CHAPTER IX
IN THE MISTS
Their first glimpse of the night, as Hunterleys and Lane passed outthrough the grudgingly opened door, was sufficiently disconcerting. Alittle murmur of dismay broke from the assembled crowd. Nothing was tobe seen but a dense bank of white mist, through which shone thebrilliant lights of the automobiles waiting at the door. Monsieur leDirecteur hastened about, doing his best to reassure everybody.
"If I thought it was of the slightest use," he declared, "I would askyou all to stay, but when the clouds once stoop like this, there is notlikely to be any change for twenty-four hours, and we have not, alas!sleeping accommodation. If the cars are slowly driven and kept to theinside, it is only a matter of a mile or two before you will drop belowthe level of the clouds."
Hunterleys and Lane made their way out to the front, and with their coatcollars turned up, groped their way to the turf on the other side of theavenue. From where they stood, looking downwards, the whole world seemedwrapped in mysterious and somber silence. There was nothing to be seenbut the grey, driving clouds. In less than a minute their hair andeyebrows were dripping. A slight breeze had sprung up, the cold wasintense.
"Cheerful sort of place, this," Lane remarked gloomily. "Shall we make astart?"
Hunterleys hesitated.
"Not just yet. Look!"
He pointed downwards. For a moment the clouds had parted. Thousands offeet below, like little pinpricks of red fire, they saw the lights ofMonte Carlo. Almost as they looked, the clouds closed up again. It wasas though they had peered into another world.
"Jove, that was queer!" Lane muttered. "Look! What's that?"
A long ray of sickly yellow light shone for a moment and was thensuddenly blotted out by a rolling mass of vapour. The clouds had closedin again once more. The obscurity was denser than ever.
"The lighthouse," Hunterleys replied. "Do you think it's any usewaiting?"
"We'll go inside and put on our coats," Lane suggested. "My car is bythe side of the avenue there. I covered it over and left it."
They found their coats in the hall, wrapped themselves up and litcigarettes. Already many of the cars had started and vanished cautiouslyinto obscurity. Every now and then one could hear the tooting of theirhorns from far away below. The chief steward was directing thedepartures and insisting upon an interval of three minutes between each.The two men stood on one side and watched him. He was holding open thedoor of a large, exceptionally handsome car. On the other side was aservant in white livery. Lane gripped his companion's arm.
"There she goes!" he exclaimed.
The girl, followed by Mr. Grex, stepped into the landaulette, which wasbrilliantly illuminated inside with electric light. Almost immediatelythe car glided noiselessly off. The two men watched it until itdisappeared. Then they crossed the road.
"Now then, Sir Henry," Richard observed grimly, as he turned the handleof the car and they took their places in the little well-shaped space,"better say your prayers. I'm going to drive slowly enough but it's anawful job, this, crawling down the side of a mountain in the dark, withnothing between you and eternity but your brakes."
They crept off. As far as the first turn the lights from the club-househelped them. Immediately afterwards, however, the obscurity wasenveloping. Their faces were wet and shiny with moisture. Even thefingers of Lane's gloves which gripped the wheel were sodden. Heproceeded at a snail's pace, keeping always on the inside of the roadand only a few inches from the wall or bank. Once he lost his way andhis front wheel struck a small stump, but they were going too slowly fordisaster. Another time he failed to follow the turn of the road andfound himself in a rough cart track. They backed with difficulty and gotright once more. At the fourth turn they came suddenly upon a huge carwhich had left the road as they had done and was standing amongst thepine trees, its lights flaring through the mist.
"Hullo!" Lane called out, coming to a standstill. "You've missed theturn."
"My master is going to stay here all night," the chauffeur shouted back.
A man put his head from the window and began to talk in rapid French.
"It is inconceivable," he exclaimed, "that any one should attempt thedescent! We have rugs, my wife and I. We stay here till the cloudspass."
"Good night, then!" Lane cried cheerfully.
"Not sure that you're not wise," Hunterleys added, with a shiver.
Twice they stopped while Lane rubbed the moisture from his gloves andlit a fresh cigarette.
"This is a test for your nerve, young fellow," Hunterleys remarked. "Areyou feeling it?"
"Not in the least," Lane replied. "I can't make out, though, why thatsteward made us all start at intervals of three minutes. Seems to me weshould have been better going together at this pace. Save any one fromgetting lost, anyhow."
They crawled on for another twenty minutes. The routine was always thesame--a hundred yards or perhaps two, an abrupt turn and then a similardistance the other way. They had one or two slight misadventures butthey made progress. Once, through a rift, they caught a momentary visionof a carpet of lights at a giddy distance below.
"We'll make it all right," Lane declared, crawling around anothercorner. "Gee! but this is the toughest thing in driving I've ever known!I can do ninety with this car easier than I can do this three. Hullo,some one else in trouble!"
Before them, in the middle of the road, a light was being slowly swungbackwards and forwards. Lane brought the car to a standstill. He hadscarcely done so when they were conscious of the sound of footsteps allaround them. The arms of both men were seized from behind. They wereaddressed in guttural French.
"Messieurs will be pleased to descend."
"What the--what's wrong?" Lane demanded.
"Descend at once," was the prompt order.
By the light of the lantern which the speaker was holding, they caught aglimpse of a dozen white faces and the dull gleam of metal from thefirearms which his companions were carrying. Hunterleys stepped out. Anescort of two men was at once formed on either side of him.
"Tell us what it's all about, anyhow?" he asked coolly.
"Nothing serious," the same guttural voice answered,--"a little affairwhich will be settled in a few minutes. As for you, monsieur," the mancontinued, turning to Lane, "you will drive your car slowly to the nextturn, and leave it there. Afterwards you will return with me."
Richard set his teeth and leaned over his wheel. Then it suddenlyflashed into his mind that Mr. Grex and his daughter were alreadyamongst the captured. He quickly abandoned his first instinct.
"With pleasure, monsieur," he assented. "Tell me when to stop."
He drove the car a few yards round the corner, past a line of others.Their lights were all extinguished and the chauffeurs absent.
"This is a pleasant sort of picnic!" he grumbled, as he brought his carto a standstill. "Now what do I do, monsieur?"
"You return with me, if you please," was the reply.
Richard stood, for a moment, irresolute. The idea of giving in without astruggle was most distasteful to this self-reliant young American. Thenhe realised that not only was his captor armed but that there were menbehind him and one on either side.
"Lead the way," he decided tersely.
They marched him up the hill, a little way across some short turf andround the back of a rock to a long building which he remembered to havenoticed on his way up. His guide threw open the door and Richard lookedin upon a curious scene. Ranged up against the further wall were about adozen of the guests who had preceded him in his departure from theClub-house. One man only had his hands tied behind him. The others,apparently, were considered harmless. Mr. Grex was the one man, andthere was a little blood dripping from his right hand. The girl stood byhis side. She was no paler than usual--she showed, indeed, no signs ofterror at all--but her eyes were bright with indignation. One man wasbusy stripping the jewels from the women and throwing them into a bag.In the far corner the little group of chauffeurs was being watched by
two more men, also carrying firearms. Lane looked down the line offaces. Lady Hunterleys was there, and by her side Draconmeyer.Hunterleys was a little apart from the others. Freddy Montressor, whowas leaning against the wall, chuckled as Lane came in.
"So they've got you, too, Dicky, have they?" he remarked. "It's ahold-up--a bully one, too. Makes one feel quite homesick, eh? How muchhave you got on you?"
"Precious little, thank heavens!" Richard muttered.
His eyes were fixed upon the brigand who was collecting the jewels, andwho was now approaching Miss Grex. He felt something tingling in hisblood. One of the guests began to talk excitedly. The man who wasapparently the leader, and who was standing at the door with an electrictorch in one hand and a revolver in the other, stepped a little forward.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "once more I beg you not to be alarmed.So long as you part with your valuables peaceably, you will be atliberty to depart as soon as every one has been dealt with. If there isno resistance, there will be no trouble. We do not wish to hurt anyone."
The collector of jewels had arrived in front of the girl. She unfastenedher necklace and handed it to him.
"The little pendant around my neck," she remarked calmly, "is valueless.I desire to keep it."
"Impossible!" the man replied. "Off with it."
"But I insist!" she exclaimed. "It is an heirloom."
The man laughed brutally. His filthy hand was raised to her neck. Evenas he touched her, Lane, with a roar of anger, sent one of his guardsflying on to the floor of the barn, and, snatching the gun from hishand, sprang forward.
"Come on, you fellows!" he shouted, bringing it down suddenly upon thehand of the robber. "These things aren't loaded. There's only one ofthese blackguards with a revolver."
"Come on, you fellows!" he shouted.]
"And I've got him!" Hunterleys, who had been watching Lane closely,cried, suddenly swinging his arm around the man's neck and knocking hisrevolver up.
There was a yell of pain from the man with the jewels, whose wrist Lanehad broken, a howl of dismay from the others--pandemonium.
"At 'em, Freddy!" Lane shouted, seizing the nearest of his assailants bythe neck and throwing him out into the darkness. "To hell with you!" headded, just escaping a murderous blow and driving his fist into the faceof the man who had aimed it. "Good for you, Hunterleys! There isn't oneof those old guns of theirs that'll go off. They aren't even loaded."
The barn seemed suddenly to become half empty. Into the darkness thelittle band of brigands crept away like rats. In less than half a minutethey had all fled, excepting the one who lay on the ground unconsciousfrom the effects of Richard's blow, and the leader of the gang, whomHunterleys still held by the throat. Richard, with a clasp-knife whichhe had drawn from his pocket, cut the cord which they had tied aroundMr. Grex's wrists. His action, however, was altogether mechanical. Hescarcely glanced at what he was doing. Somehow or other, he found thegirl's hands in his.
"That brute--didn't touch you, did he?" he asked.
She looked at him. Whether the clouds were still outside or not, Lanefelt that he had passed into Heaven.
"He did not, thanks to you," she murmured. "But do you mean really thatthose guns all the time weren't loaded?"
"I don't believe they were," Richard declared stoutly. "That chap kepton playing about with the lock of his old musket and I felt sure that itwas of no use, loaded or not. Anyway, when I saw that brute try tohandle you--well--"
He stopped, with an awkward little laugh. Mr. Grex tapped a cigaretteupon his case and lit it.
"I am sure, my young friend, we are all very much indebted to you. Themethods which sometimes are scarcely politic in the ordinary affairs oflife," he continued drily, "are admirable enough in a case like this. Wewill just help Hunterleys tie up the leader of the gang. A very pluckystroke, that of his."
He crossed the barn. One of the women had fainted, others were busycollecting their jewelry. The chauffeurs had hurried off to relight thelamps of the cars.
"I must tell you this," Richard said, drawing a a little nearer to thegirl. "Please don't be angry with me. I went to your father thisafternoon. I made an idiot of myself--I couldn't help it. I was staringat you and he noticed it. I didn't want him to think that I was such anill-mannered brute as I seemed. I tried to make him understand but hewouldn't listen to me. I'd like to tell you now--now that I have theopportunity--that I think you're just--"
She smiled very faintly.
"What is it that you wish to tell me?" she asked patiently.
"That I love you," he wound up abruptly.
There was a moment's silence, a silence with a background of strangenoises. People were talking, almost shouting to one another withexcitement. Newcomers were being told the news. The man whom Hunterleyshad captured was shrieking and cursing. From beyond came the tooting ofmotor-horns as the cars returned. Lane heard nothing. He saw nothing butthe white face of the girl as she stood in the shadows of the barn, withits walls of roughly threaded pine trunks.
"But I have scarcely ever spoken to you in my life!" she protested,looking at him in astonishment.
"It doesn't make any difference," he replied. "You know I am speakingthe truth. I think, in your heart, that you, too, know that these thingsdon't matter, now and then. Of course, you don't--you couldn't feelanything of what I feel, but with me it's there now and for always, andI want to have a chance, just a chance to make you understand. I'm notreally mad. I'm just--in love with you."
She smiled at him, still in a friendly manner, but her face had clouded.There was a look in her eyes almost of trouble, perhaps of regret.
"I am so sorry," she murmured. "It is only a sudden feeling on yourpart, isn't it? You have been so splendid to-night that I can do no morethan thank you very, very much. And as for what you have told me, Ithink it is an honour, but I wish you to forget it. It is not wise foryou to think of me in that way. I fear that I cannot even offer you myfriendship."
Again there was a brief silence. The clamour of exclamations from thelittle groups of people still filled the air outside. They could hearcars coming and going. The man whom Hunterleys and Mr. Grex were tyingup was still groaning and cursing.
"Are you married?" Richard asked abruptly.
She shook her head.
"Engaged?"
"No!"
"Do you care very much for any one else?"
"No!" she told him softly.
He drew her away.
"Come outside for one moment," he begged. "I hate to see you in theplace where that beast tried to lay hands upon you. Here is yournecklace."
He picked it up from her feet and she followed him obediently outside.People were standing about, shadowy figures in little groups. Some ofthe cars had already left, others were being prepared for a start.Below, once more the clouds had parted and the lights twinkled likefireflies through the trees. This time they could even see the lightsfrom the village of La Turbie, less brilliant but almost at their feet.Richard glanced upwards. There was a star clearly visible.
"The clouds are lifting," he said. "Listen. If there is no one else,tell me, why there shouldn't be the slightest chance for me? I am notclever, I am nobody of any account, but I care for you so wonderfully. Ilove you, I always shall love you, more than any one else could. I neverunderstood before, but I understand now. Just this caring means somuch."
She stood close to his side. Her manner at the same time seemed todepress him and yet to fill him with hope.
"What is your name?" she enquired.
"Richard Lane," he told her. "I am an American."
"Then, Mr. Richard Lane," she continued softly, "I shall always think ofyou and think of to-night and think of what you have said, and perhaps Ishall be a little sorry that what you have asked me cannot be."
"Cannot?" he muttered.
She shook her head almost sadly.
"Some day," she went on, "as soon as our stay in Monte Carlo isfinished, if you like, I will write and tell yo
u the real reason, incase you do not find it out before."
He was silent, looking downwards to where the gathering wind was drivingthe clouds before it, to where the lights grew clearer and clearer atevery moment.
"Does it matter," he asked abruptly, "that I am rich--very rich?"
"It does not matter at all," she answered.
"Doesn't it matter," he demanded, turning suddenly upon her and speakingwith a new passion, almost a passion of resentment, "doesn't it matterthat without you life doesn't exist for me any longer? Doesn't it matterthat a man has given you his whole heart, however slight a thing it mayseem to you? What am I to do if you send me away? There isn't anythingleft in life."
"There is what you have always found in it," she reminded him.
"There isn't," he replied fiercely. "That's just what there isn't. Ishould go back to a world that was like a dead city."
He suddenly felt her hand upon his.
"Dear Mr. Lane," she begged, "wait for a little time before you nursethese sad thoughts, and when you know how impossible what you ask is, itwill seem easier. But if you really care to hear something, if it wouldreally please you sometimes to think of it when you are alone and youremember this little foolishness of yours, let me tell you, if I may,that I am sorry--I am very sorry."
His hand was suddenly pressed, and then, before he could stop her, shehad glided away. He moved a step to follow her and almost at once he wassurrounded. Lady Hunterleys patted him on the shoulder.
"Really," she exclaimed, "you and Henry were our salvation. I haven'tfelt so thrilled for ages. I only wish," she added, dropping her voice alittle, "that it might bring you the luck you deserve."
He answered vaguely. She turned back to Hunterleys. She was busy tearingup her handkerchief.
"I am going to tie up your head," she said. "Please stoop down."
He obeyed at once. The side of his forehead was bleeding where a bulletfrom the revolver of the man he had captured had grazed his temple.
"Too bad to trouble you," he muttered.
"It's the least we can do," she declared, laughing nervously. "Forgiveme if my fingers tremble. It is the excitement of the last few minutes."
Hunterleys stood quite still. Words seemed difficult to him just then.
"You were very brave, Henry," she said quietly. "Whom--whom are yougoing down with?"
"I am with Richard Lane," he answered, "in his two-seated racer."
She bit her lip.
"I did not mean to come alone with Mr. Draconmeyer, really," sheexplained. "He thought, up to the last moment, that his wife would bewell enough to come."
"Did he really believe so, do you think?" Hunterleys asked.
A voice intervened. Mr. Draconmeyer was standing by their side.
"Well," he said, "we might as well resume our journey. We all look andfeel, I think, as though we had been taking part in a scene from someopera bouffe."
Lady Hunterleys shivered. She had drawn a little closer to her husband.Her coat was unfastened. Hunterleys leaned towards her and buttoned itwith strong fingers up to her throat.
"Thank you," she whispered. "You wouldn't--you couldn't drive down withus, could you?"
"Have you plenty of room?" he enquired.
"Plenty," she declared eagerly. "Mr. Draconmeyer and I are alone."
For a moment Hunterleys hesitated. Then he caught the smile upon theface of the man he detested.
"Thank you," he said, "I don't think I can desert Lane."
She stiffened at once. Her good night was almost formal. Hunterleysstepped into the car which Richard had brought up. There was just aslight mist around them, but the whole country below, though chaotic,was visible, and the lights on the hill-side, from La Turbie down to thesea-board, were in plain sight.
"Our troubles," Hunterleys remarked, as they glided off, "seem to beover."
"Maybe," Lane replied grimly. "Mine seem to be only just beginning!"