Part 34 (1/2)

He'd never spot _you_. Lord! your own mother wouldn't know you from Adam in this spiffing get-up. And it wouldn't matter a tinker's curse then if Waldemar was back or not.”

”It would matter a great deal, my friend--don't deceive yourself upon that point. For one thing, Captain Maltravers is registered at the office as having just arrived from India after a ten years'

absence, and ten years ago Miss Margaret Larue was not only unknown to fame, but must have been still in pinafores, so how was he to have made her acquaintance? Then, too, she doesn't expect to see me without you, so I should have to introduce myself and stop to explain matters--yes, and even risk her companion getting excited and saying something indiscreet, and those are rather dangerous affairs in a public tearoom, with everybody's eyes no doubt fixed upon the lady. No, you must attend to the matter yourself, my friend; so nip off and be about it. If the lady and her companion are there, just whisper them to say nothing, but follow you immediately. If they are not there, slip out and warn them not to come. Look sharp--the situation is ticklis.h.!.+”

And just how ticklish Mr. Narkom realized when he descended and made his way to the public tearoom. For the usual four o'clock gathering of shoppers and sightseers was there in full force, the well-filled room was like a hive full of buzzing bees who were engaged in imparting confidences to one another, the name of ”Margaret Larue” was being whispered here, there and everywhere, and all eyes were directed toward a far corner where at a little round table Margaret Larue herself sat in company with Mr. Harrison Trent engaged in making a feeble pretence of enjoying a tea which neither of them wanted and upon which neither was bestowing a single thought.

Narkom spotted them at once, made his way across the crowded room, said something to them in a swift, low whisper, and immediately became at once the most envied and most unpopular person in the whole a.s.sembly; for Miss Larue and her companion arose instantly and, leaving some pieces of silver on the table, walked out with him and robbed the room of its chief attraction.

All present had been deeply interested in the entire proceeding, but none more so than the tall, distinguished looking foreign gentleman seated all alone at the exactly opposite end of the room from the table where Miss Larue and her companion had been located; for his had been the tensest kind of interest from the very instant Mr.

Narkom had made his appearance, and remained so to the last.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”Count Irma has told,” said Narkom. ”It's all out at last and ... I know now. I'm to lose you.”]

Even after the three persons had vanished from the room, he continued to stare at the doorway through which they had pa.s.sed, and the rather elaborate tea he had ordered remained wholly untouched. A soft step sounded near him and a soft voice broke in upon his unspoken thoughts.

”Is not the tea to Monsieur's liking?” it inquired with all the deference of the Continental waiter. And that awoke him from his abstraction.

”Yes--quite, thank you. By the way, that was Miss Larue who just left the room, was it not, Philippe?”

”Yes, Monsieur--the great Miss Larue: the most famous of all English actresses.”

”So I understand. And the lame man who came in and spoke to her--who is he? Not a guest of the hotel, I am sure, since I have never seen him here before.”

”I do not know, Monsieur, who the gentleman is. It shall be the first I shall see of him ever. It may be, however, that he is a new arrival. They would know at the office, if Monsieur le Baron desires me to inquire.”

”Yes--do. I fancy I have seen him before. Find out for me who he is.”

Philippe disappeared like a fleet shadow. After an absence of about two minutes, he came back with the desired intelligence.

”No, Monsieur le Baron, the gentleman is not a guest,” he announced.

”But he is visiting a guest. The name is Yard. He arrived about a quarter of an hour ago and sent his card in to Captain Maltravers, who at once took him up to his room.”

”Captain Maltravers? So! That will be the military officer from India, will it not?”

”Yes, Monsieur; the one with the fair hair and moustache who lunched to-day at the table adjoining Monsieur le Baron's own.”

”Ah, to be sure. And 'pa.s.sed the time of day' with me, as they say in this peculiar language. I remember the gentleman perfectly. Thank you very much. There's something to pay you for your trouble.”

”Monsieur le Baron is too generous! Is there any other service----”

”No, no--nothing, thank you. I have all that I require,” interposed the ”Baron” with a gesture of dismissal.

And evidently he had; for five minutes later he walked into the office of the hotel, and said to the clerk, ”Make out my bill, please--I shall be leaving England at once,” and immediately thereafter walked into a telephone booth, consulted his notebook, and rang up 253480 Soho, and, on getting it, began to talk rapidly and softly to some one who understood French.

Meantime Mr. Narkom, unaware of the little powder train he had unconsciously lighted, had gone on up the stairs with his two companions--purposely avoiding the lift that he might explain matters as they went--piloted them safely to the suite occupied by ”Captain Maltravers,” and at the precise moment when ”Baron Rodolf de Montravanne” walked into the telephone booth, Cleek was meeting Miss Larue for the first time since those distressing days of eleven months ago, and meeting Mr. Harrison Trent for the first time ever.

Chapter x.x.xV

Cleek found young Trent an extremely handsome man of about three-and-thirty; of a highly strung, nervous temperament, and with an irritating habit of running his fingers through his hair when excited. Also, it seemed impossible for him to sit still for half a minute at a stretch; he must be constantly hopping up only to sit down again, and moving restlessly about as if he were doing his best to retain his composure and found it difficult with Cleek's calm eyes fixed constantly upon him.