Mr. Marx's Secret by E. Phillips Oppenheim

  CHAPTER XLV. A MYSTERIOUS COMMISSION.

  The underground noises continued for about a quarter of an hour, duringwhich time my companion busied himself by removing from the club-roomvarious articles--the false top of a table marked out in a curiousfashion, several mahogany boxes, and other contrivances strange to me,but presumably gambling appliances, with all of which he disappearedthrough the door by which de Cartienne had made his exit, returning againdirectly.

  At last everything was quiet, ominously quiet; then the door from thehall was thrown suddenly open, and the Count entered, followed by four orfive other men. They were all apparently gentlemen, and in eveningclothes, but terribly soiled and disordered. Some were splashed with mudfrom head to foot, some had their shirt-fronts blackened and crumpled,and the hands of all of them were black with grease and dirt. All lookedmore or less pale and nervous--in fact, M. de Cartienne was the only onewho thoroughly retained his composure.

  There was a lavatory on the other side of the staircase, towards whichthe whole of the little party trooped, M. de Cartienne being the last. Ashe disappeared he looked round and beckoned me to follow him. I did soand stood by his side, while he plunged his head into some cold water,and then began to wash his hands.

  "I'm sorry this should have happened to-night, Morton," he said. "Marxwas here, but has bolted in a fright."

  "Couldn't I catch him up?" I asked.

  De Cartienne shook his head.

  "No; he's in the train by this time. He comes here every night, though.I'll bring you down to-morrow, perhaps."

  "Are you coming back now?" I asked.

  "No; I must see this thing through. You can go and at once, though. Mycarriage will take you back. I shall return by train. By the by, there'sa small favour I want to ask you."

  "Certainly."

  "I have kept a few private papers here, which I should not care to haveexamined should the search really take place. I want you to take themback to the hotel for me. The box is a little too heavy for me to carry,so I have told them to put it in the carriage as a footstool for you. Youwon't mind that?"

  "Not in the least," I replied. "When shall I see you again?"

  "At the hotel some time to-morrow. Come along now," he added, putting onhis coat.

  He strolled with me to the front door and, throwing it open, listenedintently.

  There was no sound save the moaning of the wind in the bare trees whichstood by the side of the house and the patter of the fast-falling rain. Istepped into the carriage and the Count came to the window to me.

  "Don't forget," he said, pointing to a long, oblong box secured by astrong lock. "Draw the rug a little more over your knees--so."

  I obeyed him and let it hang down to hide the box, which I began to seewas his object.

  "And if you should meet anyone and they should be impertinent enough toask you where you are going, don't tell them. Give them your card andtell them to go to the devil. If they are very pressing indeed, you musttell a lie. Say that you've been to dine with Sir Sedgwick Bromley atHatherly Hall. Don't forget the name."

  "Very well. Are you coming back to the Metropole to-night?" I asked.

  "I think so. But if you don't mind I should be glad if you would have thebox taken up into your room and keep it for me. I shouldn't like anythingto happen to it."

  I promised, but without much alacrity. We shook hands and the carriagedrove off.