Part 36 (2/2)
”I shall gladly spend the night here, your Excellency,” was the polite reply. ”I do not think that I have anything to say, however, which would interest your friend.”
”You are making a great mistake, Wolff,” Seaman declared angrily. ”I am your superior in the Service, and your att.i.tude towards me is indefensible.”
”If the gentleman would only believe,” the culprit begged, ”that he is mistaking me for some one else!”
There was trouble in Seaman's face as the two men made their way to the front of the house and trouble in his tone as he answered his companion's query.
”What do you think of that fellow and his visit?”
”I do not know what to think, but there is a great deal that I know,” Seaman replied gravely. ”The man is a spy, a favourite in the Wilhelmstra.s.se and only made use of on important occasions. His name is Wolff--Johann Wolff.”
”And this story of his?”
”You ought to be the best judge of that.”
”I am,” Dominey a.s.sented confidently. ”Without the shadow of a doubt I threw the body of the man I killed into the Blue River and watched it sink.”
”Then the story is a fake,” Seaman decided. ”For some reason or other we have come under the suspicion of our own secret service.”
Seaman, as they emerged into the hall, was summoned imperiously to her side by the Princess Eiderstrom. Dominey disappeared for a moment and returned presently, having discarded some of his soaked shooting garments. He was followed by his valet, bearing a note upon a silver tray.
”From the person in Mr. Parkins' room--to Mr. Seaman, sir,” the man announced, in a low tone.
Dominey took it from the salver with a little nod. Then he turned to where the youngest and most frivolous of his guests were in the act of rising from the tea table.
”A game of pills, Eddy,” he proposed. ”They tell me that pool is one of your greatest accomplishments.”
”I'm pretty useful,” the young man confessed, with a satisfied chuckle.
”Give you a black at snooker, what?”
Dominey took his arm and led him into the billiard-room.
”You will give me nothing, young fellow,” he replied. ”Set them up, and I will show you how I made a living for two months at Johannesberg!”
CHAPTER XXII
The evening at Dominey hall was practically a repet.i.tion of the previous one, with a different set of guests from the outer world. After dinner, Dominey was absent for a few minutes and returned with Rosamund upon his arm. She received the congratulations of her neighbours charmingly, and a little court soon gathered around her. Doctor Harrison, who had been dining, remained upon the outskirts, listening to her light-hearted and at times almost brilliant chatter with grave and watchful interest.
Dominey, satisfied that she was being entertained, obeyed Terniloff's gestured behest and strolled with him to a distant corner of the hall.
”Let me now, my dear host,” the Prince began, with some eagerness in his tone, ”continue and, I trust, conclude the conversation to which all that I said this morning was merely the prelude.”
”I am entirely at your service,” murmured his host.
”I have tried to make you understand that from my own point of view--and I am in a position to know something--the fear of war between this country and our own has pa.s.sed. England is willing to make all reasonable sacrifices to ensure peace. She wants peace, she intends peace, therefore there will be peace. Therefore, I maintain, my young friend, it is far better for you to disappear at once from this false position.”
”I am scarcely my own master,” Dominey replied. ”You yourself must know that. I am here as a servant under orders.”
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