CHAPTER XVI.
DISCLOSES CERTAIN FACTS.
"There's no doubt about it," I remarked as soon as we had partiallyrecovered from our surprise. "That's Fuller right enough."
"Oh! there's no doubt it's our man," said Dennis emphatically. "Evenif we had not the evidence of the torn page to corroborate it, thelikeness is perfect."
"Yes," I agreed, "but what do you think his game can be? I'm cominground to Garnesk's wireless theory."
"Whatever it is, we've stumbled on something of real importance thistime. We must find out what it is and show it up at once."
"I hope you'll take care," said Myra anxiously. "I shouldn't mind somuch if I could be with you to help, but it's dreadful to sit here andknow you are in danger and not be able to do anything at all."
"I'm very glad you can't, darling," I said heartily, as I threw my armround her shoulders. "I don't want you to come rushing into thesedangers, whatever they may be. In a way I am glad you are not able tojoin us, because I know how difficult it would be to stop you if youwere."
"I suppose this is all one affair," she said doubtfully. "You don'tthink this is something quite different from the green ray? It mightbe two quite separate things, you know."
"I don't think we are likely to meet with two such interestingproblems in such a remote locality unless they are connected with eachother, Miss McLeod, and especially as everything else apart from thephotograph of Baron von Guernstein points to Fuller as the culprit. Ithink we can take it that in solving one mystery we provide thesolution to the other."
"I quite agree with you, Dennis," I said, "but what I am worryingabout now is, what we are going to do."
"The first thing you must do is to dress for dinner, and not letanyone imagine there is anything untoward about," Myra advised. "Andplease don't tell father you have been lunching with one of theKaiser's principal spies, if that's what the Baron's title reallymeans. I would much rather you said nothing to him at all about it forthe present, and in any case you must have something definite in mindas to your plans before you put the matter to him. If you tell him youdon't know what to do about it he will be in a dreadful state. He isvery far from well, and all this business has told on him dreadfully."
"That is very excellent advice, Miss McLeod," Dennis agreed warmly."Ronald, we'll go and disguise ourselves as ordinary, undisturbedhuman beings and hide our fears and doubts behind the breastplate ofa starched shirt. Come along."
So Dennis dragged me away, and then, realising his indiscretion,allowed me to return to my _fiancee_ "just for two minutes, oldfellow."
Dinner was a curious meal, though not quite so strange as the meal theGeneral and I had together the night, less than a week before, thatMyra lost her sight.
I hope I shall never live through a week like that again. Even now, asI look back, I cannot believe that it all happened in seven days. Itstill seems to have been something like seven months at the veryleast.
We had one thing in our favour as we sat down to the table; we all hada common object in view. We were each of us determined to forget thegreen ray for a moment. Fortunately the old man took an immediatefancy to Dennis and that brightened me considerably. There are fewthings so pleasant as to see those whose opinion you value getting onwith your friends. Only once, and that after Mary McNiven had come totake poor Myra away, did the subject of the green ray crop up.
"Mr. Burnham knows about it all, I suppose?" the General asked.
"I've told him everything, and Garnesk and I went over the whole thingwith him before the train went."
"Good!" said the old man emphatically. "Excellent fellowGarnesk--excellent; in fact, I don't know when I've met such athundering good chap. No new developments, I suppose?"
I hesitated. I could not have brought myself to lie to him, and inview of the startling complications with which we had so recently beenconfronted, I was at a loss for an answer. Dennis came to my rescuejust in time.
"I think Ron's difficulty is in defining the word 'developments,'General," said he. "If we said there were developments it wouldnaturally convey the impression that we had something definite toreport. I think perhaps the best way to put it would be that webelieve we are getting on the right scent, by the simple process ofputting two and two together and making them four. We hope to havesomething very decided to tell you in a day or two."
"I shall be glad to hear something, I can assure you," said the oldman, "but in the meantime we will try to forget about it. You have hada tiring journey, Mr. Burnham, followed by a strange initiation intowhat is probably a new sphere of life altogether--the sphere ofmysteries and detectives, and so forth. No, Ronald, we'll give Mr.Burnham a rest for to-night."
But just as I was congratulating myself that we had escaped from thepainful necessity of putting him off with an evasive answer, if not adeliberate lie, the butler entered and announced that he had shownMr. Hilderman into the library.
"Well, as we are ready, we had better join him," said the old man, andwe adjourned to the other room.
Now if Hilderman should by any tactless remark betray our strangeexperience in the afternoon there would be the devil to pay. Ifollowed the General into the library, beckoning to the American witha warning finger on my lip. He saw at once what I meant, fortunately,and held his tongue, and we all talked of general matters for somelittle time. Then Hilderman took the bull by the horns.
"As a matter of fact, General," he announced boldly, "I ran over tohave a word with Mr. Ewart about a certain matter which is interestingus all. I don't suppose you wish me to worry you with details at themoment?"
"I should be very glad to hear what you have to tell us, Mr.Hilderman, but unfortunately I--er--I have a few letters I simplymust write, so I hope you will excuse me. My daughter is in thedrawing-room, so perhaps you fellows would care to join her there. Hercounsel will be of more use to you than mine in your deliberations, Ihave no doubt."
However, when we looked for her in the drawing-room Myra was notthere, and I found her in her den.
"Why not bring him in here?" she asked. "He won't bite, and it willbe more conducive to a free and easy discussion. I should like tohear what he has to say for himself in view of his running away thisafternoon, and I shouldn't feel comfortable in the drawing-room withthis shade on. In here I feel that he must just put up with anycuriosities he meets."
So we made ourselves comfortable in the den, and Hilderman sat in achair by the window.
"Of course, you know what I have come to speak about, Mr. Ewart," hebegan at once. "You must have thought my conduct this afternoon wasvery strange--very unsportsmanlike, to say the least."
"Oh, I don't know," I replied as lightly as I could. "It was a verystrange affair, and it rather called for strange conduct of one sortor another."
"Still, you must have thought it cowardly to run away as quickly as Icould," he insisted.
"It was some time before we even noticed you had left us," I laughed,"and then, I confess, I couldn't quite make out where you had got toor why you had gone."
"As a matter of fact we were rather scared," Dennis put in. "Wesearched for you in the river."
"It sounds a very cowardly confession to make," Hilderman admitted,"but I went back to the landing-stage, got into my boat, and clearedoff as quickly as I could. I must ask you to believe that I was underthe impression that it would be best for us all that I should. But myidea proved to be a bad one and nothing came of it. So here I am toask you if you have learned anything or have anything to suggest."
"I'm afraid we're more at a loss than ever now," I admitted. "Thefurther we get with this thing the less we seem to know about it,unfortunately."
Hilderman was exceedingly sympathetic, and though he made numeroussuggestions he was as puzzled as we were ourselves. I had somedifficulty in defining his attitude. We knew as much as was sufficientto hang his friend "Fuller," but I could not make up my mind whetherhe really was a friend of von Guernstein's or not. It was a smallthing that decided me. On a
n occasionable table beside the Americanlay a steel paper-knife, a Japanese affair, with a carved handle and avery sharp blade. Hilderman picked up the knife and toyed with it.
"I should be careful with that, Mr. Hilderman," I advised. "That is awolf in sheep's clothing; it's exceedingly sharp."
"Oh, yes!" cried Myra. "If you mean my paper-knife, it ought notreally to be used as a paper-knife at all, the point is like a needle.I must put it away or hang it up as an ornament."
The American laughed and laid the knife down again on the table, andwe resumed our discussion. Both Dennis and I knew that we must be verycareful to conceal our suspicions, but at the same time we did ourbest to reach some sort of conclusion with regard to Hildermanhimself.
"And, I suppose, until you have searched about the Saddle," heremarked, "you will be no further on as to who stole Miss McLeod'sdog. It seems to me that the dog was taken by the man who wished toconceal an illicit still, and the green flash, or green ray, orwhatever you call it, is simply a manifestation of some strangeelectrical combination in the air."
"I'm afraid we shall have to leave it at that," I said with anelaborate sigh of regret.
"Not when you have Mr. Burnham's distinguished powers of deduction toassist you, surely, Mr. Ewart?" said Hilderman, and waited for ananswer.
"Flukes are not very consistent things, I fear," Dennis supplied himreadily, "and if we are to make any progress we shall hardly have timefor idle speculation."
"Fortune might continue to favour you," the American persisted. "Don'tyou think it's worth trying?"
"I'm afraid not," said Dennis, with a laugh that added emphasis andconviction to his statement.
"By the way," Myra suggested, "I don't know if anybody would care fora whisky and soda or anything. I won't have drinks served in here, butif anybody would like one, you know where everything is, Ron. I alwayssay if anyone wants a drink in my den they can go and get it, andthen I know they really like being in the den. You see I'm a woman,Mr. Hilderman," she laughed.
"I must say I think the idea of refreshment would not enter the headof anyone who had the pleasure of your company here, Miss McLeod,unless you suggested it yourself."
We laughed at the rather heavy compliment, and I went into thedining-room to fetch the decanters, syphons and glasses.
"I'll help you to get them," called Dennis, and followed me out of theroom.
"Well?" I asked as soon as we reached the other room. "What do youmake of it?"
"I'm not sure," Dennis admitted. "I'm puzzled. I shouldn't besurprised if he turned out to be a Government secret service mankeeping an eye on Fuller-von-Guernstein, and that when he has quitemade up his mind that the mystery of the green ray is connected withhis own business he will show his hand."
"Something of the same sort occurred to Garnesk," I said. "Well,at present we'd better avoid suspicion and go back before he thinkswe're holding a committee meeting."
So I led the way to the den. I was walking carefully and slowly,because I was unaccustomed to carrying trays of glasses and things,and consequently I made no noise. I pushed the door open with myshoulder, Dennis following with a couple of syphons, and as I did soI chanced to glance upwards.
In a large mirror which hung over the fireplace I saw the reflectionof Hilderman's face, knitted in a fierce frown, gazing intently atsome object which was outside my view. Myra was talking, though whatshe was saying I did not notice. I went into the room and put the trayon the big table, and as I filled the glasses I looked round casuallyto see what Hilderman had been looking at. Lying on the sofa on whichMyra was sitting was the copy of the _Pictures_, open at the pagebearing the incriminating photograph!
I mixed Hilderman's drink according to his instructions--for by thistime he had entirely recovered his equanimity--and handed it to him.As I did so I happened to look in the direction of the small tablebeside him. Myra's Japanese paper-knife was still there, but the pointhad been stuck more than an inch into the mahogany top of the table. Iturned away quickly, with a laughing remark to Myra, which did notseem to raise any suspicion at the time, though I have no recollectionnow what it was I said.
A few moments afterwards I quietly and unostentatiously slipped out ofthe room. Surely there could be no doubt about it now. The whole thingwas obvious. Hilderman had noticed the paper, jumped to the conclusionthat we suspected everything, and in the sudden access of baffled ragehad picked up the paper-knife and stabbed it into the table.
There was only one possible reason for that--Hilderman was an enemy.In that case, I thought, he has come here to try and find out how muchwe know and to keep an eye on us. Possibly he might be attempting tokeep us there so that Fuller could get up to some satanic trickelsewhere. I decided to act at once. I turned back to the den and putmy head round the door.
"Will you people excuse me for a bit?" I said lightly. "The Generalwants me." And with that I left them. I had almost asked Hilderman notto go till I came back, but I was afraid it might sound suspicious tohis acute ears. I hardly knew what to do. I should have liked to havebeen able to speak with Dennis, if only for a moment. Indeed, I amquite ready to confess that just then I would have given all Ipossessed for ten minutes' conversation with my friend. I stolequietly out of the house, and thought furiously.
If Hilderman wanted to keep us from spying on Fuller, where wasFuller? Would I be wiser to wait and try to keep an eye on Hilderman,or was my best plan to ignore him and try and locate his Germanfriend? I decided on the latter course. I went back and wrote a shortnote to Dennis and slipped it inside his cap.
"I'm convinced they are both enemies. Take care of Myra. I may be outall night. Don't let her worry about me; I may not be back for sometime, but I shall come back all right.--R."
I left this for my friend, knowing that sooner or later he would findit, and went down to the landing-stage. The _Baltimore II._ and Myra'sboat, the _Jenny Spinner_, were drawn up alongside, and I realisedthat if I took the _Jenny_ I should be raising Hilderman's suspicionsat once. Anchored a little way out was another small motor-boat--thefirst the General had--which Myra had also called after a troutfly--the _Coch-a-Bondhu_--though the play upon words was lost on mostpeople. The boat was still in constant use, and Angus and Hamishcontinually went into Mallaig and Glenelg in it to collect parcels andso on. I ran to the petrol shed, and got three tins of Shell, put themin the dinghy and pushed out to the _Bondhu_, climbed on board,sounded the tank, filled it up, and started out across the Loch. I canonly plead my anxiety to get well out of sight and hearing beforeHilderman should think of leaving the house, as an excuse for mylamentable thoughtlessness on this occasion. Indeed, it was not tilllong afterwards that I realised I had forgotten to anchor the dinghy,and I left it, just as it was, to drift out to sea on the tide.
I made all the pace I could and reached the other side in about twentyminutes. I was sadly equipped for an adventurous expedition! I had noflask to sustain me in case of need, no weapon in case I should becalled to defend myself; I was wearing a dinner-jacket, no hat, and apair of thin patent-leather pumps!
I ran the boat right in shore, heedless of the danger to thepropeller, in a small sandy cove round the point, so that I was hiddenfrom Glasnabinnie. Then I realised that I had been a little tooprecipitate in my departure. There was no anchor-chain on board, andthe painter was admirably suited for making fast to pier-heads andlanding-stages at high tide, but was nothing like long enough toenable me to make the craft secure on short. However, I dragged her asfar up as I could, and prayed that I might be able to return beforethe tide caught her up and carried her away. In those circumstances Ishould have been stranded in the enemy's country, by no means apleasing prospect!
Having done the best I could for Myra's faithful motor-boat, I made myway round the hill, climbing cautiously upwards all the time, mydinner-jacket carefully buttoned in case a gleam of moonlight on myshirt-front should give me away at a critical moment. It was a rockyand difficult climb, and I soon regretted that I had not taken thebridle pa
th to Glasnabinnie and made my way boldly up the bed of theburn. However, it was too late to turn back, and eventually, after oneor two false steps and stumbles, I succeeded in reaching a spot fromwhich I could obtain a good view of the hut. No, there was no lightthere, no sign of movement at all. I decided to work my way round tothe other side and then, if I continued to get no satisfaction, todescend to the house. The windows of the hut, or smoking-room, as thereader will no doubt remember, extended the whole length of thestructure; and surely, I thought, if there were a light in the placeit would be bound to be visible. I edged round the face of a steepcrag, floundered across the stream between the two falls, gettingmyself soaked above the knees as I did so, and crouched among theheather on the other side of the building. No, there was no one there,the place was deserted. I knelt down and peered about me listeningintently.
Not a sound greeted my expectant ear save the incessant rumble of thefalls. Then as I turned my attention to the house itself and lookeddown the course of the burn to Glasnabinnie, I could scarcely suppressa cry of astonishment. For there below me, moving to and fro betweenthe house and the hut, was a constant procession of small lights, likea slowly moving stream of glow-worms, twenty or thirty yards apart. Iwas rooted to the spot. What could it mean? Was this another weirdnatural manifestation, or was it, as was much more likely, a couple ofdozen men bearing lights? Yes, that was it, men bearing lights--andwhat else besides? Men don't climb up and down steep watercourses inthe night for the sake of giving an impromptu firework display to anunexpected visitor, I told myself. There was only one thing to do, andthat was to investigate the matter and chance what might happen to me.I crept down to the hut, and lay on my face among the heather andlistened. Here and there a mumble of voices, now and then a subduedshout, apparently an order to be carried out by the mysteriouslight-bearers, broken occasionally by the shrill call of a gull,conveyed nothing to me that I could not see. I looked up at the hut.No, there was no one there, and the windows were not screened, becauseI could see the moonlight streaming through the far side. Yet, surely,the hut must be their objective, I thought. Where else could they begoing to? Fascinated, I crawled on my hands and knees till I couldtouch the walls of the smoking-room by putting out my arm. I heard agreat commotion coming, it seemed, from the very ground beneath myfeet.
I laid my ear to the ground and listened. The noise grew louder, andthe voices seemed to be shouting against a more powerful sound--thewaterfall, possibly. I thought perhaps the floor of the hut would giveme more opportunity to locate the source of the disturbance. I threwcaution to the winds and slipped through the wide windows into theroom. I moved as carefully as I could, however, once my feet found thefloor, for if there should be anyone below they would probably hear meup above. I turned back the carpet in order to hear more distinctly,and as I did so I noticed a rectangular shaft of light which trickledthrough the floor. There was a trap-door. I knelt down and lifted itcautiously by a leather tab which was attached to one side of it andpeered through. I can never understand how it was I did not drop thathatch again with a self-confessing crash when I realised theextraordinary nature of the sight that greeted my eyes. There was I inthe smoking-hut of a peaceful American citizen, where only a few hoursbefore I had spent a pleasant hour in friendly conversation, and now Iwas lying on the edge of the entrance to a great cavern.
Below me there was a confused mass of machinery and men. Some wereworking on scaffolding, others were many feet below. The nearest ofthem was so close to me that I could have leaned down and laid my handon his head. I tried to make out what they were doing, but except thatthey were dismantling the machinery, whatever it might be, I couldmake nothing of it. I watched them breathlessly, trembling lest at anymoment one of them should look up and detect my presence.
The place was lighted by electricity, though there were not enoughlamps to illuminate the cavern very brightly, and as my eyes gotaccustomed to the lights and shadows I was able to make out the causeof this.
Evidently there was a turbine engine below, driven by the water fromthe falls, which supplied the necessary power. After a moment or twoit dawned on me how the cavern came to be there; it was, or had been,the course of a hidden river, such as are common enough among themountains, but the stream had been diverted, probably by some sort oflandslide, and had left this tumbler-shaped cave, resembling a pitshaft. Now, I thought, I have only to find out what all this machineryis for and the whole mystery is solved. I opened the trap a littlefurther, and allowed my body to hang slightly over the edge.
Then for the first time I saw, to my right, fixed so that it almosttouched the floor of the hut, a great round brass object, mounted onan enormous tripod, which, again, stood on a platform. In front ofthis was a large square thing like a mammoth rectangular condenser,such as is used for photographic enlarging and other projectionpurposes. Had it not been for this condenser I should have taken thewhole thing to be an elaborate searchlight. But, I asked myself, whatwould be the good of a searchlight there? Suddenly the whole truthdawned upon me.
The searchlight must operate through a trap in the wall of the hutjust below the floor. I leaned further in, forgetting my danger in theintoxication of sudden discovery.
Only a foot or two away from me a man was working on the searchlight.Carefully taking it to pieces, he was handing the parts to anotherman, who was perched on the scaffold below him. He was so close tome that I could hear him breathing. I was about to wriggle back tosafety when he looked up. He gave a sudden loud shout. I lay therefascinated. After all, I thought, before they can reach me I can slipout and edge round the cliff, run down on to the shore, and get awayin the motor-boat. But I had reckoned without my host. Even as the manshouted, and the others left their work to see what was the matter,Fuller dashed out from behind the platform, gave one terrified look atme, and, flinging himself at the wall of the cavern, threw all hisweight on a rope which dangled there. I scuttled to my feet, intendingto make a bolt for it. But the boards shivered beneath me, and, beforeI could realise what was happening, I found myself hurtling throughthe air to the floor of the cavern below.