A Bid for Fortune Part 28

"Either there's n.o.body at home or they refuse to hear," said the Inspector. "Constable, you remain where you are and collar the first man you see. Mr. Hatteras, we will go round to the back and try to effect an entrance from there."

We left the front door, and finding a path reached the yard. The house was only a small one, with a little verandah at the rear on to which the back door opened. On either side of the door were two fair-sized windows, and by some good fortune it chanced that the catch of one of these was broken.

Lifting the sash up, the Inspector jumped into the room, and as soon as he was through I followed him. Then we looked about us. The room, however, was dest.i.tute of furniture or occupants.

"I don't hear anybody about," my companion said, opening the door that led into the hall. Just at that moment I heard a sound, and touching his arm signed to him to listen. We both did so, and surely enough there came again the faint muttering of a human voice. In the half-dark of the hall it sounded most uncanny.

"Somebody in one of the front rooms," said the Inspector. "I'll slip along and open the front door, bring in the man from outside, and then we'll burst into the room and take our chance of capturing them."

He did as he proposed, and when the constable had joined us we moved towards the room on the left.

Again the mutterings came from the inside, and the Inspector turned the handle of the door. It was locked, however. "Let me burst it in," I whispered.

He nodded, and I accordingly put my shoulder against it, and bringing my strength to bear sent it flying in.

Then we rushed into the room, to find it, at first glance, empty. Just at that moment, however, the muttering began again, and we looked towards the darkest corner; somebody was there, lying on the ground. I rushed across and knelt down to look. _It was Beckenham; his mouth gagged and his hands and feet bound. The noise we had heard was that made by him trying to call us to his a.s.sistance._

In less time than it takes to tell I had cut his bonds and helped him to sit up. Then I explained to the Inspector who he was.

"Thank G.o.d you're found!" I cried. "But what does it all mean? How long have you been like this? and where is Nikola?"

"I don't know how long I've been here," he answered, "and I don't know where Nikola is."

"But you must know something about him!" I cried. "For Heaven's sake tell me all you can! I'm in awful trouble, and your story may give me the means of saving a life that is dearer to me than my own."

"Get me something to drink first, then," he replied; "I'm nearly dying of thirst; after that I'll tell you."

Fortunately I had had the foresight to put a flask of whisky into my pocket, and I now took it out and gave him a stiff n.o.bbler. It revived him somewhat, and he prepared to begin his tale. But the Inspector interrupted--

"Before you commence, my lord, I must send word to the Commissioner that you have been found."

He wrote a message on a piece of paper and despatched the constable with it. Having done so he turned to Beckenham and said--

"Now, my lord, pray let us hear your story."

Beckenham forthwith commenced.

CHAPTER III

LORD BECKENHAM'S STORY

"When you left me, Mr. Hatteras, I remained in the house for half an hour or so reading. Then, thinking no harm could possibly come of it, I started out for a little excursion on my own account. It was about half-past eleven then.

"Leaving the hotel I made for the ferry and crossed Darling Harbour to Millers Point; then, setting myself for a good ramble, off I went through the city, up one street and down another, to eventually bring up in the botanical gardens. The view was so exquisite that I sat myself down on a seat and resigned myself to rapturous contemplation of it. How long I remained there I could not possibly say. I only know that while I was watching the movements of a man-o'-war in the cove below me I became aware, by intuition--for I did not look at him--that I was the object of close scrutiny by a man standing some little distance from me. Presently I found him drawing closer to me, until he came boldly up and seated himself beside me. He was a queer-looking little chap, in some ways not unlike my old tutor Baxter, with a shrewd, clean-shaven face, grey hair, bushy eyebrows, and a long and rather hooked nose. He was well dressed, and when we had been sitting side by side for some minutes he turned to me and said--

"'It is a beautiful picture we have spread before us, is it not?'

"'It is, indeed,' I answered. 'And what a diversity of s.h.i.+pping!'

"'You may well say that,' he continued. 'It would be an interesting study, would it not, to make a list of all the craft that pa.s.s in and out of this harbour in a day--to put down the places where they were built and whence they hail, the characters of their owners and commanders, and their errands about the world. What a book it would make, would it not? Look at that man-o'-war in Farm Cove; think of the money she cost, think of where that money came from--the rich people who paid without thinking, the poor who dreaded the coming of the tax collector like a visit from the Evil One; imagine the busy dockyard in which she was built--can't you seem to hear the clang of the riveters and the buzzing of the steam saws? Then take that Norwegian boat pa.s.sing the fort there; think of her birthplace in far Norway, think of the places she has since seen, imagine her masts growing in the forests on the mountain side of lonely fiords, where the silence is so intense that a stone rolling down and dropping into the water echoes like thunder.'

"He went on like this for some time, until I said: 'You seem to have studied it very carefully.'

"'Perhaps I have,' he answered. 'I am deeply interested in the life of the sea--few more so. Are you a stranger in New South Wales?'

"'Quite a stranger,' I replied. 'I only arrived in Australia a few days since.'

"'Indeed! Then you have to make the acquaintance of many entrancing beauties yet. Forgive my impertinence, but if you are on a tour, let me recommend you to see the islands before you return home.'

"'The South-Sea Islands, I presume you mean?' I said.

"'Yes; the bewitching islands of the Southern Seas! The most entrancingly beautiful spots on G.o.d's beautiful earth! See them before you go. They will amply repay any trouble it may cost you to reach them.'

"'I should like to see them very much,' I answered.

"'Perhaps you are interested in them already?' he continued.

"'Very much indeed,' I replied.

"'Then, in that case, I may not be considered presumptuous if I offer to a.s.sist you. I am an old South-Sea merchant myself, and I have ama.s.sed a large collection of beautiful objects from the islands. If you would allow me the pleasure I should be delighted to show them to you.'

"'I should like to see them very much indeed,' I answered, thinking it extremely civil of him.

"'If you have time we might perhaps go and over-haul them now. My house is but a short distance from the Domain, and my carriage is waiting at the gates.'

"'I shall be delighted,' I said, thinking there could be no possible harm in my accepting his invitation.

"'But before we go, may I be allowed to introduce myself?' the old gentleman said, taking a card-case from his pocket and withdrawing a card. This he handed to me, and on it I read--

'Mr. Mathew Draper.'

"'I am afraid I have no card to offer you in return,' I said; 'but I am the Marquis of Beckenham.'

"'Indeed! Then I am doubly honoured,' the old gentleman said, with a low bow. 'Now shall we wend our way up towards my carriage?'

"We did so, chatting as we went. At the gates a neat brougham was waiting for us, and in it we took our places. "'Home,' cried my host, and forthwith we set off down the street. Up one thoroughfare and down another we pa.s.sed, until I lost all count of our direction. Throughout the drive my companion talked away in his best style; commented on the architecture of the houses, had many queer stories to tell of the pa.s.sers-by, and in many other ways kept my attention engaged till the carriage came to a standstill before a small but pretty villa in a quiet street.

"Mr. Draper immediately alighted, and when I had done so, dismissed his coachman, who drove away as we pa.s.sed through the little garden and approached the dwelling. The front door was opened by a dignified man-servant, and we entered. The hall, which was a s.p.a.cious one for so small a dwelling, was filled with curios and weapons, but I had small time for observing them, as my host led me towards a room at the back.

As we entered it he said 'I make you welcome to my house, my lord. I hope, now that you have taken the trouble to come, I shall be able to show you something that will repay your visit.' Thereupon, bidding me seat myself for a few moments, he excused himself and left the room.

When he returned he began to do the honours of the apartment. First we examined a rack of Australian spears, nulla-nullas, and boomerangs, then another containing New Zealand hatchets and clubs. After this we crossed to a sort of alcove where reposed in cases a great number of curios collected from the further islands of the Pacific. I was about to take up one of these when the door on the other side of the room opened and some one entered. At first I did not look round, but hearing the new-comer approaching me I turned, to find myself, to my horrified surprise, face to face _with Dr. Nikola_. He was dressed entirely in black, his coat was b.u.t.toned and displayed all the symmetry of his peculiar figure, while his hair seemed blacker and his complexion even paler than before. He had evidently been prepared for my visit, for he held out his hand and greeted me without a sign of astonishment upon his face.

"'This is indeed a pleasure, my lord,' he said, still with his hand out-stretched, looking hard at me with his peculiar cat-like eyes. 'I did not expect to see you again so soon. And you are evidently a little surprised at meeting me.'

"'I am more than surprised,' I answered bitterly. 'I am horribly mortified and angry.'