A Queen's Error

  CHAPTER XIX

  THE STRUGGLE IN THE TUNNEL

  I was delayed two days in Bath by the inquest on the body of theGerman, the discovery of which in the old graveyard formed a nine days'wonder in the old western city and then died out altogether.

  It was a very barren inquiry, for it discovered nothing. The man was astranger, no evidence was produced to show who he was, and as anunknown stranger he was buried again, not in the old graveyard, but inthe new cemetery away among the hills.

  There was only one piece of evidence which carried any interest withit, and that was the testimony of the doctor.

  He stated that the man had been shot through the head and immediatelykilled; he produced the .450 revolver bullet which he had found in thehead.

  Furthermore, he added that the body had been buried at once, and bythat means preserved from decay. It was practically incorrupt. Itmight have been buried there a month.

  That was all, and all the coroner's acumen, and all the researches ofthe police, could produce no more. Public opinion had to be satisfiedwith a very vague verdict.

  There was only one point of interest left for me in the matter, andthat was the bundle of bed-linen which was found buried in the grave.

  That was proved beyond doubt to be the bed-linen of my old lady ofMonmouth Street; it was plainly marked with the letter C, surmounted onthe case of the pillow by a small coronet.

  "Things is coming round in a most extraordinary way to corroborate yourstatement about the old lady, Mr. Anstruther," remarked Inspector Bullpatronisingly. "I could 'ardly believe it. I don't know when I comeacross another case like it."

  I don't suppose he did. It was an enigma which puzzled many wiserheads than his in the long run; but I think the part which astonishedhim most was to be discovering, bit by bit, that the story of my visitto the house in Monmouth Street, as related to him and his brother, the"tip-top London detective," was actually founded at any rate on _some_fact!

  The Don and I joyfully directed our respective servants to pack up forLondon at the conclusion of the inquest. Dolores had been sent back toClaridge's by her father, and placed under the care of Mrs. Darbyshirethe morning after the discovery in the old graveyard. He had verywisely decided to keep her away from the gruesomeness of the inquest,which pervaded the whole town.

  Under the circumstances that little interview which I was so anxiousthat he should have with her to discover the state of her affectionstowards me, was postponed, and things remained just as they were.

  Nevertheless, I think both Dolores and I were perfectly satisfied towait for the formal declaration of her father's sanction, being happyin the consciousness of each other's love and steadfastness.

  So the inquest being disposed of, we very gladly went off to thestation beneath the great cliff to catch the afternoon express to town.

  We were in ample time, and strolled up and down the platform, taking alast look at the town which had proved so fateful to us both.

  Presently the great engine, the embodiment of modern steam power, sweptinto the station, and the Don's man at once secured a first-classsmoking compartment for us, with the aid of the guard, while Brookslooked after the luggage, the other man being a foreigner.

  "I'm afraid I shall not be able to keep the whole compartment for you,gentlemen," said the guard civilly, as we took our seats; "but I'll putas few in as I can."

  The old Don was the embodiment of politeness; he was the last person inthe world to inconvenience any one on the railway or anywhere else,though he liked to have a carriage to himself when he could.

  He told the guard so.

  "I'll do my best, sir," replied the guard, with great _impressement_,as he pocketed Don Juan's five shillings. "You shall be inconveniencedas little as possible."

  He locked the door and walked away, and I thought we should be left toourselves.

  The guard, however, had overestimated his powers.

  The train was within a minute of starting when two passengers,evidently in a great hurry, made their appearance at the window. Onewas an old gentleman with a white beard, wearing blue spectacles, andapparently half blind; the other a young sturdy man, evidently his son,for the elder leant on his arm, and was addressed by him as "father."

  The son led the old man straight to our carriage, and called aloud forthe guard on finding it locked.

  "Now, guard!" he cried with authority, when the official made hisappearance, "open the door; all the other carriages are full."

  "If you wouldn't mind coming down a few carriages farther, sir,"suggested our guard, "I can find you two good corner seats at once."

  "Open this door at once," cried the gentleman furiously; "there is onlyhalf a minute to spare, and don't you see my father is an invalid?"

  Don Juan emerged from his corner with a look of genuine concern uponhis face.

  "Let the gentlemen in at once, guard," he ordered. "I would not be thecause of inconvenience to them on any account. Come in, gentlemen, Ibeg."

  The guard opened the door, and the two passengers entered just as thestationmaster called out a remonstrance not to delay the train. Theold gentleman sank back in his seat with a sigh of relief.

  "I'm so glad we caught the train," he said breathlessly.

  Brooks ran up at the last moment and handed our tickets to thecollector, who had been waiting for them, as the train did not stopagain until it reached Paddington.

  As Brooks turned and touched his hat to us, it appeared to me that hestarted as he looked into the carriage, but the train was just off andthe ticket collector almost pushed him into the next compartment toours--a second, of course.

  We puffed out of Bath, and I saw the last of its hills and stone housesfor many a day; indeed, I don't think I have seen it since, exceptperhaps in the same way from a flying train. We were soon swallowed upby a great tunnel, and the Don and I subsided into thoughtfulness andthe quiet enjoyment of our cigars.

  Our fellow-travellers in the opposite corners maintained an absolutesilence; they might have been two statues.

  But in a few minutes we burst out again into the almost blindingdaylight, and then it seemed to me that the appearance of the two menwe were shut up with had undergone a change. It was, if not my fancy,a total change in the expression of their faces.

  The idea seemed to fascinate me, and I kept my eyes fixed upon themboth.

  Presently, after a quick glance at his companion, the old man put hishand into the pocket of the thick travelling coat he wore and quicklypulled out a revolver; then in a voice which I knew again full well headdressed us both, at the same time covering Don Juan with his pistol.

  "If you make the slightest movement, or speak without my permission, Ishall fire."

  I saw as I sat looking at them that the younger man had also produced arevolver, and was covering me.

  Then the two moved nearer us into the two central seats of thecompartment, for the convenience, as it proved, of talking to us.

  Don Juan and I sat petrified with astonishment, whilst the elder manspoke again. I knew him from the first moment he had opened his lips,despite his disguise, to be the Duke of Rittersheim, or "Saumarez," ashe had called himself.

  "Don Juan d'Alta," he began, "I know you very well, and I don't supposeyou have forgotten me."

  "I know your voice, _Your Serene Highness_," responded the old Don,with a distinct accentuation of the title.

  "Very well," replied the Duke. "Then that knowledge will enlighten youto the extent that you will be aware that I want something of you."

  Don Juan made no reply.

  "I want," proceeded the Duke, "the key of the steel safe which youremoved from 190 Monmouth Street, Bath, and sent to the Bank ofEngland. I want also an order from you to the directors of the Bank ofEngland, authorising them to give me access to the safe. My friendhere has writing materials."

  My glance turned to Don Juan, who was contemplating the Duke with astony stare of contempt.

  "You will get ne
ither the key nor the order, sir," he replied.

  The Duke shrugged up his shoulders.

  "You will compel me, then, to take a certain course," he answered. "Ibelieve you have the key with you?"

  He was right, the Don had it, but neither of us answered him.

  "You will not answer," he proceeded. "Very well; silence givesconsent. I believe you have it.

  "That being so, I give you five minutes by this watch to make up yourmind, Senor. At the conclusion of that period, we shall shoot you bothas I shot the German they have been making such a fuss about in Bath,and take the key if you don't give it up. I have no doubt whatever Ican get some clever fellow to copy your writing and manufacture me anorder.

  "At any rate, neither of you will be in a position to prevent me."

  I confess that my blood ran cold at his words, as he took his watch outwith his left hand and laid it on the seat. All my visions ofhappiness with Dolores seemed melting into shadows of grim death.

  Don Juan, however, kept perfectly calm; there was scarcely a twitch onhis face as he answered, although the colour had fled from it.

  "That is all very well, sir," he replied coolly; "but what are yougoing to do with our bodies? You will be discovered, tried, andexecuted."

  The Duke laughed aloud.

  "They don't execute Serene Highnesses," he replied; "but, at any rate,as you are curious about my safety, I will tell you. In a few minutesthe train will run into a tunnel. There we shall shoot you.

  "In half an hour's time, during which we shall have the discomfort ofregarding your two dead bodies, the train will once more enter atunnel, the last before we reach London, and invariably the driverslows down in it to negotiate a very sharp curve. There we shall castyour bodies out on to the line as soon as we are in the tunnel, andavailing ourselves of the slowing down which will occur a few minuteslater, we shall leave the train."

  As he spoke, the train entered the tunnel he mentioned, and almost atthe same moment I saw a face appear at the window on the farther sidebehind the Duke and his accomplice.

  It was the face of Brooks--my servant!

  At first he expressed great astonishment at the situation as he lookedthrough the window, then he very clearly frowned to me to keep silence.

  Covered by the rattling of the train in the tunnel he began verycarefully to open the door.

  "The minutes are passing, gentlemen," remarked the Duke, in a mockingtone. "I must beg of you to make up your minds."

  He clicked his revolver lock as a gentle reminder; but as he glanced atus in triumph, Brooks crept into the carriage behind him, and in aflash, with a great spring, his two strong hands held down those of ourassailants which held their pistols. It was a splendid act of judgment.

  In a moment I sprang forward too, to aid him, and then began a fearfulstruggle, in which Don Juan could take but little part. The greatendeavour of Brooks and myself was to prevent the men using theirrevolvers; with all our strength we held down their hands and renderedthem powerless.

  When it appeared to me we were getting the mastery of them, I heard theDuke gasp out some guttural remarks in German to his companion.

  Then suddenly the latter released his hold of the pistol, leaving it inour hands, but his freed hand went to his breast and reappeared with along knife in it.

  I did not actually see the blow, but I heard Brooks cry out, and I knewthat the man had struck him.

  But meanwhile Don Juan had picked up the revolver and pointed ittowards the two villains.

  "Fly, Duke," he cried, "for the honour of your house, or I will killyou."

  With a curse the Duke let go his revolver and cried out in German tohis companion. Then in a moment the two slipped out of the open doorof the carriage on to the footboard and disappeared. We saw them nomore.

  Don Juan and I turned at once to Brooks, who had sunk back with a groanon the cushions.

  "Are you hurt, my poor man," asked the Don; "have they stabbed you?"

  "Yes, sir," he answered faintly, with his hand to his side. "They'veabout done for me, but I'm glad I die fighting like a British soldiershould. I'm glad I've wiped the old score out by saving my master andyou, sir."

  When a quarter of an hour later the train ran into Paddington poorBrooks lay back in a corner with set white face. He had had his wish;he had died like a British soldier.