The Lunatic at Large

by J. Storer Clouston

  CHAPTER VII.

  The Baron and Mr Bunker discussed a twelve o'clock breakfast with therelish of men who had done a good night's work. The Baron was full of hisexploits. "Ze lofly Lady Hilton" and his new "friends" seemed to have madea vivid impression.

  "Zey vill be in ze Park to-day, of course?" he suggested.

  "Possibly," replied Mr Bunker, without any great enthusiasm.

  "But surely."

  "After a dance it is rather unlikely."

  "Ze Lady Hilton did say she vent to ze Park."

  "To-day, Baron?"

  "I do not remember to-day. I did dance so hard I was not perhaps distinct.But I shall go and see."

  As Mr Bunker's attempts to throw cold water on this scheme proved quitefutile, he made a graceful virtue of necessity, dressed himself with care,and set out in the afternoon for the Park. They had only walked as far asPiccadilly Circus when in the crowd at the corner his eye fell upon afamiliar figure. It was the burly, red-faced man.

  "The devil! Moggridge again!" he muttered.

  For a moment he thought they were going to pass unobserved: then the manturned his head their way, and Mr Bunker saw him start. He never lookedover his shoulder, but after walking a little farther he called theBaron's attention to a shop window, and they stopped to look at it. Out ofthe corner of his eye he saw Moggridge about twenty yards behind themstopping too. He was glancing towards them very doubtfully. Evidently hismind was not yet made up, and at once Mr Bunker's fertile brain began torevolve plans.

  A little farther on they paused before another window, and exactly thesame thing happened. Then Mr Bunker made up his mind. He looked carefullyat the cabs, and at last observed a smart-looking young man driving afresh likely horse at a walking pace beside the pavement.

  He caught the driver's eye and raised his stick, and turning suddenly tothe Baron with a gesture of annoyance, exclaimed, "Forgive my rudeness,Baron, I'm afraid I must leave you. I had clean forgotten an importantengagement in the city for this afternoon."

  "Appointment in ze city?" said the Baron in considerable surprise. "I didnot know you had friends in ze city."

  "I have just heard from my father's man of business, and I'm afraid itwould be impolitic not to see him. Do you mind if I leave you here?"

  "Surely, my dear fellow, I vould not stop you. Already I feel at home bymyself."

  "Then we shall meet at the hotel before dinner. Good luck with the ladies,Baron."

  Mr Bunker jumped into the cab, saying only to the driver, "To the city, asquick as you can."

  "What part, sir?"

  "Oh, say the Bank. Hurry up!"

  Then as the man whipped up, Mr Bunker had a glimpse of Moggridge hailinganother cab, and peeping cautiously through the little window at the backhe saw him starting in hot pursuit. He took five shillings out of hispocket and opened the trap-door in the roof.

  "Do you see that other cab chasing us, with a red-faced man inside?"

  "Yes, sir."

  Mr Bunker handed his driver the money.

  "Get rid of him, then. Take me anywhere through the city you like, andwhen he's off the scent let me know."

  "Very good, sir," replied the driver, cracking his whip till his steedbegan to move past the buses and the other cabs like a train.

  On they flew, clatter and jingle, twisting like a snipe through thetraffic. Mr Bunker perceived that he had a good horse and a good driver,and he smiled in pleasant excitement. He lit a cigar, leaned his arms onthe doors, and settled himself to enjoy the race.

  The black lions of Trafalgar Square flew by, then the colossal hotels ofNorthumberland Avenue and the railway bridge at Charing Cross, and theywere going at a gallop along the Embankment. He got swift glimpses ofother cabs and foot-passengers, the trees seemed to flit past liketelegraph-posts on a railway, the barges and lighters on the river droppedone by one behind them: it was a fair course for a race, with never acheck before Blackfriar's Bridge.

  As they turned into Queen Victoria Street he opened the lid and asked,"Are they still in sight?"

  "Yes, sir; I'm afraid we ain't gaining much yet. But I'll do it, sir, nofears."

  Mr Bunker lay back and laughed.

  "This is better than the Park," he said to himself.

  They had a fine drive up Queen Victoria Street before they plunged intothe whirlpool of traffic at the Bank. They were slowly making their wayacross when the driver, spying an opening in another stream, abruptlywheeled round for Cornhill, and presently they were off again at topspeed.

  "Thrown them off?" asked Mr Bunker.

  "Tried to, sir, but they were too sharp and got clear away too."

  Mr Bunker saw that it was going to be a stern chase, and laughed again. Inorder that he might not show ostensibly that he was running away, heresisted the temptation of having another peep through the back, andresigned himself to the chances of the chase.

  Through and through the lanes and byways of the city they drove, and aftereach double the answer from the box was always the same. The cab behindcould not be shaken off.

  "Work your way round to Holborn and try a run west," Mr Bunker suggested.

  So after a little they struck Newgate Street, and presently their steedstretched himself again in Holborn Viaduct.

  "Gaining now, cabby?"

  "A little, sir, I think."

  Mr Bunker sat placidly till they were well along Holborn before heinquired again.

  "Can't get rid of 'im no 'ow. Afride it ain't much good, sir."

  Mr Bunker passed up five shillings more.

  "Keep your tail up. You'll do it yet," he exhorted. "Try a turn north; youmay bother him among the squares."

  So they doubled north, and as the evening closed in their wearied horsewas lashed through a maze of monotonous streets and tarnished BloomsburySquares. And still the other cab stuck to their trail. But when theyemerged on the Euston Road, Mr Bunker was as cheerful as ever.

  "They can't last much longer," he said to his driver. "Turn up Regent'sPark way."

  A little later he put the usual question and got the same unvaryinganswer.

  The horse was evidently beginning to fail, and he saw that thischariot-race must soon come to an end. The street-lamps and the shopwindows were all lit up by this time, and the dusk was pretty thick. Itseemed to him that he might venture to try his luck on foot, and he beganto look out for an opening where a cab could not follow.

  They were flogging along a noisy stone-paved road where there was littleother traffic; on one side stood an unbroken row of houses, and on theother were small semi-detached villas with little strips of garden aboutthem. All at once he saw a doctor's red lamp over the door of one of thesehalf villas, and an inspiration came upon him.

  "One can always visit a doctor," he said to himself, and smiled in greatamusement at something in the reflection.

  He stopped the cab, handed the man half a sovereign, and saying only,"Drive away again, quickly," jumped out, glanced at the name on the plate,and pulled the bell. As he waited on the step he saw the other cab stop alittle way back, and his pursuer emerge.

  A frowsy little servant opened the door.

  "Is Dr Twiddel at home?" he asked.

  "Dr Twiddel's abroad, sir," said the maid.

  "No one in at all, then?"

  "Dr Billson sees 'is patients, sir--w'en there _his_ any."

  "When do you expect Dr Billson?"

  "In about an hour, sir, 'e usually comes hin."

  "Excellent!" thought Mr Bunker. Aloud he said, "Well, I'm a patient. I'llcome in and wait."

  He stepped in, and the door banged behind him.