It moved through the doorway and along the hall, into a living room where shades were also tightly drawn. Each picture was subjected to the searching ring of brilliant light; and finally the circle of illumination poised on a small painting of a child, which was set in a heavy gold frame that seemed fastened permanently to the wall.
A hand appeared again, and its thumb and index finger touched the frame at the left side of the portrait. They moved to the left, and the frame followed. They pushed upward, and the frame responded to the movement.
A mechanism clicked, and the painting, actuated by hinges beneath its right side, swung open like a little door.
The circular glow revealed a wall safe that had been cunningly concealed behind the portrait. There were five slots on the door of the safe, set in a row. A letter showed in each opening. The fingers started at the left, and touching the letter, caused an interior wheel to revolve.
The letters B, L, U, S, and H came into view.
The fingers reached for a knob; the door of the safe opened outward. It was hinged at the left, opposite from the hinges of the portrait.
The interior of the little safe was entirely illuminated by the radiance of the bulb in the flashlight.
The safe was empty!
The light remained there for half a minute. Some one was thinking behind that flashlight. A mind was working amid the darkness.
Then the hand reappeared and closed the safe. The fingers spun the letters. The portrait was shut also; and the frame at the left was brought back to its correct position. A silk handkerchief brushed the frame, removing any marks that might have remained.
The flashlight was out. All was silent for a while, then the circle of illumination appeared again above the table in the library. A hand was writing, and keen thoughts were finding their cold expression on a sheet of paper:
“Joyce discovered the purpose of the code. The house was entered last night and the gems were taken. Bingham has them now. That explains his absence.
“English Johnny will meet Bingham - soon. It cannot be tonight. It may be tomorrow night, for it must be soon.
“The note that English Johnny wrote was false. It was obviously false. It was done to deceive an unseen watcher who was not deceived.
“The crude way in which the note was left on the table partly finished was one proof. The pains that English Johnny took to hide the envelope which he addressed was a second proof.
“English Johnny was watched tonight. He will be watched tomorrow night. He will be watched every night. That is one way to find the meeting place.
“Bingham must be traced. If discovered, he too will lead the way to the meeting place.
“For that is where the gems will be.”
The sheet of paper was taken between two supple hands. It was torn to tiny fragments, which eventually found their resting place in the palm of the left hand.
The ray of the flashlight disappeared.
Silence continued through the dark, empty house. A window opened noiselessly and shut again. Under the pressure of an unseen blade of steel, the lock was quietly restored to its original position.
The watchman, finishing another round of the premises, threw his lantern so it shone upon the lawn. Again he watched the flitting shadows - shadows of the boughs of trees that swayed back and forth in the light autumn breeze.
Strange - those shadows. He fancied that he saw one glide across the lawn and merge with the darkness that lay beyond the hedge.
CHAPTER XXVIII
VINCENT SEARCHES
A night’s sleep at the Metrolite Hotel had proven an excellent tonic to Harry Vincent. The nerve-racking experiences of the previous evening had brought on fitful dreams until early in the morning; time and again he had imagined that the bed was swaying with the motion of a fast-moving automobile.
But at last Harry had fallen into a restful slumber. When he awoke shortly after nine o’clock, he felt unusually alert and was eager to learn what the new day held in store.
He reported at Fellows’ office before ten o’clock.
“I was just about to call you,” said the insurance broker as they sat together in the inner office. “I have received instructions which are quite important - in fact, they concern work that may occupy your time for several days to come.
“Your mission is simple, but extremely important. You must locate Ezekiel Bingham, the criminal lawyer.”
“Have you any idea where he may be?” Harry asked. “I know that he has left Holmwood, but I have no knowledge of where he went.”
“That is the difficulty,” smiled Fellows. “The only information is that which you brought in yesterday - namely that Bingham is not in Holmwood. Perhaps you may be fortunate enough to discover some clew that may enable you to find the man.”
“How soon must he be found?”
“As soon as possible. The matter is urgent.”
“I doubt that anyone in the town of Holmwood knows where he has gone.”
“Perhaps some one knows. It is your work to find out.”
“Jenks might know.”
“Call at Bingham’s house, then.”
“What excuse shall I make?”
“State that you must see the lawyer on an important legal matter.”
“How soon shall I start?”
“Immediately.”
Harry arose and picked up his hat, but the insurance broker stopped him before he reached the door.
“What about your car?” asked Fellows.
“That’s right,” replied Harry ruefully. “I lost it last night.”
Fellows smiled.
“It is waiting for you in the garage at Holmwood Arms,” said the insurance broker. “You will need it in your hunt for Ezekiel Bingham.”
“It will certainly be necessary,” replied Vincent.
“Do you have the key to the back of the car?” asked Fellows.
Vincent produced the key.
“You will need it,” said Fellows.
“Why?”
“I’ll tell you. If you locate the missing lawyer you may find him in some distant place.”
“That’s right.”
“You will have to send word at once.”
“I can telephone to you.”
“That may be impossible. It may be necessary for you to stay close to watch Bingham. You may be in a place where a telephone is inaccessible.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.”
“That is why I asked you if you had the key to the back of the car. Should you discover Bingham, and be far from a telephone, unlock the back of the car, and you will find a box within.”
“What is the purpose of the box?”
“You will discover that if you need to communicate. Here is the key to the box. Use it only if necessary; do not open the box unless an emergency arises. A letter inside the box will explain its purpose.”
