The Five Knots

"This isn't the way," Russell protested. "You ought to have taken the Hampstead Road."

"And so I will," Uzali said gaily. "We are not going to Maldon Grange alone. I will take those countrymen of mine with me. They'll be all right in the bottom of the car. We'll just slip round to the back of the house in Gray's Inn Road and you shall go up to Jansen's room and hand them down to me as if they were sacks of flour. I admit there is an element of risk in the job, but it must be done. I can't get on without them."

The car stopped presently. It stood silent and motionless on the waste ground behind the little bird-shop, where, once more, Russell climbed into the house and made his way into Jansen's sitting-room. He was not afraid of interruption. He walked towards the fire-place, then stopped and rubbed his eyes. He had even cause for astonishment, for the little men had vanished, leaving no sign behind them.

"Extraordinary!" Russell muttered. "I wonder if this amazing tangle will ever come straight. Now what can have become of those chaps? Three quarters of an hour ago they lay drugged into insensibility and now they have vanished. Well, I must look for them if I have to search the house from top to bottom."

Uzali was waiting impatiently in the yard when Russell reappeared after the lapse of nearly a quarter of an hour.

"Where have you been?" the former exclaimed. "And why have you come empty-handed?"

"For the simple reason that there was nothing to bring," Russell said grimly. "Those fellows have vanished. Did I search the house? Why, of course, I searched the house. But what was the good of doing that? It was only a waste of time. You saw what a state of insensibility they were in. You must know it was impossible for them to get away without assistance. Somebody has been to the house and carted them off. If you wish it, I will go back and have another look."

Uzali shrugged his shoulders impatiently.

"Absolute waste of time," he said. "Let us get into the country as soon as we can. It is not worth while to run the risk of some policeman coming along and asking our business, and goodness knows there is enough to do before daylight."

Russell stepped into the car without another word, and for some time they flew silently through the London streets. When the open country was gained they took the risks of the road, travelling at as high a speed as the car permitted. Uzali drove like a man who had been accustomed to cars all his life. Not once did he make a mistake, not once did he swerve from the straight path. By the light of the acetylene lamps Russell could see his eyes glowing, his face gleaming with excitement.

"You seem to like it," Russell murmured.

"There is nothing in the world so exhilarating," Uzali exclaimed, "and it is none the less fascinating because of the danger of it. If my eye were to deceive me, if I were to swerve even as much as a hair's breadth, what should happen in consequence would have no interest for us. Given luck we shall be at Maldon Grange in time to spoil the plans of our friend Jansen."

The car pulled up at length under Russell's instructions, for the ground was new to Uzali. They turned in through the lodge gates, going more cautiously, until they came to a thicket of trees in which they hid the car.

They were in front of the house, which was all in darkness with the exception of two windows on the first floor. It wanted no great foresight to infer that it was here where Samuel Flower was lying. For some time Uzali gazed up at the windows, as if hesitating what to do next.

"I wish I knew who was there," he muttered. "It is necessary that we should get into the house and, what is more, we must do so without alarming the servants. It is a desperate chance, of course, but do you think it possible that your friend, Dr. Mercer, is there? I meant to go through Oldborough to ascertain for myself, but in the excitement of the moment I forgot about it."

"It is possible," Russell said. "I don't suppose he would very much care for Miss Galloway to stay in a house like this at present. He may have induced Miss Galloway to go to his mother's whilst he remained here. But can't you invent some story about having lost your way. We shall be able to find out then. Throw a handful of gravel at the window and see what comes of it. It can't do any harm."

On the impulse of the moment Uzali stooped and raised a handful of pebbles and tossed them gently at the window. The experiment was repeated twice before the blinds were pulled up and somebody looked out and demanded to know what was the matter. At the sound of the speaker's voice Russell gave a cry of triumph.

"It is all right," he said. "What a tremendous slice of luck! It's Mercer himself. Wilfrid, come down and let us in. We must see you for a few moments."

CHAPTER XLII

TREASURE TROVE

Mercer's patient was sleeping peacefully. There appeared to be no reason why he should give any further trouble, and so far the nurse had not put in an appearance. Wilfrid concluded that only something out of the common would have brought Uzali and Russell at that time in the morning. From the way in which they spoke, too, their errand did not admit of delay. In the circumstances, it was no bad thing, either, to have a couple of friends in the house.

"One moment," Mercer whispered. "Stay where you are and I will let you in."

He unfastened the bolts of the front door, and the intruders strode into the dining-room where the lights were full on.

"Perhaps you had better explain," Wilfrid said. "I have been wondering what had become of you, Russell. I could not stay in London as I had my own affairs to look after, and that is why I am here. But how did you guess it?"

"It was mere chance," Uzali explained. "As for myself, I was bound to come here. I came to prevent bloodshed. We calculated you had left London and we thought it possible that Miss Galloway would prevail upon you to take up your quarters here for the present, and upon that theory I didn't hesitate to give you a signal."

"This is the second night I have been here," Wilfrid explained. "Miss Galloway is staying with my mother in Oldborough. But tell me what you want. Mr. Flower's nurse has gone into Castlebridge for some necessaries and there is nobody but myself to look after the patient. And he is in no fit state to leave, I assure you. He has led me a pretty dance already to-night and I shall be very glad when Mason comes back."

"Is he in his right senses?" Uzali asked.

"Oh, dear, no, and I question very much if he ever will be again. But tell me what you want me to do. You would not have come at this hour of the night unless yours had been an exceedingly desperate errand."

"I forgot," Uzali murmured. "I suppose everybody has gone to bed except yourself. If we stay here we are not likely to be disturbed by the servants."

"You need not worry about them," Wilfrid remarked.

"Very good. In that case we are safe. And now, assuming the nurse knows nothing about the family, he will be prepared to believe anything you say about us. We want to stay here just as we are till morning on the pretext that we are friends of Mr. Flower's and have come down on business. The rest you can leave to us. I suppose when the nurse comes back you will be free to help us if we give the signal. We may need your services."

Wilfrid nodded emphatically. It was plain that Uzali meant to say no more for the moment and he went upstairs again into the sick-room. Flower was lying perfectly still, and there seemed to be no suggestion that he was likely to wake up. A few minutes later there was a ring at the front-door bell and Mason returned. He seemed to have all he wanted, but he paused and looked at Wilfrid as he caught the murmur of voices in the dining-room.

"Friends of your patient," Wilfrid said glibly. "They have come from London on urgent business. I presume they were not aware that Mr. Flower was so ill. They will stay till morning on the chance of Mr. Flower's being able to see them."

The nurse smiled grimly.

"There is no reason why they shouldn't wait, sir," he said. "But it is precious little business Mr. Flower will be able to transact for some time to come. I hope he was all right while I was away."

Wilfrid smiled in non-committal fashion. On the whole, it seemed best to say nothing about the patient's escapade.

"You had better get yourself some tea or coffee," he said. "I don't mind sitting up for another hour or so, and then I shall go to bed."

The nurse made his preparations by means of a spirit-lamp which he had in the dressing-room. Meanwhile, Wilfrid sat in a chair before the fire and dozed off. He was utterly fagged. The anxieties of the day had told upon him more than he was aware. At last the nurse aroused him and intimated that one of the gentlemen downstairs wished to speak to him. In the interval Uzali and Russell had not wasted their time. At first they sat smoking and helping themselves freely to the decanters on the table till Uzali grew more taciturn and appeared to be listening intently.

"What is the matter?" Russell asked.

"Our friends are beginning to move," Uzali said in a whisper. "I have not been far out in my deductions and, if you will oblige me, I shall be glad if you will throw your cigarette into the fire whilst I turn the light off."

Russell obeyed without comment. He felt he was entirely in the hands of his companion. Uzali proceeded to shut off the light and also to open one of the windows that led to the lawn. He placed a screen across the fire and nodded with the air of a man who is satisfied with his plans.

"All right so far," he muttered. "Now I want you to stand by the window with me, keeping quiet and being on the alert for what is going to take place. You will not find it so very dark when your eyes become accustomed to the gloom."

It was as Uzali said. As Russell's gaze was turned towards the darkness he began to make out objects here and there till it was possible to tell where the shrubs lay and where the flower-beds were located. Everything was extremely still and the faintest sound could be heard. A quarter of an hour passed, then Russell felt his companion's hand clutch eagerly on his arm.

"There!" Uzali whispered. "Did you see anything? Did you hear anything? Now listen! I am not mistaken."

As Russell strained his ear he seemed to hear a footstep coming down the gravel path. By and by a tiny twig snapped and it could no longer be doubted that somebody was walking on the path. A moment later and a figure loomed against the grey of the sky, a figure which paused a moment and then crossed on to the lawn. Russell felt his heart beating faster, especially when he realized that the outline was quite familiar.

"You could see that, anyway," Uzali whispered.

"Oh, I can see that," Russell replied in the same low tone. "It seems incredible, and I may be mistaken, but if that man isn't Jansen, call me blind."

A dry chuckle broke from Uzali's lips. He was unquestionably pleased at something. He was no longer moody and despondent, but had the alert manner of a man who means business.

"You are not mistaken," he said. "That is Jansen. I dare say you wonder how he got here. There is only one way in which he could have reached Maldon Grange; he caught the train which we missed. Ah, we shall see some fun presently. Our friend yonder little knows the danger he stands in."

"What on earth is he up to?" Russell exclaimed.

So far as could be seen in the darkness, Jansen seemed to be juggling with a ball of strong string. In one hand he carried a bundle of pegs which he proceeded to drive into the lawn at unequal distances. The head of the hammer was muffled and only the faintest sound came in response to his blows. As the work went on Jansen could be heard chuckling to himself. Soon he stood upright as if he had completed his task and then he connected the irregular row of pegs with the string. It suddenly flashed upon Russell what he was doing.

"Why, that is an old burglar trick," he exclaimed. "Jansen means to make an attempt upon the house and trusts to those pegs and strings to save him in case of pursuit. Hadn't we better catch him red-handed?"

"Plenty of time for that," Uzali said with a note of laughter in his voice. "See, he has vanished. It looks as if he had gone down to the basement. Now we shan't be long. Look over at the big cedar tree and tell me what you see; quick!"

Two slight shadowy figures like huge night moths seemed to flit out from under the gloom of the cedar and make their way towards the spot where Jansen had gone. Russell would have darted out only Uzali restrained him.

"Wait," he whispered, "another ten minutes."

The minutes passed slowly, then came a sound like the splitting of wood, followed by a laugh which was drowned in a scream echoing horribly far and wide in the silence.

"Now," said Uzali sternly, "it is time to act!"

CHAPTER XLIII

IN HOT PURSUIT

It was a weird cry the like of which, in all his vicissitudes, Russell had never heard before. There was not pain in it so much as the wild and vivid fear of a soul going down into eternal torment. Twice again the cry came and then all was silent once more. Uzali rose to his feet without the slightest appearance of haste; indeed, from his collected movements and assured air he might have been expecting something of the kind.

"What shall we do now?" Russell whispered.

"That depends on whether we are too late or not," Uzali replied. "Come and see for yourself. One or two things have been puzzling you lately and now we can clear them all up."

The speaker moved to the open window. He had scarcely reached the threshold before that strange cry came again. It was much fainter this time and lacked the dominant note of fear. It was more despairing and sounded a long way farther off. At the same time Russell held back a moment, for he could hear a disturbance overhead.

Surely enough there came the sound of voices raised in expostulation and a moment later Mason came downstairs.

"What is it?" he exclaimed. "What are you gentlemen doing? Don't you know that my patient is at death's door? On no account was he to be disturbed. That extraordinary noise has awakened him, and now it is as much as two of us can do to keep him in bed. I don't want to rouse the servants."

Something like an oath broke from Uzali's lips.

"For Heaven's sake! go back where you came from," he said. "You have enough to do upstairs without disturbing us. Besides, you have Dr. Mercer to help you."

Mason looked at the speaker in astonishment. He was not accustomed to being spoken to in that way, but he made no protest. Overhead Flower's voice could be heard raised in feeble fury. He seemed to be pleading for release.

"Oh, go upstairs," Uzali said. "I assure you, my good fellow, you gain nothing by standing here, and if the servants are aroused you will be conferring a favour on everybody by sending them back to bed again. Now do as you are told."

Without waiting for reply Uzali strode out into the garden followed by Russell. From the lawn they could see shadows flitting across the blinds of Flower's room. It was plain that a struggle was going on.

"That's a piece of cruel bad luck," Russell muttered. "I wonder what woke him up."

"Can't you guess?" Uzali said impatiently. "Wasn't that cry enough to wake the dead? It would arouse anybody who was not lost to consciousness. It appealed all the more to Flower because he had heard something like it before. But, come, we have no time to lose. I hope before morning that we shall have settled this ghastly business for ever. And now to find out where those fellows went. I hope you know the house."

"Indeed, I don't," Russell said. "I don't know any more than you do. Mercer could help us."

Uzali made no reply. Very carefully he strode round the house, looking intently amongst the ivy which fringed the stone walls. He seemed to be seeking for some cellar trap or sunken door by which the basement might be reached. He gave a grunt of triumph presently as he pointed to a flight of moss-clad stairs leading to a small door below. He pressed his shoulder to the woodwork and it gave way quietly. Once more he chuckled.

"We are on the track at last," he whispered. "We shall find it here. Strike a light!"

Russell took a vesta from his pocket and after lighting it held it aloft. He made out the outline of a dim vault with three doors at the far end approached by flights of steps. The place apparently was empty and Uzali strode along as if he were on the verge of some important discovery. Then Russell's foot tripped over the support of an iron wine-bin and the whole thing came over with a rattle and roar that made the place echo. With a cry Uzali started back.

"Now you have done it," he said hoarsely. "Look out for yourself. Give us another match for goodness' sake."

The match went out as if some unseen person had stooped and extinguished it. Just before the last dying gleam faded it seemed to Russell that two shadowy forms had passed him rapidly. He knew a moment later that he was not mistaken, for he heard footsteps running up the stairs leading to the garden.

"After them," Uzali whispered. "The tragedy is done so far as we are concerned. That unfortunate man is beyond salvation. After them! It is not so dark as you think."

After the intense gloom of the vault the garden was by comparison almost light. Russell could see the two forms not more than a hundred yards ahead. He set off doggedly in chase. His blood was up now, his heart was full of anger, and a certain recklessness possessed him. Come what might those people should not escape him again; neither did he need Uzali to tell him who they were. He knew he was in close pursuit of the two Malays whom he had seen not so many hours before lying on the floor in Jansen's sitting-room.

It all grew clear to Russell as he raced along. He was just as anxious to catch up with those men, just as determined to mete out to them the punishment they deserved, but the wild feeling of passion was gone.

Doubtless the Malays had been too cunning for Jansen. To a certain extent they had trusted him, but the Dutchman's drugs had been insufficient. What Jansen had come to Maldon Grange for, Russell could not tell. But there must have been some deep reason for his move, some pressing need of keeping the Malays out of the way till his errand was accomplished.

Russell ran on and on without sense of fatigue, for he was in hard training, his muscles tense and rigid as whipcord, his lungs playing freely. Uzali was far behind and out of the hunt. The Malays, too, showed that they knew they were being followed. For a long time they kept to the road till it began to dawn upon them that their antagonist was gaining ground, then they vaulted lightly over a gate and entered the fields. Russell smiled grimly as he noticed the move. He was not perhaps quite so agile as those in front, but he knew the heavier going would suit him better. Sooner or later he must wear those fellows down and bring them to a sense of their responsibilities. There was consolation in the knowledge that he was armed. He smiled as he felt for his revolver in his hip pocket.

A mile or so and the pace began to tell. The fugitives were not more than sixty or seventy yards away. They were toiling distressfully along, and Russell could see that their limbs were growing heavy under them.

"Pull up!" he cried. "It is useless to go any farther. If you don't stop I'll fire into you."

But there was no suggestion of stopping on the part of the Malays. They swerved to the right as a hare might do and breasted a slight embankment on the top of which was the permanent way of the railway. Russell was not more than two yards in the rear as they stumbled over the fence and dashed across the line. His blood was up, but he did not lose his presence of mind. Something was ringing in his ears besides the rush of wind, something booming and tearing; with a blinding light and headlong rush round the bend tore the express at top speed.

Russell pulled up in the nick of time. He yelled to the Malays. But it was too late. They had seen and heard nothing. They seemed to be licked up by the flaming light and roaring steam. It was over in the flash of an instant. The express had disappeared and the silence of deep darkness fell again, as Russell stood fumbling unsteadily in his pocket for his matches.

He turned, shuddering, from the horror of it. The two figures lay there battered almost out of recognition. They would do no more mischief in this world. Still, they should not be neglected. A few hundred yards down the line Russell could see the lights of a small station and towards this he hurried as fast as his legs would carry him. It was an incoherent story, but he managed to make a sleepy night porter and one or two navvies camping up by the side of the rails to understand something of the tragedy. A few minutes later and the figures were removed to the station where they lay side by side covered with coarse sacking.

"I am staying at Maldon Grange," Russell explained. "I will call in the morning. I dare say one of you would not mind notifying the police for me."

CHAPTER XLIV

THE MEANING OF IT

It was a weary walk back to Maldon Grange, but Russell finished it at length. The chase had carried him farther than he thought, and he was worn out with his exertions and shaken with the horrors of the night. The house appeared to have regained its normal peace, the dining-room lights had been switched on, and Uzali impatiently waited Russell's return.

"You have been a long time," he said. "So they managed to escape you. I thought they would. Man alive, what is the matter? You look as if you had seen a ghost."

"I have seen two," Russell said huskily. "For Heaven's sake, give me some brandy and not too much water. You needn't trouble about your countrymen any more, for they will do no further harm this side of the grave. And they didn't escape me, either. I was within a couple of yards of them when they met with their death; indeed, I was exceedingly lucky not to share the same fate. I will never forget the horror of it."

Uzali asked no questions. He saw how white and shaky Russell was and discreetly contented himself with pouring out the brandy, after which he sat down and waited till the generous spirit had begun to do its work.

"It was an express train," Russell said jerkily. "I was close to them. I had challenged them to stop in fact, when they swerved and climbed on to the line. They must have lost their heads, for they ran full tilt into the engine, and the rest you can imagine. They were cut to pieces and, I should say, are unrecognizable. I had them removed to the nearest station where, of course, I had to give my name and address. I don't know what you think about it, but, upon my word, I don't see how I am going to explain when I come to give my evidence before the coroner."

"Oh, that will be easy," Uzali replied. "You happened to be a guest of Mr. Samuel Flower and disturbed two burglars to whom you subsequently gave chase. There will be no occasion to say more than that. The thing will excite a nine days' wonder. People will ask what these foreigners were doing at Maldon Grange and then it will all be forgotten. You must admit the necessity of keeping this scandal as quiet as possible. The men are dead, and even if the story were told, ninety-nine people out of a hundred would refuse to believe it. But if you are feeling better, there is much to be done before daylight. But you need not come unless you feel up to it. For my own part I mean to finish my investigation of the vault where we found those unfortunate men. We haven't finished with tragedy even yet. We have still to find Jansen."

Russell rose with more or less alacrity to his feet.

"Come and get it over," he said. "I thought my nerves were strong enough for anything, but I shall want a rest after this."

Once more they turned into the garden and thence into the vault. Uzali had taken a candle off the dining-room mantel-piece, so that they did not lack light, neither was there any reason for extra precautions. They mounted a flight of steps leading to one of the doors in which Uzali's sharp eye saw that a key had been left. He flung the door open and strode inside. The place was dark and musty. There were no windows in front and no ventilation, so that the two intruders at first found some difficulty in breathing. On the top of a packing-case Uzali placed his candle while he made a swift survey of the vault. The place appeared to be empty save for a score or so of packing-cases, all clamped with iron and heavily nailed. But, apparently, Uzali was not troubling much about the cases; he seemed to be looking for something quite different. Then he gave a sudden exclamation as he bent over an object lying between one of the cases and the wall. The object was dragged out into the centre of the floor and, taking the candle, Uzali bent coolly and critically over it.