"Evidently these men are acting for Fantomas," said he to himself: "Fantomas must be watching the police: he knows them, but they do not know him.... Suppose he knows of our arrival at Dieppe?... Suppose the two traitors, being warned, have given our men the slip on the way?
Suppose this stop at Rouen was caused by the telegram they received at the garage?... If our arrival here has been signalled, our watch will be fruitless: neither Vinson nor the priest will show themselves on this quay!"
As he kept his tireless vigil. Juve eyed the yacht swinging gently on the rising tide. Could he find a pretext which would take him aboard--justify a thorough investigation of boat and crew?... The answer to more than one tormenting problem might lie hidden there!
Then Juve recalled his talk with de Loubersac. Had he been happily inspired to speak so to him of the girl he loved, the enigmatic Wilhelmine? Suppose de Loubersac, instead of questioning her, broke with her?
"It would be abominable of me to spoil this child"s love affair for what are less than suspicions on my part--only the vaguest hypothesis!"
Juve smoked and ruminated as he paced the lonely quay.
"I need not worry," concluded he at last. "Granting that we shall clear up all these mysteries, Wilhelmine"s innocence, her candour, will be made manifest; that being so, Henri de Loubersac will be the first to acknowledge it, the first to beg her forgiveness!... Lovers"
quarrels are not serious quarrels--so!"...
Juve continued his tireless promenade.
Sailors seeking their fishing-boats swung past him in the growing light of day.
Juve looked at his watch.
"I told them to put on a special for the night, and they have instructions to send me any telegrams.... Still, it is six o"clock....
I will see if there is anything fresh!"
Juve found de Loubersac fast asleep in the sentry box, and shook him by the shoulder.
"Lieutenant!... Lieutenant!" he shouted: "Wake up! I want you to keep watch while I run to Headquarters here.... There may be news!"
De Loubersac jumped up, wide awake in a moment. He took his turn on the quay at once. Juve hurried to the police station. He was on the doorstep when a telegraph boy rode up with a telegram. It was for our detective. The paper shook in Juve"s hands as his eyes devoured the message: it was in cypher.
_"Corporal Vinson taken refuge in London--recognised and identified by me this morning at four o"clock when leaving Victoria Station. I followed him and know where he is. What to be done next? Awaiting your orders."_
Juve wondered whether he was on his head or his heels. Vinson in London! Left Victoria Station this morning! What did it mean?
"The wire is precise in its details. The man who sends it is a sharp police spy--never hesitates, never makes a blunder!... It seems evident that Vinson has given us the slip! He must have reached the coast at some point, and, in an unnoticed boat, has pa.s.sed under our noses this very night!... Here"s a go! The very deuce of a go!"
Intensely irritated, excited, Juve read and reread the telegram, fussed and fumed about the police station under the scared eyes of the policeman on guard duty. That worthy began to think the detective from Paris was an unmitigated nuisance.
Juve did not take this humble colleague into his confidence. He issued orders.
"You must not stir from here till the superintendent arrives. You will hand him this telegram addressed to me here. I will wire instructions in the morning where they are to be forwarded to me in England."
"In England!"
"Yes, I am crossing immediately by a Cook"s excursion steamer, which goes in an hour, unless I am mistaken!"
Juve found de Loubersac pacing the quay. He had been smoking cigar after cigar to clear his head. Juve handed him a sheet of paper; on it he had copied the text of the telegram.
"Read that!" he cried.... "These confounded spies have found means to escape our attentions--but this is not the end of the game!"
Lieutenant Henri was thunderstruck.
"What are you going to do, Juve?"
"Reach London with all speed. Will you come, Lieutenant?"
De Loubersac considered.
"No," he decided.... "In the first place, I have no right to leave the country unless authorised to do so. I am not free to act according to my own good will and pleasure: besides, I have an idea there is work for me in Paris.... To watch that little intriguer, Bobinette, will be an interesting task: from what you told me yesterday, she is up to the neck in those villainous plots and plans! While you investigate in London, Paris shall be my field of operations. You approve of this, Juve?"
"I think you are right."
Juve accompanied the lieutenant to the station: de Loubersac was in a hurry to be off. He would not wait for the noon express: he took the slow train. As it began to move, he and Juve exchanged a cordial handshake.
"Good luck!" cried he.
"Thanks, Lieutenant. Good courage!"
The latter admonition was given with a purpose; for Juve was under no illusion as to de Loubersac"s feelings.
"At any other time," thought he, "de Loubersac would have seen it to be his duty to accompany me to London: he could have secured an authorisation from his headquarters if required; besides, attached to the Second Bureau as he is, no doubt the ordinary military rules and regulations would hardly apply to him: to a large extent he must be allowed a free hand in emergencies. This is an emergency--an important one!... No, he wishes to see Wilhelmine: he is in love, is worried, suspicious: he wishes to clear up the mystery surrounding Wilhelmine"s ident.i.ty: he is determined to know what exactly were her relations with Captain Brocq: also, he wants to find out all there is to find regarding Bobinette and her doings.... To get to the bottom of these dark mysteries, unravel the tangled threads needs a clear head and a brave heart, for his feelings are deeply involved, and they may yet be cut to the quick!... He is a straight goer, that young man!" was Juve"s concluding thought.... "He will do his duty: and when one does one"s duty, with rare exceptions, the result is happiness."
Whilst Juve returned to the jetty to await the departure of the excursion steamer, Henri de Loubersac, alone in his compartment, reflected sadly on his relations with Wilhelmine.... He had loved her a long time. A frank, a sincere affection for her had gradually grown into a love which filled his whole heart and mind. Juve"s words had troubled him profoundly. This spy chase had been a momentary distraction, but now his anxieties, his suspicions, his fears, swarmed and buzzed among his thoughts: he could not banish them!
His reflections so absorbed him that he lost consciousness of time and place: when the train came to a stand-still in Rouen station, he could have vowed they had left Dieppe but a few miles behind!
He would stretch his limbs on the platform. He jumped out; but, as he strolled past the kiosks, gazing at the papers and magazines exhibited in them, his mind was haunted but by one vision: Wilhelmine....
The train was about to leave: the porters were shouting: he hastened to his compartment: his foot was on the mounting board: it might have been nailed there, for the moment!... A young woman was seated in the further corner. She had lowered her window, and, with head out, was either saying good-bye to someone or was watching the comings and goings of the station.
Her att.i.tude, the lines of her figure, were familiar to de Loubersac.
He felt sure he knew her. He took his seat and awaited the turning of her head.
A piercing whistle and the train began to move. The young woman drew back, pulled up the window, and sat back in her seat.
Henri de Loubersac saw her.
She made a movement of surprise.
"You! Monsieur Henri!"
"You! Mademoiselle Bobinette!"
"By what chance?" began de Loubersac.
Bobinette interrupted:
"It is rather I who might ask you that, Monsieur Henri!... As for me, I have been spending four days with my family at Rouen.... I asked for a holiday and Monsieur de Naarboveck very kindly granted it ... but you?"