CHAPTER XXII
AN INTERRUPTED HOLIDAY
Some twelve hours later Cleek had the pleasure of learning through someof Scotland Yard's scouts that Margot had departed for the Continent.Evidently she had recognized defeat for the time being, and Ailsahaving, at Cleek's own advice, gone down to Mrs. Narkom to rest herquivering nerves, Cleek himself thought it only right to give Dollopsthe holiday his action had earned him. Had it not been for his ingenuitythings would have gone very differently. The charm of the river nowcalled to him, and as there was no urgent summons from the Yard, Cleekordered Dollops to pack a couple of bags, to that young gentleman'sdelight and excitement, while he went out to ring up the owners of amotor-launch standing in the upper reaches of the Thames.
"Unless Mr. Narkom rings me up, we'll have a few days in Paradise," hesaid, not knowing of the secret fear already in Dollops' breast lest Mr.Narkom should do that very thing. But once left to himself, Dollops,with an uneasy twinge of conscience, promptly lifted the receiver offthe hook; and then set to work with a will. Had not Cleek been soabsorbed in his thoughts of Ailsa he must surely have noticed the almostfrantic haste with which his faithful henchman packed up clothes andprovisions and literally bundled him into a taxi to Waterloo, en routefor Kingston, without so much as stopping for refreshment.
This is how it happened, therefore, that on reaching Kingston Stationboth felt disinclined to proceed farther until they had had lunch. FaggsIsland was the place Cleek selected, and Dollops, who had long wished tosee that famous resort, seconded the motion heartily. And it was justthis small circumstance which brought the case of the Fire Opal toCleek's notice, for as they came slowly out into the roadway and turnedinto one that would lead them to the river, there sounded in thedistance the whirring hum of a speeding motor. As it swung down on themCleek instinctively looked over his shoulder. The effect was moststartling for everyone concerned, for it proved to be a Scotland Yardcar, with the familiar figure of Lennard at the wheel.
"Cleek!" shouted Narkom as the car came to a standstill and he sprangout and seized his famous ally by the arm. "It's just like magic. Here Ihave been trying desperately to telephone you"--here Dollops turned adull brick-red and swallowed noisily--"and here you are, on the spot,within half an hour of where you're wanted--more urgently than anywhereelse in the world. It's magnificent!"
"That's more than I say, you incorrigible spoil-sport!" returned Cleek,with a little sigh of resignation. "Another two minutes, and Dollops andI would have been carried away safe and sound out of your clutches.Well, it can't be helped. Here you are, and I must be at your command.Dollops, cut along to the launch and lay in a supply of provisions--youknow best what to buy. Well, what is it this time, Narkom? I can fairlysee the excitement bubbling out of you. Out with it."
Mr. Narkom sighed heavily. Then he pushed Cleek into the car, whichheaded back to Hampton Court at a great pace.
"It means two thousand pounds to you, my dear fellow, if you can solvethe riddle. It's the British Government that's going to pay it," he saidafter a slight pause.
"Phew! Sounds interesting. Where does it begin?"
"It began for me," returned the Superintendent, grimly, "at one o'clockthis morning, in Soho, when I was dragged out of bed to investigate amurder. It had evidently been committed within an hour of its discovery,for the body was still warm. It was, to all appearances, that of aHindu; but subsequent examination showed it to be a man of Europeanbirth, French, probably. Funny thing about him was the colour of hiseyes. One was black and the other brown. As for the Hindu part of it,he was as white as a man could be save for his stained face and hands.There were no means of identification, so I had to let the case slide. Idon't say it has anything to do with the present case; still, thedetails are so strange:----"
"What is this case?" asked Cleek, abruptly. "Forgery, swindling,robbery?"
"Worse," returned the Superintendent. "It's murder--cunning, almostsupernatural. Perpetrated by some diabolical means in the dark withoutany apparent cause. Three people, all inhabitants of the same house,have died within a year, and in spite of the fact that the subsequentautopsy has pointed to a case of heart failure, and there is not theleast trace of any wound or blemish, yet each one who has been done todeath would appear to have died just as that Syrian priest swore thatwhoever attempted to touch the stone should die--accursed, in darkness,and alone."
"What's that?" said Cleek, sitting up sharply. "A Syrian priest, astone--by that, I presume, a precious stone of some sort--and threemysterious deaths! A regular melodrama! Let us have the details, please.What is this stone, and to whom does it belong?"
"Sir Thomas Montelet was the first European owner. I dare say you haveheard of him; he is, or rather was, a noted collector of Oriental_objets d'art_, and I remember I had to lend him official protectionsome years ago, on the occasion of his moving his treasures to thecountry house to which we are now going."
"And it is this man who has been murdered?"
"No. Sir Thomas died peacefully in his bed. I rather fancy, though, youwere in Paris during the case of that Red Crawl business. No, it is hiswidow, Lady Montelet, who is the latest and most important victim."
"Why most important?" asked Cleek, a note of irritation in his voice."Are not all lives equal in the sight of the law?"
"True enough, my dear fellow, but by the good lady's death the BritishGovernment will inherit many valuable Eastern jewels, bequeathed by SirThomas in his will, and amongst them is this very jewel which has nowbeen stolen--a yellow, reddish stone, known as a fire opal."
"H'm. Years ago, if I remember rightly," said Cleek, "Sir Thomas wentout from England to investigate some ancient Assyrian discoveries, andbrought back a unique opal known as the Eye of Ashtaroth--the Astarte ofthe Assyrians. Is that the stone in question?"
"The very one. Montelet not only made some perfectly astoundingdiscoveries, but brought back many wonderful relics of the past,bequeathing them, on his death, to his widow, and thence to the nationwhich had so generously rewarded him. He took special pains for thesafety of this great stone, the Fire Opal, for which a steel andcast-iron temple was made, a life-size model of the one from which ithad been wrested--for which act an old native had cursed him up hill anddown dale. Sir Thomas did not take any notice, however, but continued toremove and collect other and various treasures of the East, sending themto his deserted wife at home."
"Deserted wife! What do you mean?"
"Well, perhaps that does sound rather strange, Cleek, though it reallydoes describe the case. For years and years he spent most of his timeout of England, travelling in the Far East, and never returning home atall. Considering he had made a second marriage, and a love match atthat, this seemed rather strange. However, he made it up to her, as faras he could, in the end, for he brought back this Fire Opal himself andremained in England. Then he left the second Lady Montelet every stickand shilling in the world, even to the exclusion of his only son,Hubert, who was thus left dependent on his stepmother. Luckily, theyfairly idolized each other, so it hasn't made much difference to him."
Cleek threw up his chin with a quick gesture.
"I see, I see," he said. "Left them with plenty of money, an historicand fate-laden jewel, if I know anything of precious stones, to saynothing of an Assyrian curse! Pleasant little heritage that! Did LadyMontelet believe in the curse?"
"According to young Montelet, she did not. Indeed, she was more angrythan frightened when the other two deaths occurred----"
"Ah, yes, what of them? Who were they?"
"One was a servant, a young parlour-maid, who was by mistake shut up inthat ungodly temple and was found dead at the foot of the altarapparently killed by fright. The second was a French girl visiting LadyMontelet. She appeared to have been killed by the same mysteriousagency. Then the servants got to saying that one of the statues of thecollection came to life at night, and had been seen walking down apassage near the temple. Sheer nonsense, of course, but it so angeredthe old lady that in th
e face of the strongest opposition she announcedher intention of sitting up all night in the Assyrian temple, to provethat nothing would happen. What did happen Heaven alone knows, but shewas evidently found dead before the altar, just as the others were; forI received a wire asking me to come immediately. I was just trying tofind you when Providence threw you in my path. So there's the case in anutshell, Cleek."
"H'm! and one with a pretty tough kernel," responded Cleek, grimly."However, we shall get to the bottom some day, as the stone said when itfell in the well. Hallo! we're slowing down, aren't we? Where are we?"
"The old 'Crown Inn' I expect. I told young Montelet I would wait therefor him if I could get hold of the right man to take up the case. So ifyou don't mind jumping out.... And as to disguise--Lord, what a miracleyou are! If I hadn't actually known it was you, I should declare it wasanother man."
"It is," responded Cleek, blandly. "For the next few hours you will havethe pleasure of the company of Mr. George Headland."
The car drew up with a little jerk before the inn door, and two minuteslater Cleek was listening to the story of the case as told by Mr. HubertMontelet, a fair-faced, boyish, impulsive, and altogether lovable youngfellow of two-and-twenty.