Part 39 (1/2)

”Very well,” he said at last, ”you represent rather a gamble on my part, but I am not afraid of the throw. Come back to our bridge now.

It was just a moment's impulse--I saw something in your face. You realise, I suppose--but there, I won't threaten you. Come back and we'll drink a mixed vermouth together. The next few days are going to be rather a strain.”

CHAPTER x.x.xIV

Norgate's expression was almost one of stupefaction. He looked at the slim young man who had entered his sitting-room a little diffidently and for a moment he was speechless.

”Well, I'm hanged!” he murmured at last. ”Hardy, you astonish me!”

”The clothes are a perfect fit, sir,” the man observed, ”and I think that we are exactly the same height.”

Norgate took a cigarette from an open box, tapped it against the table and lit it. He was fascinated, however, by the appearance of the man who stood respectfully in the background.

”Talk about clothes making the man!” he exclaimed. ”Why, Hardy, do you realise your possibilities? You could go into my club and dine, order jewels from my jeweller. I am not at all sure that you couldn't take my place at a dinner-party.”

The man smiled deprecatingly.

”Not quite that, I am sure, sir. If I may be allowed to say so, though, when you were good enough to give me the blue serge suit a short time ago, and a few of your old straw hats, two or three gentlemen stopped me under the impression that I was you. I should not have mentioned it, sir, but for the present circ.u.mstances.”

”And no wonder!” Norgate declared. ”If this weren't really a serious affair, Hardy, I should be inclined to make a little humorous use of you.

That isn't what I want now, though. Listen. Put on one of my black overcoats and a silk hat, get the man to call you a taxi up to the door, and drive to Smith's Hotel. You will enquire for the suite of the Baroness von Haase. The Baroness will allow you to remain in her rooms for half an hour. At the end of that time you will return here, change your clothes, and await any further orders.”

”Very good, sir,” the man replied.

”Help yourself to cigarettes,” Norgate invited, pa.s.sing the box across.

”Do the thing properly. Sit well back in the taxicab, although I'm hanged if I think that my friend Boko stands an earthly. Plenty of money in your pocket?”

”Plenty, thank you, sir.”

The man left the room, and Norgate, after a brief delay, followed his example. A glance up and down the courtyard convinced him that Boko had disappeared. He jumped into a taxi, gave an address in Belgrave Square, and within a quarter of an hour was ushered into the presence of Mr.

Spencer Wyatt, who was seated at a writing-table covered with papers.

”Mr. Norgate, isn't it?” the latter remarked briskly. ”I had Mr.

Hebblethwaite's note, and I am very pleased to give you five minutes. Sit down, won't you, and fire away.”

”Did Mr. Hebblethwaite give you any idea as to what I wanted?”

Norgate asked.

”Better read his note,” the other replied, pus.h.i.+ng it across the table with a little smile.

Norgate took it up and read:--

”My dear Spencer Wyatt,

”A young friend of mine, Francis Norgate, who has been in the Diplomatic Service for some years and is home just now from Berlin under circ.u.mstances which you may remember, has asked me to give him a line of introduction to you which will secure him an interview during to-day.

Here is that line. Norgate is a young man for whom I have a great friends.h.i.+p. I consider him possessed of unusual intelligence and many delightful gifts, but, like many others of us, he is a crank. You can listen with interest to anything he may have to say to you, unless he speaks of Germany. That's his weak point. On any other subject he is as sane as the best of us.