. The grin died away from his cunning features.
"Oh, certainly," he muttered, "certainly."
"Then produce the security and let us have done with it."
Fowler arose reluctantly to his feet and rummaged among a mass of papersin the safe. But the security was not forthcoming, which was exactlywhat Wilfrid had foreseen. With some show of disappointment Fowlerreturned to his desk muttering that he had left the security at home.Wilfrid gravely restored the bundle of papers to his pocket. He was notdispleased at having forced the money-lender to show his hand. Hissuspicions had become certainties. Cotter had come down on purpose totake the security away. He rose carelessly from his seat.
"Very well," he said, "it doesn't in the least matter, but you mustunderstand I can't call again. You know my address in Oldborough. Ishall be there to-morrow morning, and if you send a representative tomeet me I shall be prepared to pay you off. I don't think I need detainyou longer."
With a curt nod Wilfrid left the office and made his way to Uzali'sflat. He was informed that the Malay was in bed, but had leftinstructions that if Dr. Mercer called he was to be shown up at once.He found Uzali propped up by the bedclothes and looking not much theworse for his adventure.
"Oh, I shall be right enough to-morrow," he said cheerfully. "It isvery unfortunate that I should have got into trouble last night. Idaresay you wonder what it is all about?"
"My dear sir, I am consumed with curiosity," Wilfrid said. "And whenyou have told me all your adventures I will tell you mine, which werethrilling enough in all conscience."
"That is a bargain," Uzali smiled. "But there is one thing you musttell me first. Is our friend Samuel Flower still alive? Did anythinghappen to him last night?"
"Oh, he is still alive," Wilfrid said dubiously. "But how long he islikely to last is another matter. And now, if you will promise not toget unduly excited, I will tell you everything that has happened since Iput you in the cab. You will be interested."
Uzali listened with rapt attention to what Wilfrid had to say. He evenexpressed his satisfaction at the knowledge that things were no worsewith Samuel Flower.
"So far, so good," he said. "And now, perhaps, I had better tell you mystory. It is shorter than yours and not so dramatic. In the square Ifell foul of those countrymen of mine, never doubting for a moment butthat they would recognize me and my authority. Perhaps they took me forsome imposter, perhaps they lost their heads in the darkness. Anyway,they attacked me in a most murderous fashion before I had the slightestchance of explaining; hence the fact that you found me in the squarenearly done for. Mind you, if this had happened a week ago I would nothave interfered, but have allowed matters to take their own course. Butnow things are different. They have changed altogether."
It was a long time before Uzali spoke again. He lay there with his eyesclosed as if asleep or dreaming.