The Malefactor

by E. Phillips Oppenheim

  "IT WAS AN ACCIDENT"

  Lady Ruth took up the receiver. Some instinct seemed to have promptedher to close the door of the study.

  "Who is there?" she asked. "Who is it that wants me?"

  A thin, unfamiliar voice answered her.

  "Is that Lady Ruth Barrington?"

  "Yes!"

  "Is it--Mademoiselle Violet?"

  The receiver nearly dropped from her hand.

  "I don't understand you," she answered, "I am Lady Ruth Barrington! Whoare you?"

  "You are Mademoiselle Violet," was the answer, "and you know who I am!Listen, I am in Mr. Wingrave's rooms."

  She would have liked to have rung off and gone away, but it seemed asheer impossibility for her to move! And all the time her knees wereshaking, and the fear of evil things was in her heart.

  "What are you doing there?" she asked.

  "He brought me in himself," the thin voice answered. "Can you hear me?I don't want to speak any louder for fear anyone else should belistening."

  "Yes, I can hear," she answered. "But how dared you ring me up? Say whatyou desire to quickly! I am going away."

  "Wait, please," the voice answered. "I know why you have been angry withme. I know why you have kept away from me, why you have been so cruel!It was because I failed. Was it not, dear Mademoiselle Violet?"

  She had not the breath or the courage to answer him. In a moment or twohe continued, and there was a note of suppressed exultation in his tone.

  "Listen! This time--I have not failed!"

  She nearly screamed. The receiver in her hand burned like a live thing.Her eyes were set in a fixed and awful stare as though she were tryingto see for herself outside the walls of the little room where she stoodinto the larger chamber from which the voice--that awful voice--came!Her own words were hysterical and uncertain, but she managed to falterthem out at last.

  "What do you mean? Where is Mr. Wingrave? Tell me at once!"

  The voice, without being raised, seemed to take to itself a note oftriumph.

  "He is dying--on the floor--just here! Listen hard! Perhaps you can hearhim groan! Now will you believe that I am not a coward?"

  Her shriek drowned his words. She flung the receiver from her with acrash and rushed from the room into the hall. She brushed past her maidwith a wild gesture.

  "Never mind my wraps. Open the door, Parkins! Is the carriage waiting?"

  "Yes, Milady! Shall--"

  But she was past him and down the steps.

  "No. 18, Grosvenor Mansions," she cried to the man. "Drive fast."

  The man obeyed. The servants, who had come to the door, stood therea little frightened group. She ignored them and everything elsecompletely. The carriage had scarcely stopped when she sprang out andcrossed the pavement in a few hasty steps. The tall commissionairelooked in amazement at her. She wore an opera cloak--she was abewildering vision of white satin and diamonds, and her eyes wereterrible with the fear which was in her heart.

  She clutched him by the arm.

  "Come up with me to Mr. Wingrave's rooms," she exclaimed. "Somethingterrible has happened. I heard through the telephone."

  The man dashed up the stairs by her side. Wingrave's suite was on thefirst floor, and they did not wait for the lift. The commissionaireput his finger on the bell of the outside door. She leaned forward,listening breathlessly. Inside all was silence except for the shrillclamor of the bell.

  "Go on ringing," she said breathlessly. "Don't leave off!"

  The man looked at her curiously. "Mr. Wingrave came in about an hour agowith a young man, madam," he said.

  "Yes, yes!" she cried. "Listen! There's someone coming."

  They heard a hesitating step inside. The door was cautiously opened. Itwas Richardson, pale, disheveled, but triumphant, who peered out.

  "Mademoiselle--Mademoiselle Violet," he cried. "You have come to see foryourself. This way!"

  She raised her arm and struck him across the face so that, with a littlemoan, he staggered back against the wall. Then she hastened forward intothe room towards which he had pointed and the door of which stood open.The commissionaire followed her. The servants were beginning to appear.

  The room was in darkness save for one electric light. A groan, however,directed them. She fell on her knees by Wingrave's prostrate figure andraised his head slightly. His servant, too, was hurrying forward. Shelooked up.

  "Get me some brandy," she ordered. "Send someone for a doctor. Don't letthat young man escape. The brandy, quick!"

  She forced some between his lips. There was already a spot of blood uponthe gown which, a few minutes ago, had seemed so immaculate. One of theornaments fell from her hair. It lay unnoticed by her side. SuddenlyWingrave opened his eyes. She saw at once that he was conscious and thathe recognized her.

  "Don't move, please," she begged. "It will be better for you not tospeak. The doctor will be here directly."

  He nodded.

  "I don't think that I am much hurt," he said slowly. "Your young friendwas a born bungler!"

  She shuddered, but said nothing.

  "How on earth," he asked, "did you get here?"

  She whispered in his ear.

  "The brute--telephoned. Please don't talk."

  The doctor arrived. His examination was over in a few moments.

  "Nothing serious," he declared. "The knife was pretty blunt fortunately.How did it happen? It seems like a case for the police."

  "It was an accident," Wingrave declared coolly.

  The doctor shrugged his shoulders. He was busy making bandages. LadyRuth rose to her feet. She was white and giddy. The commissionaire andMorrison were talking together at the door. The latter turned to LadyRuth.

  "Do you think that we had better send for the police, your ladyship?" heasked. "It was the young man who came in with Mr. Wingrave who must havedone this! I thought he was a very wild-looking sort of person."

  "You heard what Mr. Wingrave said," she answered. "I don't think that Ishould disobey him, if I were you. The doctor says that, after all, itis not very serious."

  "He can't have got far," the hall porter remarked. "He only slipped outas we came in."

  "I should let him go for the present," Lady Ruth said. "If Mr. Wingravewishes to prosecute afterwards, it will be easy for him to do so."

  She stepped back to where Wingrave lay. He was in a recumbent positionnow and, although a little pale, he was obviously not seriously hurt.

  "If there is nothing else that I can do," she said, "I will go now!"

  "By all means," Wingrave answered. "I am exceedingly obliged to youfor your kindness," he added a little stiffly. "Morrison, show LadyBarrington to her carriage!"

  She spoke a few conventional words of farewell and departed. Outside onthe pavement she stood for a moment, looking carefully around. There wasno sign of Richardson anywhere! She stepped into the carriage and leanedback in the corner.