Dornford Yates

“ I asked what it was, but they knew no more than I. Well, I don't know what they mean, but perhaps you do. If you do, I wish you'd instruct me fully and not hold something back. It makes a man look such a fool... I drove to the chateau.
At the lodge the caretakers met me to say that Miss Landfall hoped I would go to the second gate.
As I got out, Diana stepped down the drive.
It was a magnificent morning, full of hoar-frost. She was all rosy and glowing, and her eyes were like gray stars.
For a moment we looked at each other, with the old, iron gates in between. ”

“ I frowned.
"England's no place for men of their age," said I. "And France is worse." I picked up a sheet of paper and wrote down George Lustre's name and his City address. "If they go to him," I continued, "one week from to-day and tell him they've closed your depot, he'll talk to them about Rhodesia and offer them two thousand apiece for the next five years. By that time, they should have made good: and, if they feel they must, in another five years they can begin to pay him back." ”

“ It's not a job you can tackle from this side of the Channel alone. And the French police will not help. They say they will, but they don't—because they're not going to stop any money which comes into France. We've tried using private police, but they're absurdly expensive and out of their depth."
"That I can believe," said I. "You want me to take it on?"
"I lay it before you," said George. "I don't think it's work you need shy at, because England's silk industry is like a poor, sick man that's trying to rise, and these infernal smugglers are helping to hold him down." ”

“ Too often for my liking—and I dare say for that of the smugglers—the moon shone, clear and luminous, but now and again a long rack would blot it out and for that time would make the night seem darker than pitch itself. ”

“ Now a car was, of course, always used to take the silk from the depot down to the sea, and, if we could identify the car that had left a depot as the one which within the hour was feeding a launch, that was evidence against the depot which nobody could possibly contest. ”

“ At that, they shrugged their shoulders and turned away, and I was examining the wing, when the wheel-cap caught my eye.
Clean across this lay a smear of bright red paint.
I looked up to see Miss Landfall on the pavement beyond.
"Diana!" I cried. "Diana!" And took off my hat.
She regarded me steadily from the farther side of the car.
"I see you're a man of your word," she said. ”

“ It only remained to connect the launch with the chateau; and that we were to do this night. Once that had been done, the launch would be taken red-handed upon the English coast, and at the same moment the chateau would be raided by the French.
Satisfactorily to establish such connection was often difficult. For one thing, before the French could be approached, this had to be proved beyond all shadow of doubt, and no assumption, however reasonable, was ever entertained: for another, it was vital that the smugglers should not for one instant suspect that we were at hand. ”

“ I tell you, I've lost everything. And if those fools with the hose don't do better than they've done up to now, I suppose the garage will go, and I shall lose my car. How are you off?"
"Oh, I'm all right," said I, "I only had a dressing-case with me and I brought that along."
As I spoke, I looked down to the pavement.
My dressing-case was gone.
I do not think I should have been human, if I had not sworn audibly.
"What's the matter?" said the girl.
"Oh, nothing," said I. "Only, those wallahs with the hose aren't the only fools here to-night. Let's—let's get out of this, shall we?" ”

“ I entered the car and she took her seat at the wheel.
"To the police-station?" she said, with half a laugh.
"No," said I. "To the hotel, where I set you down. If you will allow me, I should like to give you lunch."
*****
"You will please understand, Diana, three very important things. The first is that I am responsible to no man and that whether I call in the police or do not call them in is entirely my affair. I am in receipt of no pay and under no obligation. Secondly, whatever the result of this interview, your depot is going to close. ”

“ And that is not the way of gates that are never used. Besides, I had seen the mark of a tire in the little lane.
Now whether the gates would be opened, before the car left the stables, I could not tell: but, in any event, so narrow was the lane that the turning out of the drive was very sharp and would have to be taken slowly and with the greatest care. My plan was, therefore, to lie hid within the gates and to paint the off hind wheel-cap either while the gates were being opened, or as the car was turning into the lane.
When it was dark, I left Rouen, taking the road to the coast. ”

“ Then the police came up and told me that I was to blame for leaving my car.
"It's not my car," I said, "but whoever owns it has a claim against that man." I pointed to the driver of the horse. "And if you do your duty, you'll take his name and address." ”

“ Therefore I place a condition on the offer I have made. I shall remain in Rouen until I hear from Lustre that the depot is closed, but, if during that time, or at any time hereafter, you make any attempt to find me, the payments to be made to your brothers will instantly cease."
In silence we left the hotel and I put her into the car.
Then I lifted my hat and walked away.
*****
Ten days had gone by before George Lustre wrote.
... Two excellent fellows, the Landfalls. As you surmised, they've not the faintest idea who their benefactor may be. ”

“ As it was leaving its depot, one of the Court Cards would mark a wheel-cap of the car with a dash of red paint. This badge it would carry to the coast, and there, while the business of lading the launch was going on, another Court Card would first touch the wheel-cap with a handkerchief and then, clean the cap with spirit so that no trace at all of the paint remained. ”

“ If I show them my car, they'll probably lend me enough to buy us some clothes, but we shan't be able to leave before to-morrow.'"
COURT CARDS
By DORNFORD YATES
Author of "The Stolen March," "As Other Men Are," "And Five were Foolish," "Berry and Co,," "Jonah and Co.," etc. ”