按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃So long； boys；〃 he said； addressing his late companions。 〃See you
to…night。〃
They accepted his departure in silence； and one and all favoured
Mr。 Sabin with a stare of blatant curiosity。
〃I should be glad to speak with you；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃in a place
where we are likely to be neither disturbed nor overheard。〃
〃You come right across to my office；〃 was the prompt reply。 〃I
guess we can fix it up there。〃
Mr。 Sabin motioned to his coachman； and they crossed Broadway。 His
companion led him into a tall building； talking noisily all the
time about the pals whom he had just left。 An elevator transported
them to the twelfth floor in little more than as many seconds； and
Mr。 Skinner ushered his visitor into a somewhat bare…looking office；
smelling strongly of stale tobacco smoke。 Mr。 Skinner at once lit
a cigar； and seating himself before his desk； folded his arms and
leaned over towards Mr。 Sabin。
〃Smoke one？〃 he asked； pointing to the open box。
Mr。 Sabin declined。
〃Get right ahead then。〃
〃I am an Englishman；〃 Mr。 Sabin said slowly； 〃and consequently am
not altogether at home with your ways over here。 I have always
understood； however； that if you are in need of any special
information such as we should in England apply to the police for；
over here there is a quicker and more satisfactory method of
procedure。〃
〃You've come a long way round；〃 Mr。 Skinner remarked； spitting
upon the floor； 〃but you're dead right。〃
〃I am in need of some information；〃 Mr。 Sabin continued； 〃and
accordingly I called this morning on Mr。 … 〃
Mr。 Skinner held up his hand。
〃All right；〃 he said。 〃We don't mention names more than we can
help。 Call him the boss。〃
〃He assured me that the information I was in need of was easily to
be obtained； and gave me a card to you。〃
〃Go right on；〃 Mr。 Skinner said。 〃What is it？〃
〃On Friday last；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃at four o'clock； the Duchess of
Souspennier； whose picture I will presently show you； left the
Holland House Hotel for the New York； New Haven & Hartford Depot；
presumably for her home at Lenox； to which place her baggage had
already been checked。 On the way she ordered the cabman to set her
down at the Waldorf…Astoria Hotel； which he did at a few minutes
past four。 The Duchess has not returned home or been directly
heard from since。 I wish to ascertain her movements since she
arrived at the Waldorf。〃
〃Sounds dead easy；〃 Mr。 Skinner remarked reassuringly。 〃Got the
picture？〃
Mr。 Sabin touched the spring of a small gold locket which he drew
from an inside waistcoat pocket； and disclosed a beautifully painted
miniature。 Mr。 Skinner's thick lips were pursed into a whistle。
He was on the point of making a remark when he chanced to glance
into Mr。 Sabin's face。 The remark remained unspoken。
He drew a sheet of note…paper towards him and made a few notes upon
it。
〃The Duchess many friends in New York？〃
〃At present none。 The few people whom she knows here are at Newport
or in Europe just now。〃
〃Any idea whom she went to the Waldorf to see？ More we know the
better。〃
Mr。 Sabin handed him the letter which had been picked up in the cab。
Mr。 Skinner read it through； and spat once more upon the floor。
〃What the h…'s this funny coloured pencil mean？〃
〃I do not know；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃You will see that the two
anonymous communications which I have received since arriving in
New York yesterday are written in the same manner。〃
Mr。 Sabin handed him the other two letters； which Mr。 Skinner
carefully perused。
〃I guess you'd better tell me who you are；〃 he suggested。
〃I am the husband of the Duchess of Souspennier；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。
〃The Duchess send any word home at all？〃 Mr。 Skinner asked。
Mr。 Sabin produced a worn telegraph form。 It was handed in at Fifth
Avenue； New York； at six o'clock on Friday。 It contained the single
word 'Good…bye。'〃
〃H'm；〃 Mr。 Skinner remarked。 〃We'll find all you want to know by
to…morrow sure。〃
〃What do you make of the two letters which I received？〃 Mr。 Sabin
asked。
〃Bunkum！〃 Mr。 Skinner replied confidently。
Mr。 Sabin nodded his head。
〃You have no secret societies over here； I suppose？〃 he said。
Mr。 Skinner laughed loudly and derisively。
〃I guess not；〃 he answered。 〃They keep that sort of rubbish on the
other side of the pond。〃
〃Ah；！〃
Mr。 Sabin was thoughtful for a moment。 〃You expect to find； then；〃
he remarked； 〃some other cause for my wife's disappearance？〃
〃There don't seem much room for doubt concerning that； sir；〃 Mr。
Skinner said； 〃but I never speculate。 I will bring you the facts
to…night between eight and eleven。 Now as to the business side of
it。〃
Mr。 Sabin was for a moment puzzled。
〃What's the job worth to you？〃 Mr。 Skinner asked。 〃I am willing to
pay；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered； 〃according to your demands。〃
〃It's a simple case；〃 Mr。 Skinner admitted； 〃but our man at the
Waldorf is expensive。 If you get all your facts； I guess five
hundred dollars will about see you through。〃
〃I will pay that；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。
〃I will bring you the letters back to…night；〃 Mr。 Skinner said。
〃I guess I'll borrow that locket of yours； too。〃
Mr。 Sabin shook his head。
〃That；〃 he said firmly； 〃I do not part with。〃 Mr。 Skinner scratched
his ear with his penholder。 〃It's the only scrap of identifying
matter we've got；〃 he remarked。 〃Of course it's a dead simple case；
and we can probably manage without it。 But I guess it's as well to
fix the thing right down。〃
〃If you will give me a piece of paper；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃I will make
you a sketch of the Duchess。 The larger the better。 I can give you
an idea of the sort of clothes she would probably be wearing。〃
Mr。 Skinner furnished him with a double sheet of paper； and Mr。
Sabin； with set face and unflinching figures； reproduced in a few
simple strokes a wonderful likeness of the woman he loved。 He
pushed it away from him when he had finished without remark。 Mr。
Skinner was loud in its praises。
〃I guess you're an artist； sir； for sure；〃 he remarked。 〃This'll
fix the thing。 Shall I come to your hotel？〃
〃If you please；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃I shall be there for the rest
of the day。〃
Mr。 Skinner took up his hat。
〃Guess I'll take my dinner and get right to work；〃 he remarked。
〃Say； you come along； Mr。 Sabin。 I'll take you where they'll fix
you such a beefsteak as you never tasted in your life。〃
〃I thank you very much；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃but I must beg to be
excused。 I am expecting some despatches at my hotel。 If you are
successful this afternoon you will perhaps do me the honour of
dining with me to…night。 I will wait until eight…thirty。〃
The two men parted upon the pavement。 Mr。 Skinner； with his small
bowler hat on the back of his head； a fresh cigar in the corner of
his mouth； and his thumbs in the armholes of his waistcoat； strolled
along Broadway with something akin to a smile parting his lips； and
showing his yellow teeth。
〃Darned old fool；〃 he muttered。 〃To marry a slap…up handsome woman
like that； and then pretend not to know what it means when she bolts。
Guess I'll spoil his supper to…night。〃
Mr。 Sabin； however； was recovering his spirits。 He； too； was
leaning back in the corner of his carriage with a faint smile
brightening his hard； stern face。 But； unlike Mr。 Skinner； he did
not talk to himself。
CHAPTER IV
R。 Sabin； who was never； for its own sake； fond of solitude； had
ordered dinner for two at eight…thirty in the general dining…room。
At a few minutes previous to that hour Mr。 Skinner presented himself。
Mr。 Skinner was not in the garb usually affected by men of the world
who are invited to dine out。 The long day's exertion； too； had had
its effect upon his linen。 His front； indeed； through a broad gap；
confessed to a foundation of blue； and one of his cuffs showed a
marked inclination to escape from his wrist over his knuckles。 His
face was flushed； and he exhaled a strong odour of cigars and
cocktails。 Nevertheless； Mr。 Sabin was very glad to see him； and
to receive the folded sheet of paper which he at once produced。
〃I have taken the liberty；〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked； on his part； 〃of
adding a trifle to the amount we first spoke of； which I beg you
will accept from me as a mark of my gratitude for your promptness。〃
〃Sure！〃 Mr。 Skinner answered tersely； receiving the little roll of
bills without hesitation； and retreating into a quiet corner； where
he carefully counted and examined every one。 〃That's all right！〃
he announced at the conclusion of his task。 〃Come and have one
with me now before you read your little billet…doux； eh？〃
〃I shall not read your report until after dinner；〃 Mr。 Sabin said；
〃and I think if you are ready that we might as well go in。 At the
head…waiter's suggestion I have ordered a cocktail with the oysters；
and if we are much later he seemed to fear that it might affect the
condition of the … I think it was terrapin； he said。〃
Mr。 Skinner stopped short。 His tone betrayed emotion。
〃Did you say terrapin； sir？〃
Mr。 Sabin nodded。 Mr。 Skinner at once took his arm。
〃Guess we'll go right in；〃 he declared。 〃I hate t