Her eyes opened wide, like those of a child who has been promised a very big box of chocolates indeed.
"Can do," she said, holding out a pretty little hand which flying had in no way roughened or distorted. I took it, and so the bargain was made.
Soon afterwards more guests began to arrive, and the great hall was full of laughing, chattering figures, among whom were several people that I knew. However, I was in no mood for society or small talk and I retired to my own room and sat dreaming before a comfortable fire until Preston came in and told me it was time to dress.
I was ashamed to ask him if the Morses had arrived, but I went downstairs into a large yellow drawing-room half full of people, and looked round eagerly.
Lady Stileman was standing by one of the fireplaces talking to Miss Boynton, and I went up to them. Apparently it was a wonderful year for "birds," as partridges, and partridges alone, are called in Norfolk.
They had hatched out much later than usual, hence the waiting until the middle of September, but covies were abnormally large and the young birds already strong upon the wing. Fortunately Lady Stileman did all the talking; I smiled, looked oracular and said "Quite so" at intervals.
My eye was on the drawing-room door which led out into the hall. Once, twice, it opened, but only to admit strangers to me. The third time, when I made sure I should see her for whom I sought, no one came in but a footman in the dark green livery of the house. He carried a salver, and on it was the orange-colored envelope of a telegram.
With a word of excuse Lady Stileman opened it. She nodded to the man to go and then turned to me and Poppy Boynton.
"Such a disappointment," she said. "Mr. Morse and his wonderfully pretty daughter were to have been here, as I think you know. Now he wires to say that business of the utmost importance prevents either him or his daughter coming. Fortunately," the good lady concluded, "he doesn"t shoot, so that won"t throw the guns out. Walter would be furious if that happened."
Arthur and Pat Moore came into the room at that moment, and Arthur told me, an hour or so afterwards, that I looked as if I had seen a ghost, and that my face was white as paper.
CHAPTER SIX
I must now, in the progress of the story, give a brief account of what I may call "The week of rumor," which immediately preceded my disappearance and plunge into the unknown.
I spent a miserable and agitated evening at Cerne Hall, and went early to my room. Arthur and Pat joined me there an hour later and for some time we talked over what the telegram from Morse might mean, until they retired to their own rooms and I was left alone.
I did not sleep a wink--indeed, I made no effort to go to bed, though I took off my clothes and wrapped myself in a dressing-gown. The suspense was almost unbearable, and, failing further news, I determined, at any cost to the shooting plans of my host, to get myself recalled to London by telegram. I felt sure that the whole of my life"s happiness was at stake.
The next morning at nine o"clock, just as I was preparing to go down to breakfast, a long wire was brought to me. It was in our own office cipher, which I was trained to read without the key, and it was signed by Julia Dewsbury. The gist of the message was that there were strange rumors all over Fleet Street about the great towers at Richmond. An enormous sensation was gathering like a thunder cloud in the world of news and would shortly burst. Would I come to London at the earliest possible moment?
How I got out of Cerne Hall I hardly remember, but I did, to the blank astonishment of my host; drove to the nearest station, caught a train which got me to Norwich in half an hour and engaged the swiftest car in the city to run me up to London at top speed. Just after lunch I burst into the office of the _Evening Special_.
Williams and Miss Dewsbury were expecting me.
"It"s big stuff," said the acting editor excitedly, "and we ought to be in it first, considering that we"ve more definite information than I expect any other paper possesses as yet, though it won"t be the case for very long."
I sat down with hardly a word, and nodded to Miss Dewsbury. Her training was wonderful. She had everything ready in order to acquaint me with the facts in the shortest possible s.p.a.ce of time.
She spoke into the telephone and Miss Easey--"Vera" of our "Society Gossip"--came in.
"I have found out, Sir Thomas," she said, "that Mr. Gideon Morse has canceled all social engagements whatever for himself and his daughter.
Miss Dewsbury tells me that it"s not necessary now to say what these were. I will, however, tell you that they extended until the New Year and were of the utmost social importance."
"Canceled, Miss Easey?"
"Definitely and finally _canceled_, both by letter to the various hosts and hostesses concerned, and by an intimation which is already sent to all the London dailies, for publication to-morrow. The notice came up to my room this morning from our own advertising office, for inclusion in "Society Notes"--as you know such intimations are printed as news and paid for at a guinea a line."
"Any reason given, Miss Easey?"
"None whatever in the notices, which are brief almost to curtness.
However, I have been able to see one of the private letters which has been received by my friends, Lord and Lady William Gatehouse, of Banks.
It is courteously worded, and explains that Mr. and Miss Morse are definitely retiring from social life. It"s signed by his secretary."
The invaluable Julia nodded to Miss Easey. She pursed up her prim old mouth, wished me good-morning and rustled away.
"That"s _that_!" said Julia, "now about the towers."
"Yes, about the towers," I said, and my voice was very hoa.r.s.e.
"As my poor friend, Mr. Rolston, discovered," she said bravely, "these monstrous blots upon London are certainly not for the purposes of wireless telegraphy. There are half the journalists in London at Richmond at the present moment, including two of our own reporters, and it is said that on the immense platforms between the towers, a series of extraordinary and luxurious buildings has been erected. It is widely believed that Gideon Morse is out of his mind, and has retired to a sort of una.s.sailable, luxurious hermitage in the sky."
There was a knock at the door and a sub-editor came in with a long white strip just torn from the tape machine. I took it and read that the "Central News Agencies" announces "crowds at base of towers surrounded by a thirty-foot wall. Callers at princ.i.p.al gate are politely received by Boss Mulligan, formerly well-known boxer, United States, now in the service of Gideon M. Morse. Inquirers told that no statement can be issued for publication. Later. Rumor in neighborhood says that towers are entirely staffed by special Chinese servants, large company of which arrived at Liverpool on Thursday last. Growing certainty that towers are private enterprise of one man, Morse, the Brazilian multi-millionaire."
A telephone bell on my table rang. I took it up.
"Is that Sir Thomas? Charles Danvers speaking"--it was the voice of our dapper young Parliamentary correspondent, the nephew of a prominent under-secretary, and as smart as they make them.
"Yes, where are you?"
"House of Commons. Mr. Bloxhame, Member for Budmouth, is asking a question in the House this afternoon about the Richmond Tower sensation.
The Secretary to the Board of Trade will reply. There"s great interest in the lobby. Special edition clearly indicated. Question will come on about four."
I sent every one away and thought for a quarter of an hour. Of course all this absolved me of my promise to Morse. He had played with me, fooled me absolutely and I had been like a babe in his astute hands.
Well, there was no time to think of my own private grievances. My immediate duty was to make as good a show that afternoon and the next day as any other paper. My hope was to beat all my rivals out of the field.
After all, there were nothing but rumors and surmise up to the present.
The news situation might change in a couple of hours, but at the present moment I felt certain that I knew more about the affair than any other man in Fleet Street. I set my teeth and resolved to let old Morse have it in the neck.
Within an hour or so we had an "Extra Edition" on the streets, and during that hour I drew on my own private knowledge and dictated to Miss Dewsbury, and a couple of other stenographers. Poppy Boynton"s experience was a G.o.dsend. I remembered her own vivid words of the night before, and I printed them in the form of an interview which must have satisfied even that delightful girl"s hunger for advertis.e.m.e.nt.
Incidentally, I sent a man from the Corps of Commissionaires down to Cerne in a fast motor-car, with notes for two hundred and fifty in an envelope, and instructions to stop in Regent Street on his way and buy the finest box of chocolates that London could produce--I remember the bill came in a few days afterwards, and if you"ll believe me, it was for seventeen pounds ten!
At four o"clock, while the question was being asked in the House of Commons, and all the other evening papers were waiting the result for their special editions, my "Extra Special" was rushing all over London--the "Extra Special" containing the "First Authentic Description of the City in the Clouds."
"You really are wonderful, Sir Thomas," said Miss Dewsbury, removing her tortoise-sh.e.l.l spectacles and touching her eyes with a somewhat dingy handkerchief, "but where, oh, where is William Rolston?"
"My dear girl," I replied, "from what I"ve seen of William Rolston, I"m quite certain that he"s alive and kicking. Not only that, but we shall hear from him again very shortly."
"You really think so, Sir Thomas?"--the eyes, hitherto concealed by the spectacles, were really rather fascinating eyes after all.
"I don"t _think_ so, I know it. Look here, Miss Dewsbury"--for some reason I couldn"t resist the temptation of a confidence--"this thing, this stunt hits me privately a great deal harder than you can have any idea of. You said that the shadow of the towers was across my path, and you were more right than you knew. Enough said. I think we"ve whacked Fleet Street this afternoon. Well and good. There"s a lot behind this momentary sensation, which I shall never leave go of until it"s straightened out. This is between you and me, not for office consumption, but," I put my hand upon her thin arm, "if I can help in any way, you shall have your Bill Rolston."
She turned her head away and walked to the window. Then she said an astonishing thing.
"If only I could help you to your Juanita!"
"WHAT!" I shouted, "what on earth--"