CHAPTER XVIII
DOLLOPS TAKES A HAND
Meanwhile Dollops had not been idle. He had set himself the stupendoustask not only of discovering the murderer of Miss Cheyne, but what wasmore important to his sentimental heart, the finding of the young girl.Her face, as he had seen it once on that memorable day at Charing CrossStation, had so imprinted itself on his impressionable mind that it waslittle wonder that Sir Edgar Brenton spent many hours in the lad'scompany listening to his brief description of her again, and givingDollops as clear a word picture of her as any lover could.
"She is dead, the devils have killed her!" he would say in despair, butthis theory Dollops refused to accept at any price.
"Not 'arf they ain't, Sir Edgar, and don't you go fer to believe it," hewould say, when the two paced up and down watching the grim old housethat would have told them so much could it have had human powers ofspeech. "Don't you forgit, murder's an 'anging business, and a mightyuncomfortable sort of business, too, I should imagine. No, sir, 'erladyship's 'id away snug and tight, mark my words, till it's safe to let'er go, and it's up to _us_ to find 'er. For all Mr. Narkom thinks of isthem blessed jewels, beggin 'is pardon."
"Yes, and the other one, the Headland chap, is just as bad; not a singleeffort made to trace my dear girl, only that blessed Purple Emperor. Asif it were worth a hair of her precious head!" stormed Sir Edgar.
Dollops switched round upon his heel and looked up into the angrycountenance.
"Steady on there, sir. Not a word against Mr.--er Headland," said hewith a touch of asperity in his cockney tones. "He's my boss, and thefinest, cleverest chap wot ever breathed, an' if 'e's made up his mindto find the Emperor, purple or pink, then 'e's quite right, and you maydepend on it he hasn't forgotten Lady Margaret."
Then Dollops went on his own tack, leaving Sir Edgar to enjoy his ownbitter reflections as best he might.
"Not but wot 'e's all wrong though, bless 'is 'eart," said Dollops, whenhe was safely by himself, "for if that precious Miss Wynne ain't at thebottom of it then I'll eat my 'ead, 'at and all."
He was still indignant that Cleek had apparently taken such littlenotice of his staggering discovery and capture as she climbed throughthe window on the night of the murder, and he had persistently doggedher footsteps ever since. But for the time being he was keeping a stricteye on the movements of Cleek himself, and having seen him safely intothe house, he took up his position, squatting in the shadow of the hugeovergrown laurel bushes, prepared to wait till nightfall, if need be,for such time as his master should emerge.
From time to time his eyes swept ferret-like over the vacant windows ofCheyne Court, and of a sudden, a sight met them which caused his activelittle body to stiffen like a statue. In that deserted house, in anupper window, there appeared the outline of a woman's figure andDollops' heart leapt into his mouth as the dazzling thought that itmight be Lady Margaret herself, crossed his mind.
Dollops gave a praise-worthy imitation of a night-owl, and that Cleekheard it was soon apparent, for the ballroom window flashed open andCleek himself came out. No sooner was he on the step near the lad than arather more than usually excited Dollops descended on him.
"For Gawd's sake, Guv'nor, come quick," he said as he laid a tense,nervous grip on Cleek's arm. "There's a woman prowling round in the'ouse. How she got in, fair licks me, but she's in right enough and----"
"What's that?" rapped out Cleek, sharply. "In Cheyne Court _now_?Impossible, my dear Dollops. I locked the hall door behind me, and onlyunshuttered the ball room window when I heard you call. It's quiteimpossible!"
"It's not, sir," said Dollops, his voice shaking with earnestness,"there's a woman in that house, sure as I'm standing 'ere on thisblessed piece of ground. She was upstairs herself in that window upthere. I couldn't see her face, first at all, sir--thought it was LadyMargaret 'erself when I copped a glimpse of 'er, but when she turnedaway I could see as her countingance was too broad."
Cleek looked at the boy keenly.
"Was it Miss Jennifer, Miss Wynne again?" he asked. "Try and place thewoman in your mind, lad."
"No, it wasn't, worse luck," responded Dollops, ruefully, for he woulddearly have loved to have caught his erstwhile captive red-handed again.
"I seen 'er this morning, and she's in a blue creepy-crawly kind ofdress wot tears if yer looks at it. But this 'ere female was in a blackdress. I see it plain as plain."
Cleek twitched up an enquiring eyebrow.
"Sure it was a woman and not a Hindoo priest?" he said.
"Certain sure," was the disappointing answer. "You're backing the wrong'orse there, sir. It was a woman right enough."
Cleek's disappointment showed in his grave face, for in his own mind hewas still inclined to lay the murder and even the abduction of LadyMargaret, at the door of the priests of Brahma, tenders of thefar-distant Temple of Shiva. He knew the main object of their liveswould be achieved could they but once get into their possession againthe ill-fated Eye of Shiva, known to the European world as the PurpleEmperor.
"Are you _sure_?" he persisted, laying a tense hand upon Dollops' arm."Don't jump to a conclusion, Dollops."
That worthy tossed up his carrotty head.
"Not 'arf I ain't, gov'nor," said he, fervently, only wishing in hisloyal heart that it could have been one of them beastly "niggers." Hewould cheerfully have sworn them to be snow-white could it give Cleekany satisfaction. "I see 'er face the second time and it was amiddle-aged woman. Why you didn't 'ear 'er tramping around beats me.Anyway, she was evidently a watchdog for someone, too, for she lookedright down vicious-like. Lor-lumme, sir, if she ain't there again! Look!Look!"
Cleek did look, switching round on his heel, and gazing up at the windowon his left. Sure enough, a woman was there, a woman in a dark dress andwith a pale, lined face. She was a stranger to Cleek, as well as toDollops, and a chill of excitement went through him at the thought ofwhat her presence in this house of mystery and death meant.
At a silent signal from Cleek Dollops crouched lower in the bushes.
"Can't be up to much good in there," he whispered with a backward jerkof his thumb in the direction of the house. "Shall I nip back to Mr.Narkom and bring him along?"
Cleek pondered a moment.
"H'mn, yes, you might do that, but no, on the other hand, it will looksuspicious. Keep here, out of sight, if you can, and if I don't come outin half an hour, then you might cut along. Understand?"
"Yes, sir," said Dollops, obediently, but in his own mind he was saying,"_me_ stay out 'ere if there's going to be any danger for _'im_?"
He watched Cleek's features writhe into the face of the gallantLieutenant Deland, so that he should be unrecognizable should heencounter any one he knew and saw him fit in the heavy key which hadbeen found for the front door. But it had hardly closed upon his figurewhen Dollops was up and round the back to see whether it were notpossible to effect an entrance of his own.
Meanwhile Cleek, his foot on the threshold of the door, took out thekey, and closed the hall door behind him. It was very gloomy within, butnot so dark as to prevent him seeing the figure of a woman, standing atthe foot of the stairs, the woman Dollops had seen but a few shortminutes ago.
He advanced a step forward and raised his chin.
"Who are you?" he said, imperatively. "And what are you doing here?"
"That's what we'd like to know of you," came a harsh, raucous voicebehind him.
Cleek wheeled round sharply, but a moment too late. For once in his lifehis customary caution had left him. From the gloom of the door a man'sfigure sprang forward, bearing him down by the impetus and the totalunexpectedness of the attack.
A little cry of triumph burst from the lips of the woman as she rushedforward and helped him bind Cleek's struggling figure with the ropeswhich he had drawn from his pocket. When this was done, she turned uponher companion and spoke to him.
"I thought you were never coming, Jack," she said, looking up into thesullen though triumphant
face of the man whom Cleek had recognized asthe immaculate butler of that day so long ago when he and ConstableRoberts had come post haste to the Court.
"I came as quick as I could, but those fools of police are all over theplace," the man answered, viciously. "As to you, my fine fighting cock,"jerking Cleek's bound figure to his feet, "we want a little explanationfrom you, and we're going to see that we get it. Come along, Aggie,let's make for the wine cellar. I can do with a drink, can't you?"
Cursing himself for his folly, Cleek was forced to let his captors draghim downstairs into what were evidently the wine-cellars of CheyneCourt. How either of his opponents had entered and re-entered the housewas still a mystery to him, and when he looked at their grim, triumphantfaces he wondered dully exactly what was likely to become of him. Therewas desperation in their eyes and hatred in their looks. This was atighter corner than he had yet experienced. His thoughts were notpermitted to continue long, for----
"Now, my friend," said the man, as he pushed Cleek roughly into a stoutkitchen chair. "What have you done with the girl? Come, out with it!We've no intention of having dangerous witnesses against us. Tell uswhere that girl is, and we'll let you off with your life. But if youdon't----"
Cleek looked as surprised as he honestly felt.
"What girl?" he asked, bluntly.
"Now, then, none of your tricks," snarled the woman with a nasty laugh."You know right enough, the girl you drove here and came back in such aprecious stew about afterwards! Lord, how we took you in! A proper old'do' it was."
She laughed hysterically. "The clever devil! He was a bit too clever,eh? Didn't get over me, though." Her voice broke, and it was evidentthat she had already been drinking heavily.
The man, seeing this, interrupted her.
"Stow it, Aggie, my girl," said he with an oath. "We've had enough ofthat. Now, then, you tell us quick or it will be the worst for you."
"If you mean Lady Margaret Cheyne," Cleek said in a calm voice, "youknow more about her than I do. She was in your hands!"
"Yes, and safe and sound, too!" snarled Aggie. "What we want to know iswho broke in 'ere and took 'er away? You're the only person wot's binactually near the place, so it's no use your denying it."
Cleek shook his head, and favoured her with a bewildered smile.
"I do, and I give you my oath. I have not seen her since I left herasleep in the chair upstairs," he responded. "I wish to God I had!We've been searching for her long enough, goodness knows!"
The man stared at the woman and the woman stared at the man. There wasdismay written large on both their faces. It looked as if a mistake hadbeen made after all.
"What are you going to do now?" asked Aggie in a breathless whisper. "Idon't believe it--still----"
"Believe it or not, I'm going to finish him," growled the man inresponse. "Dead men tell no tales, my girl, and her precious ladyshipwon't do us no harm. And as for other things----"
Their laughter filled the vaulted chamber, sending the echoes chasingback and forth. Cleek's heart sank like lead. So this was to be the end.This. After all his escapes, all his plans for the precious future withAilsa. His soul was sick within him.
"Come, let's have one more drink of the old girl's wine. Pretty goodtaste, too, and then we'll put this johnny to sleep for good," went onthe man in a calm, steady voice as though the task of putting people tosleep for good was an easy matter.
"Are you sure it's safe to leave 'im?" asked Aggie. "There might havebeen someone else on the watch."
"Not a soul, my dear. Come on!"
Still laughing, they passed into the inner room, leaving Cleek trussedup like a fowl upon the floor and utterly helpless to assist himself.
In his anxiety to find the girl whom he had driven all unconsciouslyinto danger, Cleek had had no thought for himself, and he felt that anyhelp that Dollops might bring would be too late to save him. The studdeddoor swung back on its hinges, and all was as silent as the grave itwould so soon become.
Two minutes passed, three--five--perhaps ten, and still the quiet wasunbroken. Cleek, his eyes strained toward the window which he would havegiven worlds to be able to reach or drag himself to, waited like a mousein a trap.
Suddenly an odd gleam of sunlight came through the dust-laden, begrimedwindow, and as it did so, it lit up two tiny shreds of substance whichcaused Cleek's heart to leap to his throat. With his unmistakable giftof memory, he knew from whence they came, he knew now many things.
He knew how Lady Margaret had escaped and also, if his memory served himrightly, the identity of the person who had assisted her, though forwhat ends it was impossible to know.
Suddenly on his reverie a sound broke at last and Cleek braced himselffor the end. To die like this--like a rat in a trap with no chance tofight for one's self! Well, it was Fate, and he could not quarrel withit.
But this was no sound of triumphant captor, rather of someone movingdown the stone passage with the greatest of caution. It was so faintthat ears less keen than his might not have detected it. And at first hethought it was the man come to finish his task or even Aggie, hiscompanion. Yet at the first soft footfall he knew it was neither ofthem. Then inch by inch the door pushed its way open until it was wideenough to allow the slight body of Dollops to pass through.
At the sight of his master he leapt forward and whipping out a knife cutthe bond that bound him.
Cleek stretched his head luxuriously.
"Dollops, lad, that was a narrow shave," he said with a sudden littlelaugh. But the boy's face was grave.
"Quick, sir, for the land's sake. I know a new way out," he whispered,as he dragged away the chair. "They've drunken themselves blind, but anyminute--quick, sir--come on--come, _do_!"
Cleek did come on, and after one grab at the window, switched on hisheel and sped swiftly and noiselessly in the wake of Dollops. Not sonoiselessly, however, but what some faint sound must have penetratedeven the wine-fuddled brains of the man and woman, for there came thesound of swift footsteps, a yell of disappointment, then the patter ofpursuing feet which stumbled uncertainly. To Cleek it seemed as if theymust be caught and would have to fight for it. So affecting the quick,heavy tones of Mr. Narkom he shouted lustily at the top of his voice,and the house rang with the echoes.
"Come on, lads, we'll find him yet! Down this passage, and here theyare."
And he tramped the stones with his boots till the passage resounded aswith the feet of many men. It was a chance throw, but it had the desiredeffect, for with a smothered yell the two turned and fled back to thewine-cellar. Dollops caught Cleek quickly by the arm.
"Let's get out, sir. Don't stop to catch them till we gets help,"pleaded he, and Cleek, realizing the futility of attempting to capturethese two members of the Pentacle Gang if he knew anything,single-handed and unarmed as he was, did as he was bidden. Together theyleft the big house by Dollops' new egress, a biggish pantry windowstanding conveniently open, and so reached the safety of the grounds.Despite the rush, Cleek had contrived to snatch at the two fragmentsclinging to the cellar window ledge, and a little smile crossed his faceas Dollops uttered words of remorse at having let his precious masterinto the trap alone.
Cleek squeezed his arm with an impulsive gesture.
"Dollops," he said, softly. "Be quiet. You've put one more thread intomy hands, and you've saved my life into the bargain. If that's notenough for one afternoon, then you're a greedier chap than I thought."
Dollops gulped loudly in answer and seizing Cleek's hand, squeezed ittightly in both his own.
It was not until they had arrived safely at the Hampton Arms and were inthe company of Mr. Narkom himself that Dollops gave vent to his relief.
The Superintendent gasped when he heard their story. "This must be therest of the gang," he said, "but how and where they get to puzzles me!"
"So it does me," threw in Cleek, quietly. "There is evidently someunknown hiding place. What's that? Go back now with you to catch them?No, no, Mr. Narkom, surely you will give th
em more credit than that. Mylittle trick succeeded, but they will not stop to be caught like rats ina trap. A stronger guard must be kept in future, and I will take carenot to be caught napping myself. By the way, I suppose that you haveseen the authorities about the inquest."
Mr. Narkom nodded vigorously.
"Yes, it is fixed for to-morrow, at the house itself," he said.