The Black Box Part 23

He opened the door of the garage, leaving the keys in the lock, and they both pa.s.sed inside. The place was gloomy and lit only by a single narrow window near the roof. The only vehicle it contained was the Professor's little car.

"You can say what you please here without the slightest fear of being overheard, miss," Craig remarked.

Lenora nodded, and breathed a prayer to herself. She was nearer the door than Craig by about half-a-dozen paces. Her hand groped in the little bag she was carrying and gripped something hard. She clenched her teeth for a moment. Then the automatic pistol flashed out through the gloom.

"Craig," she threatened, "if you move I shall shoot you."

It seemed as though the man were a coward. He began to tremble, his lips twitched, his eyes grew larger and rounder.

"What is it?" he faltered. "What do you want?"

"Just this," Lenora said firmly. "I suspect you to be guilty of the crime for which Sanford Quest is in prison. I am going to have you questioned.

If you are innocent, you have nothing to fear. If you are guilty, there will be some one here before long who will extract the truth from you."

The man's face was an epitome of terror. Even his knees shook. Lenora felt herself grow calmer with every moment.

"I am going outside to send a message," she told him. "I shall return presently."

"Don't go," he begged suddenly. "Don't leave me!"

She turned around.

"Why not?"

He drew a step nearer. Once more the few inches of blue steel flashed out between them.

"None of your games," she warned him. "I am in earnest, and I am not afraid to shoot."

"I won't come any nearer," he promised, "but listen! I am innocent--I have done nothing wrong. If you keep me here, you will do more harm than you can dream of."

"It is for other people to decide about your innocence," Lenora said calmly. "I have nothing to do with that. If you are wise, you will stop here quietly."

"Have you said anything to Mr. Ashleigh, miss?" the man asked piteously.

"Not a word."

An expression of relief shone for a moment upon his face. Lenora pointed to a stool.

"Sit down there and wait quietly," she ordered.

He obeyed without a word. She left the place, locked the door securely, and made her way round to the other side of the garage--the side hidden from the house. Here, at the far corner, she drew a little pocket wireless from her bag and set it on the window-sill. Very slowly she sent her message,--

"I have Craig here in the Professor's garage, locked up. If our plan has succeeded, come at once. I am waiting here for you."

There was no reply. She sent the message again and again. Suddenly, during a pause, there was a little flash upon the plate. A message was coming to her. She transcribed it with beating heart:

"O.K. Coming."

The guard swung open the wicket in front of Quest's cell.

"Young woman to see you, Quest," he announced. "Ten minutes, and no loud talking, please."

Quest moved to the bars. It was Laura who stood there. She wasted very little time in preliminaries. Having satisfied herself that the guard was out of hearing, she leaned as close as she could to Quest.

"Look here," she said, "Lenora's crazy with the idea that Craig has done these jobs--Craig, the Professor's servant, you know. We used the phototelesme yesterday afternoon and saw him burn something in the Professor's study. Lenora went up straight away and got hold of the ashes."

"Smart girl," Quest murmured, nodding approvingly. "Well?"

"There are distinct fragments," Laura continued, "of embroidered stuff such as the Salvation Army girl might have been wearing. We put them on one side, but they aren't enough evidence. Lenora's idea is that you should try and get hold of Craig and hypnotise him into a confession."

"That's all right," Quest replied, "but how am I to get hold of him?"

Laura glanced once more carelessly around to where the guard stood.

"Lenora's gone up to the Professor's again this afternoon. She is going to try and get hold of Craig and lock him in the garage. If she succeeds, she will send a message by wireless at three o'clock. It is half-past two now."

"Well?" Quest exclaimed. "Well?"

"You can work this guard, if you want to," Laura went on. "I have seen you tackle much worse cases. He seems dead easy. Then let me in the cell, take my clothes and leave me here. You did it before when you were trying to hunt down those men in Chicago, and not a soul recognised you."

Quest followed the scheme in his mind quickly.

"It is all right," he decided, "but I am not at all sure that they can really hold me on the evidence they have got. If they can't, I shall be doing myself more harm than good this way."

"It's no use unless you can get hold of Craig quickly," Laura said. "He is getting the scares, as it is."

"I'll do it," Quest decided. "Call the guard, Laura."

She obeyed. The man came good-naturedly towards them.

"Well, young people, not quarrelling, I hope?" he remarked.

Quest looked at him steadfastly through the bars.

"I want you to come inside for a moment," he said.

"What for?" the man demanded.

"I want you to come inside for a moment," Quest repeated softly. "Unlock the door, please, take the key off your bunch and come inside."

The man hesitated, but all the time his fingers were fumbling with the keys. Quest's lips continued to move. The warder opened the door and entered. A few minutes later, Quest pa.s.sed the key through the window to Laura, who was standing on guard.

"Come in," he whispered. "Don't step over him. He is sitting with his back to the wall, just inside."

Laura obeyed, and entered the cell. For a moment they were breathless with alarm. A pa.s.sing warder looked down their avenue. Eventually, however, he turned in the other direction.

"Off with your coat and skirt like lightning, Laura," Quest ordered. "This has got to be done quickly or not at all."

Without a word, and with marvellous rapidity, the change was effected.