Part 53 (1/2)
”Since we are to lose you, then Mr. Laverick,” Streuss remarked with a gesture of farewell, ”let us say good night. The little matter of business which we were discussing can be concluded with your partner.”
Laverick turned toward Zoe. Their eyes met and he read their message of terror.
”You are coming back to your own rooms, Miss Leneveu,” he said.
”You must let me offer you my escort.”
She half rose, but in obedience to a gesture from Streuss Morrison moved near to them.
”If you leave me here, Laverick,” he muttered beneath his breath,--”if you leave me to these hounds, do you know what they will do?
They will hand me over to the police--they have sworn it!”
”Why did you come back?” Laverick asked quickly.
”They stopped me as I was boarding the steamer,” Morrison declared.
”I tell you they have eyes everywhere. You cannot move without their knowledge. I had to come. Now that I am here they have told me plainly the price of my freedom. It is that doc.u.ment. Laverick, it is my life! You must give in--you must, indeed! Remember you're in it, too.”
”Am I?” Laverick asked quietly.
”You fool, of course you are!” Morrison whispered hoa.r.s.ely. ”Didn't you come into the entry and take the pocket-book? Heaven knows what possessed you to do it! Heaven knows how you found the pluck to use the money! But you did it, and you are a criminal--a criminal as I am. Don't be a fool, Laverick. Make terms with these people. They want the doc.u.ment--the doc.u.ment--nothing but the doc.u.ment! They will let us keep the money.”
”And you?” Laverick asked, turning suddenly to Zoe. ”What do you say about all this?”
She looked at him fearlessly.
”I trust you,” she said. ”I trust you to do what is right.”
CHAPTER x.x.xIII
LAVERICK S ARREST
”At last, David!”
Louise welcomed her visitor eagerly with outstretched hands, which Bellamy raised for a moment to his lips. Then she turned toward the third person, who had also risen at the opening of the door--a short, somewhat thick-set man, with swarthy complexion, close-cropped black hair, and upturned black moustache.
”You remember Prince Rosmaran?” she said to Bellamy. ”He left Servia only the day before yesterday. He has come to England on a special mission to the King.”
Bellamy shook hands.
”I think,” he remarked, ”I had the honor of meeting you once before, Prince, at the opening of the Servian Parliament two years ago. It was just then, I believe, that you were elected to lead the patriotic party.”
The Prince bowed sadly.
”My leaders.h.i.+p, I fear,” he declared, ”has brought little good to my unhappy country.”
”It is a terrible crisis through which your nation is pa.s.sing,”
Bellamy reminded him sympathetically. ”At the same time, we must not despair. Austria holds out her clenched hands, but as yet she has not dared to strike.”