The Five Knots
Page 40
*CHAPTER XL*
*TOWARDS THE LIGHT*
Russell stood by the side of Uzali waiting for developments. They werestill in the shade of the portico outside the music-hall, and it wasUzali's part to play the next card. But he remained perfectlymotionless, though Russell could see his eyes gleaming and that he wasmoved by some strong feeling. At the same time, Russell had no fear andno anxiety. He felt the thing was in capable hands and that Uzali wouldnot spoil the situation by undue haste.
"What are you going to do?" he whispered.
"For the moment, nothing," Uzali said grimly. "We are going to pursuewhat one of your greatest statesmen used to call a policy of masterlyinactivity. In other words, we will follow Mr. Jansen and my countrymanand ascertain what deep scheme they have on hand. Unless I am mistakenJansen is as much in my debt as Samuel Flower. But we can go into thatlater. Just now we have to keep those fellows in view and watch themall night if necessary."
Russell had no objection. He felt that action was blessed and that hisdogged patience and perseverance were about to be rewarded. Few wordswere spoken as he and his companion turned and followed Jansen at arespectful distance until Gray's Inn Road was reached. Here Jansenpaused and appeared to take a latch-key from his pocket. A door wasquietly opened and shut and then the watchers had the street tothemselves. Uzali turned eagerly to Russell.
"You marked the right house?" he asked.
"Oh, I think I know the house," Russell replied. "I have had a verygood description of it and here comes Goatley to see that we are on theright track. Well, what is it, Goatley?"
"I ventured to follow you, gentlemen," Goatley said, "in fact, I havebeen following you all the evening. I was afraid you might make somemistake. Some description of the house where Jansen is lodging will beof assistance to you."
"You know all about it?" Uzali said.
"Well, yes, sir," Goatley proceeded to explain. "It is a shop where aman named Giles deals in birds and animals. He is a queer, solitary oldman and does for himself in a small room behind the shop. He has ahorror of women, and I don't suppose one has been in the place foryears. You can understand how lodgings like that would suit Jansen. Hehas the two upstairs rooms where he cooks for himself, so that there isno one to spy upon his movements. He might commit half a dozen murdersand no one be the wiser."
"Is there any way into the house?" Uzali asked.
"Certainly, sir," Goatley went on. "Behind the shops is a kind of TomTiddler's Ground where children come and play. It is easy to get overthe fence and into the back yard on to which Giles' room looks. Abovethis room is a dilapidated glass house where a former tenant tried togrow flowers. By way of this little glass house one could readily getinto the premises. I am sure of my ground because I have been over itbefore. I will show you the way so that there can be no mistake."
Goatley had spoken the truth when he had said that it would be easy toburgle the premises by way of the little glass house. Russell surveyedthe whole carefully and nodded his head approvingly.
"The thing can be managed," he said. "And now, what I want you to do,Goatley, is to hang about the front and see if anybody leaves the house.If Jansen himself leaves come round at once and whistle softly."
There were no further instructions for Goatley, so they disappeared tothe side street. Russell turned to his companion somewhat eagerly.
"I think I had better understand what you want," he said. "Your idea isto get into the house. What do you expect to see?"
"Well, I expect to see Jansen and one of my fellow-countrymen to beginwith," Uzali said grimly. "And if I am not mistaken I shall find theother conspirator there, too. I don't think you appreciate how cleverJansen is. To begin with, he is an exceedingly skilful chemist and canproduce the most extraordinary results from apparently innocentexperiments. I have never met the man, but I know that he was in mycountry years ago, and at one time managed to exert a deal of influenceover certain people there. It was much the same as in the early dayswhen white settlers first appeared. The natives used to take them forgods and all that kind of thing, and that is what has happened withthose two fellow-countrymen of mine who have done their best to put anend to Samuel Flower. I expect to find them under the thumb of Jansen."
"Well, that can be easily ascertained," Russell cried. "The questionis, who is going first? As you are the lightest, perhaps you had betterget on my shoulders and try to wriggle yourself through that brokenframework into the glass house. I can pull myself up afterwards. Areyou ready?"
Uzali climbed up Russell like a cat and wormed his way through thebroken woodwork until he stood upright in the place where plants hadonce grown. Russell followed a little more slowly, but just as surely,until he stood by the side of his more agile companion.
"So far, so good," he said. "Now, what next? I don't suppose there aremore than two rooms over a small shop like this, so that we must becareful how we move. It won't be safe to light a match."
Uzali agreed and there was nothing for it but to feel their way alongthe passage until they came to the top of the stairs. It was so darkthat a slit of light shining under a closed door stood out like an edgeof flame. Voices could be heard on the other side of the door, voicesin earnest confabulation, though it was almost impossible to hear whatwas said. Uzali chuckled.
"What did I tell you?" he whispered. "There are three peoplethere--Jansen and two others. You wouldn't notice it, but knowing thelanguage I can discriminate between those other two voices."
They could only wait until Jansen chose to open the door. A quarter ofan hour passed and gradually the voices died away to a murmur and thenceased altogether. After that there was the sound of a heavy footstepon the floor and the door was flung open. Jansen stood on thethreshold, glancing back with an evil grin upon his face. It was sodark on the landing that it was impossible for him to detect the figuresstanding so close beside him. The Dutchman seemed to be on exceedinglygood terms with himself, for he kissed his hand gaily.
"That is well," he said. "That is exceedingly well. I do not think, myfriends, that you are likely to trouble me for many hours to come, so Iwill go about my business. There is no chance of anybody coming in, nochance of anybody discovering what has happened. Strange that men, insome ways so clever, should be so innocent in matters outside theirunderstanding."
Jansen uttered the last words in a tone of regret. He went quietly downthe stairs as if fearful of arousing his landlord. The door closedsoftly behind him and he was gone. Uzali strode into the stuffy littlesitting-room and applied his foot vigorously to two little yellow menlying like logs on the carpet. In spite of the rough punishment nothingcame from either except a suppressed grunt or two.
"What did I tell you?" Uzali said in disgust. "Did I not say that Ishould find my other fellow-countrymen here. They have become tools ofJansen. You can see for yourself what has happened to them."
"They have smoked themselves into a state of torpor," Russell said.
"Yes, and been drugged into the bargain. You heard what Jansen saidbefore he went out. They will lie here like logs, perhaps for the nexttwenty-four hours, until Jansen has accomplished his deep scheme. But Iam going to frustrate all that. Let us get out of here at once."
"I am ready," Russell said. "Where do you want to go?"
"Maldon Grange," Uzali replied. "We are going there at once. You canask questions on the way."