Bertram Atkey

“ Salaman faced her, speaking gently.
“If you feel that you owe us anything, Mrs. Leahurst, repay us by accepting a word of advice. Dragour is beaten off—for the present. He has lost the papers, but he will not rest satisfied with this defeat. It is only temporary—he will try again for this big plunder, from another angle. You can defeat him once and for all in only one way—and that is by going to your husband and telling him everything. It will have to be that sooner or later. Too many people know your secret—and that unhappy doctor—Allenmore—must have told Dragour everything.” ”

“ You've heard of the Argrath suicide. That was Dragour's work. He ensnared Lady Argrath, and through her ruined her husband. Never mind that now. That's all your wife has to confess—and what you ought to thank God for is this that it's not come too late. You've got back the heirlooms—though they don't matter much—and you're going to get back your wife! I can see how much that matters. She takes this drug, yes—but, compared with many she's hardly more than a novice at the habit. Be glad of that, Barford, for it affects your whole life. Take her away and protect her. ”

“ Kotman Dass blinked dully at his partner over a bookful of hieroglyphic symbols.
“Itt is peretty obvious that thee man Sover was shot by Dragour or one of his creatures,” he mumbled absently, as their man brought in a note for Salaman.
“Why?” demanded the little man.
“Highlee probablee because Dragour suspected him of treacheree—or anticipated that he would turn traitor; maybe also that he had discovered in some way secret of piano keys—too late; maybe he knew too much—thatt can be dangerous fault in people who work for men such as Dragour.” ”

“ She had married John van Allen Leahurst a few months after the birth of her boy, Alwyn, and the death of her first husband, the boy’s father, one George Belton, a handsome scoundrel with whom she had been infatuated and whom she had married secretly—for she knew that it was hopeless to seek her parents’ approval. All that had been fatally easy, for she had at that time been living in London, studying music, and living in a furnished flat with an elderly woman relative so absorbed in her own pursuits that she was worthless as a chaperon. ”

“ He made an attempt to meet Kotman Dass halfway.
“Now look here, you spineless mass,” he said truculently, “will you come as far as the door of the flat and look in—through the chink if you like—bah!—and give me what information you can glean from that? I'll give you my word that I will not use force to make you enter the room.”
“Oah, if you please, noa—I am greatlee preferring not——”
The fiery Salaman ground his teeth.
“Now look here, Dass,” he shouted. “Understand me, once and for all. This man, this monster, Dragour, is an enemy to mankind and he is going to be scotched—like an adder. ”

“ Get the best medical advice you can and act on it—for whatever it is, it's a deadly drug that Dragour uses and it grips body and soul—body and soul. You'll have to fight for her—she'll have to fight for herself—but you'll win, if you like. ”

“ She stared, her white hands gripping, then drew a deep breath as she looked intently at the huge and grotesque partner of Salaman. A sudden light glowed in her eyes and curiously much of the anxiety and terror left her face.
“I see that you are trustworthy men. A woman can come to you for protection and be sure of receiving it.”
“Oah, yess indeed,” said Kotman Dass comfortably. “Little wild birds fly to us and are never afraid, certainlee not. If thee little birds can trust us, what has any woman to fear.” ”

“ Dass had subsided to mere tremors, and Mr. Salaman Chayne proffered him a cigar.
“A good cigar can hurt no man, Kotman Dass,” he said, “no matter how ill he may be.”
“Noa, certainlee not, my dear fellow,” agreed Kotman anxiously.
“Are you feeling better now?” continued Mr. Chayne.
“Oah yess. I was not feeling ill before—but I am feeling much better now, by all means.”
“Well, well—after all, threatened men live long,” said Salaman affably. “Look at me—threatened by that scoundrel Dragour—but I’m still alive, you observe.”
“Oah, yess, veree much alive,” chuckled Kotman Dass nervously. ”

“ I am veree sorree——”
“Cut,” said Salaman, “all that out! heard it before. And listen to me.”
Kotman Dass sat rigid, listening as commanded.
“I was discussing you, Dass, with a doctor at the club last night and he told me quite frankly that if you didn’t take more exercise you’d shortly perish more miserably than the beasts of the field. I questioned him. Of your brains, Dass, he spoke highly—but of your body, your organs—your interior arrangements, in fact—he spoke in terms of withering contempt. ‘The man is a mass,’ he said. ‘He is growing two ways, outward and inward. ”

“ You haven't got the pluck of a dead fowl, but I'll not deny that your brains are fair—very fair. I'll ask you to stretch 'em another trifle, in fact. How will this help me get on the track of Dragour?”
Without an instant's pause the mountainous Mr. Dass replied:
“Oah, see the Lady Barford, get Sover's address from her if possible, tell Sover you have proof of his passing rubies to Dragour, exhibit rubies to him, and make ugly threats till he betrays Dragour—if he can. Veree simple matter. ”

“ Only, time is so pressing, and the danger is so urgent and close, that there is not a moment to spare. I must be quick. Somewhere, in some secret place on this great estate, there are hidden certain papers—papers that in the hands of an enemy would mean my ruin, the life- long unhappiness of my husband and the destruction of my son’s future. An enemy is seeking these papers—they were hidden in a place which he himself named, and even if he has not already possessed himself of them, at any moment an agent of his may come to take them from the hiding place. ”

“ He has a special drug which victims cannot easily obtain except through him—or his agents, for he rarely appears himself. After a period he deprives them of supplies and they become desperate, as drug takers do under deprivation. Then this scoundrel—this pest—the Drugmaster—Dragour, he is called—makes his bargain, always through agents. In the case of Lady Barford, Sover, her jockey, was the agent. He offered to renew her supply of the drug in return for the heirloom rubies. Lady Barford gave Sover the rubies to hand to Dragour. ”

“ The ghostly radiance of the torch wavered again on the background of shadow—the dog barked savagely, and suddenly a pinkish-red flash threw a momentary sinister glare on the dark trees, followed instantly by a sharp, echoing report, and another immediately after it. ”

“ Kotman Dass was a very scared and startled man. He stood up.
“I will goa instantlee for sharp walk round thee square,” he said, but his partner stopped him.
“No, no, Dass. Mere walking round the square won’t help you. You are coming for a motor run into the country with me. We’ll have a good healthy walk on the breezy downs and then motor back to town. That’s the kind of exercise you need to save your life. Strolling out to a seat in the square and sleeping there for an hour won’t do it!” He glanced out of the window.
“Here’s the car—waiting outside already. ”

“ Salaman repeated his news—and instantly Kotman Dass was in a flurry of panic-stricken protest.
“Oah, noa—certainlee I can by no means screw myself to point of visiting room of tragedy. I am veree sorree, dear Mister Chayne, but personal investigation of scene of suicide is out of question for me. I should be so veree afraid that I should be off no service. My brain would refuse stubbornlee to function—owing to intense agitation of nerve centers—which are at all times intenselee responsive and highlee sensitive to immediate outside influence. ”

“ You won't be a slave to any damned drugs if we're always together, my dear. I'll fight it for you—keep you happy and laughing—laughing, girl—like it used to be. You'll see—oh, you'll see. Look up, now, darling—don't cry any more. It's going to be all right!”
She raised her head, and her face, wet with tears, was close to his.
“Oh, Geoff, I am so sorry—so sorry and ashamed and humble. ”

“ Kotman Dass succumbed instantly to his dreadful threat to murder the starling he had so patiently and wonderfully taught to talk. He agreed to go to the flat, as their man Hollerton brought in breakfast.
“Very good, Dass,” said Salaman. “You're doing a sound thing—sound and citizenlike.”
Kotman Dass shook his mighty head sorrowfully.
“It will react seriouslee upon my general health and I shall suffer agonies. I shall be bilious again,” he stated gloomily. “I am always soa after occasions when my nerve centers have been too greatly vibrated by outside influences. ”

“ He has all the room there is for growing outward—but for inward growth he’s restricted like every one else. If he doesn’t take more exercise he will keep growing inward so quickly that he’ll probably grow solid and choke himself!’ Is that clear to you, Dass? ”

“ Goa to your husband, lady, saying the whole truth, thatt you are in coil of perilous serpent who seeks to enlap you with yet more coils to your destruction and, sorrowfully, humbly, ask him to lift you out from thee coil and to protect you from other coils—and tell him thee whole truth. ”

“ Gregory Kiss, a private detective investigating the suicide of Sir James Argrath, had visited the flat in which the suicide had taken place. He found the hall door open and, as no answer to his repeated rings was forthcoming, he had entered, discovering the body of the jockey Sover stretched on the floor of the chief room. ”

“ I do not even know his name, but Lady Barford told me that she thinks he is the same man as troubled her—Dragour was the name she used. He is—is—reaching out for me. The doctor—Doctor Allenmore—was ordered to ste—secure them and hide them. He must have done so—and he was so ashamed that I think he threw himself into the lake immediately after. Life could not have meant very much to him—he was dazed with drugs—or distraught for lack of them. ”

“ Salaman stared at him, hesitated on the brink of an angry outburst, then thought better of it and went over to a handsome upright piano and, raising the lid, ran a finger tip up the line of ivory keys.
“There's your miserable melody,” he said dryly.
Kotman Dass smiled nervously.
“Oah, yess, veree miserable,” he agreed. “Thee piano is seriously out of tune—no tuner has been allowed to work att thatt piano for considerable period of time. Yet it is good, valuable piano.” ”

“ Thatt is the great shield and weapon for all people in trouble—at all times—just onlee to tell thee truth. I have studied veree much all my life long and yet I have not found—and probably may not ever find—greater pearl of wisdom than thiss—that lies are onlee shield of paper but thee truth is a shield of fine steel. ”

“ If you please, I wish to say to you thatt to hide longer thiss tragic secret is same thing as to cast yourself down into deep pit, veree dark and full of snares and many dangers and alarms. I, Kotman Dass, am onlee miserable coward in my body, but itt has been ordained thatt my wits should be perhaps different from those off some men and it is given to me at some times thatt I see things perhaps little clearer than other men. ”

“ There was doctor victim of Dragour who ordered him to steal and hide certain documents in place from which Dragour would fetch them. Thee doctor did thatt obediently and it made him ashamed and he destroyed himself. Thatt is summary.”
Salaman was silent. Kotman Dass turned to Mrs. Leahurst, the big carved black-oak chair creaking under his colossal weight.
“If you please, tell us contents off papers,” he continued in his deep and sonorous voice. “It is not just curiosity. I am veree sorree for you and wish to help you, if you please.” ”

“ Let us say that he hid them at X. Naturalee some distance from castle—Dragour would not desire secret place to be near thee castle.” He drew an X. “Leaving X he remembered overcoat suddenlee. He knew that it would betray him as criminal—he dared not return for it. Deprived off drugs, ill perhaps, and dazed he decided to commit suicide. He threw himself into lake to drown. But in his house not veree far were swift poisons such as every doctor keeps for medicines, each in proper proportions. ”