Part 11 (1/2)

I threw off what I believed to be my ridiculous mistrust, and it was not difficult to do so in my extreme annoyance.

”I cannot understand it,” I said. ”It is really too bad. Everything depends upon 7 and 13. I must telegraph at once for inquiries to be inst.i.tuted at the post-office.”

”But your people must have duplicates,” said f.a.gg eagerly. ”These can be forwarded at once.”

”I hope so,” I said, though feeling strangely confused and worried.

”They must send them direct _here_,” he went on.

I did not at once answer. I was gathering my papers together.

”And in the meantime,” he proceeded, touching my bag, ”you had better leave _these_ here. We will lock them up in the safe at once. It is better than carrying them about London.”

It certainly seemed so. I half laid down the bag on the table, but at that moment from the outer room a most peculiar sound caught my ears--a faint cackling cough! I _think_ I concealed my start. I turned away as if considering f.a.gg's suggestion, which, to confess the truth, I had been on the very point of agreeing to. For it would have been a great relief to me to know that the papers were in safe custody. But now a flash of lurid light seemed to have transformed everything.

”I thank you,” I replied. ”I should be glad to be free from the responsibility of the charge, but I dare not let these out of my own hands till the agreement is formally signed.”

The younger man's face darkened. He a.s.sumed a bullying tone.

”I don't know how it strikes _you_, Mr. Bluestone,” he said, ”but it seems to me that this young gentleman is going rather too far. Do you think your employers will be pleased to hear of your insulting us, sir?”

But the elder man smiled condescendingly, though with a touch of superciliousness. It was very well done. He waved his hand.

”Stay, my dear Mr. f.a.gg; we can well afford to make allowance. You will telegraph at once, no doubt, Herr Schmidt, and--let me see--yes, we shall receive the duplicates of Nos. 7 and 13 by first post on Thursday morning.”

I bowed.

”Exactly,” I replied, as I lifted the now locked bag. ”And you may expect me at the same hour on Thursday morning.”

Then I took my departure, accompanied to the door by the urbane individual who had received me.

The telegram which I at once despatched was not couched precisely as he would have dictated, I allow. And he would have been considerably surprised at my sending off another, later in the day, to Bluestone & f.a.gg's telegraphic address, in these words:---

”Unavoidably detained till Thursday morning.--SCHMIDT.”

This was _after_ the arrival of a wire from home in answer to mine.

By Thursday morning I had had time to receive a letter from Herr Wilhelm, and to secure the services of a certain noted detective, accompanied by whom I presented myself at the appointed hour at 909. But my companion's services were not required. The birds had flown, warned by the same traitor in our camp through whom the first hints of the new patent had leaked out. With him it was easy to deal, poor wretch! but the clever rogues who had employed him and personated the members of the honourable firm of Bluestone & f.a.gg were never traced.

The negotiation was successfully carried out. The experience I had gone through left me a wiser man. It is to be hoped, too, that the owners of 909 Blackfriars Street were more cautious in the future as to whom they let their premises to when temporarily vacant. The re-painting of the doorway, etc., at the tenant's own expense had already roused some slight suspicion.

It is needless to add that Nos. 7 and 13 had been duly received on the second-floor.

I have never known the true history of that extraordinary night. Was it all a dream, or a prophetic vision of warning? Or was it in any sense true? _Had_ I, in some inexplicable way, left my own town earlier than I intended, and really travelled in a slow train?

Or had the man with a cough, for his own nefarious purposes, mesmerised or hypnotised me, and to some extent succeeded?

I cannot say. Sometimes, even, I ask myself if I am quite sure that there ever was such a person as ”the man with the cough”!