The Flaming Jewel
Page 29
theEsthonian police, who didn't believe me.
"But after a short time ago the Countess Orloff sent me word thatQuintana really was the guilty one, and that he had started for America.
"I've been after him ever since. ... But, Jack, until this morningQuintana did not possess these stolen jewels, _Clinch did!_"
"What!"
"Clinch served over-seas in a Forestry Regiment. In Paris he robbedQuintana of these jewels. That's why I've been hanging around Clinch."
Stormont's face was flushed and incredulous. Then it lost colour as hethought of the jewels that Eve had concealed -- the gems for which shehad risked her life.
He said: "But you tell me Quintana robbed you this morning."
"He did. The little Grand Duchess and the Countess Orloff-Strelwitz aremy guests at Harrod Place.
"Last night I snatched the case containing these gems from Quintana'sfingers. This morning, as I offered them to the Grand Duchess, Quintanacoolly stepped between us----"
His voice became bitter and his features reddened with rage poorlycontrolled:
"By God, Jack, I should have shot Quintana when the opportunity offered.Twice I've had the chance. The next time I shall kill him any way Ican. ... Legitimately."
"Of course," said Stormont gravely. But his mind was full of the jewelswhich Eve had. What an whose were they, -- if Quintana again had theEsthonian gems in his possession?
"Had you recovered all the jewels for the Grand Duchess?" he askedDarragh.
"Every one, Jack. ... Quintana has done me a terrible injury. I shan'tlet it go. I mean to hunt that man to the end."
Stormont, terribly perplexed, nodded.
A few minutes later, as they came out among the willows and alders onthe northeast side of Star Pond, Stormont touched his comrade's arm.
"Look at that enormous dog-otter out there in the lake!"
"Grab those dogs! They'll strangle each other," cried Darragh quickly."That's it -- unleash them, Jack, and let them go!" -- he was strugglingwith the other two couples while speaking.
And now the hounds, unleashed, lifted frantic voices. The very skyseemed full of the discordant tumult; wood and shore reverberated withthe volume of convulsive and dissonant baying.
"Damn it," said Darragh, disgusted, "-- that's what they've beentrailing all the while across-woods, -- that devilish dog-otter yonder.... And I had hoped they were on Quintana's trail----"
A mass rush and scurry of crazed dogs nearly swept him off his feet, andboth men caught a glimpse of a large bitch-otter taking to the lake froma ledge of rock just beyond.
Now the sky vibrated with the deafening outcry of the dogs, some takingto water, others racing madly along the shore.
Crack! The echo of the dog-otter's blow on the water came across tothem as the beat dived.
"Well, I'm in for it now," muttered Darragh, starting along the banktoward Clinch's Dump, to keep an eye on his dogs.
Stormont followed more leisurely.
* * * * *
IV
A few minutes before Darragh and Stormont had come out on the fatheredge of Star Pond, Sard, who had heard from Quintana about the big drainpipe which led from Clinch's pantry into the lake, decided to go in andtake a look at it.
He had been told all about its uses, -- how Clinch, -- in the event of araid by State Troopers or Government enforcement agents, -- could emptyhis contraband hootch into the lake if necessary, -- and even couldslide a barrel of ale or a keg of rum, intact, into the great tiletunnel and recover the liquor at his leisure.
Also, and grimly, Quintana had admitted that through this drain EveStrayer and the State Trooper, Stormont, had escaped from Clinch's Dump.
So now Sard, full of curiosity, went back into the pantry to look at itfor himself.
Almost instantly the idea occurred to him to make use of the drain forhis own safety and comfort.
Why shouldn't he sleep in the pantry, lock the door, and, in case ofintrusion, -- other exits being unavailable, -- why shouldn't he feelentirely safe with such an avenue of escape open?
For swimming was Sard's single accomplishment. He wasn't afraid of thewater; he simply couldn't sink. Swimming was the only sport he ever hadindulged in. He adored it.
Also, the mere idea of sleeping alone amid that hell of trees terrifiedSard. Never had he known such horror as when Quintana abandoned him inthe woods. Never again would he gaze upon a tree without malignanthatred. Never again did he desire to lay eyes upon even a bush. Thevery sight, now, of the dusky forest filled him with loathing. Whyshould he not risk one night in this deserted house, -- sleep well andwarmly, feed well, drink his bellyfull of Clinch's beer, beforeattempting the dead-line southward, where he was only too sure thatpatrols were riding and hiding on the lookout for the fancy gentlemen ofJose Quintana's selected company of malefactors?
Well, here in the snug pantry were pies, crullers, bread, cheese,various dried meats, tinned vegetables, ham, bacon, fuel and range toprepare what he desired.
Here was beer, too; and doubtless ardent spirits if he could nose outthe hidden demijohns and bottles.
He peered out of the pantry window at the forest, shuddered, cursed itand every separate tree in it; cursed Quintana, too, wishing him blackmischance. No; it was settled. He'd take his chance here in thepantry. ... And there must be a mattress somewhere upstairs.
He climbed the staircase, cautiously, discovered Clinch's bedroom, tookthe mattress and blankets from the bed, and dragged them to the pantry.
Could any honest man be more tight and snug in this perilous world ofthe desperate and undeserving? Sard thought not. But one matter stilltroubled him; the lock of the pantry door had been shattered. To remedythis he moused around until he discovered some long nails and aclaw-hammer. When he was ready to go to sleep he'd nail himself in.Sard chuckled again for the first time since he had set eyes upon theaccursed region.
And now the sun came out from behind a low bank of solid grey cloud, andfell upon the countenance of Emanuel Sard. It warmed his parrot-noseagreeably; it cheered and enlivened him.
Not for him a night of terrors in that horrible forest which he couldsee through the pantry window.
A sense of security and of well-being pervaded Sard to his muddy shoes.He even curled his fat toes in them with animal contentment.
A little snack before cooking a heavily satisfactory dinner? Certainly.
So he tucked a couple of bottles of beer under one arm, a loaf of breadand a chunk of cheese under the other, and waddled out to the verandadoor.
At that instant the very heavens echoed with that awful tumult which hadfirst paralysed, then crazed him in the woods.
Bottles, bread, cheese fell from his grasp and his knees nearlycollapsed under him. In the bushes on the lake shore he saw animalsleaping and racing, but, in his terror, he did not recognise them fordogs.
Then, suddenly, he saw a man, close to the house, running: and anotherman not far behind. _That_ he understood, and it electrified him intoaction.
It was too late to escape from the house now. He understood thatinstantly.
He ran back through the dance-hall and dining-room to the pantry; but hedared not let these intruders hear the noise of hammering.
In an agony of indecision he stood trembling, listening to the infernalracket of the dogs, and waiting for the first footstep within the house.
No step came. But, chancing to look over his shoulder, he saw a manpeering through the pantry window at him.
Ungovernable terror seized Sard. Scarcely aware what he was about, heseized the edges of the big drain-pipe and crowded his obese body intoit head first. He was so far and heavy that he filled the tile. Tostart himself down he pulled with both hands and kicked himself forward,tortoise-like, down the slanting tunnel, sticking now and then, dragginghimself on and downward.
Now he began to gain momentum; he felt himself sliding, not fast butsteadily.
There came a hitch somewhere; his heavy body stuck
on the steep incline.
Then, as he lifted his bewildered head and stove to peer into theblackness in front, he saw four balls of green fire close to him in thedarkness.
He began to slide at the same instant, and flung out both hands to checkhimself. But his palms slid in the slime and his body slid after.
He shrieked once as his face struck a furry obstruction where four ballsof green fire flamed horribly and a fury of murderous teeth tore hisface and throat to bloody tatters as he slid lower, lower, settlingthrough crimson-dyed waters into the icy depths of Star Pond.
* * * * *
Stormont, down by the lake, called to Darragh, who appeared on theveranda:
"Oh, Jim! Both otters crawled into the drain! I think your dogs musthave killed one of them under water. There's a big patch of bloodspreading off shore."
"Yes," said Darragh, "something has just been killed, somewhere.