Part 4 (1/2)
”How long ago was that?” asked Harley.
”Only two years ago. At about the time that the great war terminated. I came to Europe and believed that at last I had found security. I lived for a time in London amidst a refres.h.i.+ng peace that was new to me. Then, chancing to hear of a property in Surrey which was available, I leased it for a period of years, installing-is it correct?-my cousin, Madame de Stamer, as housekeeper. Madame, alas, is an invalid, but”-he kissed his fingers-”a genius. She has with her, as companion, a very charming English girl, Miss Val Beverley, the orphaned daughter of a distinguished surgeon of Edinburg. Miss Beverley was with my cousin in the hospital which she established in France during the war. If you will honour me with your presence at Cray's Folly to-morrow, gentlemen, you will not lack congenial company, I can a.s.sure you.”
He raised his heavy eyebrows, looking interrogatively from Harley to myself.
”For my own part,” said my friend, slowly, ”I shall be delighted. What do you say, Knox?”
”I also.”
”But,” continued Harley, ”your presence here today, Colonel Menendez, suggests to my mind that England has not proved so safe a haven as you had antic.i.p.ated?”
Colonel Menendez crossed the room and stood once more before the Burmese cabinet, one hand resting upon his hip; a ma.s.sive yet graceful figure.
”Mr. Harley,” he replied, ”four days ago my butler, who is a Spaniard, brought me-” He pointed to the bat wing lying upon the blotting pad. ”He had found it pinned to an oaken panel of the main entrance door.”
”Was it prior to this discovery, or after it,” asked Harley, ”that you detected the presence of someone lurking in the neighbourhood of the house?”
”Before it.”
”And the burglarious entrance?”
”That took place rather less than a month ago. On the eve of the full moon.”
Paul Harley stood up and relighted his pipe.
”There are quite a number of other details, Colonel,” he said, ”which I shall require you to place in my possession. Since I have determined to visit Cray's Folly, these can wait until my arrival. I particularly refer to a remark concerning a neighbour of yours in Surrey.”
Colonel Menendez nodded, twirling his cigarette between his long, yellow fingers.
”It is a delicate matter, gentlemen,” he confessed.
”I must take time to consider how I shall place it before you. But I may count upon your arrival tomorrow?”
”Certainly. I am looking forward to the visit with keen interest.”
”It is important,” declared our visitor; ”for on Wednesday is the full moon, and the full moon is in some way a.s.sociated with the sacrificial rites of Voodoo.”
CHAPTER III
THE VAMPIRE BAT
An hour had elapsed since the departure of our visitor, and Paul Harley and I sat in the cosy, book-lined study discussing the strange story which had been related to us. Harley, who had a friend attached to the Spanish Emba.s.sy, had succeeded in getting in touch with him at his chambers, and had obtained some few particulars of interest concerning Colonel Don Juan Sarmiento Menendez, for such were the full names and t.i.tles of our late caller.
He was apparently the last representative of a once great Spanish family, established for many generations in Cuba. His wealth was incalculable, although the value of his numerous estates had depreciated in recent years. His family had produced many men of subtle intellect and powerful administrative qualities; but allied to this they had all possessed traits of cruelty and debauchery which at one time had made the name of Menendez a by-word in the West Indies. That there were many people in that part of the world who would gladly have a.s.sa.s.sinated the Colonel, Paul Harley's informant did not deny. But although this information somewhat enlarged our knowledge of my friend's newest client, it threw no fresh light upon that side of his story which related to Voodoo and the extraordinary bat wing episodes.
”Of course,” said Harley, after a long silence, ”there is one possibility of which we must not lose sight.”
”What possibility is that?” I asked.
”That Menendez may be mad. Remorse for crimes of cruelty committed in his youth, and beyond doubt he has been guilty of many, may have led to a sort of obsession. I have known such cases.”