E. Phillips Oppenheim

“ Dredlinton thrust his hands into his pockets and returned to his seat.
“I don't want to lose my temper,” he said. “I am perfectly cool, as you see now, Inspector—but put yourself in my position. Don't you think it's enough to make a man furious to have an official from Scotland Yard come into his house here in the heart of London and warn him that he is in danger of being kidnaped?” ”

“ Phipps' message?... We've made up our minds to sell wheat—sell it.... What the devil does it matter to you why? We are selling it to save—" Wingate's pistol had stolen from his pocket. Rees glared at it for a moment and then went on: “To save an injunction from the government. We have private information. They have determined to find our dealings in wheat illegal. Yes: Mr. Phipps meant what he said—sixty shillings. Use all our long-distance wires. How long will it take you?... A quarter of an hour? When you've got the message through, ring us up. Where are we? Why, at Lord Dredlinton's house. ”

“ I don't think that any woman could have lived with you as long as I have and not want to get rid of you. On the other hand, as you know—as in your heart you know perfectly well,” she went on, “I have remained a faithful wife to you, and it is not my intention to have you take advantage of a situation for which you were entirely responsible. You will have to remember, Henry, that the reason for my leaving your house in the middle of the night will hardly help your case.” ”

“ Don't you think that, some day soon, one person will have what another covets, and the world will rock again to the clash of arms?”
“We are all selfish,” Josephine murmured. “Life closes in around us, and we are mostly concerned with what may happen in our own time. I think that for as long as we live, peace is assured.”
“I am sure I hope so,” Sarah declared, I should hate Jimmy to have to go and fight again.”
“What sort of husband does he make?” Wingate inquired.
“Wonderful!” Sarah acknowledged, with emphasis.
Phipps bit the end off his cigar a little savagely. ”

“ Phipps growled.
“I admit nothing of the sort. I am simply speculating as to the possible cause of his disappearance. If I had anything to do with it, those would be my terms. To-morrow they might be the same: perhaps the next day. But,” he went on, “the day after would probably be too late. There are a great many hungry people in the North. There is one in London who is beginning to feel the pangs.”
“You are ill-treating him!” Phipps cried passionately. “I shall go to Scotland Yard——”
“My dear fellow,” Wingate scoffed. “you have done that already. ”

“ Dredlinton threatened. “The man's mad!”
“The man is in earnest,” Phipps growled, “What are your terms? You must state them sooner or later.”
“Agreed,” Wingate replied. He pointed to the loaf of bread. “The cost of that loaf is, I believe, to be exact, one and tenpence ha'penny—one and tenpence ha'penny to poor people. When you sign an authority to sell wheat in sufficient bulk to bring the cost down to sixpence, you can have the loaf and go as soon as the sale is finished. ”

“ Wingate replied, “have brought the loaf which should cost the working man. a matter of seven pence up to two shillings. If you were to sell wheat at forty-five per cent. less than to-day's, price, I should think it extremely likely that Stanley Rees would be able to dine with you to-morrow night.”
“You are talking like a madman,” Phipps declared. “It would mean ruin.”
“How sad!” Wingate murmured. “All the same. I do not think that you will see your nephew again until you have sold wheat.” ”

“ Her husband closed the door carefully behind her.
“Wingate,” he invited, “sit down and smoke a cigar with me. Let us have a reasonable chat. I am convinced that there is nothing for us to quarrel about.”
“Since when have you come to that conclusion, Lord Dredlinton?”
“Since our interview at the office.”
“You mean when you tried to blackmail me into selling my shipping shares?”
Dredlinton frowned.
“'Blackmail' is not a word to be used between gentlemen,” he protested. “Look here: Can't you behave like decent fellow—an ordinary human being, you know? ”

“ Wingate shook his head.
“I am afraid, Lord Dredlinton,” he said, “that you are in the hands of your fellow directors. One may not be released without the others. Directly you can induce Mr. Phipps and Mr. Rees to see reason you will all three be restored to liberty.”
Phipps lurched toward him with furious gesture. Wingate only smiled a he threw himself into his easy chair.
“Wheat is falling very slowly,” he announced. “Everyone is waiting for the B. & I. to sell. You may go now, Grant,” he added; “I will take up the watch myself.” ”

“ He had to pass the table at which Wingate was presiding, and it chanced that Josephine, looking up, met his eyes. There was a moment's hesitation in her mind. Women are always merciful when happy. Josephine was very happy, and Peter Phipps showed signs in his bearing and in the lines upon his face that he was not the man of six months ago. She smiled very slightly and bowed, a greeting which Phipps returned with a smile which was almost of gratitude. The Cabinet minister, who had met Phipps and remembered little of his history, followed Josephine's lead ”

“ Wingate's eyes flashed his thanks. He drew a little sigh of relief, and deliberately tore the agreement which he had been holding in half. Dredlinton leaned over the desk and snatched at the telephone-receiver.
“My God, then,” he exclaimed furiously, “I'll keep my word! Mayfair six-seven. I'll drag you through the dust, my lady,” he went on.
Phipps shook his head sorrowfully.
“My friend,” he said, “put down the telephone. Let us talk the matter out squarely.”
“No!” Dredlinton shouted. “You are too much out for compromises, Phipps. There are times when one must strike.... Exchange! ”

“ All the apparent good humor had faded from Phipps' face.
“Dredlinton,” he insisted, “you must use your authority. That message is a private one. It must not be read.”
Dredlinton moved to Josephine's side.
“Give me that message, madam,” he demanded.
He snatched at it. Wingate reached over and swung him to one side.
“Let Lady Dredlinton read the cable,” he said.
“It is a night message from New York,” she said. “Listen: 'Confirm eleven steamers Monarch Line withdrawn Japan trade loading secretly huge wheat cargo for Liverpool. Confirm John Wingate, Milan Court, holds controlling influence. ”

“ In the middle of the table, just beyond their reach, Wingate, leaning over them, placed the loaf of bread.
“I am now,” he announced, standing a little back, “going to tell Grant to release your gags. You will probably all try shouting. I can assure you that it is quite hopeless. This room looks out, you know, upon a courtyard. Every person under this roof is in my employ. There is no earthly chance of your being heard by anyone. Now, Grant!”
The man unfastened the gags—first Phipps', then Rees's, and finally Dredlinton's. ”

“ The butler ushered in a tall, thin man.
“Inspector Shields, my lord, he announced.
XXXIV Lord Dredlinton's impatience was almost feverish. One would have imagined that Stanley Rees had been one of his dearest friends, instead of a young man whom he rather disliked.
“Come in, Inspector,” he invited. “Come in. Glad to see you. Any news?”
“None whatever, my lord,” was the laconic reply.
Dredlinton's face fell. He looked at his visitor, speechless for a moment. The inspector gravely saluted Josephine, and accepted the chair to which she waved him. ”

“ All the same, I wouldn't have had anyone but you and Jimmy to dinner to-night. I wasn't at all sure how things would turn out. Besides, it isn't everyone I'd care to ask into this dungeon of a room.”
“I was wondering why we were here, Josephine,” Sarah remarked, looking round her. “It used to be one of your hospital-rooms, surely?”
“The other rooms want turning out, dear. I knew you wouldn't mind.”
There are women as well as men who have learned the art of a sociable silence. Josephine and Sarah finished their cigarettes and their coffee in a condition of reflective ease. ”

“ Wingate admitted “with the possible exception of the latter part. Believe me, Pete Phipps, you are a great deal more likely to see the inside of a prison than I am. You will be a poor man presently, and poor men of your type are desperate.” ”

“ Kendrick asked.
“Lady Dredlinton, certainly.”
“I'll turn up soon after one. And, Wingate, don't think I'm a croaker, but I know Peter Phipps.”
Wingate's luncheon-party had been arranged for some days, and was being given, in fact, at the suggestion of Lady Amesbury herself.
“I am a perfectly shameless person,” she declared, as she took her seat by Wingate's side at the round table in the middle of the restaurant. “I invited myself to this party. I always do. I do love lunching in a restaurant,” she confided to Kendrick, who sat at her other side. ”

“ Wingate looked across at him, his eyes like points of steel.
“You did ill to remind me of that, Phipps,” he said. “However, I will answer your question. It is still the girl.”
Illustration: Dredlinton had fallen with his head and shoulders upon the table. Phipps was sitting bolt upright. Rees was leaning far back in his chair. His fingers clenched round the butt of his pistol. Wingate rose to his feet.
“She was nothing to you,” Phipps muttered.
“One can't make your class of reptile understand these things, Wingate declared scornfully. ”

“ Peter Phipps groaned, “but he's attaching as much as he can get hold of. And to think of that old devil, Skinflint Martin scenting the trouble and getting off to Buenos Aires! The best part of half a million he got off with. Pig! Stanley, this may be our last season at Monte Carlo. We shall have to draw in.”
“One month more of the British & Imperial,” Stanley Rees sighed, “and we should both have been millionaires. ”

“ Jimmy acknowledged.
“I don't understand much about business affairs,” Sarah remarked, “but the B. & I. does seem to be a remarkably unpopular undertaking, doesn't it?”
“The B. & I. is only an ordinary business concern,” Dredlinton insisted. “We have a right to make money if we are clever enough to do it. We speculate in lots of other things besides wheat, and we have our losses to face as well as our profits. ”

“ Kendrick became thoughtful.
“Queer thing,” he remarked, “that young Rees should have disappeared just as the B. & I. has become a feature on 'Change. He was Phipps' right-hand man in finance matters.”
“Disappearances in London seem a little out of date,” Wingate remarked, as he scrutinized the dish which the maître d'hôtel had brought for his inspection. “The missing person generally turns up and curses the scaremonger. Lady Amesbury, this chicken Maryland is one of our favorite American dishes——”
After his guests had departed, Wingate had a few minutes alone with Josephine. ”

“ The market is never sure of our principals. Sometimes, when they have bought most largely, they have remained inactive for a few days beforehand, on purpose to depress prices.”
“Do people believe in—their disappearance?”
“Not down here—in the City, I mean,” Harrison replied grimly. “To be frank with you, the market suspects a plant.”
“Let me,” Wingate suggested, “give you my impression as to the disappearance of three of your directors. ”

“ Wingate ruminated—and waited.
“The general policy of the firm is, as you are aware, to buy,” Harrison continued thoughtfully. “That policy has naturally been suspended during the last forty-eight hours. There are rumors, too, of a large shipment of wheat from an unexpected source, by some steamers which we had failed to take account of. Prices are dropping every hour.” ”

“ Wingate looked at him contemptuously.
“Get home to your kennel, Phipps,” he ordered.
Then he slammed the door and locked it.
XXIII “Another strange face,” Sarah remarked, looking after the butler who had just brought in the coffee. “I thought you were one of those women, Josephine, who always keep their servants.”
Josephine stirred her coffee thoughtfully.
“Henry has been having one of his bad weeks,” she said. “He has been absolutely impossible to everyone. He threatened to give every servant in the house notice the other day because his bell wasn't answered, so I took him at his word. ”

“ Phipps protested.
“We are wasting time,” Wingate declared, a little shortly. “It is better that we have a complete understanding. Get this into your head,” he went on, drawing a long, ugly-looking pistol from his trousers pocket and displaying it. “This is an automatic pistol. ”