Carmen's Messenger

  XVI

  A DIFFICULT PART

  It was four o'clock in the afternoon when Foster stopped in front ofthe grimy building where Graham had his office, and looked up and downthe street. Close by, a carter stood at the head of an impatient horsethat stamped and rattled its harness, and a hoist clanked as a bale ofgoods went up to a top story; but except for this the street was quietFarther off, one or two moving figures showed indistinctly, for rainwas falling and the light getting dim. Foster, who had arrived inNewcastle that morning, had waited, thinking it might suit him betterto leave the town in the dark.

  "Go back to the end of the street, where you can see the clock," hesaid to Pete. "If I don't join you in half an hour, run to the nearestpolice station and ask for a man to search the top office in thisbuilding."

  "The polis are no' good friends o' mine," Pete replied doubtfully. "Iwould sooner come for ye my lane. There's an airnmonger's roon' thecorner, where I would maybe get a shairp gairden fork."

  Foster laughed. Pete's methods were too primitive, although, in hisstrong hands, the fork would prove a dangerous weapon.

  "I don't expect you'd be able to help much if I'm not back when I said.But you can walk along the street now and then, and notice anybody wholeaves the building."

  He went in and set his lips as he climbed the stairs, for he imaginedhe would need all the tact and coolness he possessed. He had been madethe tool of people who thought him an unsuspecting simpleton, but wasuncertain how far it would be safe to trade upon this view of hischaracter, although he meant to do so to some extent. There might bean advantage in hinting that he knew a little about their business; buthe must make no mistakes. His steps echoed hollowly along the toplanding and there was something daunting in the gloom, for the gas hadnot yet been lighted and the building was very quiet. It was possiblethat he had started on this adventure with a rashness as great as hisfolly in undertaking Carmen's errand, but he carried AliceFeatherstone's glove and it was unthinkable that he should turn back.

  There was nobody in the outer office when he opened the door, but afterhe had knocked once or twice a voice he recognized told him to come inand he strolled carelessly into Graham's room. Sitting down, heoffered his cigarette case to Graham, who glanced at him with somesurprise but took a cigarette while Foster lighted another. It wouldbe easier to look languidly indifferent if he could smoke. Grahampushed aside some papers on his desk as if impatient at beingdisturbed. He was dressed and looked like a sober business man, andFoster admitted that it was ridiculous to imagine him to be anythingelse.

  "I'm rather busy just now," he said. "For all that, if I can be of anyuse to you, Mr. ----"

  Foster thought he overdid it by pretending to forget his name, but hesmiled.

  "Foster. You'll recollect I brought you a packet, and as I'm goingback to Canada soon, I imagined I might take Miss Austin or Daly areply. You can see that they thought me a reliable messenger."

  "Miss Austin obviously did so," Graham admitted.

  "Doesn't this imply that Daly shared her good opinion?" Foster asked.

  Graham glanced at him sharply and then picked up a letter and studiedit, but Foster imagined he wanted time to think. He had made theplunge and indicated that he knew more than the other supposed; but therest needed care.

  "You expect to meet Daly when you get back to Canada?" Graham inquired,and Foster, who saw that he was cautious, wondered whether he wasalarmed.

  "Oh, no; I expect to meet him before I start."

  "You imply that he's in England."

  "Don't you know he is?" Foster rejoined.

  Graham knocked the ash off his cigarette and looked at him curiously.His appearance was commonplace, he had a slight stoop, and was notmuscular, but Foster felt he might prove dangerous.

  "I don't know where he is just now. Do you?"

  "Well," said Foster, "I believe I could find him if I tried."

  The other was silent for the next few moments and Foster waited withsome anxiety. If he pretended to know too much, he might be found out,but if Graham imagined he knew nothing, he would hesitate aboutinforming him. The difficulty was that while he played the part of asimpleton who had been made use of by the rest of the gang, he mustimply that they had to some extent taken him into their confidence.

  "To tell the truth, I haven't heard from Daly for a month," Grahamreplied. "This has disadvantages and I'll own that I'd like to knowwhat he is doing."

  "Then it looks as if I was better informed. Mr. Daly's engaged in someprivate business."

  "Private business?"

  "Just so," Foster answered, smiling. "He imagines it will turn outprofitable, but I expect it will take up much of his time."

  "But----" said Graham, and stopped.

  Foster made a sign of comprehension. "You feel he oughtn't to have anybusiness that might interfere with his duty to the rest of you?"

  "What do you know about his duty?" Graham asked.

  "Well," said Foster, "I frankly don't know very much. In fact, itlooks as if your Canadian friends didn't trust me very far, but justtold me enough to make me understand my job. No doubt, that waswisest, although it's not flattering. Anyhow, I brought you a packetwith some valuable enclosures, which ought to justify your sending backany confidential message to the people it came from by me."

  He had made a bold venture, but saw that he was right, for Grahamknitted his brows, as if he was thinking hard. Then he said, "Verywell. As it happens, there are some papers I would like to send, andif you don't mind taking them, I'll give you a letter to Daly andanother to Miss Austin."

  "Miss Austin, of course, will pass the letter on."

  "That's understood," Graham agreed.

  Foster carelessly lighted a fresh cigarette, and Graham, leaningforward, opened a safe and took out one or two papers that Foster couldnot see well. So far, the latter had done better than he had hoped,and in another few minutes would be in the possession of papers thatmight throw a useful light upon the plot. Yet the strain was beginningto tell and his nerves tingled as he watched his companion write.

  A lamp with a broken mantle flickered above Graham's head and the stovecrackled, but the outer office, the door of which was open, was dark,and the building was strangely quiet. No sound rose from the narrowstreet below, which ran like a still backwater among the tallwarehouses. Foster, putting his hand in his pocket as if to feel formatches, touched the small Browning pistol he had brought. He was notafraid of Graham, but somebody might come in. At length the man sealedtwo envelopes and put them beside his writing-pad.

  "If you cannot find Daly, you must bring the first back to me. When doyou sail?"

  "I don't know yet; I haven't looked up the steamship companies'notices," Foster answered, and as soon as he had spoken saw that he hadmade a mistake.

  He had led Graham to believe he was going at once; indeed, this was hisexcuse for offering to take a message, but he remembered that in orderto get a good room on a fast boat it was necessary to book one'spassage some time in advance. He thought Graham had marked the slip,although his face was expressionless.

  "I don't want the letters carried about for long," he said.

  "Certainly not," Foster agreed. "If I'm delayed, or can't get hold ofDaly as soon as I thought, I'll bring them back. However, I've keptyou from your business and must get off."

  Graham did not move, and the letters were out of Foster's reach.

  "You have got your instructions from Gascoyne and know what to do ifyou have any trouble on your journey?"

  Foster felt embarrassed. He did not know if Gascoyne was the man hehad gone to in Edinburgh, and durst not risk a fresh mistake. Besides,it was possible that there was not such a person among the other'sfriends and the question was a trap.

  "No," he said boldly. "I can get all the instructions that are needfulwhen I meet Daly. Give me the letters."

  "I think not. It would be better to wait until we hear what Gascoynehas to say, since yo
u haven't seen him as I thought. He may havesomething to send with the other documents. Suppose you come backabout this time to-morrow."

  Foster feared he was found out, and imagined that if he agreed, hewould find the office closed and Graham gone; unless perhaps the fellowwaited for him with one or two of his accomplices. Foster was certainhe had accomplices. He knew he was playing a dangerous game, but hecarried Alice Featherstone's glove and meant to get the letters.

  "No," he said. "I'm willing to do you a favor, particularly as I wantsomething to show my friends in Canada that I brought the packet safe.But I'm not going to put myself to much inconvenience. You havewritten the letters. Let me have them; I must catch my train."

  He put his hand on the Browning pistol and was glad to feel it there,though he hardly thought he would be forced to draw it. He wasphysically stronger than Graham, but it had come to a trial of nerveand he knew he had a cunning antagonist. Besides, he could not tellhow much longer they would be left alone and he might be in seriousdanger if somebody else came in. Still, he must not look anxious andquietly fixed his eyes on Graham's face.

  "I can't take the risk," the latter declared. "Will you wait until Isee if I can get Gascoyne on the telephone?"

  The telephone was in the other office and Foster durst not let the manout of his sight.

  "I've been here long enough and have just time to get to the station."

  There was silence for a few moments and Foster felt his heart beat. Hemeant to finish the interview as it had begun, without doing anythingunusual, but if this was impossible, he had another plan. His muscleswere stiffened ready for a spring; he would pin the fellow to his deskwhile he seized the letters. Though he meant to look calm, his facegot very grim; but Graham carelessly pushed the letters towards him.

  "Very well! You will take the responsibility if there's any trouble."

  "I will," said Foster, as coolly as he could, and picked up theenvelopes. "Sorry if I've detained you. Good afternoon."

  He was half afraid to turn his back to the other, but there was noavoiding this and he heard no suspicious movement until he reached thedoor. Then, as he expected, the telephone bell rang, and Foster,running down the steps, drew a breath of relief when he reached thestreet. It was now dark, but he felt comforted as he saw Pete's tallfigure in the gloom.

  "Look behind you now and then and tell me if anybody follows us," hesaid, and knowing that Pete's eyes could be trusted, carefully reviewedthe situation when they turned into a busy street.

  It was obvious that the conclusions he had come to by the peat-stackwere correct, and the police, who were obviously watching him, thoughthe might know something about the Hulton tragedy. If so, his movementshad not been calculated to allay their suspicions. He had now papersthat were probably dangerous in his pocket, and it he were caughtbefore he got rid of them, it would be difficult to prove hisinnocence. The safe line would be to make for the nearest policestation and give up the documents. So long as he kept them, he had asmuch to fear from the police as from Daly's gang. But he did not meanto give them up just yet.

  His duty to the State was plain, but he was frankly determined to savehis comrade first, and imagined that he could do so, although the thingwould be difficult. For all that, Daly must be forced to keepLawrence's secret. Then he had, to some extent, discredited Daly withhis accomplice by informing Graham that he was engaged upon someprofitable private business. It looked as if Graham did not know whatthe fellow's object was; after all, the gang might not trust each othervery far. The trouble was that Daly might not be easily found, and inthe meantime Foster had two dangers to guard against; but he meant tobe careful, and to tell the police all he knew as soon as he had dealtwith Daly.

  Nothing indicated that they were followed on their way to the CentralStation, where Foster left Pete outside and ascertained that a trainwould shortly start for Carlisle. He would have liked to travel by it,since he expected to find Daly near the western Border. Besides, itwas prudent to leave Newcastle as soon as he could, since his injuredhand made him easily distinguishable and Graham had run to thetelephone. The latter would not have let him take the papers without astruggle had he not some plan of getting them back. Foster did notknow how many accomplices Graham had, but imagined he had to deal witha well-organized gang, who would find it much easier to watch therailway than the lonely moors between it and the Cheviots. Making hisway through a crowd on a busy platform, he left the station by anotherdoor, where he met Pete, whom he had sent round. It was possible thatthese precautions were needless, but he did not mean to take any riskhe could avoid.

  "Where will ye be for the noo?" Pete asked.

  "The head of Liddesdale, to begin with. But I don't know yet if we'llgo west by the old military road, or across the moors. It will dependupon whether the fellow I went to see gets upon my track."

  Pete's eyes twinkled. "It will be a clever man who tracks us when wetak' the heather. But have ye the papers ye went tae steal?"

  "I have. If they're what I think and I can keep them safe until I usethem, they're worth twenty pounds to you."

  "Aweel," said Pete, "I'll feel mair sure o' the money when we win ooto' the toon. It's ower full o' polls, and my talents are no' o' muchuse here."

  They had left the station and reaching a street where Foster made someinquiries, waited in the door of an office building until a tram-carcame up. Getting in, they were carried through the wet and smokystreets towards the city's western outskirts.