CHAPTER XXII
THE TRAIL GROWS
As Jessie sat there by the bedside of her new-found friend, she hardlyknew what to say. It was impossible, after all that Jessie had seen andheard, to believe that the papers so boldly purloined by Vera Gallowaywere not of the least importance. Otherwise there would not have beenall those alarms and excursions, and most assuredly Countess Saens wouldhave made no attempt to get into the hospital. Vera had handled themissing Foreign Office documents beyond a doubt.
"Cannot you recollect anything about them?" Jessie urged.
"Absolutely nothing at all," Vera replied. "You see, I was so utterlyovercome by the success of my daring exploit that I was half dazed. Ihad saved the situation, and I had saved Charlie Maxwell also. I supposeI must have crossed Piccadilly in a dream. Then there was a violentshock, and I came to my senses; but only for a moment, and then I wasutterly unconscious till I arrived here. I had just sense enough left toremember that I was called 'Harcourt,' and there it ended."
"And yet I suppose all your underlinen is marked?" Jessie suggested.
"Only with a monogram, one of those intricate things that nobody couldpossibly understand. But look round, and see if you can find any traceof those papers. In a vague way I remember clutching them tightly in myhand as the cab struck me."
But there were no papers to be seen. The nurse knew nothing of them, andthe hall porter was equally sure that the patient carried nothing as sheentered the hospital. Doubtless they had fallen in the road and had beenpicked up by somebody who would not have the slightest idea of the valueof their contents. It was so cruelly hard that the tears rose to Vera'seyes.
"It does seem terrible," she said, "after all the risk and all thedanger. I could cry out when I think of it, I could sit up in bed andscream. And to think that those documents are perhaps lying in thegutter at this very moment! Jessie, is there nothing you can do?"
"I can have faith and courage," Jessie replied. "I will ask Dr. Varneywhat is best to be done. At any rate, there is one way in which we havethe better of our foes. They know that the papers are stolen, but theydon't know that they have been lost again. I dare say Dr. Varney willthink of a plan. But I cannot believe that Mr. Maxwell was guilty. I sawhim just now, as I told you, and I am quite certain that he is notraitor to his country."
"I hope not," Vera said. "It seems almost incredible. When Charlie'sface rises up before me, I feel that I have been dreaming. Yet I knowthat he has been exceedingly friendly with the Countess Saens. There wasassuredly a kind of flirtation between them. I tried to believe that Iwas needlessly jealous. I should have thought no more about it until Ireceived that anonymous letter----"
"Anonymous letter!" Jessie exclaimed. "That is the first time that youhave mentioned it at all to me."
"Because I forget. As a matter of fact, I had no opportunity. It wasonly just before I came to you in my distress and trouble. The letterwas beautifully written on very good paper. I am quite sure that itemanated from a lady of education. It simply said that if I would savethe man I loved from ruin, I had better contrive to find my way into theCountess Saens's bedroom to-night between the hours of nine and eleven.Also, I was to open the second drawer of the Dutch cabinet, the key ofwhich I should find on the top of the clock. You see, I had heard myuncle mention this Asturian trouble. The queen was a friend of mine, andI divined what was going to happen. I tried to see Charlie, but I wasbaffled there.
"Then you came into my mind, and I determined to put a desperate resolveinto execution. I knew Countess Saens's house well; she took itfurnished from some friends of ours, and I had been in every room there.I knew the countess was coming to my aunt's party. And when I startedout on my errand I was more or less in the dark until I heard thosedreadful newsboys proclaiming the tragedy. Then one or two hints droppedby the Queen of Asturia came back to me, and I knew then the import ofmy mission. That mission was accomplished, as you know. How I failed atthe very last moment you already know."
"But I am not going to admit that you have failed," Jessie urged. "Therecan be no question of the fact that you dropped those papers. It isequally certain that somebody picked them up. They would be nothing toan outsider, who would probably take them to Scotland Yard. I decline toadmit that we are beaten yet."
"It is very good of you to say so," Vera said gratefully. "You willhave to play my part till to-morrow, when Dr. Varney must contrive tocome and see me. He will have to certify that I am quite well enough tobe moved, and then I shall proceed in a cab to your lodgings, stillpassing as Jessie Harcourt. You will write to your sister and ask her tobe prepared. Then you will come home and we will change clothes oncemore, so that nobody will be any the wiser. Don't worry about anything;be prepared and silent, and leave matters to my maid. And never again solong as I live shall you want a friend, Jessie. God bless you!"
Jessie rose and kissed the tearful face of the speaker. The nurse washovering about again with a suggestion that it was high time the visitordeparted. Jessie blessed the long black wrap and hood that Varney'sforesight had provided her with, seeing that she would have to walkhome. She would not have been afraid under ordinary circumstances, butthe spectacle of a well dressed woman walking in that guise at dead ofnight was likely to attract attention. As a matter of fact, it didattract attention, for a man passed Jessie at the hospital door.
"Don't be alarmed," he said. "It is I--Charles Maxwell. Glad to findthat a turned-up collar and hat pulled over the eyes makes so muchdifference. How is she Miss--Miss----"
Maxwell boggled over the name, and Jessie did not help him. MissGalloway was going on very well indeed, but she had had her perilouserrand for nothing. There was no object whatever in Mr. Maxwellcommitting a second attack on the house of the countess, seeing that theprecious documents had already been abstracted by Vera Galloway. ThatMiss Galloway had lost the papers made no difference.
"That's very unfortunate," Maxwell said with a little sigh. "A brave anddaring action like that should have been fully rewarded. Still, it givesus breathing time; it enables me to defy the foe. Let me walk back withyou as far as the garden gate of Merehaven House. We shall pass theresidence of Countess Saens on the way, and we may notice something."
Jessie had no objection to make. On the contrary, she was glad of a malecompanion. Usually she did not mind being out late; but then she was notdressed for society, and the shoes she wore were not satin ones with oldpaste buckles.
Very silently they walked along the now deserted streets. Then Maxwellpaused, and indicated a house on the opposite side of the road. Abrilliant light burned in the hall, and in the dining-room the electricswere fully on. The lace blinds were half down, and beyond the bank ofParma violets and maidenhair fern in the window boxes it was possible toobtain a glimpse into the room.
"The countess is at home," Maxwell whispered. "I know that for certain.I don't fancy she has gone out again, for a messenger boy was summonedto the house. Ah, there she is!"
By stooping a little it was possible to see the figure of the countess.She had discarded her jewels and her flowers; she had a tiny cigarettein her mouth. She took her place at a table and seemed to be writingsomething. Presently a man entered the room--a slight man, with a paleface and a mass of flame-coloured hair on his head; across his gleamingwhite shirt an order or two glittered.
Maxwell grasped Jessie's arm; he spoke with a fierce indrawing of hisbreath.
"Do you see that?" he whispered "Do you recognize anybody in that figurestanding there--the man, I mean?"
"The King of Asturia," Jessie replied promptly. It was not possible tobe quite certain at that distance, but the dining-room was flooded withlight. Beyond doubt here was the ruler of Asturia, whom Jessie had leftnot so long before in a state of collapse.
"Look at him," Maxwell said in tones of the deepest contempt. "Look atthe smiling scoundrel. And yet to save him and his kingdom one of thenoblest women in England is risking her all. For his sake GeneralMaxgregor does outrage to his feelings and conc
eals his passionate lovefor the queen. I would give ten years of my life to know what is goingon there."
It was impossible to hear, however. It was also impossible to seeanything from the near side of the road. Jessie's anger was almost aspassionate as that of her companion. It seemed a lamentable thing thatthe King of Asturia should be so lost to all sense of his position. Andhe must have known that he was making himself quite at home in the houseof his deadliest enemy.