She Painted her Face (18 page)

And then, at last, the blade slid under the prong.

What happened I do not know, for I never examined the strap, but I know I was trying to lever the prong from its place and the buckle was turning with it and spoiling my game, when, all of a sudden, the strap went slack on my wrists and I knew I was free.

At once I saw that the first thing for me to do was to free myself from the cord which put my lady in peril whenever I moved.

With my eyes upon Virgil and Elgar I felt for the knot at my waist. This I found and untied. Then I made a bow-knot in its stead, which I could undo in a flash whenever I pleased. Then I saw that, for better or worse, I must not launch my attack until the car was at rest, for if, in the struggle, the car was to leave the road, Caroline, bound hand and foot, might fare very ill.

And then I remembered that Percy Virgil was armed.

This showed me that, come what might, I must deal with him first, else, whilst I was dealing with Elgar, he might very well put me out.

And there, without any warning, our lights were "dipped" and Virgil reduced his speed.

Till now I had been too much engaged to observe our way, and now I could see next to nothing from where I sat; but the road was rough and winding, and though there were trees on the right, there were none on the left. Wheresoever we might be bound for, I judged we were nearly there, and I held myself all ready to strike the instant we stopped.

I have said that the night was dark, and since we were sunk in some valley which ran north and south, we were denied the glow which heralds the rising moon. Still, I could see some six feet— and that was more than I needed to do what had to be done.

And there, as though In reply, the car passed over some rise and then swept into surroundings of which I shall always think as the mouth of Hell.

In a flash the world was transfigured.

The air, which had been sweet, became the breath of corruption reeked of decay; the sudden chill of a morgue displaced the pleasant cool of the summer night; the steady purr of the engine changed to a snarl; and the darkness became so thick that I could not have seen my hand In front of my face. Then I knew that we were on cobbles, and, when I lifted my head, I saw the lines of three ridge-poles against the sky. We were In the great court of some mansion, long uninhabited.

(Here I should say that, by rights, the lamps of the car should have helped; but they were so deep and so trained that their light was concentrated, as that of a torch, and neither the beams which they threw nor the apron of light which they spread did anything more than hold the eye, when it found them, and so Increase the darkness they did not actually touch.)

Now what possessed Elgar to do it I do not know; but, as the car came to rest and I rose to my feet, the man slewed round in his seat and dropped down a hand for Caroline's dressing-case. As he heaved this up it struck me under the knees and, because I was rising and was neither up nor down, the blow made me lose my balance and sent me backwards into the seat I had left. Since this was low and tilted, I as good as fell on to my back, and before I could rise again Percy Virgil was out of the car on the opposite side.

Not that I saw him— the darkness was far too dense. And so, at least, I knew that I had not been seen. But I knew where he was, for I heard him using my name.

"The, er, cemetery, Mr. Exon. It's better known as Palfrey— the place which Jezebel mentioned at dinner tonight. Nobody ever comes here, because it is said to be cursed. But, blessed or cursed, it has a magnificent well. Ninety feet deep, Mr. Exon. And fifty-two feet of water— I measured it yesterday. And its parapet is of white marble— at least, it used to be white— and it has three statues about it— statues of men in armour, leaning upon their swords. How's that for a sepulchre? I wish you could see it, Mr. Exon. I'm standing beside it now. Elgar, you see, has gone to borrow some stones— to go into the dressing-case. As anchors go, it wasn't quite heavy enough—"

By now my door was open, and I was half out of the car, with Caroline in my arms.

"You see, we shall lower that first, and that will be attached to my cousin's feet. And then we shall lower her; and as she's already attached, that will bring us directly to you."

I was on the cobbles now, and was stealing the way we had come. I never found it so hard to turn my back on a man; but Caroline had to be saved before anything else.

"And so you see, Mr. Exon—"

And there I saw Elgar approaching against the dusk prevailing without the court.

For a second I hesitated. Then I laid Caroline down and twitched the cord from my waist. And then I went to meet Elgar, who could not see me. And, as I went, I ripped the gag from my mouth.

He must have found the case heavy, for when I was almost upon him, he laid it down for a moment, to rest his arm.

As he straightened his back, I took the man by the throat.

Still gripping his throat, I lowered his weight to the ground. Then I cracked his skull on the cobbles and let him go. The sound was slight enough, but Percy Virgil heard it— and found it strange.

For an instant there was dead silence.

Then:

"Is that you, Elgar?" he cried and brought my heart into my mouth.

I had meant to approach him forthwith, as Elgar would have approached him, bearing the dressing case But now Elgar's failure to answer would tell him that something was wrong, and, once his suspicions were roused, it would be but a matter of moments before he discovered the truth. And my lady was still within range!

In a flash I had whipped to where I had laid her down. As I stooped:

"What in heaven— " screeched Virgil— and told me he knew we were gone

My hands encountered nothing— Caroline was not there Being bound, she could not have moved, yet she was not there. For an instant my heart stood still, and then I saw that, because of the darkness, I must be a foot or so out I felt to the right— to the left. I took a pace forward and stepped on a rotten stick. Its snap declared my presence, and I shot a glance at the car.

I could, of course, see nothing except the beam of its lights. Virgil was quiet as death. Death! The man was armed and Caroline lay hereabouts. Hereabouts, but where? I fell on my hands and knees and began to crawl, sweeping the cobbles before me with one of my hands It was just about here— I knew lt. More to the right perhaps. No? Then I must have passed her. I made my way back. As I went. I cast to and fro frantically. And then my hand brushed something— the sole of her shoe. My heart leaped up to heaven— and then fell down into hell. It was not her shoe. It was that of the man I had killed— from whose side I had set out to find her a moment ago.

What that discovery meant took a year from my life, for it meant that before the darkness I was a broken reed, and when I looked to the headlights to get my bearings afresh, their beam was gone.

I shook the sweat from my eyes and tried to think what to do. And since my thoughts were frenzied and mostly poisoned by the knowledge of what I ought to have done, I will not recite them here, but will state what, upon reflection— if, indeed, you can give it that name— I set out to do I set out to find Percy Virgil.

The man would not look for his cousin. He would assume, with reason, that she was out of his range for the moment at any rate— But he knew that I was still there, because of the snap of the stick. And if he could find Richard Exon before Richard Exon found him, he might even yet save the game because he was armed I did not have to be told that he was standing or moving, pistol in hand. And if he was moving— and if, as he moved, he discovered Caroline Virgil— he would not have to fire; he need only tighten the halter about her neck; and then pass on in silence in search of Richard Exon, who left his helpless darling to care for herself.

I stifled a groan and felt again for the corpse. Then I picked up the lines of the ridge-poles against the sky. And then I began to steal forward to where. I believed, was the car.

I wish that I could describe the blindness that ruled that court.

Heaven knows what disorder of nature provoked such gloom, but the place was steeped in a darkness which I had never conceived I can well believe Palfrey was cursed, for I never yet heard of shadows to which the eye of man could not accustom itself. But here I could see no better than I had seen when I first drove into the court— And when I say I might have been blindfold, I say no more than the truth

Now I had seen Elgar coming because he was silhouetted against the dusk which was keeping the world without. And since I had no wish to offer to Virgil the target which Elgar had offered to me. I dropped to the cobbles and once more began to crawl

This horrid uncertainty sent me half out of my mind. The thought that, for all I knew, I was actually creeping by inches away from the car pricked me into a frenzy which I could scarcely control, and more than once I almost made up my mind to get up and run to where I believed it to be.

And then I heard Virgil move.

The man was away to my right, and his foot had touched something that stirred— I think, perhaps, a flinder of broken slate— I shall never forget that almost imperceptible sound that stood up out of the silence to make me a finger-post, for it was so slight, yet commanded the balance of life and death

With a hammering heart I turned at once to my right, no longer pausing to listen, but using the utmost care to deny to Virgil the cue he had given to me

Before I had covered six feet, my outstretched hand met something that did not belong to the court. It might have been a silk tassel.

And then I knew I was touching Caroline's hair

I could have wept for relief.

Now had I not been sure that Virgil was near, I would have picked her up and run for the woods: but he must have heard me moving and almost at once have seen me against the dusk, and then we should have been at his mercy, because he was armed. And so I determined that we must both stay where we were, unless and until something happened to make it less dangerous to move.

To show her that it was I, I smoothed her hair and held her hands tight in mine Then, very gently, I eased the knot from her throat and lifted the cord from her neck. That done, it seemed best to bestride her, as though I were a man in some battle bestriding his fallen chief, for so, if Virgil came up. I stood more chance of saving her precious life; and when I had strained my ears, but had heard no sound, I put down my hands and began to unfasten the cord which was binding her wrists.

Her blessed hands were free, and her fingers, as though to thank me were fast about mine when something moved upon her directly below my face. It was a sliding movement upon the breast of her frock, for I was standing across her, with my back to her feet. As it moved. I felt her stiffen; and so I knew it had nothing to do with her; and when I put down a hand I found that it was the halter which had been about her neck.

As I touched it it moved again and told me the truth.

Percy Virgil was feeling the other end.

For once my brain worked quickly. Virgil had found the cord and knew what it was. And now he was testing it— to see if both ends were free. If I gradually took the strain he would believe it still fast to Caroline's neck, and would lead himself up to his quarry, hand over hand. Up to his helpless quarry? Up to his doom.

I took the loop in my hand and set out to play my fish.

He came with a rush at the last, and, with both of his hands on the cord, he had no chance. Before the man knew where he was I had his wrists.

His hands were empty. No doubt, when he found the cord, he had put his pistol away. Be that as it may he was finished. The snake was scotched.

Of course he fought like a madman. And l— l laughed In his face. It was he that had lent me a strength which was not of this world. I think, had I pleased. I could have torn his arms from their sockets and tossed them across the court.

I let him fight in silence. And when he was spent I spoke to Caroline, lying two paces away.

"Stay where you are, my lady, and take out your gag."

She answered at once.

"It's out, and my feet are free. You haven't forgotten Elgar?"

"I've dealt with Elgar," I said "Can you make out the mouth of the court?"

"I think so. It's lighter there."

"That's right. Can you manage to walk? Or are your ankles too stiff?"

"I'm quite all right," she answered. "I'm standing now."

"Then listen," said I. "I want you to leave the court. When you're clear of it. wait for me. I may be a little while, because of this cursed dark; but—"

"Let me stay here, I beg you."

"No," I said firmly. "I can't have you on in this scene.'

"Richard, I'm frightened. Supposing—"

"Only one thing can help Virgil now. And that is your disobedience to what I say."

There was a moment's silence. Then:

"Very well," said Caroline shakily.

"Let me hear you move," said I.

I heard her turn and start moving towards the mouth of the court.

"Come," said I to Virgil. "Let's look for the sepulchre."

With that, I turned him about, without loosing his wrists. While I think that he tried to prevent me, I cannot be sure, for his efforts counted with me no more than the play of a child; but, in any event, once turned he could struggle no more, for, now that his arms were twisted, the slightest attempt to resist me entailed unbearable pain. Then I urged him before me towards what I thought was the well.

Now I meant to find that well. If it took me an hour and a half; and so, as is often the way, I found it almost at once. At last I found the car, which was near enough— or, rather, my prisoner found it, by fouling one of its wings. Slowly I steered him round it. And so, a few moments later, we stood by the side of the well.

To be sure, I circled this, brushing the parapet's side and counting the three stone statues of men-at-arms —with Virgil always moving before me, because I had hold of his wrists. And then I turned him round and bent him over its edge.

"I'm going to kill you," I said, "because it's not safe to let you live. If it was safe, I'd thrash you within an Inch of your life, and then call in the police and give them the inch that was left. But you have taught me tonight that, while you are still in being, your cousin will always go in danger of death. And so, for once in a way, I'll take a leaf out of your book, and go all lengths."