by Guy Boothby
CHAPTER XIII.
REMANDED.
Never shall I forget the misery of that walk back from CavendishSquare to South Kensington; I seemed to be tramping for ever, and allthe time the words "Alie has been arrested!" "Alie has been arrested!"were singing and drumming in my ears with relentless reiteration. WhenI reached the house the sun was above the roof tops and I was weariedalmost to the point of dropping. I rang the bell, and the peal had notdied away before poor, heavy-eyed Janet had opened the door to me.Without a word she led me into her morning-room, the room where I hadfirst told her of my love for Alie, and, having made me sit down,would not let me speak until I had partaken of some refreshment. Ifilled my glass, but pushed my plate away from me; I could drink, butI was far too miserable to eat.
"Janet," I cried, "for Heaven's sake tell me, as quickly as you can,all that has happened!"
"My poor George," she said; "as I told you in my note, Alie has beenarrested. You had not left the house more than a quarter of an hourbefore two men called and asked to be allowed to see me on mostimportant business. They were shown in here and, when we were alone,requested permission to see Alie. I went to fetch her and brought herdown with me. Then one of the men advanced towards her with a paper inhis hand and said 'Alie Dunbar, in the Queen's name I arrest you on acharge of piracy upon the High Seas.' Oh! it was horrible, and I cansee it all now!"
"And what did my poor girl say?"
"Nothing! She was just as calm and collected as she always is. Shesimply took the paper from the man's hand and looked at it, afterwhich she said: 'There must be some mistake; however, you are onlydoing your duty, I suppose. Where do you wish to take me?' 'ToScotland Yard first, madam,' the man said, 'then on to Bow Street.'Hearing that, Alie turned to me, and putting her arms round my neck,said: 'You will soften this blow as much as you can for George, won'tyou, Janet?' and then announced that as soon as she had changed herdress, and procured her hat and cloak, she would be ready to accompanythem. These changes in her costume she was permitted to make, and,when they were accomplished, we set off, but not before I had writtenthat note to you. We expected you would follow us at once, and be ableto arrange the matter of bail."
"I did not get your letter until after three o'clock. I was in such astrange state of mind last night that I went for a long walk afterleaving you. Janet, it is all my fault. Did you notice those men inthe box opposite us at Drury Lane? If so, you may have observed thatthey continually stared at Alie through their glasses?"
"I _did_ notice them, and very ill-bred fellows I thought them. Ithink Alie must have thought so too! But what have they to do withthis matter?"
"Why, the man at the back of the box was none other than the personmentioned in that last newspaper paragraph about the Beautiful WhiteDevil. He was the man, Barkmansworth, in fact, whom the BeautifulWhite Devil took from the mail boat and flogged in mid-ocean."
"But what has this to do with Alie?"
"Why, simply that,--no there can be no shirking it now, it must comeout, and I know it is perfectly safe for me to tell you,--simply,Janet, because Alie _is_ the Beautiful White Devil."
"Oh, George, my dear old brother; is this terrible thing true?"
"Perfectly true, Janet!"
"And you, of all men, were going to marry the Beautiful White Devil?"
"Don't say 'were,' say 'are'! Janet, it is only half-past five now. Anhour and a half must elapse before I can do any good at the policestation. If you will listen I will tell you the story of Alie'ssingular life, and how I became mixed up with her. Then, rememberingwhat you have seen of her yourself, you will be able to judge whatsort of woman the Beautiful White Devil really is!"
Thereupon I set to work and told her all my adventures. I describedAlie's father's treatment by his government; his setting up a kingdomfor himself in the Pacific; the events which followed his death andAlie's accession to the throne; the feud between herself and theEastern Governments; her acts of justice and retribution; the outbreakof small-pox in her settlement, and her sending for me; what I saw onthe island, and how I first came to love her. It was a long story, andby the time I had finished it was nearly seven o'clock. Then I lookedat Janet, and found big tears standing in her eyes.
"What do you think of the Beautiful White Devil now?" I asked.
"I think that, come what may, George, we must save her."
"Of course we must, and now I'm going off to see her. May I give herany message from you?"
"Give her my fondest love, and tell her that, come what may, she shallbe saved."
"It will cheer her to know that, in spite of what has happened, youbelieve in her. Good-bye!"
"Good-bye, my poor George."
I left the house, and hurrying down to Gloucester Road, took theunderground train for the Temple, walking thence to Bow Street. Onentering the police station I asked to see the officer in charge. Tothis grim official I stated the nature of my business, and begged tobe permitted an interview with his prisoner. This he granted with avery civil grace; the jailer was accordingly called and I was led downa long corridor.
"Seeing that she is a lady," that official said, as he unlocked a dooron the right, "we have given her a somewhat better room than weusually allow our prisoners. I have orders to permit you a quarter ofan hour together."
He opened the door and I went in. With a little cry of joy, Alie, whohad been sitting on a sofa at the further end, sprang to her feet andran towards me, crying as she did so:
"Oh, George, dear, I knew you would come to me as soon as you could."
I took her in my arms and kissed her again and again; her dear eyeswere flooded with tears when I released her, but she brushed them awayand tried to look brave for my sake. Then I led her back to the sofaand sat down beside her.
"Alie," I said softly, "this is all my fault. I saw Barkmansworth atDrury Lane last night and ought to have warned you. I intended to havedone so this morning, but it was too late."
"Hush!" she answered, "you must not blame yourself. I, too, recognisedhim last night and should have spoken to you about it to-day. It istoo late _now_, as you say."
"Can nothing be done, Alie?"
"I cannot say yet. I have been too much upset since my arrival here tothink. But you must find me a lawyer at once, George, who will defendme at the preliminary examination, and if it looks as if the case willgo against me you must find some means by which I can escape."
"Escape? Alie, you do not realise how impossible that is."
"Nothing is impossible when one has brains enough to devise a plot andsufficient money to work it out."
"If I could only feel as you do about it. But have you any scheme tosuggest?"
"Not yet, but I shall devote my whole attention to it and it will gohard with me if I cannot hit on something. Would you have the courageto dare very much for my sake, George?"
"I would dare anything under the sun for you, Alie, and though youasked me such a question, I do not think you feel any doubt as towhat answer I would give."
"I had no doubt. Do not think that. And now, George, tell me what yoursister says, now that she knows who I am?"
"Janet is more your friend than ever. I told her your story thismorning, and she bade me give you her love and tell you we would saveyou yet."
Again the tears rose in Alie's eyes.
"What will the East say when it hears that the Beautiful White Devilis caught at last?"
"I don't know, and I don't care. One thing I'm certain of, however,and that is that I should like to have five minutes with Mr.Barkmansworth alone. I think then he'd know that----"
But what I was going to say was interrupted by the entrance of theofficer who had brought me to the room.
"Time's up, I'm sorry to say, sir."
I rose immediately and turned to say good-bye! Being a good-heartedfellow, the man left us alone together for another moment, and duringthat time I was able to whisper an assurance to my sweetheart that nostone should be left unturned to secure her release. Then
bidding herbe of good cheer, I passed out, feeling as if the bolts clangingbehind me were closing on my heart.
It was well after eight o'clock before I left Bow Street and turnedhomewards; the shops, in most cases, had their shutters down, butthough I looked for a newspaper board, it was some time before Isighted one. Then for the first time I saw the headline I had beendreading:
_"Sensational Arrest of the Notorious Beautiful White Devil."_
I stopped and bought a paper and then continued my journey, pausing ata telegraph office to send a wire to my old chum, Brandwon, in which Iasked him, as he valued our friendship, to come to me without amoment's delay. When I got home I changed my clothes--had a cold bath,which restored me somewhat, and then ordered breakfast, which I felt Icould not touch, and while it was preparing, sat down to read theaccount of the arrest. It was but a short report and published thebarest details.
Nine o'clock had just struck when a cab drew up at the door andBrandwon jumped out. I opened the front door to him myself, and, as Idid so, felt as if we were one step at least on the road to Alie'srelease.
"Look here, my friend," he said, as I led him across the hall to mydining-room. "This is all very well, you know, but what in the name offortune makes you send for me at this unearthly hour. Have youpoisoned a patient and find yourself in need of me to square matters,or have you been jilted and hope to bring an action for the damagedone to your broken heart? Out with it. But forgive my chaff if it'sanything more serious."
He must have seen by my face that something was very wrong, for hisjocular manner suddenly left him and he sat down all seriousness.
"There is something very much the matter, Brandwon," I said; "readthat!"
I handed him the morning paper and pointed to the paragraph detailingthe arrest. He read it through and then, seating himself at thebreakfast table, poured himself out a cup of coffee and buttered apiece of toast, before he spoke. When he did so, he said solemnly, "Ithink I understand. You are interested in this lady and want me toundertake her defence--is that so?"
"That is exactly what I want. I was at my wit's end to know what todo, when suddenly it flashed through my brain, 'Send for EdwardBrandwon.' I sent that wire accordingly, and here you are. If there isany man living who can save the woman I love, you are he."
"I'll do my best, you may be sure, for your sake, old boy. Now, whereis she?"
"At Bow Street. She is to be brought before the court this morning attwelve o'clock."
He took out his watch and looked at it.
"Well, I've none too much time. I'll go down and have an interviewwith her at once. Keep up your heart, old chap, we'll do our best andnobody can do more!"
I wrung his hand, and then, hailing a cab, he jumped into it and setoff for the police station.
Long before twelve o'clock I was in the court, waiting for theexamination to come on. The news of the case must have gone abroad,for the hall was densely packed with people anxious to catch a glimpseof the famous Beautiful White Devil, whose exploits were almost aswell known in England as in the East. Every rank of life seemed to berepresented and, when the magistrate took his seat on the bench, Inoticed that the chairs on either side of him were occupied by twoillustrious personages whose dignity should have prevented them fromgiving such an exhibition of idle curiosity. Seeing the rush there wasto stare at my poor unfortunate sweetheart, I could have found it inmy heart to hit out like a madman at those round me.
Precisely at twelve o'clock the door on the right hand side of thecourt opened, and Alie stepped into the hall and ascended the irondock. She walked with her usual queenly step, held her head high, andwhen she reached her place, looked proudly round the dingy hall. Suchwas the effect of her wonderful beauty upon those present, that,despite the efforts of the officers of the court to prevent it, a loudbuzz of admiration came from the spectators. She was dressed entirelyin black, a colour which, as I have said before, displayed her whiteskin and beautiful hair to the very best advantage. Having taken herplace, she bowed politely to the presiding magistrate, who returnedher salute, and then the examination commenced. The first proceedingwas for the police to make a statement of their case to the court. Itwas then shown that, although a warrant had long been out for herarrest, the Beautiful White Devil had evaded justice for many years.Indeed, it was only for the reason that information had been suppliedto the London police within the last few days, that they had becomeaware that the Beautiful White Devil had left the East and arrived inEngland. Inquiries were instantly made, and on the strength of themthe prisoner now in the dock had been arrested. They, the police, didnot propose to call witnesses at this preliminary hearing, but wouldmerely ask that the information should be read over, the evidence ofarrest given, and then a remand granted in order that the arrival ofan officer from Singapore might be awaited and further inquiries made.
At this point Brandwon rose to his feet, and, adopting a quiet, soberattitude of respectful remonstrance, begged to be allowed to placebefore the court what he considered and would unhesitatingly call adeliberate and cruel injustice. He pointed out the small likelihoodthere was of the charge being true, he dilated upon the facts ofAlie's arrival from Australia, of her quiet, lady-like demeanour,spoke of her impending marriage with a gentleman, a personal friend ofhis own, well known and universally respected in London, and broughthis remarks to a close by declaring it a monstrous thing that, in thisnineteenth century and in this land of which we pretend to be soproud, it should be within the power of a public body like the police,without a tittle of evidence at their back to bear their case out, tobring so shameful a charge against an innocent girl, who mightpossibly have to suffer from the effects of it all her life. He wouldnot ask the court to consent to a remand; on the contrary, he wouldask His Worship to dismiss the case altogether, and, at the same time,to issue a stinging and well-merited rebuke to the police for theirofficiousness and quite uncalled-for action in the matter.
Clever and impressive as his harangue was, it, however, failed utterlyin its purpose. The magistrate had evidently carefully considered thecase beforehand and determined upon his course of action. The decisiongiven, therefore, was "remanded for a week. Bail refused."
I saw Alie bow gravely to the court, the policeman open the door ofthe dock, and a moment later, feeling quite sick and giddy, I was inthe throng leaving the court. By the time I reached the street mydarling was on her way to Holloway.
That afternoon, at three o'clock, Janet and I drove out to the prison,and, having shown our authorities, were instantly conducted to theroom in which prisoners are permitted to interview their friends.
What the two women I loved best in the world said to each other duringthat interview I cannot remember. I only know that Janet kissed Alieand cried over her, and that Alie received it all with that gentlegraciousness which was so wonderfully becoming to her. When we haddiscussed the events which had led up to the arrest, I asked Alie ifshe were quite comfortable.
"Perfectly," she answered. "My cell is by no means an unpleasant one.I have some books and writing materials, and I have arranged to havemy meals brought in to me from a restaurant outside."
"What did you think of Brandwon's speech this morning?" I then askedher.
"I thought it very clever and impressive," she answered, "but I wasnot surprised when it proved of no avail. No! There is very littlechance as far as I can see. In a month the officer from Singapore willbe in London, and, unless something happens to prevent it, I shall besent out East to stand my trial."
"Something must prevent it," whispered Janet.
"But what? You cannot escape so easily in England, I find," sheanswered. "These stone walls are very strong and the discipline is soperfect."
"But tell me, Alie," I broke in, "what Brandwon thinks of yourchance. You have of course told him everything?"
"He says my only hope is their not being able to prove identity.Barkmansworth's evidence unsupported will not go for very much, hethinks, and, Ebbington and Vesey being dea
d, there only remain the twonative princes, and the man-of-war's men who by chance may not becalled. I fear it is a hopeless business, however."
"No! No! You must not think that. Be sure we will find a way to getyou off. Trust us." Then dropping my voice, "And if we can't do itlegally we'll do it illegally."
"You must run no risk for my sake, George; I could not allow that."
"If only Walworth were here. His wit would hit on something."
"Walworth unfortunately is ten thousand miles away. So it is no usethinking of him. But see, here is the warder--your time is up.Good-bye, dear Janet. I pray that you may find it in your heart toforgive me for having brought this trouble upon you."
But Janet, who by this time had learned to love this fascinating girlwith all her heart, would listen to no such talk. When the dooropened, like the kind sister she was, she went out first, thuspermitting us an opportunity of saying farewell alone. When I joinedher again I had a little note in my waistcoat pocket that seemedsomehow to make me a happier man than I had been for hours past.
From the prison I drove Janet to her own house and then went back toCavendish Square.
When I had dismissed the cabman I let myself in and proceeded to myconsulting room. Opening the door, I walked in, only to come to asudden halt before a man sitting in my own armchair. He was small andqueerly built, wore a long coat that reached nearly to his heels, hadgray hair, a ferociously curled moustache, and a short, closelycropped white beard. The effect, when he looked at me over the edge ofthe paper he was perusing, was most comical. For a moment I stoodbewildered, but I was destined to be even more so when he rose andcame toward me, holding out his hand, and saying:
"Bon jour, Monsieur!" Then in broken English, "Pray, do you notremember your very old friend?"
I thought and thought, but for the life of me could not recollect everhaving seen his face before. I was about to speak when he stopped me,and changing his voice said in excellent English:
"No! I can see you don't." Then pulling off his wig: "Well! Do younow?"
_It was Walworth!_
