My mind being so exercised, I do not find it surprising that I cannot clearly remember all that was said that evening, but I know that Mansel determined to sail the next night, but not before then, because he must have a day in which to prepare for the battle to which we were now to go.
Rowley was to leave with our baggage by an earlier train and Hanbury was to change the arrangements for shipping the cars.
Mansel’s Rolls-Royce was furnished with secret lockers and trays, but ours had no such fittings, and, since we must now carry arms, he gave me a note to his coachbuilder and bade me seek him the next morning at eight o’clock. While he and his men were at work, fitting a hidden coffer, Carson and I together were to test and prepare the two cars, so that, with luck, if need be, they could run for a month on end without attention.
Bell was to cross to France by a morning boat, there to buy food and petrol against our coming and to promise ten thousand francs to the officials concerned if we were clear of the Customs in half an hour.
From the port we should drive to Salzburg as hard and as straight as we could and thence direct to St. Martin, for that was the name of the village which served the Pleydells’ farm.
That Adèle was in Austria seemed certain, for without her passport and against her will she could hardly be taken out: moreover the countryside lent itself to violence, for much of it was most solitary, and the lives of its inhabitants were too strait for them to intrude upon matters with which they had no concern. I suppose there were constables of sorts, though I never saw one, except, of course, in the towns: and they would have shrugged their shoulders upon any business less homely than a breach of the local peace. For this, indeed, we were thankful, for official notice of the matter was the last thing we desired: this for more than one reason, but most of all because, so far from aiding, it would have put our enterprise in deadly peril.
I have no doubt at all that, had the police been called in, Adèle would have paid with her life for their assistance. The fight was between us and Rose Noble, and the bare threat of an ally to whom, if he lost, Rose Noble would have to answer, would have been instantly silenced in the most dreadful and effective of ways. Another man might have balked at so detestable a crime, but Rose Noble was ruthless and would, I think, have slain ten pawns, had they stood in the way of his safety or revenge. I verily believe it was this terrible quality, if, indeed it can be so called, to which he owed his immunity, for, while “dead men tell no tales,” it has but to be known that a man keeps that for his motto and those who have to do with him will tell none either.
It was midnight before we parted, and three o’clock of the morning before I fell asleep: but six hours later the coachbuilder was urging his men, and Carson and I were at work. Except that we drove to St. James’s and back again, we laboured incessantly till four, but, when I reported to Mansel at five o’clock, the cars were as ready for the road as the wit of man could make them and both were at hand in his garage by Stable Yard. There they were packed and loaded by Carson alone, and at half past six they were standing in Cleveland Row.
Rowley and Bell were gone, so we were but four to travel as far as Dieppe: yet in a way we were five, for Tester, Mansel’s Sealyham, went with us, and, if he was but a dog, he was ever better company than many a man.
He was fine to look at, very strong and healthy, intelligent beyond belief. Given an order that he could appreciate, he would obey it to the death. He knew no fear, was very quick and cheerful, would countenance no one but those his master had commended and worshipped Mansel himself with the most lively devotion that I have ever seen.
At a quarter to seven we passed out of Cleveland Row.
We made no secret of our going, simply because it was a movement we could not hide: “all the same,” said Mansel, “it doesn’t very much matter if they do send Rose Noble a wire. He never expected that I should pay out of hand: but he means me to find it hopeless and then to put on the screw.”
We dined at Newhaven and saw the cars taken on board: then we turned into our cabins to take what rest we could, for, though Mansel had not said so, we all four knew very well that, until we were come to Carinthia, we should none of us sleep again.
The steward roused me by order half an hour before we were due, and I came on deck to find a clean morning and two or three lights marking the coast of France.
Mansel had told me to breakfast before I left the boat, so after a turn or two, I went below, there to find him and Hanbury making a wretched meal.
Whilst I was waiting to join them, he gave me a map.
“We must keep together,” he said: “but, as we can’t see ahead, this is in case we part. Don’t use it at all until then. I’ve marked the route in blue pencil, so that you can’t go wrong. I’d better take the lead. I shall go pretty fast, but please try to keep me in sight. If I lose you, I shall slow up, but I don’t want to have to do that. If you want to attract my attention, use your horn. I’ll take Carson to start
