"Yes, if you wish. I have a cab waiting. Leave a note for these people here explaining your absence. Then put on your things and come with me.
I will explain everything as we go along."
A few minutes later they were seated side by side, driving to the same obscure quarter of the town which had long ago been reached by the Spanish anarchist Alvedero.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.
In a shabby room of a shabby house in one of the most obscure quarters of Madrid, five men were sitting. They were Contraras, Zorrilta, Alvedero, Moreno, and Somoza, the fisherman of Fonterrabia.
"Guy Rossett is here, in the next room." It was Moreno who spoke. He turned to the fisherman. "Has he recovered sufficiently, Somoza?"
The fisherman answered: "He was still a little bit dazed a minute ago when I left him. The handkerchief I flung over his face contained a pretty strong dose. I should give him another ten minutes before he is ready to face the tribunal."
The capture had been easy. Guy Rossett, reckless of danger, had left his flat to pay his visit to Isobel Clandon. Two members of the Secret Police were ready to accompany him. Fearful of compromising Isobel, he had rather roughly dispensed with their services. Reluctantly, they had obeyed him. They agreed between themselves that an Englishman was always pig-headed, a bit of a dare-devil, and inclined to take risks.
Guy walked carelessly along. He was in rather good spirits. He had received that day a cheerful note from Moreno that everything was going well, that very soon the heads of the anarchist movement in Spain would be laid by the heels.
Of course, in this letter, Moreno did not explain his methods. If he had done so, Guy might not have been in quite such high spirits.
For at this moment, playing his very difficult game of saving Guy Rossett, saving himself and Violet Hargrave, and also snaring the anarchists, Moreno could only give his full confidence to one man, his old friend and companion, Maurice Farquhar.
As a matter of fact, Rossett never knew what had really taken place that night. He was never told that Moreno knew of his projected visit to Isobel that evening, from a random remark of hers dropped in the afternoon--that he had set Somoza and another tall Biscayan fisherman to follow him, for the purpose of bringing him to the house where the heads of the anarchist movement were a.s.sembled in solemn conclave.
Rossett walked gaily along. He would have a precious hour with Isobel.
In a dark street two men came up behind him. One pinioned his arms from behind. Somoza pressed a saturated handkerchief over his face. In a few seconds the unfortunate young diplomatist was drugged and helpless.
A cab, driven by a member of the brotherhood, had crawled slowly after the two men. As soon as the driver saw what had happened, he drove rapidly up. The two powerful men lifted the inert body into the vehicle. He was partially recovered when they halted at the house where the tribunal of five was sitting to p.r.o.nounce judgment on the man who had dared to thwart their plans.
They locked him in a room adjoining that in which Contraras was presiding over the deliberations of his five trusted lieutenants. After locking him in securely, Somoza went to report the matter to Moreno.
His colleague, the other Biscayan fisherman, remained on guard outside the closed door, for fear of untoward accidents. Rossett was a powerful man.
Contraras, with his fine intellectual face, his hair in places turning from iron-grey to white, looked the embodiment of dignified justice.
Perhaps, in his warped and fanatical mind, he believed he was.
He spoke in his most judicial accents. "n.o.body shall ever say that he has not had a fair trial, when brought up before the tribunal of the brotherhood. We will wait an hour, if it is necessary, for this misguided young man to recover his senses." Moreno, who had arrived the last of the party, looked round with a sudden start. "Where is our comrade, Violet Hargrave?"
Contraras hastened to explain. "Ah! of course you have not heard.
Alvedero went to bring her here, according to arrangement. He found her stretched on the sofa, motionless and inanimate. He thinks she is in a dying condition. He is going round to inquire after these proceedings are over."
"This is very sad," said Moreno, in his gravest manner. "And she is such a nice woman personally, and so devoted to the Cause, through the influence of Jaques. I wonder,"--he cast an inquiring look at Alvedero--"if, by any chance, she drinks or drugs. Many apparently nice women do!" Alvedero shook his big head. "I doubt it. I should say a seizure of some sort. Perhaps her heart is weak. She looks a little fragile."
Moreno, for obvious reasons, did not pursue the subject. Violet Hargrave"s absence had evidently excited no comment, no suspicion.
A quarter of an hour had elapsed. Somoza was deputed to enter the locked room and ascertain the condition of the prisoner. Contraras was resolved to proceed justly, according to his interpretation of the word justice.
Somoza returned after his inspection, and reported that the effects of the saturated handkerchief had worn off. Guy Rossett was in a sense clothed in his right mind. He was fit to face the tribunal.
The members of the conclave a.s.sumed masks. Somoza had worn a mask when he had entered the locked room. Whatever happened, it was essential that Guy Rossett should not be able to identify any one of them.
The prisoner, or captive, whatever he might be called, was brought in.
In the cab he had been bound securely round the legs and wrists, but not painfully. He was a.s.sisted to a chair by the masked Somoza, where he sat facing his judges.
His face was a little pale, due to the effects of the chloroform, but his demeanour was firm. He felt himself in a very tight corner, but he had been a.s.sured so often by Moreno that he need never despair. A good angel, in the shape of Moreno himself, was watching over him.
He cast his glance rapidly over the masked men confronting him. Where was the black-browed young journalist whom he had known in old days?
Yes, there on the right, nearest to the door. Had that position been chosen by accident or design? He recognised at once the short, squat figure. Through the holes of the mask, he could see the gleam of those dark eyes. His demeanour would be more indomitable than ever.
Contraras opened the proceedings in his most judicial manner.
"Mr Rossett, you will recognise that you are now at the mercy of the brotherhood, against whom for some time you have directed your activities."
"Quite true," replied Guy Rossett in his curtest manner. Whatever fate was in store for him, he was not going to knuckle under to this crew of bloodthirsty ruffians.
Contraras continued in his calm, imperturbable manner.
"I cannot say that, up to the present, you have done us very much harm, but still you are a menace to our schemes, our aspirations."
"I am pleased to hear that I am of sufficient importance to justify this mock tribunal." Rossett waved his hand contemptuously at the masked men sitting in judgment on him.
The eyes of Contraras flashed through his mask. He took his position very seriously.
"Mr Rossett, let me advise you, in your own interests, not to carry matters with too high a hand. Kindly recognise your position. If you were seated in the Calle Fernando el Santo, I admit you would be top dog. At the present moment the brotherhood, here in this obscure house, in this obscure quarter of the city of Madrid, is in that enviable situation."
A bitter retort was on Rossett"s lips, but he thought he perceived an almost imperceptible gesture of warning from the short, squat figure in the corner near the door. He temporised.
"The fortunes of war, I admit, are with you, sir. I am sorry I have not the advantage of knowing whom I have the honour to address."
Contraras was, at heart, a gentleman. He felt the sting of the rebuke.
"Mr Rossett, if you come into line with us to-night, I may deal with you quite frankly. Before we separate, you may know as much about me as I do about you."
There was an obvious movement on the part of Zorrilta and Alvedero.
They evidently thought their chief was going too far.
Contraras hushed the incipient rebellion with an authoritative wave of his hand.
"Gentlemen, kindly leave me to deal with this matter. Mr Rossett and I will understand each other in a very few moments."
He turned towards the young diplomatist, still undaunted in the midst of this hostile crowd.
"Mr Rossett, you have much to lose by opposing us--perhaps life itself.
By withdrawing from this unequal contest--and, believe me, it is unequal--you have much to gain."
"I am not so sure it is unequal," answered Guy Rossett stubbornly. He had perceived too late the warning signal of Moreno, anxious that the somewhat uncertain Contraras should not be deflected from his present calm, judicial mood.
But Contraras kept his temper. "Mr Rossett, you are a young man, with life, a happy and prosperous life, before you. I know a great deal about you; it is my business to know much about other people. You are engaged to a very charming girl, you will inherit a great fortune from a wealthy aunt."
"And, if you could establish your principles," broke in Guy, speaking with some heat, "you might take away from me my fiancee--you would certainly rob me of my fortune."