CHAPTER LII
"AS PROOF OF HOLY WRIT"
Tchigorsky hung over the papers before him as if inspired. There was notmuch, apparently, in the book with the metal clasps, but that littleseemed to be fascinating to a degree. The Russian turned it over till hecame to the end.
"You appear to be satisfied," Geoffrey said.
"Satisfied is a poor word to express my feelings," Tchigorsky replied.He stretched himself; he drew a deep breath like one who has been underwater.
"I have practically everything here in this diary," he said. "It iswritten in a language you would fail to understand, but it is all likeprint to me. Everything is traced down from the first of the familycatastrophes to the last attempt by means of the bees. There are lettersfrom Lassa containing instructions for the preparation of certain drugsand poisons; in fact, here is everything."
"So that we are rid of our foes at last?"
"Not quite. The princess is cunning. We shall have to extract aconfession from her; we shall have to get her and her two slavestogether. It is all a matter of hours, but we shall have to becircumspect. If the woman finds she is baffled she may be capable of abitter revenge to finish with."
"What are you going to do?" Geoffrey asked.
"We are going back to the castle the same way we came," Tchigorskyexplained. "We are going to show your uncle Ralph our find. For thepresent it is not expedient that Sergius Tchigorsky should come to lifeagain."
The box was locked once more and replaced, and then the two burglarscrept from the house. They had not disturbed anybody, for the upperwindows of the farmhouse were all in darkness.
A brisk walk brought them to the castle. Upstairs a dim light was stillburning in Ralph Ravenspur's window. The light flared up at the signal,and a few minutes later the three were seated round the lamp, while thewindow was darkened again.
Ralph sat stolidly smoking as if he had not moved for hours. He evincednot the slightest curiosity as to the success of his companions.Tchigorsky smote him on the back with unwonted hilarity.
"So you have been successful?" he croaked.
"Oh, you have guessed that!" Tchigorsky cried.
"It was a mere matter of time," Ralph replied. "It was bound to come. Iknew that from the first day I got here."
"All very well," Tchigorsky muttered; "but it was only a 'matter oftime' till the Ravenspurs were wiped out root and branch."
"You knew the day you got here?" Geoffrey exclaimed.
Ralph turned his inscrutable face to the speaker.
"I did, lad," he said. "I came home to ascertain how the thing wasworked. Before I slept the first night under the old roof I knew thetruth. And I came in time--guided by the hand of Providence--to save thefirst of a fresh series of tragedies.
"You wonder why I did not speak; you have asked me before why I did notproclaim my knowledge. And I replied that the whole world would havelaughed at me; you would have been the first to deride me, and theassassin would have been warned. I kept my counsel; I worked on like amole in the dark; and when I had something to go on, Tchigorsky came.Before you are many hours older the miscreants will stand confessed."
Tchigorsky nodded approval. He was deftly rolling a cigarette betweenhis long fingers.
"Ralph is right," he said. "We have only to fire the mine now. By theway, Ralph, you were clever to get that key."
"Easy enough," Ralph croaked. "I knew the woman would be uneasy abouther papers, so I gave her a touch of the cordial on her lips and broughther to her senses. A certain messenger who shall be nameless was sentoff with the key. The messenger was detained, is still detainedaccording to arrangements, and her pocket was picked. Elphick droppedback and gave me the key, which I passed on to you."
Geoffrey followed in some bewilderment. The messenger business was allstrange to him.
"Did you know that diary existed?" he asked.
"Of course I did," Ralph growled. "In a measure, I might say that I hadseen it. Many a time at night have I lain in a flower-bed under thatwoman's window and heard her reading from the diary or writing in it.That is why I asked no questions when you came in. I knew you had beensuccessful. And now, Princess Zara, it is my turn."
Ralph's voice dropped to a whisper, an intense, burning whisper of hateand vengeance. He rose and paced the room like a caged bird.
"What will be her fate?" asked Geoffrey.
"Burn her, slay her, hang her," Ralph cried. "No death is too painful,too loathsome for a creature like that. I could forgive her fanaticalcruelty; I could forgive the way she fought for her creed. But when itcomes to those allied by ties----"
The speaker paused and sat down.
"Who talks too fast says too much," he remarked sententiously.
"What is the next move?" Geoffrey asked.
"Bed, I should say," Tchigorsky suggested dryly. "As far as one canjudge we are likely to have a busy day before us to-morrow. And don'tyou be surprised at anything you see or hear. It will be all in theday's work, as you English say. I am going to lie up in hiding here, butI shall turn up when the time comes. Good-night."
It was late when Geoffrey rose the following day, and the family hadlong had breakfast when he came downstairs. Most of the family werestill in the breakfast room or on the terrace in the sunshine.
"How is the visitor?" he asked.
"Mrs. May seems very queer," Mrs. Gordon explained. "She complains of asort of paralysis in her lower limbs. At the same time she refuses tosee a doctor, saying that she has had something of the kind before."
"Does she account for her presence here?" said Geoffrey.
"Oh, yes. Of course she had heard you were missing and been informedthat everybody from the castle was on the beach. It was getting darkwhen she saw two strange suspicious-looking men coming this way. Shefelt sure that they had designs on the house and followed them. Shetried to get somebody to assist her, but could not see a soul anywhere.Then she put on that queer dress and came on here.
"The two men entered the castle and she crept after them. Theydiscovered her and one of them gave her a blow on the head that stunnedher. When she came to her senses again she was lying in bed. Wasn't itplucky of her?"
"Very," Geoffrey said dryly; "but where is Marion?"
"Marion, like yourself, seems to be lazily inclined to-day. It is sovery unlike her; indeed, I fear the poor child is anything but well.Those quiet people always feel the most, and poor Marion was greatlyupset yesterday."
Vera came in at the same moment. She had a merry word or two forGeoffrey as to his late appearance. She had not seen Marion as yet. "Runup to her room, there is a dear girl," said Geoffrey. "This sort ofthing is not like Marion; I fear something has happened to her."
"I wish you would," Ravenspur observed.
Vera disappeared only to come back presently with the information thatMarion's room was empty, and that her bed had not been occupied. Sheheld a little envelope in her hand.
"I can only find this," she said.
Ravenspur snatched the letter, and tore it open.
"Extraordinary," he exclaimed. "Marion says she has found a clue to thetroubles and is following it up at once. If she does not come back tilllate we are not to worry about her. Strange! But I have every confidencein the girl."
"May she not come to harm!" Vera said fervently.
"Oh, I hope not," Mrs. Gordon cried. "But will this mystery and miserynever end?"