*CHAPTER XLVI*
*UZALI'S WAY OUT*
Shelton's motor-car purred along again, leaving Uzali and Russell alone.Half way up the drive to the house they encountered Mercer. He, too,looked grave.
"How did it go?" he asked eagerly.
"It went just as I told you it would go," Uzali replied. "I fathered mytheory on the police who came to regard it as their own. They are underthe impression that those three men came to Maldon Grange with theintention of committing a burglary, and that they quarrelled after theygot into the house. The only thing I was a bit doubtful of was themedical evidence on the body of Jansen. The absence of violence ratherupset the local doctor and he seemed to think that death was due to asudden fright which had affected the action of the heart. I forget thetechnical terms he used. At any rate, he satisfied the jury, and wehave only to keep quiet and all scandal will be averted. I hope you seenow that nothing would have been gained by allowing the whole truth tocome out. Nobody would have been the wiser for it, and as certain as weare standing here now, before a month had passed we should have half adozen cold-blooded murderers trying the same experiment on theirvictims. You never hear of a new crime, especially a new form ofmurder, without seeing it imitated within a few weeks. And murder wouldbe more common than it is if criminals could only be convinced that theywould never be found out. Be content to leave everything in my hands,and I promise you that beyond our three selves no one shall ever know ofthis. How is your patient?"
Flower was in a very bad way indeed. Wilfrid said that his consciencetroubled him, inasmuch as he had not revealed the real state of affairsto Dr. Shelton. Perhaps, on the whole, his silence was wise. In timehe might come to recognize that Uzali's policy was the correct one.
"I am going to fetch Miss Galloway," he said. "Now the danger is over Ithink she ought to be in the house till the end comes. WhateverFlower's faults his niece owes him much and I believe she would likeit."
But Wilfrid was too late. When he reached Maldon Grange early in theafternoon with Beatrice the blinds were drawn and the servants werecreeping quietly about the house. Mason came downstairs with a graveface saying that his patient had passed quietly away an hour before.This was the tidings that reached Uzali and Russell when they came backjust before tea. Wilfrid had sent to Oldborough for his mother and gaveBeatrice into her charge. The girl was terribly distressed and Wilfridhad made up his mind that she should never know the truth.
"I am glad to hear you say that," Uzali said. "Now you see how sound myadvice was. Why should the poor girl know the truth? Why shouldanybody know it for the matter of that? Will you express my regrets toMiss Galloway and tell her how sorry I am for what has occurred? I ampleased there is some one in the house who can look after her. And now,Russell, if you don't mind we'll get back to London. Probably when wearrive there we shall find the news of Flower's death has preceded us.To-morrow morning we will go to the offices of the company and interviewCotter. He will be surprised to see us----"
"I shall be more surprised to see him," Russell said grimly.
"Not in the least, my dear fellow. Cotter has left the sinking shipright enough, but when he knows that his employer is dead and, what isfar more to the point, that my fellow-countrymen are no more, he willreturn for the loaves and fishes fast enough. I dare say this will costmoney, but I am anxious to keep up the credit of Flower's name and youknow there have been strange rumours about him in the City lately."
It was wonderful how everything fell out exactly as Uzali seemed toexpect. The death of Samuel Flower was the sensation in the City nextday, and the offices were thronged with people when Uzali and hiscompanion reached them. Uzali sent in his card and demanded to seeCotter at once on important business. Perhaps the peremptory command hadits effect, or perhaps it was the name on the card, but a clerk camethrough the crowd of people with the information that Mr. Cotter wouldsee Prince Uzali at once.
The little man sat in his master's office rubbing his hands nervouslytogether. There was a half-malicious, half-frightened look in his eyeslike that of a rat caught in a trap. Uzali closed the door and camestraight to the point.
"Now you slimy scoundrel," he said, "we won't waste words, because youknow who I am. It were weak to deny it. A few hours ago you had made upyour mind to desert your master, but now you know he is dead, you thinkit is better policy to come back here. The death of three other personshas made your path a safer one, but we need not go into that. I believethat when matters are settled up Mr. Flower will prove to be deeply indebt. Now, I will send an accountant to go through the books with meand I will arrange to pay everybody. In return, I must have the firstoffer of Maldon Grange, which is bound to come into the market; indeed,to be quite candid, I mean to buy Maldon Grange as a residence. Whenthis has been done you will be free to depart on the one condition thatyou never show your face to me again. It will not be the slightest useyour coming to Maldon Grange, because you will find the vaults empty."
Cotter looked up with a puzzled expression on his face and Uzali learnedwhat he wanted. The secret of the treasure in the vaults of MaldonGrange was not known to Cotter.
"Wonderful man, Flower," Uzali muttered as he walked away with Russell."Extraordinary how he managed to hoodwink everybody. He must havecontrived to remove everything of value from the city of my birth beforehe destroyed the town by blowing up the water dam. Well, he has gone tohis last account, but he was the means of restoring my own, so I willnot say more against him. And now you see what I am going to do. Ishall save a scandal in the City. Flower's blackguardly business willcease to exist, and in a short time Maldon Grange will find its way intomy possession. I have long been thinking of purchasing a country house,and Maldon will suit me very well. I shall count on your assistance inturning out those cases of priceless treasure. I shall sell what I don'twant, and no curious tongues will be set wagging. On one thing I amdetermined and I will take no refusal. But for you and Mercer I shouldnever have seen my family treasures again, and that is why I am going todivide that equivalent in value between the three of us. Don't protest,for already I have far more money than I know what to do with. I shallhave all those things valued as soon as possible and I calculate therewill be a cheque for a hundred thousand pounds for each of you when thebusiness is finished. Now for a quiet lunch somewhere. I seem to needit."
* * * * *
To this day Beatrice cannot make out how events transacted themselves.That Samuel Flower had left nothing when his debts came to be paid sheknew perfectly well. She also had to bewail the fact that she had not asingle relative in the world. It was Uzali who, some time after he hadtaken possession of Maldon Grange, gave the plausible explanation ofWilfrid's sudden accession to fortune. He talked freely aboutconcessions, of mineral wealth in his own country which he had sharedwith Russell and Mercer. He hinted at the marvellous way in which theventure had turned out.
"Prince Uzali says you have been speculating," Beatrice said with anattempt at sternness in her voice the next time she had an opportunityof being alone with Wilfrid. "Isn't that very dreadful of you? To havea husband who speculates----"
"I only speculated once in my lifetime," Wilfrid laughed, "and that wasso far as you are concerned. And if one speculation only turns out asgood as the other, I shall have no cause to be dissatisfied. But howmuch longer are you going to keep me waiting, Beatrice? We have asuperfluity of this world's goods and there is nothing between us now.Besides, my mother has quite set her heart upon seeing you----"
"In that case," Beatrice said mischievously as she glanced up in herlover's face, "there is no more to be said. I should never dream ofdoing anything to annoy your mother."
And with that Wilfrid was content.
THE END.
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