"Of course I understand that, but I have to warn you that this will mean, either way you look at it, social extinction for you. If it fails and we are caught, you are done for as far as your reputation here is concerned. If we are not caught, well, I suppose you will fly with her, and in that case you will certainly never see England again."
"Do you suppose I shall allow my own social position to weigh with me, if by risking it I can save her?"
"No, I don"t think you will. But now let me detail my scheme as I have thought it out. In the first place I have ascertained that the van leaves the prison at a definite hour every day. It drives down, takes the prisoners up, and drives back again. This being so, it is certain, as I have said before, that it must be stopped on its way _from_ the prison _to_ the court, and in such a way that it cannot go on again for at least half an hour. In the meantime another van must drive down equipped in every way like the real one. This one will take up the prisoner and drive off. Once out of sight of the station it will drive into the yard of an empty house, a conveyance will then be in waiting in the other street, her ladyship pa.s.ses through the house, gets into that and drives off to a railway station; there a Pullman must be in readiness to take her to the seaside, whence a yacht will convey her to some place where we can have the _Lone Star_ to meet her. I shall cable to Patterson to set off and be in readiness to pick us up directly we have decided where that place shall be."
"But how will you cable to him without exciting suspicion?"
"You need have no fear on that score; we have a means of communicating of our own, which I would explain now only it would be waste of time.
What do you think of my scheme?"
"It sounds all right, but is it workable?"
"I really think so! However, we will discuss it, item by item, and try and arrive at a conclusion that way. To begin with, money must be considered no object. If even 10,000 is necessary to its success, 10,000 will be spent. In the first place, we must find a competent coachbuilder at once. If he has a van on hand, which is hardly likely, we"ll purchase it! If not, well, then he must put on all his hands and make one, even if he has to work day and night to do it."
"But how will you explain the purpose for which we want it?"
"I have thought of that, and, when I left you, I sent the following telegram:"
Here he produced a duplicate form from his pocket and read it aloud:
"TO THE LESSEE OLYMPIC THEATRE, MANCHESTER:
"What dates this month? Reply terms, Stragaus, West Strand Telegraph Office.
"MAXIMILLIEN STRAGAUS."
"But who on earth is Maximillien Stragaus, and what has the Royal Olympic Theatre, Manchester, to do with our scheme?"
"Everything. In the first place you must realise the fact that I am Maximillien Stragaus, the world-renowned theatrical _entrepreneur_, and that you are his secretary, Fairlight Longsman. Having received a reply from Manchester, I decide to open there with my wonderful and intensely exciting prison drama, "Saved by a Woman"s Pluck," on the third Sat.u.r.day in June. Here is the preliminary announcement. I had it struck off this afternoon."
He took from the small bag he had brought into the room with him a large theatrical poster, covered with printing of all colours of the rainbow. It read as follows:
ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE, MANCHESTER.
Lessee, MR. WILLIAM CARRICKFORD.
FOR TEN NIGHTS ONLY,
Commencing Sat.u.r.day, June 20th.
Mr. Maximillien Stragaus" World-renowned Standard Company, in the intensely exciting Prison Drama,
"SAVED BY A WOMAN"S PLUCK."
Detectives--Police--Bloodhounds--Real Horses and Real Prison Vans.
Sole Manager and Proprietor, MR. MAXIMILLIEN STRAGAUS.
Secretary, MR. FAIRLIGHT LONGSMAN.
"There! what do you think of that for a poster?"
"Very startling," I answered. "But I must reiterate my former remark, that I do not understand in the very least degree what it has to do with us."
"Why, look here, it means that to-morrow morning we go to that coachbuilder I was speaking of and give him an order for a prison van.
Incidentally we will show him this poster, and state that, owing to change of dates, we must have the van delivered this day week. Don"t you see? If we hadn"t something to show, he might suspect; this poster, however, will set his mind completely at rest, and, at the same time, be an excuse for haste. Now, do you understand?"
"I do, and I must say I admire your wonderful resource. What next?"
"Well, the next thing will be to obtain two police uniforms and two trustworthy men, one to drive the van the other to act as guard. That, however, will be easily managed. The next item will be rather more difficult!"
"What is that?"
"Why, to find a sure and certain means of stopping the real van on its way down to the court."
"We couldn"t waylay the driver and keep him talking, I suppose?"
"We could try it, of course; but it wouldn"t be sure enough. He might be a conscientious man, you see, and not like to stop, or he might stop and afterwards whip up to make up lost time. No! we must hit on something that will absolutely prevent him from going on for at least half an hour, and yet something that will not excite suspicion. I think I see a way to do it, but it will require the most minute and careful working out to insure its success. To begin with, I shall have to find a first-cla.s.s man for the job, and possibly I shall have to cable to America for him."
"What is your idea?"
"To arrange a collision. To have a runaway, and crash into the horses."
"Would that do, do you think?"
"If I can find the right man and the right sort of horses."
"I don"t like it. To quote your own words, it doesn"t sound sure enough."
"We shall have to do it if we can"t hit out a better way. Then we must discover a house somewhere in a handy neighbourhood; it must have a yard at the back, opening into an obscure street. The yard must have high gates and be in such a position that it cannot be overlooked by the neighbours. Then the day before the business comes off we must find an invalid carriage, engage a Pullman car for Portsmouth, and hire a yacht for a voyage to the Cape."
"It will mean simply superhuman labour, if it is all to be accomplished in a fortnight."
"It will, but I don"t think either of us is afraid of work. Aren"t we fighting for what is more precious to her than her life? Yes! We"ll do it between us. Don"t you doubt that. Now I must be off again; I"ve a lot to do before I can get to bed to-night. By the way, will it be convenient for you if I call here at half-past five to-morrow morning?
We must be at the coachbuilder"s by seven o"clock."
"Come at three if you like, you will find me quite ready."
"Then good-night."
He went away and I to bed. At five o"clock I woke, had a bath, dressed, and went down stairs. Punctually, almost to the minute, a slightly Jewish, black-ringletted man, wearing a profusion of diamonds, put in an appearance, bag in hand. Though I should never have recognised him as Walworth I felt certain it was he, so I let him in and we went into my study together.
"Now," said my friend, for it was Walworth, as I suspected, "I don"t know what you"ll say to it, but it"s absolutely necessary for the success of our scheme that you should a.s.sume some disguise. As you are known to be the affianced husband of her ladyship, the police will be certain to have their eyes on you."
"Do with me as you like," I replied; "I am in your hands entirely."
"Then, with your permission, we will set to work at once. I have taken the liberty of bringing a few things with me. You have an old-fashioned frock coat, I presume."
"A very old-fashioned one," I answered, with a laugh.