CHAPTER XI
The Chief Constable had little to report, but his air of uneasydisquietude remained.
"I think," he announced, "that, so far as I can make out, the servantsare all right. Curiously enough, however, it seems that Gregory has akey to the door in question, which he uses sometimes."
"Very probable," Sir Bertram assented. "He likes to come and go out ofthe house at all times."
"I wonder when he'll be back?" Major Holmes enquired.
"He had very little to do," his father observed. "Found himself a trunkshort, or something of that sort. I thought he had bought all his outfitin London, but I suppose he miscalculated."
"When does he go abroad?"
"Saturday week. Sails from Liverpool to Montreal, I think, by an Allanliner."
"The county will miss him," the Chief Constable remarked, as he accepteda glass of sherry from the tray which Rawson had just brought out.
"So, I am afraid, shall I," Sir Bertram admitted. "It is one of thesigns of approaching age when one begins to rely upon other people. Iremember the time when I used to find it devilish uncomfortable to havea grown-up son. To-day--well, I would rather there were something hecould do in England. Shall we go in, Major? No use waiting for Gregory.He's just as likely as not to lunch in Norwich."
Luncheon was at times a difficult function. Holmes was in a sense anunwilling guest, and Sir Bertram was unusually silent. It was Henry,with his stilted phrases and old-fashioned sense of the obligations of ahost, who kept conversation going. Towards the end of the meal, Gregoryput in an unexpected appearance. He shook hands with Holmes, of whosepresence he had obviously been informed, and apologised to his father.
"So sorry, Dad," he explained. "It took me some time to find just thetrunk I wanted, and then I remembered that I had ordered some riding kitat Houghton's and I thought I might as well be tried on. Any news aboutthe burglary, Major?"
"Nothing of any moment at present," the latter replied.
Gregory busied himself for some time with his lunch, whilst the othersloitered. Afterwards they strolled out on to the lawn together forcoffee. As soon as it was served, Holmes set down his cup and faced thesituation.
"Gregory," he said, "I know you will remember that, as well as beingyour friend, and I hope the friend of every one here, I am a governmentofficial."
Gregory paused in the act of lighting a cigarette and stared at him.
"Why, that's all right," he assented. "What about it?"
"The police have evidence," Major Holmes continued, "that at about threeo'clock this morning--that is to say twenty minutes or so before theburglary at the Great House was committed--some one was seen to leavethe Hall, cross the park and enter the Great House, or, at any rate, todisappear in that neighbourhood."
Gregory finished lighting his cigarette.
"Where on earth did the police get hold of their information?" heenquired. "From a poacher?"
"From a person whose word it would be a little difficult to upset," theChief Constable replied. "Acting on his information, I have come up hereto pay an official visit. I have interviewed all the servants withoutresult. I understand that you possess a key to the smaller library doorwhich you sometimes use."
"I often use it," Gregory admitted. "If I dine out or anything of thatsort, or come home by the mail from London, I use it to avoid undoingall the bolts of the front door."
"Where was the key last night? Anywhere where any one could have gothold of it?"
"I shouldn't have thought so. It's in my dressing room somewhere."
"You didn't lend it to any one?"
"Certainly not. No one has ever asked me for it."
"You didn't use it yourself?"
"Last night? No. I haven't used it for weeks."
Major Holmes nodded.
"Well," he said, "that's that! I now appeal to you all. Can you help me?A reliable witness states that some one left the Hall through thatlibrary door last night, was seen to walk across the park and, to allreasonable supposition, was the person who assaulted and chloroformedMr. Johnson, and committed the burglary. You will realise that this is aserious statement. Can any of you suggest anything which might throwlight upon the affair?"
"All that I can suggest," Gregory remarked, "is that your informant musthave been seeing spooks. Who is he? One of the villagers?"
"There need no longer be any secret about his identity," Major Holmesdecided. "Our informant is a private detective employed by Mr. Johnson."
There was an intense and ominous silence. Henry Ballaston drew his chaira little farther back into the shade, as though he suddenly felt the suntoo strong. Sir Bertram whistled softly, but for once in his life seemedguilty of an almost unnatural action. Gregory stood as though turned tostone. Across his face for a moment there flitted an expression ofdismay. The Chief Constable saw it and his heart sank. It was SirBertram's brain which moved the quickest.
"How the mischief did this Mr. Johnson get hold of a private detectiveat a moment's notice?" he enquired.
"He has had him in the neighbourhood for some time," Major Holmesreplied. "His presence in the park last night was not accidental. He wasemployed by Mr. Johnson in connection with certain theories whichhe--Johnson--held as to the murder of Mr. Endacott."
"This is all most amazing," Sir Bertram observed.
"A very curious action on the part of a man who is a total stranger tothe neighbourhood," Henry put in.
The Chief Constable brooded for several moments. His official duty washard to follow. The whole circumstances were unusual. He faced thesituation from the common-sense point of view.
"Johnson may be a stranger to the neighbourhood," he admitted, "but I donot think that his appearance here is so entirely casual as he tried tomake out. It transpires that he was a partner of Endacott's in the greatfirm of Johnson and Company. I believe that the real object of hiscoming here was to solve the mystery of Endacott's murder."
"Wu Ling, my God!" Gregory exclaimed, in genuine excitement. "The momentI saw him I thought I recognised him. Then it seemed incredible. Why, ofcourse I was a fool ever to doubt it," he went on. "He played theChinaman out there to do his trading up in the villages. He had livedthere most of his life. It was easy enough. Then, when he finished withthe business and came back here, he Europeanised himself. My God, what afool I have been!"
"I don't know anything about that," Major Holmes observed. "He came tome in Norwich a short time ago and he placed before me some very seriousinformation. I am using my own discretion in what I am about to say. Bynow you must know just what I am up against. Again I appeal to you foryour help."
In the background Henry shook his head gravely. Sir Bertram, with theslightest possible shrug of the shoulders, turned away and lit acigarette. Gregory, completely at his ease again, lolled a little deeperin his wicker chair.
"My dear fellow," he expostulated, "how the deuce can any of us helpyou? I tell you frankly, if any one left the house last night--and Idon't believe they did--I for one don't know anything about it. As tothe murder--well, if Mr. Johnson's private agent can find out anythingabout that, the whole neighbourhood will be indebted to him. How onearth is he likely to succeed, however, when you and Scotland Yard havefailed?"
"The murder, so far as our investigations took us," Major Holmes saidpatiently, "was entirely lacking in direct motive. The burglary, on thecontrary, does seem to have had an extraordinary but clear object. Theburglar got away with a number of Chinese manuscripts. Amongst thesemanuscripts----"
"I know what you are going to say," Gregory interrupted, smiling asthough in amusement, "but you're wrong, all the same. Old Endacott hadbeen through them. There wasn't one which could help the owner of theImages to discover the treasure."
"Where are these infernal Images?" Major Holmes asked.
"They have been moved upstairs into my apartments," Henry Ballastonintervened. "If it would afford you any satisfaction to inspect them, Iwill take you there with ple
asure."
"I should like to see them," Major Holmes decided.
They all returned to the house, Gregory quitting his chair with an airof reluctance. The two Images stood in a small sitting room opening outfrom Henry Ballaston's bedroom at the top of the house; an apartment ofextraordinary, almost monastic simplicity. They stood side by side on anold black oak bureau, and against the white of the walls they showed upwith almost glaring effect.
"The Body and the Soul," Gregory pointed out. "I don't think they haveever been worth what poor old Bill Hammonde and I went through for them.They got Bill, too. Good chap, he was!"
"The legend is," Sir Bertram explained politely, "that those heads arefilled with jewels. Yet we have never been able to discover an openingor aperture of any sort."
"If there is any truth in the story," Major Holmes suggested, "why don'tyou break them up?"
Sir Bertram shivered.
"That, at least," he said, "one would keep for a last effort. ThoseImages, Holmes, are nearly a thousand years old, and if you are anyjudge of such things, you will see at once that they were carved by agreat artist. With their history I should imagine that their value atChristie's would be at least several thousand pounds each, so long asthey are intact."
Major Holmes took one into his hands and set it down again, amazed atthe weight.
"Why, they're almost as heavy as bronze," he exclaimed.
"The wood of which they are fashioned is a species of teak wood--almostextinct now," Sir Bertram explained. "Their weight, of course, is ratheran argument against their being hollow. On the other hand, they might behollow and filled with jewels."
"There is a further legend," Gregory confided, "that there is insidesome sort of infernal machine invented during the last century by thepriests, which would go off at any rough usage. That, I must say, seemsto me a bit thick. At the same time, the Chinese were always rathergreat at explosives."
"I imagine," Major Holmes said, "that you will not let this superstitionstand in your way, provided you are unable to discover the secretopening."
"As a last resort," Sir Bertram declared, "we have decided to destroythe less pleasing of the Images."
"And I," Gregory announced, in a low tone, his eyes fixed upon theleering Image of the Body, "mean to be the one to strike the blow. Onegets kind of superstitious over there, you know, Holmes," he went on. "Ilost possession of the other Image for a time. The robbers got off withit when they raided the train and killed poor old Hammonde, but thatunpleasing-looking devil I brought home with me. All I can say is that Idon't want to be left alone with him again for a month or six weeks. Youwouldn't have much chance, would you, at the Norwich Assizes if youpleaded that you had been driven to commit a murder through theinfluence of an Image? A Chinese judge would have understood it. All Iknow is that on that boat I was never myself."
"And here?" Holmes asked curiously.
"I kept out of the way of the thing when it was once here," Gregoryreplied. "Uncle Henry took care of it then, and I think it would takemore than the power of an Image to move him from the paths of rectitude.Then--through old Endacott, by-the-by--we got hold of the other one. Sonow I don't mind. It is only when he's out of reach of the Soul thatthat chap's supposed to do any harm."
"You were lucky to regain possession of the other Image," the ChiefConstable observed, after a moment's pause. "Through Mr. Endacott, Ithink you said?"
"In a sort of way," Gregory answered coldly.
"You couldn't be a little more explicit?" the other persisted.
The silence which followed was portentous, charged with electricity. Itwas Sir Bertram who laid his hand gently upon his son's shoulder.
"Gregory is rather sensitive about this business," he said. "Consideringall that he went through, I do not wonder at it. If ever it becomesexpedient for us to explain exactly how the second Image came into ourpossession, we will do so. That moment scarcely seems to have yetarrived."
Major Holmes abandoned the subject a little abruptly. He walked alongthe great corridor with its rows of pictures upon one side and mullionedwindows on the other, speechless and absorbed. The whole place seemedflooded with afternoon sunshine which found its way into the gloomiestcorners, touching some old suits of armour with a gleam of fire, tracingzigzag hieroglyphics upon the smooth white stone floor. He had made uphis mind what course of action to adopt and it had not been an easytask. He sent for Inspector Cloutson and stood making his adieux to hishosts. At the last minute he drew Gregory on one side.
"I hear you are starting off on another of your long rambles, Gregory,"he said.
"Something a little more permanent this time. I am going to try the FarWest first--lose myself for a year or two. Nothing definite seems to beknown just yet, but there are rumours that there have been some bigfinds of gold right up the Yukon. If I don't have any luck, I shall comeback and try ranching. I've got a job out there."
"It's true then, what they are saying?" the Major continued diffidently."Things here are pretty bad?"
"Rotten," Gregory admitted. "Unless a miracle happens, such as thosejewels materialising, or something of that sort, Ballaston must gobefore the autumn."
"It is bad news," the other sighed. "It is almost a tragedy. Enough todrive any one crazy," he added, his rather kindly eyes resting for amoment upon Gregory's face. "I am going to give you a word of advice, ifI may. We were at school together, and I practically owe my positionhere to your father. I shall have to settle with my conscience forsaying it--I may decide to chuck up my job--but I'm going to say it. Ifyou've got your kit ready, move off. I don't like the look of thingsdown here for you. That's all."
For a moment Gregory was speechless--not exactly from surprise but fromsome mixture of emotions which found outlet in speech difficult. Then hesuddenly took the hand which Holmes had extended and wrung it.
"You're a good fellow, Holmes," he said. "I don't like the look ofthings myself, and that's a fact. I may pop off, if I see my way clear.If I don't--well, you won't have any disagreeable duties to perform atthe Castle. I'll promise you that."
The inspector put in his appearance and the two men took their leave.Gregory remained for a few minutes motionless upon the broad semicircleof white stone stretching out from the front door, gazing after thereceding car. Presently his father moved up to his side.
"Holmes seems to have a bee in his bonnet, Gregory," he venturedtentatively.
Gregory nodded.
"He's a good fellow," he declared. "It cost him something to do it, Iknow, but he's given me the office. Advised me to clear out within thenext twenty-four hours. It's that fellow Johnson."
"Well, if you have made up your mind to go," Sir Bertram said, "why not?They can't do anything in a desperate hurry, and you'll get a run foryour money at least out there."
Gregory seemed for a moment puzzled, then distressed. He turned andlooked at his father. Sir Bertram's expression, however, wasinscrutable. Finally he swung on his heel.
"At any rate," he decided, "I'll finish my packing."
Stolen Idols Page 28
