“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Stevens stammered.
“Oh, yes, you do,” Venables went on. “You will say presently that you have never seen me before. You are a treacherous rascal, and evidently you are not in the least to be relied upon. I told you that it would pay you to join me, and I suppose your idea is to get money from both parties. This is no time to waste on incriminations. This man is a spy of Valdo’s, Lord Ravenspur. Evidently he is here to watch our movements. We can’t trust him. We can’t let him out of our sight. The question is, what are we going to do with him?”
“You just leave me alone or it will be the worse for you,” Stevens blustered. “I am not the man—”
Before Stevens could finish his speech he was jerked violently backwards by Perks, and turned over on his face. In less time than it takes to tell, his hands were bound behind his back with a couple of straps, and his feet were fastened together with the aid of some handkerchiefs which Perks borrowed from his companion. The thing was dexterously done, so that Stevens lay there on his back, swearing hotly at Perks, and threatening him with what was likely to happen when his time came.
“Oh, that’s all right,” Perks said cheerfully; “don’t you be a fool, John. It will pay you much better to play the square game with these gentlemen, and as to your threats, why, they don’t worry me. You talk about splitting. Why, you dare not go within a mile of a police station. And a nice witness before magistrates you would make. No, my lad; there is no chance of your doing me any harm unless you are prepared to stand in the dock by my side. Now, come along, and we’ll get it over.”
“What are you going to do with him?” Ravenspur asked.
“Oh, that is an easy one,” Perks grinned cheerfully. “We’ll just carry him as far as the common, and dump him down on a nice bed of bracken where he can pass the time studying astronomy. I haven’t any fear that he can get rid of these bandages. When everything is settled, I’ll come back and fetch him. Then I can take him home, and give him some breakfast. He won’t bear any malice. That is a very good point about John Stevens: he never bears malice for long. As a matter of fact, he ain’t got pluck enough.”
Stevens was dumped unceremoniously down upon the bracken, and the little party went back to the house. Lord Ravenspur had forgotten all about Walter for the moment. His mind had reverted to the murder in Fitzjohn Square. He was thinking of Delahay and certain fresh facts which had recently come to light. He allowed Venables to precede him. Then he drew Perks aside for a moment.
“I am going to ask you a question,” he said, “and I hope you will answer it straightforwardly. I will see that no harm comes to you. And, indeed, in any case it will be to your advantage to be candid. Have you had any dealings lately with this man Stevens? You know what I mean. Have you bought anything from him for which you paid without asking any questions?”
“Only this very morning, sir,” Perks admitted cheerfully. “To tell you the truth, that little thing what you gave me a sovereign for was amongst the lot. And now I have said it. I am a fool to tell you this, but you gave me your word, sir—”
“That is all right,” Ravenspur said. “I shall keep it.”
XXXVIII
In the House
Meanwhile, Walter was standing there in pitch darkness, utterly at a loss what to do next. He had no light to guide him. He had not the remotest idea in which direction the door lay. He took a step or two forward, with outstretched hands, until his fingers touched the wall. There were so many unfamiliar objects here that it was some little time before he felt his way with his fingertips to the door. He found it at length, and the knob yielded to his touch. No sooner was he in the corridor than a dazzling flash confused and mystified him. Before he could realise what had happened the light was gone, and a pair of strong, sinewy arms were about his neck. He was taken utterly at a disadvantage. Walter swayed backwards. He fell with a resounding crash on the floor. A million stars danced before his eyes, and then he remembered no more.
When he came to himself again he was lying in an armchair, to which he was fastened by a maze of cords, wound cunningly about him. As his head became clear and less confused, he realised that he was in a kind of library, the walls of which were lined with books. Opposite him Silva was seated, with a placid smile upon his face.
“I think we have met before,” he said.
“I have had that advantage,” Walter said grimly. “And now you will, perhaps, be good enough to explain what you mean—”
“No,” Silva hissed. A sudden anger flamed out of his eyes. “On the other hand, the explanation comes from you. For the time being, at any rate, this house is mine. I have paid for it, and I propose to spend my time quietly here for the next month or two. I am hardly settled down here before you come along in this unceremonious fashion and burgle the place. Why?”
“That you know quite as well as I do,” Walter retorted. “Really, you are a man of amazing audacity. Now don’t you know that the law punishes people severely
