The Passenger from Calais

by Arthur Griffiths

  CHAPTER VIII.

  The timely appearance of my colleague, Ludovic Tiler, consoled me alittle for the loss of the lady and her lot. I had failed, myself, butI hoped that with my lead he would get on to the scent and keep to it.Ere long, on the first intimation from him I might come into the gameagain. I should be guided by his wire if I got it.

  For the moment I was most concerned to find out whether Tiler'sintervention and my short talk with him had been noticed by the otherside. If the Colonel knew that another man was on his friend's track,he would surely have left the train at once so as to go to herassistance. But he was still in the train, I could hear him plainly,speaking to Jules in the next compartment. Again, as we sped on, Ireasoned favourably from their leaving me as I was, still under lockand key. No one came near me until after we had passed Olten station,the first stopping-place after Basle, where I could alight and retracemy steps. By holding on to me I guessed that I was still thought tobe the chief danger, and that they had no suspicion of Tiler'sexistence.

  I laughed in my sleeve, but not the less did I rage and storm whenJules l'Echelle came with the Colonel to release me.

  "You shall pay for this," I cried hotly.

  "As for you, l'Echelle, it shall cost you your place, and I'll takethe law of you, Colonel Annesley; I'll get damages and you shallanswer for your illegal action."

  "Pfui!" retorted the Colonel. "The mischief you can do is nothing towhat you might have done. We can stand the racket. I've bested you forthe present--that's the chief thing, anyway. You can't persecute thepoor lady any more."

  "Poor lady! Do you know who she is or was, anyway?"

  "Of course I do," he answered bold as brass.

  "Did she let on? Told you, herself? My word! She's got a nerve. Iwonder she'd own to it after all she's done."

  "Silence!" he shouted, in a great taking. "If you dare to utter asingle word against that lady, I'll break every bone in your body."

  "I'm saying nothing--it's not me, it's all the world. It was in thepapers, you must have read them, the most awful story, such--suchdepravity there never was--such treachery, such gross misconduct."

  He caught me by the arm so violently and looked so fierce that for amoment I was quite alarmed.

  "Drop it, I tell you. Leave the lady alone, both by word and deed.You'll never find her again, I've seen to that. She has escaped you."

  "Aha! You think so? Don't be too cocksure. We understand ourbusiness better than that, we don't go into it single-handed. You'vecollared me for a bit, but I'm not the only one in the show."

  "The only one that counts," he said sneering.

  "Am I?" I answered in the same tone. "What if I had a pal waiting forme at Basle, who received my instructions there--just when you thoughtyou had me safe--and has now taken up the running?"

  He was perfectly staggered at this, I could see plainly. I thought atfirst he would have struck me, he was so much upset.

  "You infernal villain," he shouted, "I believe the whole thing is aconfounded lie! Explain."

  "I owe you no explanations," I replied stiffly, "my duty is to myemployers. I only account to them for my conduct. I am a confidentialagent."

  He seemed impressed by this, for when he spoke again it was morequietly. But he looked me very straight in the eyes. I felt that hewas still likely to give trouble.

  "Well, I suppose I cannot expect you to tell me things. You must goyour own way and I shall go mine."

  "I should advise you to leave it, Colonel," I said, civilly enough."I'm always anxious to conciliate and avoid unpleasantness. Give upthe whole business; you will only burn your fingers."

  "Ah! How so?"

  "The law is altogether against you. It is a nasty job; better not bemixed up in it. Have you any idea what that woman--that lady," Icorrected myself, for his eyes flashed, "has done?"

  "Nothing really wrong," he was warming up into a new burst of passion.

  "Tell that to the Courts and to the Judge when you are prosecuted forcontempt and charged as an accessory after the fact. How will you likethat? It will take the starch out of you."

  "Rot! The law can't do us much harm. The only person who might make itdisagreeable is Lord Blackadder, and I snap my fingers at him."

  "The Earl of Blackadder? Are you mad? He is a great personage, a richand powerful nobleman. You cannot afford to fight him; he will be toostrong for you. He has been made the victim of an abominable outrage,and will spare no effort, no means, no money to recover his own."

  "Lord Blackadder is a cad--a cruel, cowardly ruffian. I know all abouthim and what has happened. It would give me the greatest pleasure tokick him down the street. Failing that, I shall do my best to upsetand spoil his schemes, and so you know."

  I smiled contemptuously. "A mere Colonel against an Earl! What sort ofa chance have you? It's too absurd."

  "We shall see. Those laugh longest who laugh last."

  By this time our talk was done, for we were approaching Lucerne, andI began to think over my next plans. All must depend on what I heardthere--upon what news, if any, came from Ludovic Tiler.

  So on my arrival I made my way straight to the telegraph-office in thecorner of the great station, and on showing my card an envelope washanded to me. It was from Tiler at Basle, and ran as follows:

  "They have booked through by 7.30 A.M., via Brienne, Lausanneto Brieg, and I suppose the Simplon. I shall accompany. Can you joinme at either end--Brieg or Domo Dossola? The sooner the better. Wireme from all places along the route, giving your movements. Address mein my train No. 70."

  The news pointed pretty clearly to the passage of the Alps and descentinto Italy by another route than the St. Gothard. I had my Bradshaw inmy bag, and proceeded at once to verify the itinerary by thetime-table, while I drank my early coffee in the restaurant upon thestation platform. I was most anxious to join hands with Tiler, andquickly turned over the leaves of my railway guide to see if it waspossible, and how it might best be managed.

  My first idea was to retrace my steps to Basle and follow him by thesame road. But I soon found that the trains would not fit in the veryleast. He would be travelling by the one fast train in the day, whichwas due at Brieg at four o'clock in the afternoon. My first chance, ifI caught the very next train back from Lucerne, would only get me toBrieg by the eleven o'clock the following morning.

  It was not good enough, and I dismissed the idea forthwith. Then Iremembered that by getting off the St. Gothard railway at Goeschenen Ishould strike the old Furka diligence route by the Devil's Bridge,Hospenthal, and the Rhone Glacier, a drive of fifty miles, more orless, but at least it would get me to Brieg that same night by 10 or11 o'clock.

  Before adopting this line I had to consider that there was a risk ofmissing Tiler and his quarry; that is to say, of being too late forthem; for the lady might decide to push on directly she reached Brieg,taking a special carriage extra post as far as the Simplon at least,even into Domo Dossola. She was presumably in such a hurry that thenight journey would hardly deter her from driving over the pass. Tilerwould certainly follow. By the time I reached Brieg they would behalfway across the Alps, and I must take the same road, making a sternchase, proverbially the longest.

  I turned my attention, therefore, to the Italian end of the carriageroad, and to seeing how and when I could reach Domo Dossola, thealternative suggestion made by Tiler. There would be no difficulty asto that, and I found I could be there in good time the same evening. Iworked it out on the tables and it looked easy enough.

  Leave Lucerne by the St. Gothard railway, pass Goeschenen, and gothrough the tunnel down the Italian side as far as Bellizona. Thence abranch line would take me to Locarno and into touch with the steamboatservice on Lake Maggiore. There was a fixed connection according tothe tables, and I should land at Pallanza within a short hour's driveof the line to Domo Dossola. I could be established there by nightfalland would command the situation. Every carriage that came down theSimplon must come under my eye.

  There could
be no doubt that the Bellizona-Locarno Lake line was thepreferable one, and I finally decided in favour of it. I closed myBradshaw with a bang, replaced it in my bag, drank up my coffee, andstarted for the telegraph office. I meant to advise Tiler of my plans,and at the same time arrange with him to look out for me just outsidethe terminus station at Domo Dossola, or to communicate with me thereat the Hotel de la Poste.

  On coming out I ran up against the last person I wished to see. It wasthe Colonel, who greeted me with a loud laugh, and gave me a slap onthe back.

  "Halloa, my wily detective," he said mockingly; "settled it all quiteto your satisfaction? Done with Bradshaw--sent off your wires? Well,what's the next move?"

  "I decline to hold any conversation with you," I began severely. "Ibeg you will not intrude upon my privacy. I do not desire youracquaintance."

  "Hoity toity!" he cried. "On your high horse, eh? Aren't you afraidyou may fall off or get knocked off?" and he raised his hand with anugly gesture.

  "We are not alone now in a railway carriage. There are police about,and the Swiss police do not approve of brawling," I replied, with allthe dignity I could assume.

  "Come, Falfani, tell me what you mean to do now," he went on in thesame tone.

  "Your questions are an impertinence. I do not know you. I do notchoose to know you, and I beg you will leave me alone."

  "Don't think of it, my fine fellow. I'm not going to leave you alone.You may make up your mind to that. Where you go, I go; what you do, Ishall do. We are inseparables, you and I, as much united as theSiamese twins. So I tell you."

  "But it's monstrous, it's not to be tolerated. I shall appeal forprotection to the authorities."

  "Do so, my friend, do so. See which will get the best of that. I don'twant to swagger, but at any rate all the world knows pretty well who Iam; but what shall you call yourself, Mr. Falfani?"

  "I have my credentials from my employers; I have letters,testimonials, recommendations from the best people."

  "Including the Earl of Blackadder, I presume? I admit your greatadvantages. Well, try it. You may get the best of it in the long run,but you'll lose a good deal of time. I'm not in a hurry," he said withemphasis, and promptly recalled me to my senses, for I realized thatI could not fight him that way. It must be by stratagem or evasion. Imust throw dust in his eyes, put him off the scent, mislead, befool,elude him somehow.

  How was I to shake him off now I saw that he was determined to stickto me? He had said it in so many words. He would not let me out of hissight; wherever I went he was coming too.

  The time was drawing on for the departure of the St. Gothard expressat 9.8 A.M., and as yet I had no ticket. I had booked atAmiens as far as Lucerne only, leaving further plans as events mightfall out. Now I desired to go on, but did not see how I was to take afresh ticket without his learning my destination. He would be certainto be within earshot when I went up to the window.

  I was beginning to despair when I saw Cook's man, who was, as usual,hovering about to assist travellers in trouble, and I beckoned him toapproach.

  "See that gentleman," I nodded towards the Colonel. "He wants you; doyour best for him." And when the tourist agent proceeded on hismission to be accosted, I fear rather unceremoniously, I slipped offand hid out of sight.

  I felt sure I was unobserved as I took my place in the crowd at theticket-window, but when I had asked and paid for my place to Locarno Iheard, to my disgust, some one else applying for a ticket to exactlythe same place, and in a voice that was strangely familiar.

  On looking round I saw Jules l'Echelle, the sleeping-car conductor,but out of uniform, and with an amused grin on his face.

  "It seems that we are still to be fellow travellers," he observedcasually.

  "What is taking you to Lake Maggiore? How about your service on thecar?" I asked suspiciously.

  "I have business at Locarno, and have got a few days' leave to attendto it."

  I felt he was lying to me. He had been bought, I was sure. Hisbusiness was the Colonel's, who had set him to assist in watching me.I had two enemies then to encounter, and I realized with somemisgiving that the Colonel was not a man to be despised.