Jacob's Ladder

  CHAPTER XIII

  It must have been, Jacob decided, about half an hour later when hissenses readjusted themselves to his existing environment. He was inwhat had apparently been the kitchen, situated in the basement of thehouse, seated in a fairly comfortable chair to which he was tied bycords. Hartwell and Mason were watching him with the air of uneasyconspirators. Sybil, perfectly composed, was lounging in a wickerchair a little way off, smoking a cigarette. The black man who he hadbeen told was the leader of the newest Jazz band, come to give theyoung lady some hints as to music, had disappeared. From the distantsound of the gramophone, he gathered that Grace Powers was engagedupstairs with a pupil.

  "Feeling all right again, eh?" Mason asked anxiously.

  "Perfectly, thank you," Jacob answered. "By the bye, what happened?"

  "You--er--had a sort of faint," Mason began--

  "Don't start that junk," Hartwell intervened. "You were doped by thenigger and carried down here. We want some money from you, Pratt."

  "Does this seem a reasonable way to get it?" Jacob enquired, lookingdown at the marks on his wrists.

  "I guess it'll do the trick," was the gruff rejoinder.

  "Well, get on with the programme, then," Jacob directed.

  "We're going to let you off cheap," Mason said. "There's your chequebook on the table there, and a fountain pen by the side. If you arewilling to sign an open cheque for five thousand pounds, payable toMiss Sybil Bultiwell, you can dine at home to-night."

  "Why to Miss Bultiwell?"

  "Because we think it well to have Miss Bultiwell formally associatedwith the transaction," Mason explained, with a crafty smile. "MissBultiwell will endorse the cheque and receive her share ofthe--er--proceeds."

  Jacob turned a little in his chair, so as to face Sybil. She met hisgaze defiantly.

  "It was scarcely necessary to resort to such means as these, MissBultiwell, if you were in need of five thousand pounds, or any part ofit," he said quietly.

  "Perhaps not," she retorted, "but can't you see the difference? Iwouldn't take a penny of your money from you as a gift, but I haven'tthe least compunction in taking my share of what you will have to payfor your freedom."

  "I see," Jacob murmured. "This requires consideration."

  Mason glanced at his watch.

  "It is now," he said, "a quarter past three. The banks close at four.If you want to avoid spending the night here, you'll sign that chequeright away."

  "What happens then?" Jacob enquired.

  "Miss Bultiwell will cash it at the bank, will bring the proceedshere, and in a couple of hours' time you will be able to leave."

  "And what do you suppose my next proceeding will be?" Jacob asked.

  "In an ordinary way you would go straight to Scotland Yard, Isuppose," Mason replied. "As a matter of fact, however, we are rathergambling upon the idea that, with Miss Bultiwell's name on the cheque,and taking into consideration the fact that she is going to cash it inperson, you may prefer to treat the matter as a little duel in wits inwhich you have been worsted, and accept the consequences like asportsman."

  "I see," Jacob murmured. "But supposing, even at the risk of involvingMiss Bultiwell, I go to Scotland Yard?"

  "Then the only person whom Scotland Yard could possibly lay theirhands on would be the young lady herself," Mason pointed out."Hartwell and I years ago learnt the secret of disappearing fromLondon, and I can promise you that no Scotland Yard man will lay ahand on us."

  "Excellently thought out," Jacob confessed.

  "Say, let's cut out this chin music," Hartwell interposed. "Just whatare you going to do about it?"

  "I am going to sign the cheque," was the unhesitating reply.

  They cut the bonds which secured his right hand. Jacob wrote thecheque according to their directions, signed it carefully and handedit over. They passed it to Sybil.

  "In as small notes as you can get," Mason enjoined. "Come straightback here."

  She nodded and left the room, with an insolent little glance at Jacob.The latter leaned back in his chair.

  "You see, I am quite amenable," he said. "And now, don't you thinkthat as I am a very small man, and feeling exceedingly unwell from thestuff on the handkerchief which that nigger of yours thrust down mythroat, and there are two of you, both big fellows, you could loosenmy cords for me? This is damned uncomfortable, and I hate themelodramatic appearance of it."

  "Will you promise, upon your honour, to make no effort whatever to getaway before Miss Bultiwell's return?" Mason demanded.

  "I give you my word that I will do nothing of the sort."

  They cut his cords. Jacob staggered to his feet and stretched himself.A bottle and glasses upon a table at the farther end of the roomattracted his attention.

  "Is that whisky?" he asked, in an interested manner.

  "Guess we'll find you a Scotch and soda," Hartwell declared. "Don'tyou feel too badly about this, Pratt," he went on, as he handed himthe tumbler. "We'd have gone for a much bigger thing with you, but forMiss Bultiwell. She wouldn't have you bled for more, and she wouldn'thave us take you where I wanted to, down Limehouse way, where we couldhave kept you snugly for a week, if necessary."

  "Extraordinarily considerate of her," Jacob observed drily, as hedrained the contents of the tumbler.

  "I can tell you, sir," Hartwell went on, as he handed over hiscigarette case, "out in the State where I come from, we should thinknothing of a hold-up like this. Why, you haven't a scratch, and youcould afford to put that five thou in the plate at church and notnotice it. Have one more small one for luck."

  "I don't mind if I do," Jacob acquiesced.... "You fellows must seesome life."

  "Not on this side," Hartwell replied despondently. "We're too nearthe edge of your little island all the time, for a job of this sort.I'm in a bit of trouble over in the States, or I shouldn't be wastingmy time here."

  Jacob stretched himself expansively in the easy-chair. He thrust hishands into his pockets and sighed.

  "Just about reached the bank, hasn't she?"

  "They're counting out the flimsies right now," Hartwell exulted.

  Jacob nodded.

  "You fellows have brought this off all right," he reflected. "Isuppose you knew I shouldn't give any trouble."

  "We kind of reckoned you'd be sensible," Hartwell admitted.

  "Supposing I'd dodged that drug and shown fight?" Jacob went on. "Wereyou armed, you fellows?"

  Hartwell smiled contemptuously.

  "Not for a little job like this," he replied. "When I useshooting-irons, things happen. Do you get me, Pratt?"

  Jacob nodded.

  "You seem to have held me very lightly," he grumbled. "I expect Masonhas an automatic in his hip pocket."

  "I have never carried firearms in my life," Mason declared, with ashiver. "I prefer finesse."

  Then Jacob began to laugh. He rose from his chair and walked up anddown the room with his hands in his trousers pockets, shaking withmirth. The two men watched him at first in surprise, afterwards withgrowing uneasiness.

  "What the hell's got you?" Mason demanded.

  "Can't you let us into the joke?" Hartwell suggested.

  "I really think I must," Jacob replied, coming to a standstill nearthe door. "You know, it may seem strange to you, but honestly I am notquite chicken food. I knew a bit about you two, and I should neverhave come near this dancing class but that I wanted to keep an eye onMiss Bultiwell. Seemed to me yesterday that things were coming prettywell to a crisis. I was the only genuine pupil here--empty house,disappointed adventurers, and all the rest of it. So this morning Ilooked in at my bank and told them exactly what to do if any opencheque were presented with two little dots underneath my signature.You noticed them, didn't you, Mason? I should think," he concluded,glancing at his watch, "that in a matter of five minutes we ought tohave some interesting visitors here."

  "The little hound's done us!" Mason shouted. "Come on, Hartwell.Taxi's outside. We shall just have time."

&n
bsp; But they faced a transformed and most unexpected Jacob Pratt.Hartwell, rushing for the door, was adroitly tripped up and fellheavily. Mason, after a moment's whirlwind sparring, found himself onhis back, seeing a thousand stars. Jacob took up his position in frontof the door.

  "Gentlemen," he announced, "I promised not to attempt to escape and Ishall keep my word. But as regards giving you a little lesson, that'sanother matter. I might mention that I was knocked out in thesemi-finals for the amateur lightweights by a chance blow. You cancome along together, if you like, or separately."

  "Rush the little devil!" Hartwell shouted, rising.

  They rushed--one another. To their amazed senses, Jacob seemedtransformed into some extraordinary creation of india rubber, and theevents of the next few minutes lived in their memories only as ahideous and painful nightmare.... In a matter of five minutes, Jacobopened the hall door to Sybil. She stared at him in bewilderment. Hishand closed upon her wrist. He held her gently, but there was afeeling of iron underneath the velvet, and a new sternness in histone.

  "The notes are in your handbag, I see. Thank you!"

  He thrust the roll into his pocketbook and handed her back the emptybag before she had recovered the power of speech.

  "Where are they all?" she gasped. "How on earth did you get here?"

  "I brought off a small bluff," Jacob explained gravely. "Your twofriends believed a little legend of mine about the signing of mycheque and expected a visit from some Scotland Yard officers. Theytried to escape. You'll find them downstairs. I am afraid Mason mayhave to go to the hospital, but Hartwell should be all right in a dayor two, if he lies in a dark room."

  For the moment she was cowed. She looked at him almost fearfully.Hartwell and Mason were strong men. Escape seemed to her a miracle.With her wrist still in his steel-like grasp, she suffered him to leadher out on to the pavement.

  "Your association with this ridiculous escapade," he continued, "hasdecided me to regard it as a practical joke,--on one condition: whichis that you step into my car there, allow my man to drive you to yourrooms, or wherever you are staying, and promise me to have nothingwhatever more to do with this gang of adventurers."

  "You are not going to give information to the police about them?" sheasked breathlessly.

  "I cannot without involving you," was the cool reply. "You were thedecoy. You can insure their safety."

  She shivered.

  "I accept," she murmured.

  Jacob handed her into the car. She moved her skirts instinctively tomake room for him by her side. He closed the door.

  "The lady will direct you," he told his chauffeur, stepping back.

  She leaned out of the window and gave an address to the man. Then sheturned to Jacob. She was very pale but her eyes were ablaze.

  "I just want to tell you," she said, "that from the bottom of my heartI hate and detest you."

  The car glided away, and Jacob walked across the Square towards ataxicab stand.