The Riddle of the Mysterious Light
CHAPTER XXIV
"THE FIRE THAT SLAYS IN THE DARK"
A swift run of about fifteen minutes brought them to the residence ofthe Montelet family. It was a fine place standing in spacious andwell-kept grounds, and by the involuntary upward look of young Montelet,as they swept round past one of the wings, Cleek knew that this mustcontain the ill-fated gallery wherein had reposed the "Eye ofAshtaroth." In that brief second his trained eye had noted the bare wallwith its clear thirty-foot drop from the nearest barred windows, andthat the sharply pointed roof and entire absence of chimney precludedany possibility of either thief or murderer entering from the outside.But he made no comment, and two minutes later found him being introducedto the late Lady Montelet's French companion, Marie Vaudrot. She wasshort and petite, with dark, velvety brown eyes, which glanced in mutequestion from one face to the other, and betrayed to Cleek that she wasin deadly fear of the discovery of some secret. What secret it would behis business to find out.
"She knows more than she has told, evidently," was his immediate mentalcomment as he noticed her start of dismay when, having swung on hisheel, he announced his desire to see the body of Lady Montelet where itlay, and just as it had been discovered in the miniature temple.
But this desire was heartily approved by both Miss Gwynne and Mr.Montelet, and the little party speedily were on their way alongcorridors and up stairs, until at last they reached the fatal room.
"As you see, the door itself is of steel," whispered young Montelet ashe fitted the key into the lock and let it swing inward. "My dear fatherchose this room on purpose, and had every inch covered with steelplates. These in their turn have been covered with tapestries andobjects of art, as you see."
Cleek did see, for his eyes were comprehensively taking in the strangescene before him. The room was practically a replica of an Assyriantemple, supported at one end by two fluted columns between which couldbe seen the figures of the Assyrian bull gods, dedicated toAssur-bani-pal and Ishtar, or Ashtaroth. Sombre and inscrutable, theyseemed to gaze down in contempt on the little group huddled before thestone steps which led up to an altar on the top of which twinkled alittle flame. Just below it stood a marble pedestal, with a shiningengraved steel case on the top, and from the glass panel surmounting itCleek guessed that this had been the home of the vanished Fire Opal.
He gazed from this pedestal round the walls, hung with pricelesstapestries, then to the floor carpeted by Oriental rugs that seemed toreproach them for their profane footsteps.
"Very pretty idea," said he, finally, scratching his head and lettinghis mouth gape open stupidly. "Sort of reminds me of Earl's Court, don'tyer know. Pretty little light that, but not much good to see by, eh?"
"No one ever had need to come in at night, Mr. Headland," said youngMontelet, with quiet dignity. "I have never seen it at night, thoughneither have I ever seen that little lamp out. As a matter of fact, Idon't suppose I have entered the place half a dozen times since it wasconstructed."
"Nor I," put in Miss Gwynne. "I hate it. The very atmosphere reeks ofdeath and crime." She gave a quick, apprehensive glance about her, andshivered against Mr. Montelet's shoulder.
Cleek crossed to where a couch, at the end of the room, bore theshrouded body of Lady Montelet, and drew back the covering with gentlefingers.
It was evident at a glance that at whatever hour of the night or morningdeath had come to her, she had made no preparation for going to sleep;for though her body was arrayed in a warm dressing-gown, her hair waselaborately waved and coiffed as it had been during the day.
Cleek bent over it, and began a minute examination of the body, thensaid suddenly: "Let me have a little more light, please, Mr. Narkom. Itis somewhat dark here, and in such circumstances----"
He stopped short, sucking in his breath with a curious gasping sound,and felt eagerly for his magnifying glass. For his eye had been caughtby the slightest of marks on the fingertips of the dead woman. Then helooked at her lips, and stooping, sniffed vigorously. For a moment hestood very still, then with a sort of new dignity rose and faced roundon Mr. Montelet, who was watching him with intense eagerness writtenupon his countenance.
"Do you know if Lady Montelet had anything to drink previous to herretirement to this room?" he said abruptly.
It was Mademoiselle Vaudrot who interposed a reply.
"But, yes, m'sieur; she had a cup of black coffee, so that she shouldkeep awake, and it was I that brought it to her with my own hands. Andmy dear, dear lady put it down on this little table. See, thisone"--pointing to a little Persian stool that stood near the left-handcolumn--"then she kissed me good-night and locked herself in."
"Locked herself in!" rapped out Cleek. "How, then, was this door openedin the morning?"
"I opened it," said young Montelet in low tones. "I have a duplicatekey. When we knocked and knocked and called this morning and could getno answer, I remembered that my father had given me a key to be used incase of accidents, years ago. No one knew I had it. And then I wired forMr. Narkom."
"I see," said Cleek, stroking his chin pensively. Then he addedsuddenly: "I've got a book down in the car that I believe might be a bitof a help. It's a new detective story; nothing like a good story torefresh one's mind. If you would get it; here's the title, Mr. Narkom,and exactly where I left it. Run down and get it, there's a good chap."
The "good chap" was out of the room before Mr. Montelet could voice theprotest which shone so plainly in his eyes.
"I think, somehow, that we've all been on a wrong tack. What if the oldlady--her ladyship--took out the stone, and when the pain at her heartcaught her, let the blessed thing drop? Anyhow, I'd like to pull up therugs--if you've no objection, Miss Gwynne."
"Not in the slightest," answered that lady quickly. "I'll help you ifyou like, and so shall Miss Vaudrot. We'll all search."
Another minute saw the four people on hands and knees, searching andpulling at the rugs and draperies; and it was thus vainly employed thatMr. Narkom, flushed and excited, found them when he returned.
"Did you find it, Mr. Narkom?" inquired Cleek, jumping briskly to hisfeet, his example followed by the other three.
"Rather! Just as you said."
"Oh, well, never mind about it now. Shan't want it, after all. I've juststruck another idea." And he crossed over to the marble pedestal.
"What's that?" asked young Montelet, interestedly as he followed Cleek'sbeckoning hand.
"I forgot I hadn't examined the blessed pedestal. A ducat to a guineathat it's hollow, and the beastly stone has slipped down."
As he spoke he plunged his fingers into the casket, to pull them backwith a little cry of excitement. "Yes, there's something loose downhere; hard and shiny it feels. Feel for yourself, Mr. Montelet."
But before the young man could make a move, Miss Vaudrot pushed forward.
"Oh, m'sieur, let me feel!" she cried, and advanced toward the pedestal.
"No, no," said Cleek. "It is not your place, mademoiselle, is it? Comeand see for yourself, Mr. Montelet."
The young man came forward, his face just a little pale; very slowly,one might say unwillingly, he put out his hand, which was shakingvisibly, then turned to Cleek. But, to his colossal surprise, Cleek wasnot looking either at him or the pedestal. With a light of triumph inhis eyes he had stepped back, and all in a moment those who werewatching saw a startling thing occur: They saw Cleek swerve to one side,heard a sharp clicking sound of snapping steel as he flung himself uponMiss Laura Gwynne, who had been so intent on watching Hubert Montelet'smovements that she was too bewildered to offer resistance.
"Got you, my Judas of a woman--got you!" they heard Cleek say as, with ascramble and a snarl, there lay on the floor a biting, clawing,struggling fury, with a pair of handcuffs on her wrists, and hertriumphant conqueror kneeling by her.
Young Montelet made a dash at him and tore at his detaining arms. Hisface was transfigured, furious.
"What do you mean, you fool?" cried he, angrily. "How dare you
lay afinger on this lady! She is my future wife!"
"I hope not, Mr. Montelet"--Cleek swung round and looked at him, thenwas on his feet like a flash--"for you, too, would not live long toenjoy the wealth she has unwillingly endowed you with. No, Miss Gwynne,the pedestal would not have harmed him, for, see, the light is out!"
The eyes of all were directed to the little flame lamp, which was nowdark.
"It was a clever trick of your father's, Mr. Montelet, to utilizeelectricity as 'the fire that knows no heat, and slays in the dark.' Itwas still more clever of this young lady to manage to abstract the jewelin such a way as not to be struck by the current. You found it, didn'tyou, Mr. Narkom?" He turned to the Superintendent, who plunged his handinto his pocket and drew forth a cake of yellow toilet soap in which wasembedded a reddish-yellow stone. This he handed over to his ally.
Holding it up, Cleek let the light flash through it, till it looked averitable "eye" of wrath.
Young Montelet looked at it with white, haggard face. The awakening hadbeen too much of a shock.
"But I don't understand," said he, drearily. "Does it mean that Laura_stole_ the stone?"
"Stole! Aye, and committed murder for it, too; though whether sheactually killed the other victims I cannot say. Possibly they touchedthe stone's resting place which was protected by a very heavy electriccurrent. In the case of a person whose heart was already weak, probablyit would be sufficient to kill. I guessed it was by the means ofelectricity when I saw the flame lamp that never went out, and notedMiss Laura Gwynne's rubber soled and heeled shoes, which she hadinadvertently put on again this morning. I expect the whole altar partmay be rendered active with electricity if the truth be known, and thatkept me away from it--while the current was on. Mr. Narkom disconnectedit while he was downstairs.
"What's that, Mr. Narkom? Why didn't I suspect Miss Vaudrot here? Oh,for many reasons. First, because if she had only been here for a fewmonths she could not have been responsible for the other deaths;secondly, when I got you all kneeling down on the floor, I could seeonly Miss Gwynne was wearing rubber-protected shoes--which I had noticeddown at the inn."
"At the inn! But how, Mr. Headland?"
"Cleek for a change, Mr. Montelet!"
"Cleek! Good heavens! Are you the great Cleek?"
"No, merely Cleek, the detective--that's all. Yes, my young friend, whenI stooped to tie up that bootlace of mine I was inspecting feet. That'gave me to think' as you would say, Miss Vaudrot." He smiled at thegirl, who was watching and listening fascinatedly. "I knew already thatthe Apaches were on the track of that stone directly I heard of themurder of Antoine Duval in Soho while disguised as an Indian. Thedifferent colour of the eyes brought him back to my memory, Mr. Narkom;and the fate of Celestine Merode showed my guess to be a correct one.'Miss Gwynne' here is probably connected with the gang, and not onlymanaged to send the man, who was their first emissary, awayempty-handed, so that he should be killed by the gang for failure, butobviously intended to keep the stone herself. Had she not left thetraces of the soap on the casket, I should not have known where it wasactually hidden. Of course, it might have been removed; but I wasright."
"But you said she had poisoned my dear mother?" cried Mr. Montelet.
"And so she had. There were just the slightest traces of concentratedamylene hydrate on her lips. Probably administered in the coffee,dropped in while Lady Montelet was locking the door, by someone else whoknew of the secret opening as well as Miss Vaudrot."
An exclamation burst from the lips of all present.
"The secret opening!" cried young Montelet, as the girl sank down in acrumpled heap. "Good heavens! man, you are mad. Where is there such anopening?"
"Here," said Cleek, crossing the room and tapping the left-hand pillar."I saw the marks when I got near, and as I thought Miss Vaudrot wastaking pains to hide it, I had to wait and see whether she knew, too, ofthe electric guard over the jewel. Even Lady Montelet could not haveknown about this for her fingertips showed traces of having beensubjected to a shock. Miss Vaudrot cleared herself by being the first tovolunteer to search in the pedestal. But why did you seek to conceal theother entrance, mademoiselle?"
A burning flush surged over the pale face.
"I was afraid less someone else should be accused, m'sieur," she said,naively. "I heard a sound in the night, and I went down the corridor;but all was quiet, so I returned to my own room. But in the morning Ithought all sorts of silly things, and I kept silence in case--incase----" Her voice broke, and the rest of the sentence went by default.
"In case Mr. Hubert might get involved, eh?" finished Cleek, softly,with one of his curious one-sided smiles. "Your ideas of justice,mademoiselle, are common to your sex. Ah, well! I think that is all, Mr.Narkom. And as you disconnected the current downstairs, I should advisethat this room be locked up. The police can take away that wretch there.Come, Mr. Narkom; the riddle is solved, and I think I shall get an hourup the river, after all."
Without vouchsafing another look toward the sullen figure of the womanor at young Montelet, who was gazing into the face of Mademoiselle MarieVaudrot with a new look in his eyes, Cleek walked from the Assyriangallery in which for a brief time longer would shine the "Eye ofAshtaroth." Two minutes later the limousine was flying at amile-a-minute clip riverward, where waited Dollops and the launch andthe blue sky above--with a brief hour in which all the crime andsordidness of the world could be blotted out.