Part 17 (1/2)
”That is provided for, Sir John. You see this gun?”
”It looks like a short-barrelled rook-rifle, except for the great thickness at the breech.”
”It holds ten conical bullets. They are hollow-nosed and expand on impact. The point is that the gun is perfectly noiseless. Powder is not used at all. The propelling power is liquefied carbonic-acid gas, and all that is heard at the moment of firing is a sharp snap. With this you can stalk the dogs and kill them easily enough. Do not forget your hunting flask and brandy and water. And for concentrated food, should you be detained in hiding, though I and Thumbwood will be coming to look after you if you don't appear by morning, these solid chocolate cakes are invaluable.”
All this was done quickly, and with the most business-like precision.
Although my sense of humour told me that I was like the White Knight in ”Alice in Wonderland,” I did realize that I should be a terribly nasty customer to tackle, and I was grateful.
While we had been talking there came sounds from below of the closing of the inn, and shortly after we were called to supper.
”Don't you stay up any longer, Mr. Trewh.e.l.la,” I said. ”You must want your rest. As for us, we are late birds. Both I and my friend sometimes take a five minutes' stroll last thing before we turn in. That won't inconvenience you?”
”Bless your life, no, zur. You do as you're a mind here. 'Tesn't like a town. The key of the front door hangs on a nail by the side. And if you _should_ be going out later, Billy Pengelly's in the empty pigsty, a sleeping off what he's had, and there's a bucket of cold water on the wall. In half an hour's time or so I know as he'd be grateful for having it poured over 'en!”
We promised to perform what was evidently one of the amenities of this primitive place and Mr. Trewh.e.l.la withdrew.
”That coastguard may be useful to me,” Danjuro said. ”And now, Sir John, I don't want to hurry you, but my advice is that you start. I don't suppose that the band has left Tregeraint yet. But there are a hundred hiding-places on the moor all round the domain, and you may be able to see which way they go before you make your own attempt. I shall be on the trail in a very few minutes after you.”
”And Charles? He will be back shortly.”
”I shall need him. I know he would wish to be with you, Sir John, but I believe your chances are better alone. I shall not leave until he returns, provided he is not unduly detained.”
He went to the window and pulled aside the curtain. ”A waning moon,” he said, ”which will be at full power about midnight, when there may be such a battle in the air as the world will hear with wonder!”
I saw to my gear. It fitted about me very comfortably.
”Well, good-night,” I said, and without further words I went quietly out of the house.
When I got a hundred yards away I turned and looked at it, all silvered in the moon. The air was sweet with the perfume of shy moorland flowers that give up all their treasure to the night. The Atlantic, far below, made a sound like fairy dreams, and on the distant slopes of Carne Zerran an owl sounded his melancholy oboe note.
A lovely night, gentlemen!
CHAPTER XII
THE KILLING OF MICHAEL FEDDON
The moon was in its last quarter, and shed a faint spectral light over the moor as I came quietly up to the first of the barbed-wire fences that surrounded Tregeraint. I lay down in the heath, certain that I was quite invisible, and waited.
An hour had hardly elapsed since the band had left ”The Miners' Arms.”
Were they still here, or had they set out for their unknown destination?
I could not hear a sound of any kind. From where I lay the high wall hid the house, and among the mine buildings higher up there was neither light nor movement. Tregeraint might have been deserted for a hundred years, and the roaring company of the inn had vanished into thin air.
And strain my eyes as I would, there was no sign of the great Tibetan dogs.
I remained motionless for a quarter of an hour by the illuminated dial of my watch. Then, as nothing happened, I began operations. The wire was tough and intricate, but ten minutes' work with Danjuro's powerful cutters disposed of it sufficiently for me to crawl through both the first and second fence without a scratch. I stood now in the lower portion of a large, oblong paddock of short gra.s.s, all grey in the moon.
The surrounding wall of the Manor was about a hundred yards up the slope, and with the gas rifle on my arm I glided over the intervening s.p.a.ce like a ghost. My boots were soled with india-rubber and I made no sound at all.