The Mystery of Tunnel 51 (Wallace of the Secret Service Series)

by Alexander Wilson

  Billy, who had had no sleep at all the previous night, occupied the journey in making up the deficiency, and his example was followed by Batty, but Wallace, who seemed to be able to do with little or no sleep, spent his time in apparently deep thought.

  Daylight was rapidly fading when at last Karachi was sighted. The aeroplane landed in the same open space as before, and then for the first time Levinsky spoke.

  ‘Where are we?’ he asked.

  ‘Karachi,’ replied Brien, without thinking.

  ‘Idiot!’ growled Wallace, under his breath. ‘It wasn’t necessary to let him know.’

  ‘Sorry,’ said Billy penitently, and Leonard smiled.

  ‘We just had enough petrol to do it,’ announced Forsyth, as they emerged from the saloon.

  ‘Well, see about further supplies as soon as possible,’ said Wallace, ‘for we may have to leave again early in the morning. Here comes the Commissioner, I think; he’ll see that you are fixed up!’

  Major Watkins drove up in his car and gave a hearty greeting to the two Secret Service men.

  ‘You’re back sooner than I anticipated, Sir Leonard,’ he said.

  ‘Then you expected us?’

  ‘Well, I had a feeling that you would come. Have you had any luck?’

  ‘I raided a house in Lahore, and found a list of addresses of places all over India where Russian propaganda was being carried on. All except two were raided last night in consequence.’

  ‘I suppose one of the two is here?’

  ‘Yes!’ Leonard took the exercise book from his pocket, and opened it. ‘I want you to enter this house tonight, arrest everyone in it, and take possession of all the documents found there!’

  ‘Where is it?’

  With a smile Wallace handed the book to him, and pointed out an address.

  ‘Great Scott!’ exclaimed Watkins. ‘Why this is one of the most reputable firms in Karachi! I would have staked a year’s pay on the respectability of Waller and Redmond.’

  ‘We seem to spend our time surprising deputy commissioners, Bill,’ chuckled Leonard. ‘Nevertheless,’ he added to the Major, ‘Waller and Redmond are not at all respectable; in fact the general manager who goes under the name of Waller is one of Russia’s most trusted Secret Service agents, and his proper name is Dorin. He is second only to a fellow called Levinsky, who has been directing proceedings in India.’

  ‘You amaze me,’ said the Commissioner. ‘Where is this Levinsky?’

  ‘In the aeroplane tied hand and foot,’ replied Wallace.

  ‘Good Heavens!’

  ‘I want to take him to Delhi, with Dorin as a companion. I would have sent hint before, but unfortunately some plans, which were stolen by his myrmidons, and which he had in his possession, have so far evaded us. They are on their way to Karachi, and will probably arrive by the mail train at nine tomorrow. The man who is bringing them is called Ata Ullah and I believe you have a description of him?’

  ‘Ah, yes! It was telephoned from Samasata.’

  ‘Good! Will you see that a couple of men are waiting at the station in the morning and that Ata Ullah is carefully watched. He will probably take the plans straight to Dorin and we will be waiting for him. But if by some chance he hands them over to somebody on arrival, both he and the other person are to be arrested immediately.’

  ‘I understand,’ said the Commissioner. ‘Now about this raid!’

  ‘The sooner it is accomplished the better. It is getting quite dark now, and I should think we will be likely to find Dorin and Co. at home. Besides I do not want them to get suspicious, and the news of our arrival will have reached them before long. If you’ll drive us into the town, Brien and I will keep watch until you and your men arrive.’

  ‘Well, we’d better be off at once, Sir Leonard.’

  ‘Yes. But talk to Forsyth first, will you? He wants some petrol.’

  The Commissioner strode over to the airman, and made a note of his requirements, then rejoined the others. Wallace sent the two mechanics to keep a careful watch on Levinsky, and told Batty to come with him. Major Watkins caught a glimpse of the prisoner as Leonard gave him instructions.

  ‘Good Lord!’ he exclaimed. ‘Why it is Silverman!’

  The recognition was mutual.

  ‘How do you do, Major,’ said the spy cheerfully. ‘It appears that I am no longer to sell you wines and spirits!’

  The Commissioner walked to his car as a man in a dream.

  ‘Who would ever have thought,’ he said, as he took his seat, ‘that Silverman was in reality a Russian spy. Why the man has sold me stuff for years and—’ He mopped his brow. ‘Phew!’ he ejaculated.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Batty Averts a Tragedy

  At Wallace’s suggestion the Commissioner dropped them at the commencement of the Bunda Road and went on to fulfil his part in the arrangements. It was now quite dark and Wallace and his friend, followed by Batty, strode along quite openly, as there was very little risk of their being seen and recognised. They reached the building devoted to the activities of Messrs. Waller and Redmond and, after looking round cautiously to note if they were observed, walked along the lane that led to the back of the premises and halted opposite the window through which they had watched Dorin and his associates plotting their assassination on their first visit to the seaport town. As before there were no curtains to hide what was going on within. Dorin was seated at the desk busily engaged in writing in a huge ledger, while an Indian clerk standing in a corner was sorting a pile of papers that looked like bills.

  ‘Friend Dorin always seems to surround himself with an atmosphere of innocence,’ whispered Wallace. ‘Anyone would think he was posing for a picture depicting a great captain of industry at work!’

  ‘Posing is the word,’ muttered Billy.

  For ten minutes they watched, and still the clerk sorted and Dorin wrote. At the end of that time two Europeans entered the office hurriedly, and from their manner it was obvious that they were greatly excited. One of them spoke rapidly, and with much gesticulation to Dorin, who after a moment held up his hand to silence him, and turning to the clerk apparently ordered him from the room, for the man bowed and went out. Then indicating chairs to his visitors the general manager of Waller and Redmond leant forward in an attitude of attentive interest. Apparently he was much concerned by what he was told, for he presently rose from his seat and walked about, his hands clasped behind his back in agitation. Then he too spoke rapidly and, opening a drawer in his desk, took out a revolver and put it into his pocket.

  ‘Our arrival is known, Bill,’ said Wallace. ‘This is where we act!’

  He walked down the lane and into the road, followed by his companions.

  ‘You and Batty stop here,’ he said, ‘and bring Watkins and his men in as soon as they arrive!’

  ‘What are you going to do?’

  ‘I intend to join the little gathering in Dorin’s office. No doubt he will be glad to see me as I can assure him that I delivered his message to Muir.’ And without waiting for any further remarks from Brien, he entered the open door of the establishment.

  Two or three Indian clerks were about, who looked at him curiously as he made his way to the door that led into the office. One of them, he who had been sorting papers, intercepted him.

  ‘Excuse me, sare,’ he said. ‘Mistah Waller is engaged. Perhaps you will wait?’

  ‘He is not too engaged to see me,’ said Leonard, and pushing past the fellow, he opened the door, and found himself confronting the three men within.

  Dorin looked at him with amazement, in which there was mingled a slight tinge of fear. The other two stared at him with their mouths open.

  ‘Dear me!’ murmured Leonard. ‘You seem to be busy, Mr Waller. I hope I do not intrude.’ He carefully closed the door.

  ‘By no means,’ replied the other, recovering himself rapidly. ‘For a moment I did not recognise you, Sir Leonard.’ He placed a chair. ‘Please be seated!’

>   Wallace sat down.

  ‘I was afraid I would not find you at home,’ he said. ‘I wanted to tell you that I delivered your message to Sir Henry Muir.’

  ‘Thank you very much; that is indeed good of you!’ He looked significantly at the other two, who got up from their chairs and began to move in a careless fashion so as to place themselves between Wallace and the door. ‘But,’ he went on, ‘this is hardly the place in which I can give you a proper welcome, Sir Leonard. I have a suite of rooms upstairs, and I shall be honoured if you will come up there with me.’

  ‘I’m perfectly comfortable here, thanks,’ said Wallace. ‘I shall be going in a minute or two.’

  Dorin smiled.

  ‘I was hoping that you would pay me a prolonged visit,’ he said.

  ‘On the contrary, I want you to pay me, or rather the Government of India, a lengthy visit. I have a great friend of yours awaiting you, and he is anxious for you to accompany him to Delhi.’

  Dorin glared at him.

  ‘You mean—?’

  ‘I mean Levinsky, who is my prisoner, Monsieur Dorin!’

  ‘My God!’ said the Russian; then, ‘Tie him up and gag him – quick!’ he called to his companions, and drew his revolver.

  Leonard stood up quickly, but he held an ugly little Browning in his hand.

  ‘I think not,’ he said. ‘Drop those revolvers, all of you!’ he added. ‘I have the advantage of covering you, and the slightest movement will mean death.’

  For a moment there was intense silence. Nobody stirred, and the tick of a small clock on the desk sounded so loud as to be almost menacing. Each man there felt that perhaps the clock was ticking out his last seconds on earth. Leonard with his back to the wall, stood softly poised on the balls of his feet, ready to spring either way if necessary, and with his revolver held steadily in his hand. Dorin stood by his desk crouching slightly forward, while the other two, one in the act of drawing a revolver from his pocket, and the other with his held ready in his hand, stood transfixed, almost as though they had become paralysed. The picture was grim in its intensity; the Angel of Death appeared to be standing by with naked sword ready to strike.

  At last a sound from the outer office relieved the tension, and someone sighed.

  ‘Put your revolvers on the desk!’ commanded Leonard.

  Dorin, with a shrug, obeyed. One of the others appeared to be following his example, but suddenly swung round, and fired point blank at Wallace. The latter, however, skipped aside. At the same moment his revolver spoke, and his assailant, with a cry of agony, clapped his hand to his side, and fell in a crumpled heap upon the floor. The third man immediately flung his weapon on the desk.

  ‘Now,’ said Leonard, ‘things are a trifle more even. Sit down, Dorin, and you too!’ he added to the other. ‘My men will be here in a minute or two to take possession of you. It may interest you to know that the power of the Russian Soviet is broken in India, and that this rendezvous of your agents was left to the last, as all tit-bits should be. It may also be interesting for you to know that our first capture was Leopold Boris, whom you sent to murder us.’

  Dorin swore.

  ‘I should have shot you when you first arrived,’ he said. ‘I might have known that you would have caused an upset, and I could have done it without much risk.’

  ‘Yes, by using one of those silencers of yours, when you stood on the edge of the crowd that welcomed us.’

  ‘Then you knew all the time that—’

  ‘It looks obvious, doesn’t it? And now you see what comes of leaving things to others. Let this be a warning to you!’

  ‘Curse you! I always heard that you were a cold-blooded devil!’

  At that moment there was the sound of shouts and cries in the outer office, and the trampling of many feet. Presently the door burst open, and Billy and Watkins, with Batty and a couple of policemen in close attendance, burst into the room.

  ‘Thank God, you’re all right,’ said Brien. ‘I began to think that something had happened to you.’

  ‘Nothing ever happens to me, Billy,’ said Wallace. ‘Have a look at that fellow on the floor, some of you. He’s pretty badly hurt!’

  For a moment everyone’s attention was off Dorin, and in that moment he acted. Pressing a button in the wall behind him, the part of the floor on which he stood appeared to collapse, and he suddenly disappeared from view. Wallace fired, but was just a fraction of a second too late, and the trapdoor sprang back into place with a crash. Dorin had vanished.

  ‘Damn!’ said Leonard with emphasis. ‘Arrest everybody on the premises, and take possession of everything, Watkins,’ he commanded in rapid tones; then: ‘Come on, Billy, and you, too, Batty! We’re going to follow Dorin.’

  He stood on the spot that the spy had occupied, discovered the button, pressed it unhesitatingly, and found himself precipitated to the regions below. He landed on something soft, and the trapdoor sprang into place. He moved a little to one side, and a second later Billy landed beside him, followed in his turn by Batty.

  They were in an evil-smelling cellar as far as they could judge, for there was not a vestige of light anywhere.

  ‘Light a match, Billy,’ ordered Wallace, ‘and let us see where we are, but be careful. Dorin left one revolver upstairs, but he may have another with him!’

  ‘I have an electric torch,’ said Billy. In a moment the dungeonlike place was brilliantly illuminated.

  It was a small, dirty apartment, the walls of which were covered with damp, and the floor by a pile of straw. In one of the walls a narrow cave-like opening was discovered and, after making certain that Dorin was hiding nowhere in the room, the three of them entered the tunnel. Billy led the way with his torch, closely followed by Wallace and Batty. There, was just room for a tall man to walk upright, and carefully the three of them made their way along. After a while Brien pulled up so suddenly that Wallace walked into him.

  ‘What’s the trouble?’ enquired the latter.

  ‘Look!’ said Billy grimly, and gazing over his shoulder, Leonard saw a dark hole in the ground, and could faintly hear the sound of rushing water. Billy held his torch downwards, and looked over the edge.

  I can’t see the bottom,’ he said. ‘It must be pretty deep, because the water sounds so far away. What do you think it is?’

  ‘Might be an underground river, or a sewer, or something. Very interesting at other times, but not at all now. The question is, how are we to get over the hole. Is it far across?’

  Brien flashed his light ahead.

  ‘No,’ he announced, ‘about five feet. Move back a bit and give me room – I’m going to jump it!’

  ‘Are you sure it is only five feet? I don’t want you to jump to eternity.’

  ‘Yes, it’s not more!’

  With a slight run Billy cleared the hole, and landed safely on the other side.

  ‘There’s a plank here,’ he said. ‘Wait a moment, and I’ll push it across!’

  He did so, and held the light so that Wallace and Batty could see where they were going. When they had joined him:

  ‘Obviously Dorin removed it,’ said Leonard, ‘in the hope that, if he were pursued, we should oblige him by falling over.’

  ‘You don’t think he escaped down the hole somewhere?’

  ‘I shouldn’t think so. Let us get on, we’re wasting time here.’

  They got on. After a while Billy stopped again with a grunt.

  ‘What’s the matter now?’ asked Wallace.

  ‘Either Dorin did escape down the hole, or we have made a mistake somehow. I’m up against a blank wall.’

  He flattened himself against the wall and Leonard squeezed to his side. Together they examined their surroundings, but there was no sign of an aperture.

  ‘This may be a hidden door worked by some spring,’ said Wallace. ‘The question is where to find the spring.’

  Once more they conducted a minute scrutiny of the wall in front of them, but their efforts were unrewarded.
Then Billy examined the ground to see if there was any sign of a trapdoor. But they appeared to have struck a veritable cul-de-sac.

  ‘Then he must have gone down the hole,’ decided Brien, ‘but how?’

  ‘Wait a minute,’ said Wallace suddenly. ‘Shine the light on the roof!’

  They immediately noticed a trapdoor just over their heads.

  ‘That’s the way he went.’

  ‘But how could he get up?’ asked Billy.

  ‘There’s nothing very difficult about it for a tall man, and besides there was probably a rope hanging ready. You can reach it easily – Push the door up.’

  Handing the torch to Batty, who kept it focused on the roof, Brien reached up and pushed at the trap, but although he had no difficulty in getting his hands to it, and exerted all his strength, he could not move it. At last he desisted.

  ‘It’s fastened,’ he said.

  ‘Hang it!’ exclaimed Leonard. ‘We seem to be done after all. Let me get on your shoulders, and have a look at it!’

  With the help of Batty he was presently seated on Billy’s shoulders. His head touched the trapdoor and, holding the torch in his hand, he inspected every inch of it, but found nothing to show how it was fastened.

  ‘It may just have an ordinary bolt on it, or work like the other one,’ he said. He ran his hand round the edge and then suddenly, without any warning, the door came downwards, and with such force that it knocked him off Brien’s shoulders on to Batty, who caught him with great dexterity. For a moment he stood rubbing his head.

  ‘Are you hurt?’ asked Billy anxiously.

  ‘Not much!’

  ‘How did you find the way to open it?’

  ‘Well,’ whispered Leonard, ‘I don’t know whether I found it or if it was found for me. I rather incline to the latter belief.’