Colonel Thorndyke's Secret

  CHAPTER XVIII.

  After thinking over the best way in which to set about the work ofcarrying the diamonds to Amsterdam, Mark decided upon asking the adviceof his late chief. The latter said, as Mark entered his room:

  "I did not expect to see you here again, Mr. Thorndyke."

  "Well, sir, I have come to ask your' advice about another matteraltogether."

  "What is it now?"

  "I have to convey a diamond bracelet of very great value across toAmsterdam. I have reasons to believe that there is a plot to seize iton the way, and that the men engaged will hesitate at nothing to achievetheir object. Under these circumstances I should be very much obligedif you will tell me what would be the best course to pursue. I must saythat the bracelet is, with many other jewels, in a strong teak box ofabout a foot square, at present in the possession of our bankers; theywere brought from India by my uncle. I imagine that the rest of thejewels are of comparatively little importance in the eyes of these men,though doubtless they would take them also if they lay their hands onthem. The bracelet, however, is of special interest to them, not somuch for its intrinsic value, as because it was stolen from one of theirsacred idols.

  "This was about twenty years ago; but I have reason to believe that thesearch for it on the part of some Hindoos connected with the temple hasnever ceased. The soldier who took it was murdered; his comrade, intowhose hands they next passed, was also murdered. They next came to myuncle, who forwarded it at once to England. His bungalows were searchedagain and again, until probably the fellows came to the conclusion thathe must have either buried it or sent it away. Nevertheless, to the dayof his death he was firmly convinced that he was closely followed, andevery movement watched. He warned my father solemnly that he too wouldbe watched, but as far as we know it was not so; at any rate, we had noreason to suppose that the house was ever entered. On the other hand, Iam convinced I have been watched more or less closely ever since I cameup to town, and as I came out from the bank yesterday I saw a man--acolored fellow, I believe--on the watch.

  "My uncle said that my life would not be worth an hour's purchase solong as I had the bracelet in my possession, and advised that it shouldbe taken straight over to Amsterdam, broken up, and the diamonds soldsingly to the merchants there."

  "It is a curious story, Mr. Thorndyke. I own to ignorance of theseIndian thieves and their ways, but it certainly seems extraordinary thatso hopeless a quest should be kept up for so long a time. You are surethat it is not fancy on your part that you have been watched? I know youare not the sort of man to take fancies in your head, but as you havehad the matter so strongly impressed upon you, you might naturally havebeen inclined to think this would be the case when it was not so."

  "No, I don't think there is any chance of my being mistaken. It is onlyof late that I have thought about it, but when I did so and thought overwhat had passed since I came to London, I recalled the fact that I hadvery often come across foreign seamen; sometimes they were Lascars, atothers they might have been Italian or Spanish seamen; and you see,sir, it was, as I told you at the time, some foreign sailor who cameand informed Gibbons that I had fallen into the hands of a gang ofcriminals, and that I should certainly be killed if I was not rescuedimmediately. Gibbons at once got together half a dozen fighting men,and, as you know, rescued me just in time. It was extraordinary that theman never came forward to obtain any reward."

  "That was a friendly act, Mr. Thorndyke."

  "Yes, I have no reason to suppose that these men would be hostile to mepersonally. I was not the thief, I was simply the person who happened tobe in possession, or rather, might come into possession of the bracelet.From the close watch they had kept, they were, I imagine, well awarethat I had not got it, but may have thought, and doubtless did think,that I had some clew to its hiding place, and should sooner or laterget it. With my death the clew might be finally lost, and my life wasconsequently of extreme importance to them, and therefore they tooksteps to have me rescued, and the fact that they learned this and knewhow friendly I was with Gibbons shows how close was the watch kept overme. No doubt, had Gibbons refused to help them, they would have comehere at once."

  "Certainly, after what you say it would seem that your conjecture isright, and in this case, if I were you, I should take the bracelet outof the case and conceal it about me. I would not fetch it myself fromthe bank."

  "I don't think I should be much safer so," Mark said thoughtfully."In the first place, I must go to the bank to get them, and I might bemurdered merely on the supposition that I had brought the bracelet away.In the next place, even if I got to Amsterdam safely and got rid of thebracelet and returned unnoticed by them, a fresh danger would arise whenI got the other gems into my possession, for they could not be certainwhether the diamonds were still among them or not."

  "I should hardly think that would be the case if they watch you asstrictly as you believe. Even if none of them accompanied you, theywould soon find out what diamond merchants you went to, and the leadermight call upon these men, stating that he was commissioned to purchasesome diamonds of exceptional value for an Eastern Prince, in which casehe would be sure to obtain sight of them.

  "If I had your business to perform, I would not go near the bank again,but would send some friend I could trust to go and open the box, andtake out the bracelet, and make it into a small parcel. He should handit to you privately, as you are on your way to embark for Amsterdam.Then I would take with me one or two of my men, and, say, a couple ofyour prize fighters, and with such a guard you ought to be fairly safe."

  "I think that is a capital plan," Mark said, "and if I don't go to thebank there will be nothing to lead them to suppose that I have takenthem out, or that I am just going across to Holland."

  Mark then went straight to Dick Chetwynd's lodgings.

  "I want you to do me a service, Dick," he said.

  "With pleasure, Mark. What sort of service is it? If it is anything inmy power, you know that you can absolutely rely upon me. You are notgoing to fight a duel, are you, and want a second?"

  "No; quite another sort of business. I will tell you shortly what it is.I have to convey an extremely valuable diamond bracelet to Amsterdam,and I have reason to believe that there will be an attempt to murder me,and to carry off the jewels before I can dispose of them. It happened inthis way;" and he then related the history of the diamonds, the reasonhe was followed, and the suggestions that the Chief of the Bow Streetdetectives had given him.

  "That is all right," Dick said, when he concluded. "It is a rumbusiness, but certainly I will do what you ask me; and, what is more, Iwill go over with you to Amsterdam, and see the thing through. It is aninteresting business, if it is a queer one."

  "You know Philip Cotter?"

  "Of course, Mark; why, I have met him with you several times."

  "I will give you a note to ask him to allow you to open the case, andto take from it the bracelet; I don't know whether it is a regulargold mounted bracelet, or simply some diamonds that have been fastenedtogether as a necklace; however, I suppose you are sure to recognizethem; they are altogether exceptional stones, and will certainly be doneup in a packet by themselves, whatever the others may be. Say that youwill call in and take them away some other time, of which I will givehim notice by letter. I will write the note now, and if you can sparetime to go there today, all the better, for I shall be glad to get thebusiness over; then I will come again tomorrow morning, and we willarrange the details of the plan. I will look in the shipping list, andsee what vessels are sailing for Amsterdam. When we have fixed on one,it will be best for you to take our passages under any names you like,so that they are not our own. The detectives will take their passagesseparately, and so will Gibbons and whoever else goes with us."

  "I will go at once, Mark."

  "Don't go straight there, Dick; if these fellows are dogging myfootsteps everywhere, and saw me coming here, they might take it intotheir heads to follow you."

  "Oh, they can never be
doing all that sort of thing; that's too much tobelieve. However, to please you, I will go into my club for a quarter ofan hour. Shall I come round to your rooms this evening, or will you comehere?"

  "I think I will put off our meeting altogether until tomorrow morning. Ihave an engagement this evening that I cannot very well get out of."

  "All right, Mark, just as you please. What time will you come round inthe morning?"

  "About the time you have finished breakfast. I will go now, and have alook at the shipping list."

  They parted at the door, and Mark went to the coffee house whereshipping matters were specially attended to, and where master marinersmight often be met, conversing together, or with ship owners ormerchants. On going through the list, he found that the fast sailingbrig, Essex, of 204 tons, and mounting eight guns, would sail forAmsterdam in three days' time, and would take in goods for that place,and, should sufficient freight be obtained, for any other Dutch port.It was also announced that she had good accommodation for passengers.Information as to cargo could be obtained from her owners, on TowerHill, or from the captain on board, between the hours of ten and twelve.Then, in small type, it was stated that the Essex was at present lyingin the outside tier nearly opposite Anderson's wharf.

  Mark made a note of all these particulars in his pocketbook, and thenwent to Ingleston's public house.

  "Morning, Mr. Thorndyke," the man said; "haven't seen yer for the lastmonth or so."

  "No; I have been out of town. Do you expect Gibbons in here thismorning?"

  "It is about his time, sir, when he has nothing in particular to seeabout. Like a turn with the mauleys this morning?"

  "Not this morning, Ingleston. I have got some engagements for the nextday or two where I could not very well show myself with a black eye or aswelled nose; you have given me a good many of both."

  "Well, Mr. Thorndyke, when one stands up against a man who is as strongas one's self, and a mighty quick and hard hitter, you have got to hitsharp and quick too. You know my opinion, that there aint half a dozenmen in the country could lick you if you had a proper training."

  "I suppose you couldn't get away for a week, or maybe two?" he said.

  "Lor' bless you, no, sir. Who would there be to keep order here atnight? When I first came here I had not given up the ring, and I foughtonce or twice afterwards. But, Lor' bless you, I soon found that I hadgot either to give up the pub or the ring, and as I was doing a tidybusiness here, I thought it best to retire; since then business hasgrown. You see, boxing is more fashionable than it used to be, andthere are very few nights when one don't have a dozen Corinthians inhere--sometimes there are twice as many--either to see some of the newhands put on the mauleys, and judge for themselves how they are going toturn out, or maybe to arrange for a bout between some novice they fancyand one of the west countrymen. No, sir, I could not do it anyhow; Ishould not like to be away even for one night, though I know Gibbonswould look after things for me; as for being away for a week, I couldnot do it for any money. No, sir, my fight with Jackson last year wasthe last time I shall ever go into the ring. I was a fool to go in forthat, but I got taunted into it. I never thought that I should lick him,though, as you know, sir, I have licked a good many good men in my time,but Jackson is an out and out man, and he has got a lot more sciencethan I ever had; my only chance was that I could knock him out of timeor wear him down; but he was too quick on his pins for me to do theformer. Ah, Gibbons, here is Mr. Thorndyke. He wants to see you; you hadbest go into my room behind the bar."

  "Want to get hold of a fresh hand, Mr. Thorndyke?" Gibbons asked whenthey had sat down by the fire.

  "No, Gibbons, it is another business altogether. Have you got anythingparticular to keep you in town for the next fortnight? It may not beover a week, but it may be over a fortnight."

  "No, sir," the man said, after taking three or four draws at his longpipe. "No, sir; they won't want the ropes and stakes for another threeweeks, so I am your man if you want me. What, is it for, sir?"

  "Well, it is rather a curious affair, Gibbons. I have to take a veryvaluable bracelet over to Amsterdam, to sell there, and I have verystrong reasons for believing that if some fellows get an inkling of itthey will try to put me out of the way, and get hold of the diamonds. Iwant a couple of good men to go with me."

  "Well sir, I should say you and me could lick a dozen ordinary chaps,without thinking anything of it."

  "I dare say we could, Gibbons, in a stand up fight without weapons, butI fancy these fellows will not try that. They are foreigners, and thefirst thing they would try would be to put a dagger between my shouldersas I walked up and down on deck at night, or, more likely still, creepinto my cabin and stab me while I was asleep. If the voyage were only tolast one night I might sit up, pistol in hand, but if the wind is foulwe might be a week. We are a pretty strong party. Mr. Chetwynd--you knowhim--is going with me; there will also be two runners from Bow Street,and I want you to take another good man with you. Of course, on boardwe shall separate. The Bow Street men will watch the passengers, and youand your mate will smoke your pipes and keep yourselves ready to joinin if you see there is going to be a row. But I rather think that thepassage will be a quiet one. At Amsterdam, until I have got rid of thediamonds I certainly should not care about going out into the streetafter nightfall without having you close behind me."

  "All right, sir. I should say Tom Tring would be as good a man as onecould get at the job. What is the money to be, Mr. Thorndyke?"

  "Well, what do you think yourself, Gibbons?"

  "I take it you pay all expenses, sir?"

  "Yes, everything."

  "Would five and twenty guineas a head be too much?"

  "No; I will do better than that. I will give you five and twenty guineaseach when we get to Amsterdam, and I will give you another twenty-fiveeach if I come back here safe and sound."

  "Well, I call that handsome. One could not want more, and you can relyon it that Tring will jump at the offer. He has not been able to get afight on lately, and he is rather in low water."

  "Well, you will both get up as quiet traders. I don't know what otherpassengers there may be, but I don't want them to know that you belongto the fancy."

  "I twig, sir. We will get up quiet like."

  "Then I want you tomorrow morning, Gibbons, to go down to Holmes& Moore, No. 67 Tower Street, and take two first class tickets toAmsterdam on board the Essex, which sails on Saturday. I don't know whatthe passage money will be, but this is sure to be enough; and we cansettle accounts afterwards. You will find out what time of day she willstart."

  "All right, governor. I suppose you will be here again before that?"

  "No, I don't suppose I shall, unless there is some change in thearrangements. If for any reasons Tring cannot go with you, you willget somebody else instead. You are sure that you quite understandyour instructions? Here is the name and address of the people in TowerStreet."

  "All right, sir. You may make sure that when you go down to the ship youwill see the two of us on board."

  It needed but a few minutes at Bow Street to inform the chief of thearrangements that had been made.

  "I have told off Chester and Malcolm; one of them shall go down andtake their tickets. Of course, they will take their passages in the forecabin, as the danger, if there is danger, may come from there, and youwill have your other two men with you aft. I fancy myself that there ishardly any chance of your being in any way troubled while on board.It will be considered that there will be a vastly greater chance ofcarrying out any plan they may have formed at Amsterdam than there wouldbe on board a ship; you see, if there were any struggle whatever onboard there would be no escape for them.

  "For myself, of course I cannot give any opinion worth having in amatter so different from anything we have to do with here, and I shouldhave unhesitatingly scoffed at the idea of anyone watching the movementsof people for a long number of years in order to obtain the possessionof jewels, however valuable. However, your uncl
e was well acquaintedwith the habits of Hindoos, and was not a man to be lightly alarmed;you yourself, after your year with us, should not be deceived in sucha matter as being yourself followed; under these circumstances youare quite right to take every precaution, and as you pay well forthe services of our two men, even if I had no belief whatever in theexistence of danger to you, I should not feel justified in refusing tolet you have them."

  Having arranged these matters, Mark spent the rest of his time that dayand the next at Islington.

  "I am going across to Amsterdam on Saturday with a diamond bracelet tosell there."

  Millicent looked at him in reproachful surprise.

  "Why, surely, Mark, there can be no hurry about that. I think you mighthave stayed a little longer before running away."

  "I should do so, you may be quite sure, Millicent, if I consulted my owninclinations, but I am bearing out your father's wishes. This braceletis the most valuable of all the things he had, and I believe that it hassome sort of history attached to it. He told my father that he hadsent all the gems home principally to get these diamonds out of hispossession; he said that as soon as my father got hold of the things, hewas to take the diamonds straight over to Amsterdam and sell them there,for he considered that they were much too valuable to be kept in thehouse, and that it was possible that some of the Hindoos might endeavorto get possession of them. At the time he spoke he believed that myfather would, at his death, go to the bank and get the jewels, as ofcourse he would have done if he had known where to find them. Myfather promised him that they should be taken to Amsterdam at once; andalthough so many years have passed since his death, I think I am boundto carry out that promise."

  "I have never been able to understand, Mark, how it was that my father,when he gave all these instructions about me and these jewels and so on,did not at the same time tell uncle where to find them."

  "It was a fancy of his; he was in very bad health, and he thought somuch over these diamonds that it had become almost a sort of mania withhim that not only was there danger in their possession, but that hewas watched night and day wherever he went. He thought, even, if hewhispered where the hiding place was to be discovered it might be heard;therefore he deferred telling it until too late. Of course all thiswas but a fancy on his part, although it is probable enough that thepossession of the diamonds was a source of danger in India, and mighthave been a source of danger here had any thieves known that suchvaluable gems were kept in a private house or carried about. At anyrate, I shall be glad to be free of the responsibility; and although,naturally, I don't like leaving you at the present time, I think it bestto carry out your father's instructions at once, and to get them offmy mind altogether. Dick Chetwynd is going with me, so it will be apleasant little trip."

  "Well, I am glad he is going with you, Mark; for although I know wellenough that they could never be watching for those diamonds to turnup all these years, I feel sure I should fidget and worry if you werealone. You are not going to take the others with you?"

  "No, only this particular bracelet. None of the others are exceptionallyvaluable, so far as I know. At any rate, your father did not speciallyallude to them. I have no doubt that there are some really valuablejewels among them, for my uncle prided himself on being a judge ofprecious stones, and as he invested a large amount of money in them,they are, no doubt, worth a great deal. Still, I don't suppose therewill be any difficulty in selling them here, and, at any rate, I don'twant to be delayed at Amsterdam by having to sell perhaps fifty or ahundred pieces of jewelry; any time will do for that. I fancy that Iought to be able to dispose of the bracelet in three or four days at theoutside. I have got from Bow Street a list of all the principal diamondmerchants in Amsterdam. That is a matter of great interest to the force,as almost all precious stones stolen in this country are sent acrossthere, and if there is any special jewel robbery we send over a list ofall the articles taken to the merchants there. As a rule, that wouldnot prevent their dealing in them, but there are some who will not touchthings that have been dishonestly come by, and we occasionally get hintsthat enable us to lay hands upon thieves over there."

  "I hate to hear you say 'the force,' Mark, just as if you were still adetective; it is bad enough that you should have belonged to it, evenfor the purpose you did; but you have done with it now."

  "Yes; but, you see, it is rather difficult to get out of the habit whenone has been for over a year constantly at work at a thing. This will bemy last absence on business, Millicent; henceforward I shall be able tobe always with you."

  "Well, now that I know what you have been doing all this time, Mark, Imust admit that you have been very good to have been with us as much asyou have. I often used to wonder how you passed your time. Of course Iknew that you were trying to find that man out, but it did not seem tome that you could be always at that, and I never dreamt that you hadbecome a regular detective. I am very glad I did not know it till ashort time before you gave it up. In the first place, I should havebeen horrified, and, in the second place, I should have been constantlyuneasy about you. However, as this is to be the last time, I will letyou go without grumbling."

  "By the way, Millicent, what do you wish me to say about our engagement?I don't see that there is the slightest occasion for us to keep up thefarce of your being Miss Conyers any longer. You cannot be married undera false name, you know, and now that you have escaped what your fatherwas so afraid of, and are going to be married for love and not formoney, I don't see why there should be any more mystery about it."

  "But how would you account for my having been called Conyers all thistime?"

  "I should simply tell the truth; that your father, having a great fearthat you might be married for money, left the estate to my father, tobe held by him until you came of age, and that it was at his particularrequest that you were brought up simply as his ward, and dropped thefamily name and passed by your two Christian names. I should say thatwe have all been aware for a long time of the facts of the case, andI should also say that your father had left a very large fortune inaddition to the estate between us, and had expressed a hope that weshould, when the time came, marry each other."

  "Then people will think that we have only married to keep the fortunetogether, Mark."

  "Well, my dear, I don't suppose there are a great many people who willbe interested in the matter, and those who get to know you will see atonce that as far as I am concerned, there was no great difficulty infalling in with your father's ideas, while, on the other hand, they mayconsider that you made a noble sacrifice of yourself in agreeing to theplan."

  "Nonsense, sir. I am not going to flatter you, as no doubt you expect;but, at any rate, I am perfectly content with my share of the bargain."

  "Well, there is one thing, Millicent; all who knew us down at Reigatewill say that it is a very sensible arrangement, and will be glad toknow that I shall retain the estate they have hitherto considered to bemine. Well, then, you agree to my mentioning to my intimate friends thatyou are my cousin, and that we are engaged?"

  "Yes, I suppose it is the best thing, Mark, and, as you say, I mustmarry under my proper name, and it is just as well to get the talkover down at Reigate now, as for it all to come as a wonder when we aremarried."

  "When is that going to be, Millicent?"

  "Oh, I don't know; of course it will be a long time before we even thinkof that."

  "I beg your pardon, I am thinking of it now, and I can see no reasonwhatever why it should be delayed. We know each other well enough, Ishould think, and there is no probability of our changing our minds ondiscovering all sorts of faults, that we never dreamt, in each other.I may be away for a fortnight, and I would suggest that you had bettermake your preparations at once, so that we can be married a fortnightafter I come back."

  "You say that there is no fear of our discovering faults in each other.I can assure you that I have just discovered a very serious fault,namely, that you are altogether too masterful, too bent upon having yourown way. I kn
ow you always were so when you were a boy, but I hopedyou had grown out of it; now I see that I was altogether mistaken.Seriously, Mark, your proposal is absurd."

  "Where does the absurdity come in, Millicent?"

  "Well, everywhere," she said gravely.

  "Which in the present case means nowhere," he said. "Do you mean to tellme, Millicent, that in this town there are not a hundred dressmakers,each of whom could turn you out a wedding dress and as many othergarments as you can possibly require in the course of a month, or evenif that effort were too stupendous, that you could not divide the workamong a dozen of them?"

  "Well, I don't say that could not be done," Millicent admittedreluctantly.

  "Well, what other objection is there?"

  "Well, you see, one does not, like to be bustled in such a matter asthis, Mark. One likes to think it all over and to realize it to one'sself."

  "Well, dear, you will have a fortnight while I am away to think and torealize as much as you like. I can see no advantage myself in waitinga single day longer than there is a necessity for; I have been for thelast year coming here merely as a visitor, and I want to take possessionof you and have you all to myself. I suppose Mrs. Cunningham will becoming in presently, and I will put the matter to her. If she says youcannot be ready in a month I must give you another week, but I don'tthink that she will say so. By the way, how about her?"

  "I was thinking of that last night, Mark. It would be very lonely forher to live by herself now, and you see she has always been as a motherto me."

  "Quite so, dear; and I am sure that I should have no objection to hercoming back to Crowswood, and living there as a friend, and helping youin the housekeeping."

  "Thank you very much, Mark; I should like that in every way. You see, Iknow nothing whatever about housekeeping; and besides, when you areout, it would be a great thing to have her with me, for it would be verylonely by myself in that big house."

  "Well, we will have her there, by all means, dear, if she likes to come;you had better talk it over with her. Ah! here she is.

  "We were just talking over the time it will take Millicent to getready," he said, "and I shall be glad of your opinion. I have beentelling her that I am going away for a fortnight, and have proposed thatthe marriage should come off a fortnight later. I cannot see any use indelay, and she does not either; at least, I suppose not, for the onlyobjection she has advanced is that there will be but a short time inwhich to get her things ready. That strikes me as being all nonsense.I could get things ready for ten weddings in that time. What do youthink?"

  "I see no reason for delay," Mrs. Cunningham said; "and assuredly amonth ought to be sufficient to get everything made."

  "Thank you, Mrs. Cunningham; then we can consider that settled,Millicent!"

  "I call this tyranny, Mrs. Cunningham," Millicent protested. "He sayshe proposes that we shall be married in a month; it is not a proposal atall, it is an order. If he had wanted me in such a hurry he might havesaid so a year ago, and now that he has made up his mind at last, hewants everything done in a hurry."

  "It is the nature of men, my dear; they are all alike in that respect.I think you had better make up your mind to it, especially as I have nodoubt in this case the order is not a very unpleasant one."

  "You are too bad, Mrs. Cunningham," Millicent said. "I made sure that Ishould find you on my side, and it seems you have gone over altogetherto the enemy."

  "Where are you going to?" asked Mrs. Cunningham of Mark.

  "I am going across to Amsterdam to sell that bracelet. My uncleexpressed a particular wish to my father that he should do soimmediately it came into his possession. Dick Chetwynd is going overwith me, and if the weather is fair it will be a pleasant trip."

  "Where are you thinking of going after the marriage?"

  "We have not talked it over yet. My own idea is that, as neither ofus has been abroad, we might as well take this opportunity for seeingsomething of the Continent. Of course we cannot go to France, things arein too disturbed a state there; but we might go to Brussels, and theninto Germany, and perhaps as far as Vienna, and then down into Italy;but of course, if Millicent prefers it, we will simply take a tourthrough England and Scotland."

  "Oh, I am glad that I am to have some voice in the matter," Millicentsaid. "However, I should like the tour you propose very much, Mark. Ihave often thought that I should like to see Italy above all places."

  "Well, then, we will consider that settled. And now, what are you goingto do for today?"