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throw her into the river? Be reasonable, Colonel!
Why did she end her life? asked Walford sternly.
How should I know? I never dreamt that she was in any kind of trouble. As
God is my judge!
The Colonel checked him with a gesture.
And yet you made all the arrangements for her at the nursing home, he said
significantly.
Meister s face paled.
That s a lie!
It didn t come out at the inquest. Nobody knows but Scotland Yard and
Henry Arthur Milton!
Maurice Meister smiled.
How can he know he s dead. He died in Australia.
There was a pause, and then Walford spoke.
The Ringer is alive he s here, he said, and Meister came to his feet, white
to the lips.
94
CHAPTER 25
Maurice Meister faced the Assistant Commissioner with horror in his eyes.
The Ringer here! Are you serious?
The Commissioner nodded.
I repeat he s alive he s here.
That can t be true! He wouldn t dare come here with a death sentence
hanging over him. The Ringer! You re trying to scare me ha! ha! He forced a
laugh. Your little yoke, Colonel.
He s here I ve sent for you to warn you.
Why warn me? demanded Meister. I never saw him in my life; I don t
even know what he looks like. I knew the girl he used to run around with an
American girl. She was crazy about him. Where is she? Where she is, he is.
She s in London. In this very building at this very moment!
Meister s eyes opened wide.
Here? The Ringer wouldn t dare do it! And then, with sudden violence: If
you know he s in London; why don t you take him? The man s a madman.
What are you for? To protect people to protect me! Can t you get in touch
with him? Can t you tell him that I knew nothing about his sister, that I looked
after her and was like a father to her? Wembury, you know that I had nothing to
do with this girl s death?
He turned to Alan.
I know nothing about it, said the detective coldly. The only thing I know
is that if anything happens to Mary Lenley, I ll
Don t you threaten me! stormed Meister.
I don t know what women see in you, Meister! your reputation is foul!
Meister s lips were trembling.
Lies, more lies! They tear a man s character to rags, these scum! There have
been women naturally. We re men of the world. One isn t an anchorite. The
Ringer! he forced a smile. Pshaw! Somebody has been fooling you! Don t
you think I should have heard? Not a bird moves in Deptford but I know it.
Who has seen him?
Meister, I ve warned you, said Walford seriously as he rang a bell. From
now on your house will be under our observation. Have bars put on your
windows; don t admit anybody after dark and never leave the house by night
except with a police escort.
95
Inspector Bliss came in at that moment.
Oh, Bliss I think Mr. Meister may need a little care taken of him I put
him in your charge. Watch over him like a father.
The dark eyes of the detective fell upon the lawyer as he rose.
The day you take him I ll give a thousand pounds to the Police Orphanage,
said Meister.
We don t want money so badly as that. I think that is all. It is not my
business to pass judgment on any man. It is a dangerous game that you are
playing. Your profession gives you an advantage over other receivers
It was the one word above all others that Meister hated.
Receiver! You hardly realise what you are saying.
Indeed I do. Good morning.
Meister polished his hat on his sleeve as he walked to the door.
You will be sorry for that statement, Colonel. For my own part, I am
unmoved by your hasty judgment. He looked at his watch. Five minutes to
one
He had left behind his walking stick. Bliss picked it up. The handle was
loose, and with a twist he drew out a long steel blade.
Your swordstick, Mr. Meister you seem to be looking after yourself pretty
well, he said with an unholy grin.
Meister shot one baleful look at him as he went out of the room.
He scarcely remembered leaving the Chief Constable s office, but walked
down the corridor and into the yard like a man in a dream. It was not possible.
The Ringer back in London! All these stories at which he had scoffed were true.
A terrible miracle had happened. Henry Arthur Milton was here, in this great
city, might be this man or that& he found himself peering into the faces he met
between the Yard and the sidewalk where his car was parked.
Is anything wrong, Maurice? asked Mary anxiously, as she came to meet
him.
Wrong? His voice was thick, unnatural; the eyes had a queer, glazed
expression. Wrong? No, nothing is wrong why? What can be wrong?
All the time he was speaking, his head turned nervously left and right. Who
was that man waltzing towards him, swinging a cane so light-heartedly? Might
he not be The Ringer? And that pedlar, shuffling along with a tray of matches
and studs before him, an unkempt, grimy, dirty-looking old man it was such a
disguise as The Ringer would love to adopt. Bliss? Where had he seen Bliss
before? Somewhere& his voice, too, had a familiar sound. He racked his brains
to recall. Even the chauffeur came under his terrified scrutiny: a burly man with
a long upper lip and a snub nose. That could not be The Ringer&
What is the matter, Maurice?
He looked at her vacantly.
96
Oh, Mary! he said. Yes, of course, my dear, we ought to be getting home.
He stumbled past her into the car, dropped on to the padded seat with a little
groan.
Do you want to go back to Deptford, Maurice?
Yes back to Deptford.
She gave instructions to the chauffeur and, entering the car after him, closed
the door.
Was it something awful, Maurice?
No, my dear. He roused himself with a start. Awful?& No, a lie, that s
all! Tried to scare me& tried to scare Maurice Meister! His laugh was thin and
cracked and wholly unnatural. They thought it would rattle me. You know
what these police commissioners are& jumped up army officers who have been
jobbed into a soft billet, and have to pretend they understand police work to
keep it!
His face changed.
That man Bliss was there the fellow you told me about. I can t quite place
him, Mary. Did your did Wembury tell you anything about him?
She shook her head.
No, Maurice, I only know what I told you.
Bliss! he muttered. I ve never seen a detective with a beard before. They
used to wear them years ago: it was quite the ordinary thing; but nowadays
they re clean-shaven& he comes from America, too. Did you see Hackitt?
She nodded.
He came out about ten minutes before you and got on a tram.
He heaved a deep and troubled sigh.
I wish I d seen him. I d like to know what they asked him about. Of course I
know now: they brought him there for an altogether different reason. They re
sly, these fellows; you never know what they re after. The truth isn t in them!
He was feeling in his pocket for the little cushion-shaped gold box, and Mary
pretended not to see. She had guessed the nature of the stimulant which [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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throw her into the river? Be reasonable, Colonel!
Why did she end her life? asked Walford sternly.
How should I know? I never dreamt that she was in any kind of trouble. As
God is my judge!
The Colonel checked him with a gesture.
And yet you made all the arrangements for her at the nursing home, he said
significantly.
Meister s face paled.
That s a lie!
It didn t come out at the inquest. Nobody knows but Scotland Yard and
Henry Arthur Milton!
Maurice Meister smiled.
How can he know he s dead. He died in Australia.
There was a pause, and then Walford spoke.
The Ringer is alive he s here, he said, and Meister came to his feet, white
to the lips.
94
CHAPTER 25
Maurice Meister faced the Assistant Commissioner with horror in his eyes.
The Ringer here! Are you serious?
The Commissioner nodded.
I repeat he s alive he s here.
That can t be true! He wouldn t dare come here with a death sentence
hanging over him. The Ringer! You re trying to scare me ha! ha! He forced a
laugh. Your little yoke, Colonel.
He s here I ve sent for you to warn you.
Why warn me? demanded Meister. I never saw him in my life; I don t
even know what he looks like. I knew the girl he used to run around with an
American girl. She was crazy about him. Where is she? Where she is, he is.
She s in London. In this very building at this very moment!
Meister s eyes opened wide.
Here? The Ringer wouldn t dare do it! And then, with sudden violence: If
you know he s in London; why don t you take him? The man s a madman.
What are you for? To protect people to protect me! Can t you get in touch
with him? Can t you tell him that I knew nothing about his sister, that I looked
after her and was like a father to her? Wembury, you know that I had nothing to
do with this girl s death?
He turned to Alan.
I know nothing about it, said the detective coldly. The only thing I know
is that if anything happens to Mary Lenley, I ll
Don t you threaten me! stormed Meister.
I don t know what women see in you, Meister! your reputation is foul!
Meister s lips were trembling.
Lies, more lies! They tear a man s character to rags, these scum! There have
been women naturally. We re men of the world. One isn t an anchorite. The
Ringer! he forced a smile. Pshaw! Somebody has been fooling you! Don t
you think I should have heard? Not a bird moves in Deptford but I know it.
Who has seen him?
Meister, I ve warned you, said Walford seriously as he rang a bell. From
now on your house will be under our observation. Have bars put on your
windows; don t admit anybody after dark and never leave the house by night
except with a police escort.
95
Inspector Bliss came in at that moment.
Oh, Bliss I think Mr. Meister may need a little care taken of him I put
him in your charge. Watch over him like a father.
The dark eyes of the detective fell upon the lawyer as he rose.
The day you take him I ll give a thousand pounds to the Police Orphanage,
said Meister.
We don t want money so badly as that. I think that is all. It is not my
business to pass judgment on any man. It is a dangerous game that you are
playing. Your profession gives you an advantage over other receivers
It was the one word above all others that Meister hated.
Receiver! You hardly realise what you are saying.
Indeed I do. Good morning.
Meister polished his hat on his sleeve as he walked to the door.
You will be sorry for that statement, Colonel. For my own part, I am
unmoved by your hasty judgment. He looked at his watch. Five minutes to
one
He had left behind his walking stick. Bliss picked it up. The handle was
loose, and with a twist he drew out a long steel blade.
Your swordstick, Mr. Meister you seem to be looking after yourself pretty
well, he said with an unholy grin.
Meister shot one baleful look at him as he went out of the room.
He scarcely remembered leaving the Chief Constable s office, but walked
down the corridor and into the yard like a man in a dream. It was not possible.
The Ringer back in London! All these stories at which he had scoffed were true.
A terrible miracle had happened. Henry Arthur Milton was here, in this great
city, might be this man or that& he found himself peering into the faces he met
between the Yard and the sidewalk where his car was parked.
Is anything wrong, Maurice? asked Mary anxiously, as she came to meet
him.
Wrong? His voice was thick, unnatural; the eyes had a queer, glazed
expression. Wrong? No, nothing is wrong why? What can be wrong?
All the time he was speaking, his head turned nervously left and right. Who
was that man waltzing towards him, swinging a cane so light-heartedly? Might
he not be The Ringer? And that pedlar, shuffling along with a tray of matches
and studs before him, an unkempt, grimy, dirty-looking old man it was such a
disguise as The Ringer would love to adopt. Bliss? Where had he seen Bliss
before? Somewhere& his voice, too, had a familiar sound. He racked his brains
to recall. Even the chauffeur came under his terrified scrutiny: a burly man with
a long upper lip and a snub nose. That could not be The Ringer&
What is the matter, Maurice?
He looked at her vacantly.
96
Oh, Mary! he said. Yes, of course, my dear, we ought to be getting home.
He stumbled past her into the car, dropped on to the padded seat with a little
groan.
Do you want to go back to Deptford, Maurice?
Yes back to Deptford.
She gave instructions to the chauffeur and, entering the car after him, closed
the door.
Was it something awful, Maurice?
No, my dear. He roused himself with a start. Awful?& No, a lie, that s
all! Tried to scare me& tried to scare Maurice Meister! His laugh was thin and
cracked and wholly unnatural. They thought it would rattle me. You know
what these police commissioners are& jumped up army officers who have been
jobbed into a soft billet, and have to pretend they understand police work to
keep it!
His face changed.
That man Bliss was there the fellow you told me about. I can t quite place
him, Mary. Did your did Wembury tell you anything about him?
She shook her head.
No, Maurice, I only know what I told you.
Bliss! he muttered. I ve never seen a detective with a beard before. They
used to wear them years ago: it was quite the ordinary thing; but nowadays
they re clean-shaven& he comes from America, too. Did you see Hackitt?
She nodded.
He came out about ten minutes before you and got on a tram.
He heaved a deep and troubled sigh.
I wish I d seen him. I d like to know what they asked him about. Of course I
know now: they brought him there for an altogether different reason. They re
sly, these fellows; you never know what they re after. The truth isn t in them!
He was feeling in his pocket for the little cushion-shaped gold box, and Mary
pretended not to see. She had guessed the nature of the stimulant which [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]