Part 38 (1/2)
”You must get it from my father.”
”I don't like dot; some one is a liar!”
The girl's silence at this brutality but increased Boelke's ugliness.
”Your fadder don't trust me. Being a thief himself, und a traitor, he pays me der same compliment--he refuse to deliver der paper till der money is paid. Here is der rupees, und I vant der paper.” His heavy knuckles beat upon the table.
”You must wait, then, till he comes.”
”He toldt me you had der paper still--for fear he might be robbed, I suppose. Vhere is it?”
”It is hidden.”
”Get it; der rajah vaits.”
The girl sat with no movement of response. Finnerty could see her face draw into a cast of resolve. Both he and Foley felt that it would be better to wait for the girl to leave the room before they rushed upon Boelke; there might be shooting.
The doctor's rage increased. ”If your fadder is traitor to me--if der paper is not produced in five minutes, I vill send out word that he be shot on sight, und between you two ve vill find der paper.” Boelke sat back in his chair with a snorting growl.
”Listen to me, Herr Boelke,” the girl said in a voice clean cutting as a steel tool that rips iron. ”My father is acting loyal to you, though he is a traitor to his own government. He stole that paper because he faced what he called dishonour over gambling debts, and I was blamed for taking it. I was the one who faced dishonour, and, through me, Lord Gilfain. I escaped and made my way to India under false names, not to help, as you thought, but to recover that paper and give it back to the government or destroy it.”
”Haf you destroyed it?”
”You will never get it, Herr Boelke. I have to tell you this--that you may know my father did not act the traitor to you.”
”Ha, ha! You are as mad as your fadder. If der paper is not here in five minutes do you know vat vill happen you?”
”I am not afraid; I took all these risks when I came here to clear my name.”
”Here is der money--my time is short.”
Twice Foley had laid a hand on Finnerty's arm in restraint.
”Never! I swear it. I am not afraid.”
”No; like your fadder you haf not fear or sense. But vait. You do not fear for your own life--I know dot--but vill you trade dot paper for der life of der man you love--Major Finnerty?” The listeners heard a gasp.
”I mean dot. He und der udder fool, Svinton, is below in a cell--caught dere as spies--und to-morrow dey vill be shot as spies. Dey took care dot n.o.body see dem go in, und I vill take care dot n.o.body see dem come out.”
A ghastly silence followed, only broken by the sound of the girl's breathing.
Boelke waited to let this filter through her brain to her heart.
Then she said in a voice that carried no convincing force: ”You are lying to frighten me.”
”I vill prove it to yourself. You haf on der riding habit, und now I know you haf been riding to deliver dot paper to der major; but you did not meet him because he is a prisoner below.”
Again there was the hush of a debate in the girl's mind; then she said: ”If you will bring Major Finnerty and Captain Swinton from below, through that door, and let them go as free men, and will swear to not pursue them, I will give--get the paper, and----”
”_Ach, Gott!_ You haf der paper! You put your hand to your breast!”