The Complete Stories (61 page)

  "It's about me and Charles, I bet."

  "Certainly."

  "Not a scolding?"

  "Far from it. Warm fatherly sympathy."

  "It's worth being frozen for that."

  They did not speak in the car. Basil sent it away, saying they would find their own way back. At that chilly tea time, with the leaves dry and falling, there was no difficulty in finding an empty seat. The light was soft; it was one of the days when London seems like Dublin.

  "Charles said he'd talked to you. He wasn't sure you loved him."

  "I love him."

  "Oh, Pobble."

  "He did not play the guitar but I recognized his genius."

  "Oh, Pobble, what are you up to?"

  "Just what Sonia asked." Basil leaned his chin on the knob of his cane. "You know, Babs, that all I want is your happiness."

  "This doesn't sound at all like you. You've got some sly scheme."

  "Far from it. You must never tell him or your mother what I am about to say. Charles's parents are dead so they are not affected. I knew his mother very well; perhaps he doesn't know how well. People often wondered why she married Albright. It was a blitz marriage, you know, while he was on leave and there were air raids every night. It was when I was first out of hospital, before I married your mother."

  "Darling Pobble, it's very cold here and I don't quite see what all this past history has to do with me and Charles."

  "It began," said Basil inexorably, "when—what was her name?—Betty was younger than you are now. I threw her into the lake at King's Thursday."

  "What began?"

  "Betty's passion for me. Funny what excites a young girl—with you a guitar, with Betty a ducking."

  "Well, I think that's rather romantic. It sort of brings you and Charles closer."

  "Very close indeed. It was more than romantic. She was too young at the beginning—just a girlish crush. I thought she would get over it. Then, when I was wounded, she took to visiting me every day in hospital and the first day I came out—you won't be able to understand the sort of exhilaration a man feels at a time like that, or the appeal lameness has for some women, or the sense of general irresponsibility we all had during the blitz—I'm not trying to excuse myself. I was not the first man. She had grown up since the splash in the lake. It only lasted a week. Strictly perhaps I should have married her, but I was less strict in those days. I married your mother instead. You can't complain about that. If I hadn't, you wouldn't exist. Betty had to look elsewhere and fortunately that ass Albright turned up in the nick. Yes, Charles is your brother, so how could I help loving him?"

  Soundlessly Barbara rose from the seat and sped through the twilight, stumbled on her stiletto heels across the sand of the Row, disappeared behind the statuary through Edinburgh Gate. Basil at his own pace followed. He stopped a taxi, kept it waiting at the kerb while he searched Bellamy's vainly for a friendly face, drank another eggnog at the bar, went on towards Claridges.

  "What on earth's happened to Barbara?" Angela asked. "She came in with a face of tragedy, didn't speak and now she's locked herself in your bedroom."

  "I think she's had a row with that fellow she was keen on. What was his name? Albright. A good thing really, a likeable fellow but not at all suitable. I daresay Babs needs a change of scene. Angie, if it suits you, I think we might all three of us go to Bermuda tomorrow."

  "Can we get tickets?"

  "I have them already. I stopped at the travel office on my way from Sonia's. I don't imagine Babs will want much dinner tonight. She's best left alone at the moment. I feel I could manage a square meal. We might have it downstairs."

  THE CURSE OF THE HORSE RACE

  Chap I

  Betting

  I bet you 500 pounds I'll win. The speaker was Rupert a man of about 25 he had a dark bushy mistarsh and flashing eyes.

  I shouldn't trust to much on your horse said Tom for ineed he had not the sum to spear.

  The race was to take place at ten the following moring

  Chap II

  The next moring Tom took his seat in the grant stand while Rupert mounted Sally (which was his horse) with the others to wate for the pistol shot which would anounse the start.

  The race was soon over and Rupet had lost. What was he to do could he do the deed? Yes I'll kill him in the night, he thought.

  Chap III

  The Fire

  Rupert crept stedfustly along with out a sound but as he drew his sword it squeeked a little this awoke Tom seasing a candle he lit it just at that moment Rupert struch and sent the candle flying

  The candle lit the cuntain Rupert trying to get away tumbled over the bed Tom maid a dash for the dorr and cleided with a perlisman who had come to see what was the matter and a panic took place.

  Chap IIII

  Explaind

  While Tom and the peliesman were escapeing through the door Rupert was adaping quite a diffrat methand of escape he puld the matris of the bed and hurld the it out of the window then jumped out he landed safe and sound on the matris then began to run for all he was worth now let us leave Rupert and turn to Tom and the peliesman as soon as they got out Tom told the peliesman what had hapend.

  Chap V

  Hot on the Trail

  "See there he is" said Tom "We must folow him and take him to prizen" said the peliesman.

  There's no time to spere said Tom letts get horses said the peliesman so they bort horses and and galerpin in the direcion they had seen him go.

  On they went aintil they were face to face with each other. the peliesman lept from his horse only to be stabed to the hart by Rupert then Tom jumped down and got Rupert a smart blow on the cheak.

  Chap VI

  A Deadly Fight

  This enraged Rupert thake that he shouted and made a plung but tom was too quick for him artfully dogeing the sword he brout his sword round on Rupert's other cheak.

  Just at that moment Ruper slashed killed the peliesmans horse then lept on Toms horse and galapt off.

  Chap VII

  The Mysterious Man

  Of cause then was no chance of catching him on foot so Tom walked to the nearest inn to stay the night but it was ful up he had to share with a nother man.

  Thou Tom was yerry tired he could not sleep, their was something about the man he was he did not like he reminded him of some one he didnot know who. Sudnly he felt something moveing on the bed looking up he saw the man fully dressed just getting off the bed.

  Chap VIII

  Run to Erth

  Now Tom could see that the mysteraous man was Rupert. Has he come to do a merder? Or has he only come to stay the night? thees were the thoughts that rushed throu Toms head he lay still to what Rupert would do first he opened a cubord and took out a small letter bag from this he took some thing wich made Toms blod turn cold it was a bistol Tom lept forward and seesed Rubert by the throught and flung him to the ground then snaching a bit of robe from the ground he bound Rupert hand and foot.

  Chap IX

  Hung

  Then Tom drest himself then Tom took Rupert to the puliese cort Rupert was hung for killing the pulies man. I hope this story will be aleson to you never to bet.

  FIDON'S CONFETION

  Chapter I

  Midnight boomed from the old clock tower and still the two men played on. Ralfe the eldest son of Gerald Cantonville had got in debt to a villainous money lender and in desperation had taken to gambling in a great efort to "raise the wind" all in vain on he played and still Baycraw won. Sudenly the door opened and in came a young boy of nineteen he had just left his public school carrying away nearly every cup at the sports. He was certainly not clever clever for he had never got any higher than the upper fifth "Hullo Ralfe still playing I should turn in" The elder brother looked up sharply "Get off to bed youngster" he growled and then returned to the game. Tom Cantonville shrugged his shoulders and went out with despair in his heart.

  Baycraw tiptoed down stairs and opened the window a cold draft of air blew in. He wistled softly and a dark form was siluetted for a moment against the bleu without. Then came a soft thud and a wispered warning. Then silence. The two men Baycraw and Fidon crept up stairs and having opened the door Mr. Cantonville's room switched on the light. The old man turned over binked and started only to find himself looking down the barrel of a "colt" revolver

  "Make a sound and your a dead man" wispered Braycow

  "Who are you" murmered the terrified man

  "You know very well! You havn't such a bad memory as all that. Come no think can't remember a certain bank robery in which a certain Cargon figurgered, do you not recall what he said when you found him out eh? something about revenge? well I am he and this—Fidon at this moment broke off as Braycaw raising a knife plunged it down ward there was a strangled and stilness.

  "This" continued Fidon "Is our revenge

  Chapter II

  Halfe past eight and stil no apearance of Mr. Cantonville. They began to get nervous he was always punctual. Tom went to see what it was. In a minute he staggered back white to the lips his hand on his fore head he reeled into a chair and lay their like one dead his breath coming in short gasps Ralfe ran to the side bord and returned with a liqure glass of brandy. Tom drunk it and sat up "He's dead" he said "they bloods all over his chest. Mrs. Cantonville rushed up to the room followed by all the other. There lay Mr. Cantonville a knife embedded in his chest. "We'd better leave it as it is for the detectives to see" advised Ralfe Tom was already at the telephone and in ten minutes a car swung up the drive and a detective alighted. All this time Braycaw was sitting in the breakfast room puffing a segar but now he followed the detective to the scene of the crime. The detective bent out of the boddy and drew out the knife it was an Idian dagger which had belonged to Ralfe but which he had given as security to Braycaw on not being able to pay for the gambling. "Why" cried Barbarous his sister "That's Ralfe's knife"

  the detective turned on Ralfe "Can you acount for this?" he demanded

  "I think I can" said Braycaw stepping forward "He was in debt and he was heir to all his father's property and money"

  "You cad" cried Ralfe leaping forward but was brough up by the detectives revolver leveled at him

  "Mr Ralfe Cantonville" he said dryly "you can make all your excuses in court untill then consider yourselfe under arest."

  Tom buried his face in his hands. He heard a click and saw Ralfe handcuffed. He turned and ran down stairs and buring his face in his hands sobbed like a child. Suddenly the door swung open and in walked Braycaw a cynical smile on his lips Tom leapt to his feet his eyes blazing "Rather unfortunate about your brother eh? what?" drawled Braycaw. Tom's reply was a terific swing of his fist. Braycaw who was not a big man stagered back his hands on his face and colapsed on the floor. Tom turned on his heel and left the room leaving Braycaw in a heap on the ground with a broken nose.

  Chapter III

  Now what ever falts Fidon might have he was not a cad and upon hearing of Ralfes arrest he quicly resolved to turn kings evidence and so it was that at halfe past five that evening there was a knock at the door and a clean shaven made steped into the spaceous hall of Cantonville Chase. He was ushered into the drawing room where he found Tom dedjectedly trying to read. He came quickly to the point and told everything. Tom escitedly brought paper and pen and the confetion was written. Sudenly there came a report the smashing of glass and a cry from Fidon a small figure rushed in flung some thing on the ground and the whole room was full of smoke. Tom stagered to the window and let in a cool draft of night air. As smoke cleared away he saw Fidon lying with a bullet in his head and the precious confetion was gone. Then he heard the purr of a motor car outside he rushed only to see Braycaw in a motor disapearing outside he seize his bike and in a second was following. On and on they went in a mad chase the result of which would mean a mans life Tom drew his "Browning" revolver and fire into the darkness ahead he fired again and saw a jet of flame shoot out of the car, he had fired the petrol! the car lurched and swurved; a dark form lept from it. Tom jumped from his bike and seized Braycaw by the coat. A swift turn and Braycaw was gone leaving Tom holding the coat. But Tom could see in the light of the blazing car something that made his heart leap with joy-out of the pocket petruded the confetion. Ralfe was safe!

  Chapter IV

  The light streamed in at the window and Tom sat up his first action was to feel under the pillow and a sigh of relief broke from his lips as he felt the paper but he must get on the trial was tomorro and he had a long way to go. He looked at the clockit was 10 o'clock in 24 hours the trial would take place. He dressed and after a hasty meal hurried to the station the train was waiting and he got in. Five minutes later the train had started and was just getting up steam when a bearded gentleman rushed up the platform and leapt at the train. With agility that did not suite his years he swung onto the footbord and so in to the window where Tom was seated. Having apologies for his strange entrance he settled down and to all apearances slept Tom looked him up and down and noticed he had a broken nose. He began to suspect something. He sliped his hand behind the visitor and pulled one of the locks and he saw it was a wig. Then he lept forward and seized the beared it came away in his hand revealing Braycaw who leapt at him. The two struggled feercly together for some time then as they realed against the door it gave and they fell out on the hill down which the roled until it came to are shere drop Tom lost contitiousness.