Devil's Cocktail (Wallace of the Secret Service Series)

by Alexander Wilson

  ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake,’ she exclaimed impatiently, and vulgarly, ‘buck up!’

  He looked at her in surprise, then smiled in a manner that irritated her the more.

  ‘Did you see your friends, Mees?’ he asked. ‘They was so anxious to see you that they came here first at soon after half past seven!’

  She bit her lip.

  ‘Yes, I – I saw them,’ she said untruthfully.

  ‘I know the poleece sergeant werry well!’ he said, and bent once more to his task.

  She gasped. Police sergeant! What had he come for! Olive Gregson began to wish that she had never left Bangalore. Presently the little Goanese rose, and handed her the bill with a bow. She paid it mechanically, took the receipt and change, and hurried back to her rooms. She pulled aside the curtain and entered. The next moment she reeled against the door-post.

  A familiar figure rose from a chair and bowed to her courteously.

  ‘Good morning, Miss Olive,’ said Miles.

  For a moment she could not speak, then:

  ‘Didn’t you get my message?’ she demanded.

  ‘I sure did, but it occurred to me that the bearer had made a mistake, and I guess I was right!’

  ‘How dare you enter a lady’s rooms without permission?’

  He looked round with a puzzled air.

  ‘Gee!’ he said apologetically. ‘I thought these rooms were yours.’

  She went crimson.

  ‘Have you come here to insult me?’ she asked angrily.

  ‘Not on your life! I came to have a little talk.’ He pushed a chair forward. ‘Sit down, and let us be comfortable about it.’

  ‘No!’

  He shrugged his shoulders.

  ‘Just as you like, of course, Miss Olive.’

  ‘What do you want with me?’

  ‘Well, that’s a mighty strange question. Last night you demanded, before a whole host of folks, that Captain Shannon should make arrangements to marry you. I reckon that as I am his friend, and the obvious best man, it is naturally my duty to make those arrangements.’

  She stared at him in amazement.

  ‘What do you mean?’ she asked.

  ‘I just can’t see why you ask a question like that!’

  ‘Do you mean to say that he is prepared to marry me?’

  ‘Well, wasn’t that your ultimatum?’ He smiled.

  She did not like that smile; it sent a cold shiver down her back. For a moment she hesitated, then:

  ‘I’ve changed my mind,’ she said.

  He looked at her reproachfully.

  ‘A woman can’t make the statements you did before a crowd, demand restitution from a man who has wronged her, and then change her mind.’

  ‘Well, I have!’ she said defiantly.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘That’s my business!’

  ‘I guess I’ve made it mine!’ He still spoke in the same careless voice, but there was a subtle difference in the tone. He leant towards her. ‘Perhaps it’s because you told a whole heap of lies last night?’ he suggested.

  She stamped her foot.

  ‘I suppose you think you’re funny,’ she said. ‘Well, I don’t, and the sooner you clear out the better I’ll be pleased.’

  ‘I’ll clear out, Miss Olive, when you have decided to take back publicly all you said last night.’

  She laughed in a shrill voice.

  ‘You’ll wait here a long time!’ she said.

  ‘No; I don’t think so.’

  He moved a little closer to her, and she shrank back.

  ‘Don’t you dare touch me!’ she cried.

  ‘I’ve no intention of touching you,’ he said. ‘I came here hoping to fix this little matter without any trouble, but I guess I’ve got to talk almighty plainly. You did an unforgivable thing last night. You tried to ruin the character of a man who has never done you any harm; you hurt his sister grievously, and she’s a girl whose shoes you aren’t fit to black. I told you what you were last night and I repeat it again. Now you’ll just come right along with me to the Club and tell the Secretary the whole darn truth.’

  She shook with rage.

  ‘How dare you speak to me like this,’ she almost shouted. ‘You’re nothing but a brute and a bully, and I’m not afraid of you!’

  A gleam came into his eyes, which in spite of her anger frightened her.

  ‘Your opinion of me doesn’t hurt me any. I’ve said what you’re going to do, and you’re going to do it, or else—’

  ‘Or else what?’

  ‘I have means which will persuade you!’

  There was a tense silence for a minute or two. Then she shrugged her shoulders; and walked towards the bedroom. He barred the way.

  ‘No, you don’t!’ he said.

  ‘Will you let me pass!’ she demanded furiously. ‘I have a train to catch, and I want to get my things.’

  ‘It’s almighty strange that you have a train to catch, when you were supposed to be waiting for Shannon to make arrangements to marry you!’

  ‘I told you that I have changed my mind!’

  ‘You mean to say that you came here fully intending to make him marry you?’

  ‘Yes!’

  ‘That’s why you told him you were staying at a hotel which you have never visited, I suppose?’ he said sarcastically.

  ‘I – I intended to change to the Royal today!’

  ‘Golly!’ he ejaculated. ‘You’re a mighty fine liar!’

  She glared at him fiercely.

  ‘Let me pass!’ she said.

  He made no movement.

  ‘I suppose you’ll say next that you are in reality in the condition you said you were before those people,’ he went on inexorably, ‘and that Shannon has really ruined you?’

  ‘You utter brute!’ she stormed.

  ‘Not a bit!’ he replied calmly. ‘I only want to be sure. Are you?’

  For answer she slapped his face.

  ‘Now perhaps you’ll let me go!’ she shouted.

  ‘Not a chance in Hades,’ he said. ‘But I guess it’s time this little affair was brought to a close. God knows why you did this thing. Of course there was somebody behind you who paid you well, but that doesn’t interest me.’

  She looked startled and drew back.

  ‘What – what do you mean?’ she stammered. ‘Hugh Shannon treated me badly, and I meant to have my own back – that’s all!’

  ‘You know darn well that is not all,’ he said, ‘and you also know that Hugh Shannon did not treat you badly. But I’m getting mighty sick of all this tongue music. I ask you once again – Are you coming with me to the Secretary of the Club to tell him the truth?’

  ‘I am not!’ she replied defiantly.

  ‘Then I’ve got to be a little unpleasant!’

  He strode to the door, and lifted the curtain. She watched, a look of fear in her eyes. Just outside a European policeman was standing. He stepped forward.

  ‘Do you want me, sir?’ he asked.

  ‘Not for a moment or two, I guess,’ he answered, then dropped the curtain and looked at her.

  She had gone as pale as death, and stood where she was, trembling. Then her nerve broke down, she ran to him and clutched his arm.

  ‘What is he there for?’ she cried. ‘What does he want?’

  ‘He wants you!’

  ‘But they can’t arrest me for – for what I said!’

  ‘Of course that depends upon Shannon. He certainly can bring an action for slander. But this policeman is here for a much more serious reason!’

  ‘But I’ve done nothing – nothing!’

  He pushed her into a chair, and stood looking down sternly at her.

  ‘You trumped up a beastly, underhanded, false charge against Shannon, and I guess I can fight you with the same weapons you used against him.’

  She was nervously biting her handkerchief, and tearing it to pieces in her agitation.

  ‘It’s almighty easy to frame a charge, if one want
s to. I’ll tell you what is in store for you, Miss Gregson, if you don’t do what I wish. You will be arrested for passing dud notes!’

  ‘What?’ she gasped.

  ‘There have been a whole crowd of spurious notes put into circulation during the last four days, which coincides with the time you have been in Lahore. That policeman outside is waiting to search you and your belongings and arrest you!’

  She was terror-stricken.

  ‘But I haven’t passed the notes! You know I haven’t!’ she almost sobbed.

  ‘That remains to be seen. You have a considerable amount of money in your possession, which you will have to account for, and when you are searched there will be found several bad notes.’

  She started from her chair, and in her frenzy she clutched the lapels of his jacket and strove to shake him.

  ‘You’re doing this to ruin me – you know I have not brought bad notes into Lahore. You’re—Oh, you’re a devil!’ she ended and sank back into the chair sobbing.

  ‘Say, Miss Gregson!’ said the American gently. ‘I don’t want to hurt you any, but I want justice done to Shannon. If you will come with me to the Club and confess everything, why, I’ll send that policeman about his business, and tell him you’re not the person he wants.’

  She cried bitterly, and Miles watched her with a pained expression on his face. At length she looked up.

  ‘I’ll – I’ll do anything you wish!’ she sobbed.

  ‘I only want you to tell the truth!’ he said, an immense relief in his voice.

  He dabbed his forehead with his handkerchief.

  ‘Gee!’ he murmured to himself. ‘Some job!’

  He went to the door, hesitated, then came back to her.

  ‘If I send the cop away,’ he said, ‘can I rely upon you to go through with what I’ve asked you to do? If I can’t I’ll take him with us.’

  She turned to him a face full of misery, her cheeks wet with crying, and her eyes in a hopeless mess with the mixture of tears and black cosmétique.

  ‘Please, please send him away!’ she implored.

  He nodded and going outside spoke to the two men.

  ‘I guess everything’s all right,’ he said. ‘There’s no necessity for you to stay, Spink.’

  The policeman sighed with relief.

  ‘I’m glad to hear that, sir,’ he said. ‘I didn’t like the job, though I wanted to help in clearing up the matter.’ He shook his head with disgust. ‘It was a scandalous business,’ he went on. ‘What a woman!’

  He shook hands with Cousins, saluted Miles and turned away.

  ‘Jerry,’ said the American, ‘call a taxi, will you? There’s a rank somewhere handy.’

  With a nod Cousins went off to do his bidding, and Miles returned to Miss Gregson. He found her still sitting in the chair, the picture of dejection.

  ‘Say, Miss Olive,’ he said kindly, ‘I’m sorry to have been so darned hard, but I guess it couldn’t be helped. Just run along and wash away the sorrow from your face. I’ve got a taxi coming right along!’

  Without a word she went.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  In Which Hudson Has a Shock

  Miles threw himself into a chair and, taking out a cigar, he carefully lit it.

  A car drew up outside and there was a knock on the door.

  ‘Come right along in!’ invited the American.

  Cousins looked in.

  ‘The taxi’s here, sir!’ he announced.

  The other grinned broadly.

  ‘I shall be glad when we get somewhere where I can punch your darned head, Jerry,’ he whispered cheerfully.

  ‘Why should you want to interfere with my devoted cranium?’ asked the pseudo valet.

  ‘Well, just because I’m sick of all the respect and deference you’ve been unloading on to me this morning. You’re too almighty like the real thing when you get busy.’

  ‘Pshaw!’ muttered the other in disgust. ‘You’re jealous!’

  He disappeared, and a few minutes later Miss Gregson returned with all the effects of the tears cleared away.

  ‘I’m ready!’ she said in a subdued voice.

  He bowed and lifted the curtain aside for her to go out. Cousins opened the door of the car, standing respectfully with his topee in his right hand.

  ‘I beg your pardon, sir,’ he said, before closing the door again, ‘but I understand that the lady will be leaving for Bangalore today. As the train goes out at twelve forty-five, sir, there is only an hour and ten minutes left. Might I suggest that we take the luggage with us, and then the lady could be driven straight to the station after – er—’ He paused and coughed discreetly.

  ‘A very good notion, Cousins, my man!’ replied the American, putting emphasis on the ‘my man’. ‘Don’t you think so, Miss Olive?’ he asked.

  She nodded.

  ‘There are two suitcases,’ she murmured, almost inaudibly.

  The luggage was stowed in the car, and three or four servants appeared with many salaams on the lookout for tips. Miss Gregson started to open her handbag, but Miles stopped her.

  ‘Cousins, tip those fellows!’ he ordered in lordly fashion.

  The little man’s eyes gleamed as he obeyed.

  There was hardly a word spoken as the car ran rapidly to the Club. Miles once asked his companion if she would tell him who was behind her in the plot to ruin Shannon, but she refused to say.

  ‘Well,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t matter, though I think I know!’

  She looked questioningly at him, but he said no more. Arrived at the Club, he immediately entered the secretary’s office. A clerk gazed at him inquiringly.

  ‘Where’s the secretary?’ asked the American bluntly. ‘I’ve a whole heap to say to him.’

  ‘I regret he is engaged, sare,’ replied the clerk smoothly. ‘Is there some message, please?’

  ‘I can’t help whether he’s engaged, or not. I’ve got to see him right now.’

  ‘But, sare, there is an emergency meeting being held!’

  ‘Where?’

  ‘In the committee room!’

  ‘I’ll go right along!’ said Miles.

  He knew where the room in question was, and he went straight to it followed by the protesting clerk. The door was shut, and a murmur of voices reached him from within. He knocked loudly, and after a second or so the door was opened. The secretary himself looked out and, seeing Miles, frowned.

  ‘I cannot see you now,’ he said, ‘there is a meeting—’

  ‘Say, just answer one question! Has this meeting got anything to do with Captain Shannon, and the affair last night?’

  ‘Really, Mr Miles, I do not see—’ began the other indignantly.

  ‘I’m sorry to butt in, but it’s on account of that business that I’m here, so now please answer my question.’

  ‘Well, yes it is!’

  ‘Excuse me!’ said Miles, and pushed past him into the room.

  There were five important members of the Committee seated round the table, and they looked up with annoyed surprise at his intrusion.

  ‘I’ve got to apologise, gentlemen,’ said the American, bowing, ‘but I understand you are discussing what happened last night, probably with a view to blackballing Captain Shannon.’

  A stern, military-looking man, obviously the chairman, rose angrily to his feet.

  ‘This is most unwarrantable, sir,’ he said. ‘How dare you—’

  Miles held up his hand.

  ‘I have the lady in question with me. She wishes to make a statement!’

  His announcement caused a stir.

  ‘I do not see in what way a statement from her can interest us,’ said the chairman pompously.

  ‘You will find that it does!’ was the reply. ‘May I bring her along?’

  The military man sat down, and there was a hurried interchange of views, then he looked up.

  ‘This is most unusual,’ he said, ‘but we will give her five minutes.’

  Miles went back t
o the car, and asked Miss Gregson to accompany him. He ushered her into the presence of the Committee, who looked at her curiously. She was given a seat.

  ‘I understand, Madam,’ said the chairman, ‘that you wish to make a certain statement.’

  ‘I do!’ she said in a low voice, and hesitated.

  ‘We are prepared to hear it!’

  Then, with several pauses, she told her story. To Miles’ surprise she did not spare herself, and went through the ordeal as though determined to make amends. She even told how she had done all in her power to get Shannon to propose marriage to her on board ship, and when she failed had attempted to coerce him. It was a very sordid tale and most of the men there looked at her with disgust long before she had finished. She made no mention of anybody else being concerned with her in the plot to ruin Hugh.

  ‘That is all!’ she ended. ‘Mr Miles has shown me the awful thing I was doing. I am very sorry now.’

  A few questions were asked, then she was bowed coldly out of the room. The chairman detained Miles as he was about to follow her, and held out his hand.

  ‘Mr Miles,’ he said, ‘I thank you on behalf of the Committee and myself for bringing that woman here. We might have done an irreparable wrong to Captain Shannon. Will you convey to him our deep sympathy for what happened last night and assure him that everything will be done to clear the scandal from his name?’

  ‘Sure!’ said the American, and shook hands warmly with every member of the Committee.

  On the way to the station he turned to Miss Gregson.

  ‘It was fine of you to go through with it like you did, Miss Olive,’ he said.

  ‘I only did what was right,’ she murmured. ‘You have shown me what a horrible creature I am.’

  ‘Were!’ he remarked. ‘That’s all over now, and you’ve proved yourself a darn fine girl, believe me!’

  He saw her into her compartment in the train and bought her some magazines. Hardly a word was spoken until the time of departure drew near, then:

  ‘Mr Miles,’ she said confusedly, ‘there were other people behind me in – in this—’

  ‘I know that,’ he said.

  She did not heed the interruption.