CHAPTER XXIX
IN MAXGREGOR'S CHAMBERS
Whilst Lechmere was making the best of his way from the _Herald_ officeto the chambers in the big block occupied by General Maxgregor, he, itwill be remembered, lay perfectly still on his bed watching the lightbroadening under the door of his sitting-room. It was a thrilling momentfor both Maxwell and himself.
"What are you going to do?" Maxwell whispered. "Shall I go and see whatthe fellow is after?"
"No," Maxgregor replied. "Stay where you are. Unless I am greatlymistaken, I know who it is. Our friend is coming in here toinvestigate."
Surely enough the double doors were opening and the figure walked in. Hecame boldly enough with the light behind him into the comparativedarkness of the bedroom. He fumbled along the wall for the switch, andpresently the bedroom also was flooded with light. Mazaroff stood there,his hands apparently covered with pitch, for they were black and sticky,and he was looking round for the washstand.
"If there is anything you want and you don't see it," Maxgregor saidcoolly "ring the bell."
Mazaroff gave a startled cry. The man was genuinely astonished, of thatthere could be no doubt. He looked helplessly from Maxgregor to Maxwelland back again.
"I am exceedingly sorry," he stammered. "I--I have come to the wrongrooms."
"Where did you get the key of my suite from?" Maxgregor demanded.
"Who from?" Mazaroff asked helplessly. "Why, from Barlow--Barlow whooccupies the suite that I took for this one. You see, Barlow is a friendof mine. Very unfortunate that the key should fit both outer rooms."
"Very," Maxgregor said drily. "When was it that Barlow gave you thekey?"
"Yesterday, or the day before?" Mazaroff explained. "You see, he is awayfrom London. As a matter of fact he wanted to let the suite, and Iwanted it for a friend. It's very strange that I should find you herelike this. I can only tender you my very sincere apologies."
"Better wash your hands before you go," Maxwell suggested grimly. "Wereyou looking for the basin?"
"That is it," Mazaroff said hurriedly. "You see, I thought I knew my wayabout the suite, having been so often in Barlow's rooms. I--I slippedgetting out of a cab just now and fell on a newly finished piece ofasphalte pavement. May I use your basin?"
Maxgregor grimly intimated that the basin was at the disposal of theintruder, who did not cease to pour out floods of apologies. Mazaroffwas pretty much at his ease again by this time. He was quite concernedto see Maxgregor looking so pale. Was he suffering from that oldmalarial fever again?
"Sprained ankle," Maxgregor said sketchily. "Nothing very much to speakof. As a matter of fact, I have never been in better health in my life.It seems to me----"
Maxgregor paused and broke off with a quick sneeze. The thing wasostensibly done, and served very well to hide an exclamation ofsurprise. For in the sitting-room, with his finger to his lips, Lechmerestood. He shook his head warningly, and pointed to Mazaroff. Then hecrossed the room and took his place behind the heavy curtain before thewindow. No sooner was he secure of his hiding place than he walked outand signified Maxwell to approach the window.
In a casual way Maxwell sauntered into the sitting-room. He first movedthe curtain, and appeared to be looking idly into the street below.
"Good boy!" Lechmere whispered approvingly. "What is that fellow doinghere? Said he came here in mistake, for a suite of rooms occupied by aman named Barlow? Didn't come here to murder Maxgregor as you might havebeen inclined to imagine. Well, I quite agree that Mazaroff has made amistake and shall be able to prove to you why a little later on. I wantyou to shut the bedroom door for a time till I give you the signal--atap of the blind on the window--and keep Mazaroff talking. Make him feelat his ease, if possible. Big events are in the air."
Maxwell sauntered back to the bedroom and pulled the door to behind him.Mazaroff was quite himself again by this time, and stood chatting gailyto Maxgregor. It was no part of the latter's policy to let Mazaroff knowthat he had been nearly done to death at Merehaven House.
"How did you come by that sprained ankle?" he asked. "You seemed allright just an hour or so ago, when I saw you at Merehaven House."
"That's where I did it," Maxgregor lied coolly. He had no scrupleswhatever in dealing with a man like Mazaroff. "Slipped on a confoundedbanana skin, which, by the way, is a little more dangerous than orangepeel. It's a nuisance just at present, when I am so busy with Asturianaffairs and the king is such a handful to hold. I daresay someconfounded Russian placed that banana skin for me."
"Don't forget that Prince Mazaroff is a Russian," Maxwell laughed.
"Oh, you need not trouble about me," Mazaroff said in his mostfascinating manner. "There are Russians and Russians. I am tooenlightened and progressive to feel comfortable in my own country, andthat is why I spend so much time in England. So far as I am concerned,you have all my sympathy in your efforts to check the Russian influencein the Balkans. What was that?"
From the sitting-room beyond there came the sounds of somebody gentlywhistling. The thing was natural enough, and yet Mazaroff listened witha certain suggestion of uneasiness. It came to Maxwell, quick as aflash, that here was something that Mazaroff must not see, for a momentat any rate. Lechmere had charged him distinctly to keep Mazarofftalking for a time.
"My man, I expect," he explained. "I told him to come here about thistime, and I suppose he is whistling to let me know that he is handy.When anybody is in trouble, as I am at present, it behoves one to becareful. As one accused of betraying diplomatic secrets----"
"Not at all, my dear fellow," Mazaroff said graciously. "Pray do notapologise. There is a great deal too much fuss made over that kind ofthing. The sale of diplomatic secrets is a brisk one in my own country,or how would so many of our poor aristocracy live? And you are innocent,of course. The mere fact that Lancing has made away with himself provesthat."
Maxwell turned away so that the speaker should not see his face. It washard work to keep his hands off the ruffian who was one of the maincauses of the trouble. Perhaps Maxgregor divined that, for he hastenedto change the conversation. Meanwhile, the whistling in the next roomwent on....
Lechmere carelessly pulled a section of the curtain aside and lookedout. He saw a little man with a clean-shaven face and shrewd eye sittingswinging his legs on the edge of the table and whistling very softly tohimself. The little man seemed to be quite at home; he was perfectlycool and collected, save that his face was shining with something thatlooked like an intense perspiration. He had a small bag with him ofwhich he seemed to be very careful. If he was satisfied with himself,Lechmere grinned with the air of a man who is still more satisfied.
As a matter of fact, Lechmere had discovered all that he desired for thepresent. He swayed the knot of the blind cord backwards and forwardsgently, as if the draught from the open windows was moving it. The knottapped idly on the panes, and Maxwell's keen ear heard it. The time hadcome to get rid of Mazaroff. Maxwell opened the door leading into thecorridor.
"Excuse me if I ask you to go," he said. "I have some business to settlewith Maxgregor, and I have to be on my way to Dover within an hour. Itis not very polite of me, but----"
And Maxwell shrugged his shoulders. Mazaroff departed with a gracefulapology. He passed along the corridor till he came to the opensitting-room door. He looked in and grabbed for the shoulders of thelittle man who sat whistling on the table.
"You fool!" he said. "If you only knew how near you have been tobetraying everything! But I am to blame as I mistook the room, perhapsbecause the door was open. Come along at once."
The little man murmured something to the effect that he was ready to doanything for a quiet life, and obediently followed Mazaroff. Lechmerecrept from the shadow of the curtain and closed the outer door of thesitting-room. Then he called for Maxwell, who came immediately.
"Is there anything fresh?" he demanded eagerly. "Is there anything thatI can do for you?"
"Yes," Lechmere said crisply. "You can do a great
deal for me, and youneed ask no questions for the present, for I have no time to reply tothem. Ask Maxgregor if he has any of his fishing tackle here. If he has,ask him to let me have a long length of salmon line on a reel. Thesooner I have it the better I shall be pleased."
"In the bottom drawer of my writing table," Maxgregor called out. "What_are_ you up to now?"
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