Reading Help Secret Adversary Ch.XIV-XXVIII
"When was that?" `
` `
` "About half-past twelve, sir." `
` `
` "Tell me exactly what happened." `
` `
` The small boy drew a long breath. `
` `
` "I took up a telegram to No. 891--the lady was there. She opened `
` it and gave a gasp, and then she said, very jolly like: 'Bring me `
` up a Bradshaw, and an A.B.C., and look sharp, Henry.' My name `
` isn't Henry, but----" `
` `
` "Never mind your name," said Tommy impatiently. "Go on." `
` `
` "Yes, sir. I brought them, and she told me to wait, and looked `
` up something. And then she looks up at the clock, and 'Hurry up,' `
` she says. 'Tell them to get me a taxi,' and she begins a-shoving `
` on of her hat in front of the glass, and she was down in two `
` ticks, almost as quick as I was, and I seed her going down the `
` steps and into the taxi, and I heard her call out what I told `
` you." `
` `
` The small boy stopped and replenished his lungs. Tommy continued `
` to stare at him. At that moment Julius rejoined him. He held an `
` open letter in his hand. `
` `
` "I say, Hersheimmer"--Tommy turned to him--"Tuppence has gone off `
` sleuthing on her own." `
` `
` "Shucks!" `
` `
` "Yes, she has. She went off in a taxi to Charing Cross in the `
` deuce of a hurry after getting a telegram." His eye fell on the `
` letter in Julius's hand. "Oh; she left a note for you. That's `
` all right. Where's she off to?" `
` `
` Almost unconsciously, he held out his hand for the letter, but `
` Julius folded it up and placed it in his pocket. He seemed a `
` trifle embarrassed. `
` `
` "I guess this is nothing to do with it. It's about something `
` else--something I asked her that she was to let me know about." `
` `
` "Oh!" Tommy looked puzzled, and seemed waiting for more. `
` `
` "See here," said Julius suddenly, "I'd better put you wise. I `
` asked Miss Tuppence to marry me this morning." `
` `
` "Oh!" said Tommy mechanically. He felt dazed. Julius's words `
` were totally unexpected. For the moment they benumbed his brain. `
` `
` "I'd like to tell you," continued Julius, "that before I `
` suggested anything of the kind to Miss Tuppence, I made it clear `
` that I didn't want to butt in in any way between her and you----" `
` `
` Tommy roused himself. `
` `
` "That's all right," he said quickly. "Tuppence and I have been `
` pals for years. Nothing more." He lit a cigarette with a hand `
` that shook ever so little. "That's quite all right. Tuppence `
` always said that she was looking out for----" `
` `
` He stopped abruptly, his face crimsoning, but Julius was in no `
` way discomposed. `
` `
` "Oh, I guess it'll be the dollars that'll do the trick. Miss `
` Tuppence put me wise to that right away. There's no humbug about `
` her. We ought to gee along together very well." `
` `
` Tommy looked at him curiously for a minute, as though he were `
` about to speak, then changed his mind and said nothing. Tuppence `
` and Julius! Well, why not? Had she not lamented the fact that `
` she knew no rich men? Had she not openly avowed her intention of `
` marrying for money if she ever had the chance? Her meeting with `
` the young American millionaire had given her the chance--and it `
` was unlikely she would be slow to avail herself of it. She was `
` out for money. She had always said so. Why blame her because `
` she had been true to her creed? `
` `
` Nevertheless, Tommy did blame her. He was filled with a `
` passionate and utterly illogical resentment. It was all very `
` well to SAY things like that--but a REAL girl would never marry `
` for money. Tuppence was utterly cold-blooded and selfish, and he `
` would be delighted if he never saw her again! And it was a `
` rotten world! `
` `
` Julius's voice broke in on these meditations. `
` `
` "Yes, we ought to get along together very well. I've heard that `
` a girl always refuses you once--a sort of convention." `
` `
` Tommy caught his arm. `
` `
` "Refuses? Did you say REFUSES?" `
` `
` "Sure thing. Didn't I tell you that? She just rapped out a 'no' `
` without any kind of reason to it. The eternal feminine, the Huns `
` call it, I've heard. But she'll come round right enough. Likely `
` enough, I hustled her some----" `
` `
` But Tommy interrupted regardless of decorum. `
` `
` "What did she say in that note?" he demanded fiercely. `
` `
` The obliging Julius handed it to him. `
` `
` "There's no earthly clue in it as to where she's gone," he `
` assured Tommy. "But you might as well see for yourself if you `
` don't believe me." `
` `
` The note, in Tuppence's well-known schoolboy writing, ran as `
` follows: `
` `
` `
` "DEAR JULIUS, `
` `
` "It's always better to have things in black and white. I don't `
` feel I can be bothered to think of marriage until Tommy is found. `
` Let's leave it till then. `
` "Yours affectionately, `
` "TUPPENCE." `
` `
` `
` Tommy handed it back, his eyes shining. His feelings had `
` undergone a sharp reaction. He now felt that Tuppence was all `
` that was noble and disinterested. Had she not refused Julius `
` without hesitation? True, the note betokened signs of weakening, `
` but he could excuse that. It read almost like a bribe to Julius `
` to spur him on in his efforts to find Tommy, but he supposed she `
` had not really meant it that way. Darling Tuppence, there was not `
` a girl in the world to touch her! When he saw her----His thoughts `
` were brought up with a sudden jerk. `
` `
` "As you say," he remarked, pulling himself together, "there's not `
` a hint here as to what she's up to. Hi--Henry!" `
` `
` The small boy came obediently. Tommy produced five shillings. `
` `
` "One thing more. Do you remember what the young lady did with `
` the telegram?" `
` `
` Henry gasped and spoke. `
` `
` "She crumpled it up into a ball and threw it into the grate, and `
` made a sort of noise like 'Whoop!' sir." `
` `
` "Very graphic, Henry," said Tommy. "Here's your five shillings. `
` Come on, Julius. We must find that telegram." `
` `
` They hurried upstairs. Tuppence had left the key in her door. `
` The room was as she had left it. In the fireplace was a crumpled `
` ball of orange and white. Tommy disentangled it and smoothed out `
` the telegram. `
` `
` "Come at once, Moat House, Ebury, Yorkshire, great `
` developments--TOMMY." `
` `
` They looked at each other in stupefaction. Julius spoke first: `
` `
` "You didn't send it?" `
` `
` "Of course not. What does it mean?" `
` `
` "I guess it means the worst," said Julius quietly. "They've got `
` her." `
` `
` "WHAT?" `
` `
` "Sure thing! They signed your name, and she fell into the trap `
` like a lamb." `
` `
` "My God! What shall we do?" `
` `
` "Get busy, and go after her! Right now! There's no time to `
` waste. It's almighty luck that she didn't take the wire with her. `
` If she had we'd probably never have traced her. But we've got to `
` hustle. Where's that Bradshaw?" `
` `
` The energy of Julius was infectious. Left to himself, Tommy `
` would probably have sat down to think things out for a good `
` half-hour before he decided on a plan of action. But with Julius `
` Hersheimmer about, hustling was inevitable. `
` `
` After a few muttered imprecations he handed the Bradshaw to Tommy `
` as being more conversant with its mysteries. Tommy abandoned it `
` in favour of an A.B.C. `
` `
` "Here we are. Ebury, Yorks. From King's Cross. Or St. Pancras. `
` (Boy must have made a mistake. It was King's Cross, not CHARING `
` Cross.) 12.50, that's the train she went by. 2.10, that's gone. `
` 3.20 is the next--and a damned slow train too." `
` `
` "What about the car?" `
` `
` Tommy shook his head. `
` `
` "Send it up if you like, but we'd better stick to the train. The `
` great thing is to keep calm." `
` `
` Julius groaned. `
`
` `
` "About half-past twelve, sir." `
` `
` "Tell me exactly what happened." `
` `
` The small boy drew a long breath. `
` `
` "I took up a telegram to No. 891--the lady was there. She opened `
` it and gave a gasp, and then she said, very jolly like: 'Bring me `
` up a Bradshaw, and an A.B.C., and look sharp, Henry.' My name `
` isn't Henry, but----" `
` `
` "Never mind your name," said Tommy impatiently. "Go on." `
` `
` "Yes, sir. I brought them, and she told me to wait, and looked `
` up something. And then she looks up at the clock, and 'Hurry up,' `
` she says. 'Tell them to get me a taxi,' and she begins a-shoving `
` on of her hat in front of the glass, and she was down in two `
` ticks, almost as quick as I was, and I seed her going down the `
` steps and into the taxi, and I heard her call out what I told `
` you." `
` `
` The small boy stopped and replenished his lungs. Tommy continued `
` to stare at him. At that moment Julius rejoined him. He held an `
` open letter in his hand. `
` `
` "I say, Hersheimmer"--Tommy turned to him--"Tuppence has gone off `
` sleuthing on her own." `
` `
` "Shucks!" `
` `
` "Yes, she has. She went off in a taxi to Charing Cross in the `
` deuce of a hurry after getting a telegram." His eye fell on the `
` letter in Julius's hand. "Oh; she left a note for you. That's `
` all right. Where's she off to?" `
` `
` Almost unconsciously, he held out his hand for the letter, but `
` Julius folded it up and placed it in his pocket. He seemed a `
` trifle embarrassed. `
` `
` "I guess this is nothing to do with it. It's about something `
` else--something I asked her that she was to let me know about." `
` `
` "Oh!" Tommy looked puzzled, and seemed waiting for more. `
` `
` "See here," said Julius suddenly, "I'd better put you wise. I `
` asked Miss Tuppence to marry me this morning." `
` `
` "Oh!" said Tommy mechanically. He felt dazed. Julius's words `
` were totally unexpected. For the moment they benumbed his brain. `
` `
` "I'd like to tell you," continued Julius, "that before I `
` suggested anything of the kind to Miss Tuppence, I made it clear `
` that I didn't want to butt in in any way between her and you----" `
` `
` Tommy roused himself. `
` `
` "That's all right," he said quickly. "Tuppence and I have been `
` pals for years. Nothing more." He lit a cigarette with a hand `
` that shook ever so little. "That's quite all right. Tuppence `
` always said that she was looking out for----" `
` `
` He stopped abruptly, his face crimsoning, but Julius was in no `
` way discomposed. `
` `
` "Oh, I guess it'll be the dollars that'll do the trick. Miss `
` Tuppence put me wise to that right away. There's no humbug about `
` her. We ought to gee along together very well." `
` `
` Tommy looked at him curiously for a minute, as though he were `
` about to speak, then changed his mind and said nothing. Tuppence `
` and Julius! Well, why not? Had she not lamented the fact that `
` she knew no rich men? Had she not openly avowed her intention of `
` marrying for money if she ever had the chance? Her meeting with `
` the young American millionaire had given her the chance--and it `
` was unlikely she would be slow to avail herself of it. She was `
` out for money. She had always said so. Why blame her because `
` she had been true to her creed? `
` `
` Nevertheless, Tommy did blame her. He was filled with a `
` passionate and utterly illogical resentment. It was all very `
` well to SAY things like that--but a REAL girl would never marry `
` for money. Tuppence was utterly cold-blooded and selfish, and he `
` would be delighted if he never saw her again! And it was a `
` rotten world! `
` `
` Julius's voice broke in on these meditations. `
` `
` "Yes, we ought to get along together very well. I've heard that `
` a girl always refuses you once--a sort of convention." `
` `
` Tommy caught his arm. `
` `
` "Refuses? Did you say REFUSES?" `
` `
` "Sure thing. Didn't I tell you that? She just rapped out a 'no' `
` without any kind of reason to it. The eternal feminine, the Huns `
` call it, I've heard. But she'll come round right enough. Likely `
` enough, I hustled her some----" `
` `
` But Tommy interrupted regardless of decorum. `
` `
` "What did she say in that note?" he demanded fiercely. `
` `
` The obliging Julius handed it to him. `
` `
` "There's no earthly clue in it as to where she's gone," he `
` assured Tommy. "But you might as well see for yourself if you `
` don't believe me." `
` `
` The note, in Tuppence's well-known schoolboy writing, ran as `
` follows: `
` `
` `
` "DEAR JULIUS, `
` `
` "It's always better to have things in black and white. I don't `
` feel I can be bothered to think of marriage until Tommy is found. `
` Let's leave it till then. `
` "Yours affectionately, `
` "TUPPENCE." `
` `
` `
` Tommy handed it back, his eyes shining. His feelings had `
` undergone a sharp reaction. He now felt that Tuppence was all `
` that was noble and disinterested. Had she not refused Julius `
` without hesitation? True, the note betokened signs of weakening, `
` but he could excuse that. It read almost like a bribe to Julius `
` to spur him on in his efforts to find Tommy, but he supposed she `
` had not really meant it that way. Darling Tuppence, there was not `
` a girl in the world to touch her! When he saw her----His thoughts `
` were brought up with a sudden jerk. `
` `
` "As you say," he remarked, pulling himself together, "there's not `
` a hint here as to what she's up to. Hi--Henry!" `
` `
` The small boy came obediently. Tommy produced five shillings. `
` `
` "One thing more. Do you remember what the young lady did with `
` the telegram?" `
` `
` Henry gasped and spoke. `
` `
` "She crumpled it up into a ball and threw it into the grate, and `
` made a sort of noise like 'Whoop!' sir." `
` `
` "Very graphic, Henry," said Tommy. "Here's your five shillings. `
` Come on, Julius. We must find that telegram." `
` `
` They hurried upstairs. Tuppence had left the key in her door. `
` The room was as she had left it. In the fireplace was a crumpled `
` ball of orange and white. Tommy disentangled it and smoothed out `
` the telegram. `
` `
` "Come at once, Moat House, Ebury, Yorkshire, great `
` developments--TOMMY." `
` `
` They looked at each other in stupefaction. Julius spoke first: `
` `
` "You didn't send it?" `
` `
` "Of course not. What does it mean?" `
` `
` "I guess it means the worst," said Julius quietly. "They've got `
` her." `
` `
` "WHAT?" `
` `
` "Sure thing! They signed your name, and she fell into the trap `
` like a lamb." `
` `
` "My God! What shall we do?" `
` `
` "Get busy, and go after her! Right now! There's no time to `
` waste. It's almighty luck that she didn't take the wire with her. `
` If she had we'd probably never have traced her. But we've got to `
` hustle. Where's that Bradshaw?" `
` `
` The energy of Julius was infectious. Left to himself, Tommy `
` would probably have sat down to think things out for a good `
` half-hour before he decided on a plan of action. But with Julius `
` Hersheimmer about, hustling was inevitable. `
` `
` After a few muttered imprecations he handed the Bradshaw to Tommy `
` as being more conversant with its mysteries. Tommy abandoned it `
` in favour of an A.B.C. `
` `
` "Here we are. Ebury, Yorks. From King's Cross. Or St. Pancras. `
` (Boy must have made a mistake. It was King's Cross, not CHARING `
` Cross.) 12.50, that's the train she went by. 2.10, that's gone. `
` 3.20 is the next--and a damned slow train too." `
` `
` "What about the car?" `
` `
` Tommy shook his head. `
` `
` "Send it up if you like, but we'd better stick to the train. The `
` great thing is to keep calm." `
` `
` Julius groaned. `
`