CHAPTER XIII
En Voyage
Mr. Graham's congratulations next morning quite overwhelmed me.
"I never expected such complete and speedy success, Mr. Lester," hesaid warmly. "You've done splendid work."
I pointed out to him that, after all, my success was purely the resultof accident. Had I been really clever, I should have instantlysuspected what that sudden seizure on the station platform meant, Ishould have hurried back to the scene, and followed Martigny--as Istill called him in my thoughts--to the hospital, on the chance ofsecuring his first address. Instead of which, if chance had notbefriended me, I should have been as far as ever from a solution ofthe mystery. I trembled to think upon what a slender thread my victoryhad hung.
But my chief would not listen; he declared that a man must be judgedby his achievements, and that he judged me by mine.
"Let us find out how our friend is," I said at last; so the hospitalwas called up. We were informed that the patient was stronger, butwould not be able to leave his bed for two or three days.
"The Jourdains may tell him of my call," I said. "They'll suspectsomething when I don't return to-day--yet they may wait for me a dayor two longer--they have my money--and one day is all I want. It'sjust possible that they may keep silent altogether. They've nothing togain by speaking--it's plain that they're not in the conspiracy.Anyway, to-morrow I'll be out of reach."
Mr. Graham nodded.
"Yes--that's plainly the next step. You must follow them toFrance--but where in France will you look for them? I didn't think ofthat before. Why, the search is just beginning! I thought itimpossible to accomplish what you have accomplished, but that seemseasy, now, beside this new problem."
"Yes," I assented; "still, it may not be so hard as it looks. We musttry to find out where the women have gone, and I believe Rogers canhelp us. My theory is that they're from one of the towns which theHolladays visited when they were abroad, and Mr. Holladay must havekept in touch with his office, more or less, during that time."
My chief sprang up and seized his hat.
"The very thing!" he cried. "There's no luck about that bit ofreasoning, Mr. Lester. Come, I'll go with you."
"Only," I added, as we went down together, "I very much fear that thesearch will lead to Paris, for Martigny is undoubtedly a Parisian."
"And to find a person in Paris...."
I did not answer: I only shut my teeth together, and told myself forthe hundredth time that I must not fail.
Rogers had been carrying on the routine work of the business since hisemployer's death, and was supervising the settlement of accounts, andthe thousand and one details which must be attended to before thebusiness could be closed up. We found him in the private office, andstated our errand without delay.
"Yes," he said, "Mr. Holladay kept in touch with the office, ofcourse. Let me see--what was the date?"
"Let us look for the first six months of 1876," I suggested.
He got down the file covering that period, and ran through theletters.
"Yes, here they are," he said after a moment. "In January, he writesfrom Nice, where they seem to have remained during February and March.About the middle of April, they started north--here's a letter datedParis, April 19th--and from Paris they went to a place calledEtretat. They remained there through May, June, and July. That is allthe time covered by this file. Shall I get another?"
"No," I answered; "but I wish you'd make an abstract of Mr. Holladay'swhereabouts during the whole time he was abroad, and send it to ouroffice not later than this afternoon."
"Very well, sir," he said, and we left the room.
"But why didn't you let him go farther?" asked Mr. Graham, as we leftthe building.
"Because I think I've found the place, sir," I answered. "Did younotice--the time they stayed at Etretat covers the period of MissHolladay's birth, with which, I'm convinced, these people were in someway concerned. We must look up Etretat."
A map at the office showed us that it was a little fishing hamlet andseaside resort on the shore of the English Channel, not far north ofHavre.
"My theory is," I said, "that when the time of her confinementapproached, Mr. Holladay brought his wife to Paris to secure theservices of an experienced physician, perhaps; or perhaps a nurse, orlinen, or all of them. That done, they proceeded to Etretat, whichthey may have visited before, and knew for a quiet place, with abracing atmosphere and good climate--just such a place as they wouldnaturally desire. Here, the daughter was born, and here, I amconvinced, we shall find the key to the mystery, though I'm very farfrom guessing what that key is. But I have a premonition--you maysmile if you wish--that I'll find the clew I'm seeking at Etretat. Thename has somehow struck an answering chord in me."
The words, as I recall them now, seem more than a little foolish andself-assured; yet, in light of the result--well, at any rate, my chiefshowed no disposition to smile, but sat for some moments in deepthought.
"I don't doubt that you're right, Mr. Lester," he said at last. "Atany rate, I'm ready to trust your experience--since I have absolutelynone in this kind of work. I don't need to say that I have everyconfidence in you. I'll have a letter of credit prepared at once, sothat you may not want for money--shall we say five thousand to startwith?"
I stammered that I was certain that would be more than enough, but hesilenced me with a gesture.
"You'll find foreign travel more expensive than you think," he said."It may be, too, that you'll find that money will help you materiallywith your investigations. I want you to have all you may need--don'tspare it. When you need more don't hesitate to draw on us."
I thanked him and was about to take my leave, for I had some packingto do and some private business to arrange, when a message came fromDoctor Jenkinson. Mr. Graham smiled as he read it.
"Royce is better," he said; "much better. He's asking for you, andJenkinson seems to think you'd better go to him, especially if you canbring good news."
"Just the thing!" I cried. "I must go to bid him good-by, in anyevent," and half an hour later I was admitted to our junior's room. Hewas lying back in a big chair, and seemed pale and weak, but heflushed up when he saw me, and held out his hand eagerly.
"I couldn't wait any longer, Lester," he began. "It seems an age sinceI've seen you. I'd have sent for you before this, but I knew that youwere working."
"Yes," I smiled; "I was working."
"Sit down and tell me about it," he commanded. "All about it--everydetail."
The door opened as he spoke, and Dr. Jenkinson came in.
"Doctor," I queried, "how far is it safe to indulge this sick man? Hewants me to tell him a story."
"Is it a good story?" asked the doctor.
"Why, yes; fairly good."
"Then tell it. May I stay?"
"Certainly," said Mr. Royce and I together, and the doctor drew up achair.
So I recounted, as briefly as I could, the events of the past twodays, and the happy accident which had given me the address I sought.Mr. Royce's face was beaming when I ended.
"And you start for France to-morrow?" he asked.
"To-morrow morning--the boat sails at ten o'clock."
"Well, I'm going with you!" he cried.
"Why," I stammered, startled by his vehemence, "are you strong enough?I'd be mighty glad to have you, but do you think you ought? How aboutit, doctor?"
Jenkinson was smiling with half-shut eyes.
"It's not a bad idea," he said. "He needs rest and quiet more thananything else, and he's bound to get a week of that on the water,which is more than he'll do here. I can't keep that brain of hisstill, wherever he is. He'd worry here, and with you he'll becontented. Besides," he added, "he ought to be along: for I believethe expedition is going to be successful!"
I believed so, too; but I recognized in Jenkinson's words that fineoptimism which had done so much to make him the great doctor he was. Ishook our junior's hand again in the joy of having him with me. As forhim, he seemed quit
e transformed, and Jenkinson gazed at him with alook of quiet pleasure.
"You'll have to pack," I said. "Will you need my help?"
"No; nurse can do it, with the doctor here to help us out," helaughed. "You've your own packing to do, and odds and ends to lookafter. Besides, neither of us will need much luggage. Don't forget toreserve the other berth in that stateroom for me."
"No," I said, and rose. "I'll come for you in the morning."
"All right; I'll be ready."
The doctor followed me out to give me a word of caution. Mr. Royce wasstill far from well; he must not over-exert himself; he must be keptcheerful and hopeful, if possible; above all, he was not to worry;quiet and sea air would do the rest.
I hurried back to the office to make my final report to Mr. Graham,and to get the abstract which Rogers had promised to have ready, andwhich was awaiting me on my desk. Our worthy senior was genuinelypleased when he learned that his junior was going with me, though ourabsence would mean a vast deal of extra work for himself. The canvassof the city stables had been completed without result, but I suspectednow that Martigny himself had hired the carriage, and had, perhaps,even acted as driver--such an easy and obvious way to baffle ourpursuit would hardly have escaped him.
I finished up some odds and ends of work which I had left undone, andfinally bade Mr. Graham good-by, and started for my rooms. My packingwas soon finished, and I sat down for a final smoke and review of thesituation.
There was one development of the day before which quite baffled me. Ihad proved that there were, indeed, two women, and I believed them tobe mother and daughter, but I could not in the least understand whythe younger one had so completely broken down after the departure ofthe elder with Miss Holladay. I looked at this point from every side,but could find no reasonable explanation of it. It might be, indeed,that the younger one was beginning already to repent her share in theconspiracy--there could be no question that it was she who had struckdown Holladay in his office--that she had even refused to go fartherin the plot, and that her companions had found it necessary torestrain her; but this seemed to me too exceedingly improbable tobelieve. And, as I went over the ground again, I found myselfbeginning more and more to doubt the truth of Godfrey's theory, thoughI could formulate none to take its place; I became lost in a maze ofconjecture, and, at last, I gave it up and went to bed.
* * * * *
I called for Mr. Royce, as we had agreed, and together we drove downto Morton Street. He, too, had limited his baggage to a single smalltrunk. We secured a deck-hand to take them into our stateroom, and,after seeing them disposed of, went out on deck to watch the lastpreparations for departure. The pier was in that state of hurly-burlywhich may be witnessed only at the sailing of a transatlantic liner.The last of the freight was being got aboard with frantic haste; theboat and pier were crowded with people who had come to bid theirfriends good-by; two tugs were puffing noisily alongside, ready topull us out into the stream. My companion appeared quite strong, andseemed to enjoy the bustle and hubbub as much as I did. He flushedwith pleasure, as he caught sight of our senior pushing his way towardus.
"Why, this is kind of you, sir!" he cried, grasping his hand. "I knowwhat the work of the office must be, with both of us deserting youthis way."
"Tut, tut!" and Mr. Graham smiled at us. "You deserve a vacation,don't you? I couldn't let you go without telling you good-by.Besides," he added, "I learned just this morning that two very dearfriends of mine are taking this boat--Mrs. Kemball and herdaughter--the widow of Jim Kemball, you know."
Mr. Royce nodded. I, too, recalled the name--Jim Kemball had been oneof the best men at the New York bar twenty years before, and mustinevitably have made a great name for himself but for his untimelydeath. I had heard a hundred stories of him.
"Well, I want you to meet them," continued Mr. Graham, looking aboutin all directions. "Ah, here they are!" and he dragged his partneraway toward the bow of the boat. I saw him bowing before a gray-hairedlittle lady, and a younger and taller one whose back was toward me.They laughed together for a moment, then the last bell rang, and theship's officers began to clear the boat. I turned back to the pier,but was brought round an instant later by Mr. Graham's voice.
"My dear Lester," he cried, "I thought we'd lost you. I want tointroduce you to Mrs. Kemball and her daughter, who are to be yourfellow voyagers. Mr. Lester's a very ingenious young man," he added."Make him amuse you!" and he hastened away to catch the gang-plankbefore it should be pulled in.
I bowed to Mrs. Kemball, thinking to myself that I had never seen asweeter, pleasanter face. Then I found myself looking into a pair ofblue eyes that fairly took my breath away.
"We'll not neglect Mr. Graham's advice," said a merry voice. "Soprepare for your fate, Mr. Lester!"
There was a hoarse shouting at the gang-way behind me, and the eyeslooked past me, over my shoulder.
"See," she said; "there's one poor fellow who has just made it."
I turned and looked toward the gang-plank. One end had been castloose, but two deck-hands were assisting another man to mount it. Heseemed weak and helpless, and they supported him on either side. Aninvoluntary cry rose to my lips as I looked at him, but I choked itback. For it was Martigny, risen from his bed to follow us!