Reading Help Secret Adversary Ch.XIV-XXVIII
`
` `
` The Prime Minister looked up. `
` `
` "The enclosure?" `
` `
` Mr. Carter smiled dryly. `
` `
` "In the vaults of the Bank. I am taking no chances." `
` `
` "You don't think"--the Prime Minister hesitated a minute--"that `
` it would be better to open it now? Surely we ought to secure the `
` document, that is, provided the young man's guess turns out to be `
` correct, at once. We can keep the fact of having done so quite `
` secret." `
` `
` "Can we? I'm not so sure. There are spies all round us. Once `
` it's known I wouldn't give that"--he snapped his fingers--"for `
` the life of those two girls. No, the boy trusted me, and I `
` shan't let him down." `
` `
` "Well, well, we must leave it at that, then. What's he like, `
` this lad?" `
` `
` "Outwardly, he's an ordinary clean-limbed, rather block-headed `
` young Englishman. Slow in his mental processes. On the other `
` hand, it's quite impossible to lead him astray through his `
` imagination. He hasn't got any--so he's difficult to deceive. He `
` worries things out slowly, and once he's got hold of anything he `
` doesn't let go. The little lady's quite different. More `
` intuition and less common sense. They make a pretty pair working `
` together. Pace and stamina." `
` `
` "He seems confident," mused the Prime Minister. `
` `
` "Yes, and that's what gives me hope. He's the kind of diffident `
` youth who would have to be VERY sure before he ventured an `
` opinion at all." `
` `
` A half smile came to the other's lips. `
` `
` "And it is this--boy who will defeat the master criminal of our `
` time?" `
` `
` "This--boy, as you say! But I sometimes fancy I see a shadow `
` behind." `
` `
` "You mean?" `
` `
` "Peel Edgerton." `
` `
` "Peel Edgerton?" said the Prime Minister in astonishment. `
` `
` "Yes. I see his hand in THIS." He struck the open letter. "He's `
` there--working in the dark, silently, unobtrusively. I've always `
` felt that if anyone was to run Mr. Brown to earth, Peel Edgerton `
` would be the man. I tell you he's on the case now, but doesn't `
` want it known. By the way, I got rather an odd request from him `
` the other day." `
` `
` "Yes?" `
` `
` "He sent me a cutting from some American paper. It referred to a `
` man's body found near the docks in New York about three weeks `
` ago. He asked me to collect any information on the subject I `
` could." `
` `
` "Well?" `
` `
` Carter shrugged his shoulders. `
` `
` "I couldn't get much. Young fellow about thirty-five--poorly `
` dressed--face very badly disfigured. He was never identified." `
` `
` "And you fancy that the two matters are connected in some way?" `
` `
` "Somehow I do. I may be wrong, of course." `
` `
` There was a pause, then Mr. Carter continued: `
` `
` "I asked him to come round here. Not that we'll get anything out `
` of him he doesn't want to tell. His legal instincts are too `
` strong. But there's no doubt he can throw light on one or two `
` obscure points in young Beresford's letter. Ah, here he is!" `
` `
` The two men rose to greet the new-comer. A half whimsical thought `
` flashed across the Premier's mind. "My successor, perhaps!" `
` `
` "We've had a letter from young Beresford," said Mr. Carter, `
` coming to the point at once. "You've seen him, I suppose?" `
` `
` "You suppose wrong," said the lawyer. `
` `
` "Oh!" Mr. Carter was a little nonplussed. `
` `
` Sir James smiled, and stroked his chin. `
` `
` "He rang me up," he volunteered. `
` `
` "Would you have any objection to telling us exactly what passed `
` between you?" `
` `
` "Not at all. He thanked me for a certain letter which I had `
` written to him--as a matter of fact, I had offered him a job. `
` Then he reminded me of something I had said to him at Manchester `
` respecting that bogus telegram which lured Miss Cowley away. I `
` asked him if anything untoward had occurred. He said it `
` had--that in a drawer in Mr. Hersheimmer's room he had discovered `
` a photograph." The laywer{sic} paused, then continued: "I asked `
` him if the photograph bore the name and address of a Californian `
` photographer. He replied: 'You're on to it, sir. It had.' Then `
` he went on to tell me something I DIDN'T know. The original of `
` that photograph was the French girl, Annette, who saved his `
` life." `
` `
` "What?" `
` `
` "Exactly. I asked the young man with some curiosity what he had `
` done with the photograph. He replied that he had put it back `
` where he found it." The lawyer paused again. "That was good, you `
` know--distinctly good. He can use his brains, that young fellow. `
` I congratulated him. The discovery was a providential one. Of `
` course, from the moment that the girl in Manchester was proved to `
` be a plant everything was altered. Young Beresford saw that for `
` himself without my having to tell it him. But he felt he couldn't `
` trust his judgment on the subject of Miss Cowley. Did I think `
` she was alive? I told him, duly weighing the evidence, that `
` there was a very decided chance in favour of it. That brought us `
` back to the telegram." `
` `
` "Yes?" `
` `
` "I advised him to apply to you for a copy of the original wire. `
` It had occurred to me as probable that, after Miss Cowley flung `
` it on the floor, certain words might have been erased and altered `
` with the express intention of setting searchers on a false `
` trail." `
` `
` Carter nodded. He took a sheet from his pocket, and read aloud: `
` `
` `
` "Come at once, Astley Priors, Gatehouse, Kent. Great `
` developments--TOMMY. `
` `
` `
` "Very simple," said Sir James, "and very ingenious. Just a few `
` words to alter, and the thing was done. And the one important `
` clue they overlooked." `
` `
` "What was that?" `
` `
` "The page-boy's statement that Miss Cowley drove to Charing `
` Cross. They were so sure of themselves that they took it for `
` granted he had made a mistake." `
` `
` "Then young Beresford is now?" `
` `
` "At Gatehouse, Kent, unless I am much mistaken." `
` `
` Mr. Carter looked at him curiously. `
` `
` "I rather wonder you're not there too, Peel Edgerton?" `
` `
` "Ah, I'm busy on a case." `
` `
` "I thought you were on your holiday?" `
` `
` "Oh, I've not been briefed. Perhaps it would be more correct to `
` say I'm preparing a case. Any more facts about that American `
` chap for me?" `
` `
` "I'm afraid not. Is it important to find out who he was?" `
` `
` "Oh, I know who he was," said Sir James easily. "I can't prove `
` it yet--but I know." `
` `
` The other two asked no questions. They had an instinct that it `
` would be mere waste of breath. `
` `
` "But what I don't understand," said the Prime-Minister suddenly, `
` "is how that photograph came to be in Mr. Hersheimmer's drawer?" `
` `
` "Perhaps it never left it," suggested the lawyer gently. `
` `
` "But the bogus inspector? Inspector Brown?" `
` `
` "Ah!" said Sir James thoughtfully. He rose to his feet. "I `
` mustn't keep you. Go on with the affairs of the nation. I must `
` get back to--my case." `
` `
` Two days later Julius Hersheimmer returned from Manchester. A `
` note from Tommy lay on his table: `
` `
` "DEAR HERSHEIMMER, `
` `
` "Sorry I lost my temper. In case I don't see you again, `
` good-bye. I've been offered a job in the Argentine, and might as `
` well take it. "Yours, `
` "TOMMY BERESFORD." `
` `
` `
`
` `
` The Prime Minister looked up. `
` `
` "The enclosure?" `
` `
` Mr. Carter smiled dryly. `
` `
` "In the vaults of the Bank. I am taking no chances." `
` `
` "You don't think"--the Prime Minister hesitated a minute--"that `
` it would be better to open it now? Surely we ought to secure the `
` document, that is, provided the young man's guess turns out to be `
` correct, at once. We can keep the fact of having done so quite `
` secret." `
` `
` "Can we? I'm not so sure. There are spies all round us. Once `
` it's known I wouldn't give that"--he snapped his fingers--"for `
` the life of those two girls. No, the boy trusted me, and I `
` shan't let him down." `
` `
` "Well, well, we must leave it at that, then. What's he like, `
` this lad?" `
` `
` "Outwardly, he's an ordinary clean-limbed, rather block-headed `
` young Englishman. Slow in his mental processes. On the other `
` hand, it's quite impossible to lead him astray through his `
` imagination. He hasn't got any--so he's difficult to deceive. He `
` worries things out slowly, and once he's got hold of anything he `
` doesn't let go. The little lady's quite different. More `
` intuition and less common sense. They make a pretty pair working `
` together. Pace and stamina." `
` `
` "He seems confident," mused the Prime Minister. `
` `
` "Yes, and that's what gives me hope. He's the kind of diffident `
` youth who would have to be VERY sure before he ventured an `
` opinion at all." `
` `
` A half smile came to the other's lips. `
` `
` "And it is this--boy who will defeat the master criminal of our `
` time?" `
` `
` "This--boy, as you say! But I sometimes fancy I see a shadow `
` behind." `
` `
` "You mean?" `
` `
` "Peel Edgerton." `
` `
` "Peel Edgerton?" said the Prime Minister in astonishment. `
` `
` "Yes. I see his hand in THIS." He struck the open letter. "He's `
` there--working in the dark, silently, unobtrusively. I've always `
` felt that if anyone was to run Mr. Brown to earth, Peel Edgerton `
` would be the man. I tell you he's on the case now, but doesn't `
` want it known. By the way, I got rather an odd request from him `
` the other day." `
` `
` "Yes?" `
` `
` "He sent me a cutting from some American paper. It referred to a `
` man's body found near the docks in New York about three weeks `
` ago. He asked me to collect any information on the subject I `
` could." `
` `
` "Well?" `
` `
` Carter shrugged his shoulders. `
` `
` "I couldn't get much. Young fellow about thirty-five--poorly `
` dressed--face very badly disfigured. He was never identified." `
` `
` "And you fancy that the two matters are connected in some way?" `
` `
` "Somehow I do. I may be wrong, of course." `
` `
` There was a pause, then Mr. Carter continued: `
` `
` "I asked him to come round here. Not that we'll get anything out `
` of him he doesn't want to tell. His legal instincts are too `
` strong. But there's no doubt he can throw light on one or two `
` obscure points in young Beresford's letter. Ah, here he is!" `
` `
` The two men rose to greet the new-comer. A half whimsical thought `
` flashed across the Premier's mind. "My successor, perhaps!" `
` `
` "We've had a letter from young Beresford," said Mr. Carter, `
` coming to the point at once. "You've seen him, I suppose?" `
` `
` "You suppose wrong," said the lawyer. `
` `
` "Oh!" Mr. Carter was a little nonplussed. `
` `
` Sir James smiled, and stroked his chin. `
` `
` "He rang me up," he volunteered. `
` `
` "Would you have any objection to telling us exactly what passed `
` between you?" `
` `
` "Not at all. He thanked me for a certain letter which I had `
` written to him--as a matter of fact, I had offered him a job. `
` Then he reminded me of something I had said to him at Manchester `
` respecting that bogus telegram which lured Miss Cowley away. I `
` asked him if anything untoward had occurred. He said it `
` had--that in a drawer in Mr. Hersheimmer's room he had discovered `
` a photograph." The laywer{sic} paused, then continued: "I asked `
` him if the photograph bore the name and address of a Californian `
` photographer. He replied: 'You're on to it, sir. It had.' Then `
` he went on to tell me something I DIDN'T know. The original of `
` that photograph was the French girl, Annette, who saved his `
` life." `
` `
` "What?" `
` `
` "Exactly. I asked the young man with some curiosity what he had `
` done with the photograph. He replied that he had put it back `
` where he found it." The lawyer paused again. "That was good, you `
` know--distinctly good. He can use his brains, that young fellow. `
` I congratulated him. The discovery was a providential one. Of `
` course, from the moment that the girl in Manchester was proved to `
` be a plant everything was altered. Young Beresford saw that for `
` himself without my having to tell it him. But he felt he couldn't `
` trust his judgment on the subject of Miss Cowley. Did I think `
` she was alive? I told him, duly weighing the evidence, that `
` there was a very decided chance in favour of it. That brought us `
` back to the telegram." `
` `
` "Yes?" `
` `
` "I advised him to apply to you for a copy of the original wire. `
` It had occurred to me as probable that, after Miss Cowley flung `
` it on the floor, certain words might have been erased and altered `
` with the express intention of setting searchers on a false `
` trail." `
` `
` Carter nodded. He took a sheet from his pocket, and read aloud: `
` `
` `
` "Come at once, Astley Priors, Gatehouse, Kent. Great `
` developments--TOMMY. `
` `
` `
` "Very simple," said Sir James, "and very ingenious. Just a few `
` words to alter, and the thing was done. And the one important `
` clue they overlooked." `
` `
` "What was that?" `
` `
` "The page-boy's statement that Miss Cowley drove to Charing `
` Cross. They were so sure of themselves that they took it for `
` granted he had made a mistake." `
` `
` "Then young Beresford is now?" `
` `
` "At Gatehouse, Kent, unless I am much mistaken." `
` `
` Mr. Carter looked at him curiously. `
` `
` "I rather wonder you're not there too, Peel Edgerton?" `
` `
` "Ah, I'm busy on a case." `
` `
` "I thought you were on your holiday?" `
` `
` "Oh, I've not been briefed. Perhaps it would be more correct to `
` say I'm preparing a case. Any more facts about that American `
` chap for me?" `
` `
` "I'm afraid not. Is it important to find out who he was?" `
` `
` "Oh, I know who he was," said Sir James easily. "I can't prove `
` it yet--but I know." `
` `
` The other two asked no questions. They had an instinct that it `
` would be mere waste of breath. `
` `
` "But what I don't understand," said the Prime-Minister suddenly, `
` "is how that photograph came to be in Mr. Hersheimmer's drawer?" `
` `
` "Perhaps it never left it," suggested the lawyer gently. `
` `
` "But the bogus inspector? Inspector Brown?" `
` `
` "Ah!" said Sir James thoughtfully. He rose to his feet. "I `
` mustn't keep you. Go on with the affairs of the nation. I must `
` get back to--my case." `
` `
` Two days later Julius Hersheimmer returned from Manchester. A `
` note from Tommy lay on his table: `
` `
` "DEAR HERSHEIMMER, `
` `
` "Sorry I lost my temper. In case I don't see you again, `
` good-bye. I've been offered a job in the Argentine, and might as `
` well take it. "Yours, `
` "TOMMY BERESFORD." `
` `
` `
`