The Devil's Cocktail (27 page)

‘Then I suppose I must leave it to him,' said Hugh reluctantly; ‘but I'd like to be at hand in case of mistakes.'

‘You can take my word for it,' said Rainer earnestly, ‘there won't be any mistakes.'

Hugh smiled with real gratitude, he felt as if an enormous load had been lifted from his heart.

‘You are a brick, Rainer,' he said. ‘But for God's sake,' he added, ‘don't say too much about our plans to him!'

‘I won't,' the Commissioner assured him.

‘Who the devil is he?'

‘One of the greatest detectives in the world,' said Rainer, and they returned to Abdul Rahim.

‘I don't know how to thank you for what you are about to do for my sister and me,' said Hugh. ‘God grant you will be successful!'

The Mahommedan bowed with true Oriental politeness.

‘Allah always looks after his chosen,' he said. ‘I shall succeed!'

Hugh held out his hand impulsively, the other clasped it, and they looked into each other's eyes for a second, then turning to the Deputy Commissioner:

‘The Governor has a lot to tell you,' said Hugh. ‘You have come at a most opportune time.'

‘Good!' exclaimed Rainer. ‘I have few things to tell him also.'

He nodded cheerfully and went up the steps with Abdul Rahim.

Hugh watched them disappear, then with a song of gladness in his heart, jumped into his car and drove home. He found Miles and Cousins awaiting him with such unhappy faces that he knew at once that they had failed in their quest. Miles handed him a letter which had been delivered by hand. Hugh tore open the envelope and discovered a single sheet of paper on which half a dozen lines had been typewritten:

That was all – there was not even a signature. Hugh read the warning aloud, but neither of his companions made any comment.

The three sat down to lunch – there was no longer any reason why Cousins should play the servant, at any rate in the house – and, without preamble, Hugh plunged into an account of his interview with the Governor, and handed round the Chief's letter. For a moment Cousins and Miles forgot the shadow of sorrow that was resting on their spirits and delighted grins and mutual congratulations passed between them. Miles even insisted on their drinking a toast –
‘Great Britain and the United States!' – and they stood up and drank it with the emotion of true patriots. But afterwards the gloom returned with redoubled force, whereupon Hugh told them of his meeting with Rainer and Abdul Rahim. Then gradually the sorrow left their countenances, and when Shannon had finished speaking, Miles leant across the table, the light of a great hope in his eyes, his voice trembling with eagerness.

‘Hugh,' he said, ‘do you really think this guy will do it?'

Hugh nodded.

‘I don't know why,' he said, ‘but when I was speaking to him, something told me he would never fail in anything he undertook. He did not say much, but there was a sort of inflexible purpose underlying his words and I have only once or twice met men who gave me such utter confidence. I never thought I should meet an Indian with a personality like that. Rainer has no doubt whatever!'

Miles rose from the table.

‘I can't eat any more,' he said apologetically. ‘I feel kinder choky.'

At five minutes to seven that evening the three men, who in such a short time had done so much and had become such inseparable friends, entered the main gates of Government House, not bothering in the least whether a whole army of spies was tracking them or whether they entered unnoticed. Cousins was the only one who felt in any way disgruntled with his lot, and his dress suit was the cause. He had brought only one to India with him and, in his role of valet, had regarded even that as impedimenta; thus he had left it in his trunk without ever bothering to take it out and give it an airing. The result was that when he drew it forth that afternoon it was so creased that Hugh, who watched the ceremony, declared rudely that it resembled its owner's face. With the assistance of all the servants, including even the cook, the erstwhile valet did his best to press it,
and when it was hung out in the sun it looked more like what a dress suit should be. But, alas, when he came to adorn himself in it, it was apparently so annoyed at its long disuse that it bunched itself up in unfamiliar places, and flopped plaintively in others; also, sad to relate, the moth had been having a bean feast in one or two hallowed spots. However, when arrayed, Cousins was assured by his companions that it looked splendid; nevertheless, on the way to Government House he felt awkward, which to say the least of it was most unusual with him and, in consequence, bothered him considerably.

They were shown straight into the Governor's study, which by now had become quite familiar to Hugh. There whisky and sodas, cigars and cigarettes were placed before them, and they were informed that His Excellency would join them in five minutes. In that time exactly he appeared, followed almost immediately by the Deputy Commissioner. He was introduced to Cousins and shook hands with Miles.

‘It is a great pleasure to meet men like you, gentlemen,' he said gracefully, ‘who devote their lives to their countries, and risk everything in serving them. You, Mr Miles,' he smiled, ‘have been a great surprise to me. I never thought, on the few occasions we met, that you were anything but an American traveller getting the best out of the world. You are one of those who hide your light—'

‘Under a pair of spectacles, sir,' interposed Cousins. ‘Miles' benevolent look is entirely due to wearing those tortoiseshell abominations of his. If he would take them off you would see the cunning, hard man underneath.'

There was a general laugh, after which the Governor turned to Hugh.

‘I have spoken to Mr Abdullah,' he said, ‘and although he is very upset at losing you, he understands that it is a matter against which
neither he nor his board of governors can protest. He will make arrangements for you to be relieved of your duties in Sheranwala College immediately.'

Hugh expressed his satisfaction.

‘I believe you know that an effort is to be made to rescue your sister tonight,' went on His Excellency. ‘Rainer brought the – er – man who is going to undertake it to see me, and I must say I feel quite confident of his ability to succeed.'

‘So do I, sir,' replied Hugh. ‘I don't know why, but I feel perfectly certain he will.'

Rainer laughed.

‘It is extraordinary how Abdul Rahim always gives everyone such entire confidence in him,' he remarked. ‘And he never fails when he undertakes a task. I am as sure that Miss Shannon will be back tonight as I am certain I am in this room.'

‘God grant it!' said His Excellency. ‘I have told him to let me know at once, if he effects the rescue, and I shall wait very anxiously until I hear from him.'

‘He's a remarkable man for an Indian,' said Miles. ‘I feel a new respect for a race that can breed a man with such courage and personality.'

They then devoted themselves to considering the surest way of capturing every man who attended the meeting on Tuesday at Mozang College. All details were discussed and no likely eventuality lost sight of. Hugh, Miles, and Cousins were to make their way into the College by some means or other, which was not apparent at the present, but the two former intended to try if the papers they possessed with the maps of India drawn on them and decorated with the eagles and dragons were passports which would get them through. Cousins had already spent some time examining
the place, and he was going there early and would conceal himself above the room where the conference was almost certain to be held. He amazed everyone by relating how he had removed enough of the roof to enable him to crawl on to the rafters beneath and listen through the thin plaster which hid them from the room below. He had covered up the hole he had made so that it would not be noticed by anyone who took it into his head to prowl about on the roof in the meantime.

It was arranged that Rainer and some of his best men were to conceal themselves close to the College and watch, while a strong detachment of armed men would wait some distance away, but within call. As soon as the Deputy Commissioner was sure all the plotters were inside the building he would surround it with his detachment and arrest any man he came across. There were to be two cordons of police, the outer one would remain in a circle round the College and permit nobody to pass in or out, the inner one would wait for three blasts blown on a whistle by Hugh, when the men were to enter and make their way direct to the room where the meeting was being held and arrest every man therein. Absolute secrecy was to be maintained throughout, so that no whisper of alarm could reach the conspirators before they were in the building.

A long time was taken in formulating the plans, so that there could be no possibility of misunderstanding, but at last the Governor rose and expressed himself as satisfied that they had done all that could be done to ensure the complete success of the raid.

‘I feel confident, gentlemen,' he said, ‘that, unless something unforeseen happens, the success of your endeavours in bringing to light this conspiracy will be crowned with complete triumph on Tuesday night, and I wish you all the very best of luck.'

They went into dinner after that and Lady Scott was the only lady present. She was a charming woman who still retained a great measure of beauty and had always proved herself a perfect helpmate to her husband. She was tactful, clever and strong-minded and was very popular in Northern India. She gave her visitors a warm welcome and the dinner, being quite an informal affair, was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Hugh and his two friends left Government House at half past nine and went straight home. In the minds of each of them was the question – ‘Will she come?'

They sat in the sitting room or, to be correct, they tried to sit, for every now and again one of them would get up and pace the apartment, a prey to conflicting thoughts and emotions. Time went by on leaden wings; they tried to talk to each other, but hardly knew what they were saying; they smoked an enormous amount of tobacco, and hardly realised that they were smoking. Ten o'clock came and went, half past ten passed slowly by – still no sign. Every unusual sound brought them to their feet with hands clenched in their excitement; once or twice the distant hum of a motor car made them dash to the door. But there was no sign of Joan, and gradually their hearts began to fail them, their hopes to fade away. Cousins was almost as strongly affected as were Hugh and Miles, for he had made no misstatement when he declared that he, too, loved Joan. He loved her as he would have loved a daughter had he ever had one and inside the little man there beat a heart which had the power of a great and lasting affection. Eleven o'clock struck and they began to look at each other grimly, with pale faces and eyes in which the agony of the uncertainty they were suffering was clearly revealed. Minute by minute ticked away and gradually the half hour approached. With
a groan Miles dropped his head between his hands, but still the clock ticked on, and the large hand marked half past eleven and moved on in its inexorable way.

‘Oh, my God!' burst from Hugh at last, and it was as though his very heart had bared itself. ‘He must have failed.'

The rude awakening which Joan had experienced in finding herself lifted from her bed by strange men and carried away to a house she had never seen before, had brought on a mental exhaustion which caused her to sleep, albeit restlessly, for several hours. Her struggles when in the arms of the big Sikh and her efforts to attract attention after being locked in the room also made her physically tired, so that she was not disturbed by the entrance of a Hindu woman at eight o'clock in the morning. The latter brought some native clothes with her and laid them on a chair by the bedside, then gazing curiously at the English girl, without the slightest sign of any emotion on her face, she went out of the room.

Half an hour later Joan awoke, but for a few moments did not recall the events of the night. Then suddenly, after looking round her in astonishment, she remembered and, with a sob of terror, rose and crossing to the door tried it. It was locked.

She returned to the bed and sat down, feeling very weak. She
tried to think; to piece together the events which might be expected to produce a reason for this extraordinary happening. She wondered if Novar, to whom Hugh had given such a shock, was responsible. But why should he want her? Surely she would only be an added danger to him while in his possession. She knew she was not in his house, and she had never seen the horrid Jewish-looking man before. She shuddered at the recollection of the leer with which he had favoured her and his coarse words before locking her in. Then suddenly remembering how lightly she was clad, she convulsively and with a new terror, pulled her cloak round her.

Joan had a lot of courage, but she had never experienced a situation like this, and she felt dreadfully frightened and forlorn. Presently when she thought of her brother and Miles and little Cousins, and the terrible state in which they would be over her disappearance, tears began to come. She knelt down and prayed for courage and help and the very act of praying made her feel a little better, so that when she rose she determined that she would face whatever happened with all the bravery she could muster.

She saw the clothes on the chair and wondered who had put them there. They were obviously for her use, but she could not bring herself to put them on until she reflected that anything would be better than being clad in a nightdress especially if – as she thought very likely – she would have to face men. This latter reflection made her cheeks burn and without further hesitation she put on the Indian garments as best she could. She managed all right until she came to the sari, but no amount of ingenuity enabled her to arrange the long veil-like object round her head and body as she knew it should go. She had tried again and again and was about to give it up in despair when the door was unlocked and opened. She shrank away as far as she could, but it was only the Hindu woman who entered carrying a tray. She
put this down and seeing that Joan was in difficulties, came to her aid and in a couple of minutes had wound the sari round her and settled it comfortably. Joan plied her with questions, but to each the woman shook her head, and as the English girl knew no Hindustani she was forced to give it up in despair. The other pointed to the tray, then went out and locked the door behind her.

On the tray was tea and toast, an omelette and some fruit. Joan had very little inclination to eat, but after drinking a cup of tea, she decided to make a meal of some sort if only to keep her strength up for whatever ordeal she would have to face.

The morning passed slowly and to Joan in her anxiety the waiting for, she knew not what, was terrible and when, at last, she heard the sound of the key in the lock, it was almost with a sense of relief. Anything was better, she thought, than the awful feeling of suspense. The door opened and Kamper came in. He looked at her in admiration and, although she did not know it, Joan presented a very lovely picture in her Indian garb. She recognised the man who had kidnapped her and clutched the bosom of her dress in an effort to still the tumultuous beating of her heart.

‘Good morning, Miss,' said the Jew. ‘You look very pretty this morning!'

‘How dare you insult me?' she cried. ‘Why have you taken me away from my home and why am I here?'

‘You vill be told if you come with me.'

Trembling she followed him along a passage, past several rooms, until he stood aside and beckoned her to enter a large apartment which was furnished in a heavy ornate style with valuable carpets spread on the floor. The odour of a strong perfume hung in the air and rather sickened her. On a divan sat two men whom she took to be Parsees from their dress and another stood slightly in the
background. At her entrance the latter made a sudden move forward, but was checked by one of the men on the divan who reached up and caught him by the arm. She was given a chair by Kamper and sat down with the strange feeling that she was playing a part in some extraordinary dream and would wake up presently to find herself back in her own home.

One of the men on the divan – the stouter of the two – commenced to speak, and his voice had a strangely familiar ring in it.

‘We hope you have not suffered any great inconvenience from your experience, Miss Shannon,' he said. ‘Mr Kamper there assures us that he was as gentle as possible.'

Kamper! She knew that name. How often had she heard Hugh mention it. She looked round at the Jew fearfully, who grinned at her in his loathsome way. Then she found her voice.

‘What is the meaning of this outrage, and who are you?' she cried hoarsely.

‘Don't talk of your adventure as an outrage,' replied the man smoothly. ‘I hope you will come to regard it as a very pleasant ordeal later on. And I am sure my friend,' he indicated the man standing by his side, ‘hopes so even more than I do. As for who we are,' he went on, ‘it is rather a tribute to our disguises that you do not recognise us, but as we have no intention of hiding our personalities from you, allow me to inform you that I am Novar, the gentleman seated by me is Mr Rahtz and our eager friend, who is longing to clasp your hand and say many things to you, is Mr Hudson!'

Joan gasped with terror; she knew now that she was in the gravest peril, but with that thought came the courage which was her heritage from a line of fighting ancestors. She raised her head proudly.

‘What do you want with me?' she demanded.

He spread his hands in a deprecating gesture.

‘This morning a note went to your brother,' he replied, ‘telling him that you would be quite safe so long as he ceased from interfering with us and did not search for you.'

A flicker of hope entered her heart. Apparently she showed it in her eyes, for she smiled.

‘Please don't think that your brother, or his friends, will find out your whereabouts from the messenger. You see we knew that Captain Shannon would have to go to the College and it was hardly likely that Mr Miles and your – er – valet, Cousins, would stop at home doing nothing. Our man had instructions to make sure that nobody was on the premises except the servants, then deliver the note and come away.'

‘Are you holding me as a hostage?'

He bowed.

‘In a sense, yes. I am sorry it was necessary for you to be brought away in such a hurry without your own clothes. But permit me to remark that you look most charming in the only garments we were able to provide for you.'

‘You are brutes,' she said; ‘horrible, loathsome brutes, and I despise all of you, as I never thought I could despise anyone! You have me in your power, but that will not prevent my brother doing his duty, and God grant that he will succeed in finding you and punishing you as you deserve!'

‘Joan!' cried Hudson in a voice broken by emotion.

‘Don't speak to me!' she flashed. ‘You showed your character on the ship, and it is only confirmed by your association with these other men. You are a traitor and a coward!'

‘Let us have done with these heroics,' said Rahtz with a sneer. ‘They only bore me and I dislike being bored. I think that it would be as well for your peace of mind, Miss Shannon, if you told us exactly
what knowledge your brother has of our – er – activities. If you refuse to tell us, there are ways and means of making you speak, and cries of pain can easily be muffled in this building.'

Novar touched him on the arm, and Hudson swore a particularly ugly oath.

‘If you dare hurt her, Rahtz,' he shouted, ‘you'll have to answer to me.'

Rahtz looked at him contemptuously.

‘I'd as soon put a bullet in you as talk to you, Hudson,' he said calmly. ‘Your days of usefulness to us are done, and you're nothing but unnecessary lumber now.'

Hudson drew back with an exclamation of fear and hatred. During this sharp passage Joan's mind had been working rapidly. She realised the deadly peril she was in and wondered if she would have the courage not to reveal all she knew if they tortured her. Rahtz's voice roused her from her thoughts.

‘Tell us,' he said, ‘what your brother has discovered and save yourself a great deal of anguish!'

She actually smiled.

‘I have no intention of hiding it,' she replied quietly, though her heart was beating rapidly with anxiety. ‘He has found out that you three are in the pay of Russia and are plotting against India. What the plot is he does not know yet, but as I know Hugh, I feel certain that before long he will find out everything and make you pay to the very uttermost.'

Novar gave a sigh of relief, but Rahtz looked at her intently for a second or two as though trying to pierce her inmost soul, and Joan, still with a smile of triumph on her face, waited in dreadful anxiety to know if he were satisfied that she could tell him nothing more. At last he spoke.

‘It is lucky for you that you have replied candidly,' he said. She almost gave herself away in her relief. ‘I did not want to hurt you, but if you had refused to answer I would not have hesitated.'

‘Is that what you meant by writing to my brother to say that I would be quite safe?' she asked contemptuously.

He shrugged his shoulders.

‘You are a pawn that has strayed on to the chess board of great events,' he said; ‘and to gain my ends I would sweep you aside with as little compunction as I would the ordinary ivory piece.'

‘I am quite sure of it,' she said, with an insolence that made him almost admire her.

‘You have courage, Miss Shannon,' he remarked. ‘I could almost wish that happier events had brought us together and enabled us to be friends.'

‘Thank you,' she said bitterly. ‘I would rather make friends with a snake.'

He rose and bowed mockingly.

‘You honour me,' he said. ‘I have a great admiration for the serpent family. A snake knows when to strike and it seldom misses. I flatter myself that I can strike with almost as much success.'

‘Satan also associated himself with the snake,' she remarked. ‘I have already noticed that you and he have a great deal in common.'

He laughed.

‘This is splendid!' he chuckled. ‘Miss Shannon, I begin to admire you more and more. You are just the Eve I should love to try my satanic wiles on.'

‘Then you would fail,' she retorted.

‘I wonder. My apple might have too much delight even for you to resist. Come along, Novar; you too, Kamper; let us leave Miss Shannon with Hudson. He has a lot to say to her I think.'

He bowed to Joan once more and left the apartment with his two companions. She made as though to follow, but Hudson hurried across the room and closed the door.

‘At last!' he said hoarsely, but with a note of triumph in his voice. ‘This is the first time you and I have been alone since that unfortunate night on the ship when you and your brother misunderstood my intentions.'

‘Misunderstood your intentions!' she echoed scornfully. ‘In what way were they misunderstood?'

‘You both thought I was a rotter; that I intended to harm you, when my only fault was that I loved you and had not strength enough to hide my love.'

‘Don't talk to me of love!' she cried. ‘Why, such a word on your lips is a desecration of one of the most beautiful gifts of God. You love indeed; with a mind like yours, bestial, filthy, hideous! Please let me go! If my brother and his companions knew that I stood so close to you they would be revolted as I am, and would never rest until they had purged the world of the taint you put upon it.'

An angry frown came upon his face.

‘Be careful!' he threatened. ‘You are going too far.'

‘I could never go far enough in my contempt for a thing like you,' she went on without hesitation. ‘There can be nothing worse than a man who takes advantage of a woman and tries to force her into a loathsome compact by threatening danger to those she loves, if she will not bend to his will. And when, in addition to that, he attempts to sell his own country, the country which has given him birth, nourished him, and brought him up as one of her trusted sons and enabled him to enjoy a position of responsibility and honour when he betrays his trust and – oh! I wish I could think of words to tell you what you are – if only I could make
you realise the utter depths of degradation to which you have descended, for even you must have been pure once! God grant that there are not many such as you – I am sure there cannot be. Even the companions with whom you have associated yourself are saints compared with you. They are vicious, cruel, unscrupulous, but I cannot think that they can have gone to the very dregs of vice as you have done. You are the worst of traitors, the most contemptible of cowards and are not worthy to associate with the lowest reptile that lives. You—'

‘You have said enough,' he said in an ominously calm voice. ‘I do not wish to hear any more.'

‘Of course you don't! I have tried to make you realise my feelings for you – I only wish I could have put it stronger.'

‘Joan, you are cruel!'