Part 45 (1/2)

Spargo, almost irritable from desire to get at close grips with the objects of his long journey, shook off Breton's hand with a growl of resentment.

”And how on earth can I waste time guessing?” he exclaimed. ”Who is he?”

Breton laughed softly.

”Steady, Spargo, steady!” he said. ”It's Myerst--the Safe Deposit man.

Myerst!”

Spargo started as if something had bitten him.

”Myerst!” he almost shouted. ”Myerst! Good Lord!--why did I never think of him? Myerst! Then----”

”I don't know why you should have thought of him,” said Breton.

”But--he's there.”

Spargo took a step towards the cottage: Breton pulled him back.

”Wait!” he said. ”We've got to discuss this. I'd better tell you what they're doing.”

”What are they doing, then?” demanded Spargo impatiently.

”Well,” answered Breton. ”They're going through a quant.i.ty of papers.

The two old gentlemen look very ill and very miserable. Myerst is evidently laying down the law to them in some fas.h.i.+on or other. I've formed a notion, Spargo.”

”What notion?”

”Myerst is in possession of whatever secret they have, and he's followed them down here to blackmail them. That's my notion.”

Spargo thought awhile, pacing up and down the river bank.

”I daresay you're right,” he said. ”Now, what's to be done?”

Breton, too, considered matters.

”I wish,” he said at last, ”I wish we could get in there and overhear what's going on. But that's impossible--I know that cottage. The only thing we can do is this--we must catch Myerst unawares. He's here for no good. Look here!”

And reaching round to his hip-pocket Breton drew out a Browning revolver and wagged it in his hand with a smile.

”That's a useful thing to have, Spargo,” he remarked. ”I slipped it into my pocket the other day, wondering why on earth I did it. Now it'll come in handy. For anything we know Myerst may be armed.”

”Well?” said Spargo.

”Come up to the cottage. If things turn out as I think they will, Myerst, when he's got what he wants, will be off. Now, you shall get where I did just now, behind that bush, and I'll station myself in the doorway. You can report to me, and when Myerst comes out I'll cover him. Come on, Spargo; it's beginning to get light already.”

Breton cautiously led the way along the river bank, making use of such cover as the willows and alders afforded. Together, he and Spargo made their way to the front of the cottage. Arrived at the door, Breton posted himself in the porch, motioning to Spargo to creep in behind the bushes and to look through the window. And Spargo noiselessly followed his directions and slightly parting the branches which concealed him looked in through the uncurtained gla.s.s.

The interior into which he looked was rough and comfortless in the extreme. There were the bare accessories of a moorland cottage; rough chairs and tables, plastered walls, a fis.h.i.+ng rod or two piled in a corner; some food set out on a side table. At the table in the middle of the floor the three men sat. Cardlestone's face was in the shadow; Myerst had his back to the window; old Elphick bending over the table was laboriously writing with shaking fingers. And Spargo twisted his head round to his companion.

”Elphick,” he said, ”is writing a cheque. Myerst has another cheque in his hand. Be ready!--when he gets that second cheque I guess he'll be off.”