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The Secret Adversary, a fiction by Agatha Christie |
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Chapter XIII - The Vigil |
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_ SIR James brushed past Julius and hurriedly bent over the fallen woman. "Heart," he said sharply. "Seeing us so suddenly must have given Julius hurried to the washstand. "Not there," said Tuppence over her shoulder. "In the tantalus Between them Sir James and Tuppence lifted Mrs. Vandemeyer and "Touch and go," he muttered. "I wish that young fellow would At that moment Julius re-entered the room, carrying a glass half "Drink this." Mrs. Vandemeyer complied. The brandy brought the colour back to "It's my heart," she whispered. "I mustn't talk." She lay back with closed eyes. Sir James kept his finger on her wrist a minute longer, then "She'll do now." All three moved away, and stood together talking in low voices. Tuppence related how Mrs. Vandemeyer had declared herself willing "That's all right, Miss Tuppence. Splendid! I guess that There was certainly a good deal of common sense in this, and "What you say is true," said Sir James meditatively. "I must He looked across at the inert figure on the bed. Mrs. Vandemeyer "Well," said Tuppence, with an attempt at cheerfulness, "we must "What about leaving that bright boy of yours on guard?" "Albert? And suppose she came round again and hooked it. Albert "I guess she won't want to make tracks away from the dollars." "She might. She seemed very frightened of 'Mr. Brown.' " "What? Real plumb scared of him?" "Yes. She looked round and said even walls had ears." "Maybe she meant a dictaphone," said Julius with interest. "Miss Tuppence is right," said Sir James quietly. "We must not Julius stared at him. "You think he'd get after her? Between now and to-morrow "You forget your own suggestion of a dictaphone," said Sir James Tuppence was about to protest, but happening to glance at the bed For a moment she wondered whether the faint and the heart attack "Well," said Julius, "I guess we'd better make a move out of here The others fell in with his suggestion. Sir James again felt "Perfectly satisfactory," he said in a low voice to Tuppence. The girl hesitated a moment by the bed. The intensity of the "Don't--leave----" she seemed unable to proceed, murmuring Tuppence bent lower still. It was only a breath. "Mr.--Brown----" The voice stopped. But the half-closed eyes seemed still to send an agonized Moved by a sudden impulse, the girl said quickly: "I shan't leave the flat. I shall sit up all night." A flash of relief showed before the lids descended once more. Tuppence gave her familiar shake of the shoulders. It was "Lock the door on the outside, please, Miss Tuppence, and take The gravity of his manner impressed them, and Tuppence felt less "Say," remarked Julius suddenly, "there's Tuppence's bright boy. "How did you get in, by the way?" asked Tuppence suddenly. "I "Well, Albert got me on the phone all right. I ran round for Sir "Now then, Miss Tuppence," said Sir James, "you know this place Tuppence considered for a moment or two. "I think Mrs. Vandemeyer's boudoir would be the most Sir James looked round approvingly. "This will do very well, and now, my dear young lady, do go to Tuppence shook her head resolutely. "I couldn't, thank you, Sir James. I should dream of Mr. Brown "But you'll be so tired, child." "No, I shan't. I'd rather stay up--really." The lawyer gave in. Julius reappeared some minutes later, having reassured Albert and "At any rate, you've got to have something to eat right away. Tuppence directed him, and he returned in a few minutes with a After a hearty meal, the girl felt inclined to pooh-pooh her "And now, Miss Tuppence," said Sir James, "we want to hear your "That's so," agreed Julius. Tuppence narrated her adventures with some complacence. Julius "There's one thing I don't get clearly," said Julius. "What put "I don't know," confessed Tuppence. Sir James stroked his chin thoughtfully. "The room was in great disorder. That looks as though her flight "Mr. Brown, I suppose," said Julius scoffingly. The lawyer looked at him deliberately for a minute or two. "Why not?" he said. "Remember, you yourself have once been Julius flushed with vexation. "I feel just mad when I think of how I handed out Jane's "That contingency is likely to be a remote one," said the other "I guess you're right," said Julius frankly. "And, in any case, The lawyer shook his head. "Impossible to say. But I've a very good idea where she has "You have? Where?" Sir James smiled. "At the scene of your nocturnal adventures, the Bournemouth "There? Impossible. I asked." "No, my dear sir, you asked if anyone of the name of Jane Finn "Bully for you," cried Julius. "I never thought of that!" "It was fairly obvious," said the other. "Perhaps the doctor's in it too," suggested Tuppence. Julius shook his head. "I don't think so. I took to him at once. No, I'm pretty sure "Hall, did you say?" asked Sir James. "That is curious--really "Why?" demanded Tuppence. "Because I happened to meet him this morning. I've known him Julius shook his head. "Curious," mused Sir James. "You did not mention his name this "I guess I'm a mutt," said Julius with unusual humility. "I ought "How could you think of anything after falling out of that tree?" "Well, I guess it doesn't matter now, anyway," said Julius. "Yes," said Tuppence, but there was a lack of assurance in her A silence settled down over the party. Little by little the "I can't help it. I know Mr. Brown's somewhere in the flat! I "Sure, Tuppence, how could he be? This door's open into the "I can't help it. I FEEL he's here!" She looked appealingly at Sir James, who replied gravely: "With due deference to your feelings, Miss Tuppence (and mine as The girl was a little comforted by his wards. "Sitting up at night is always rather jumpy," she confessed. "Yes," said Sir James. "We are in the condition of people "Do you believe in spiritualism?" asked Tuppence, opening her The lawyer shrugged his shoulders. "There is some truth in it, without a doubt. But most of the The hours drew on. With the first faint glimmerings of dawn, Sir "Hooray!" she said. "It's going to be a gorgeous day. And we At seven o'clock Tuppence volunteered to go and make some tea. "Who's the other cup for?" inquired Julius. "The prisoner, of course. I suppose we might call her that?" "Taking her tea seems a kind of anticlimax to last night," said "Yes, it does," admitted Tuppence. "But, anyway, here goes. Sir James and Julius accompanied her to the door. "Where's the key? Oh, of course, I've got it myself." She put it in the lock, and turned it, then paused. "Supposing, after all, she's escaped?" she murmured in a whisper. "Plumb impossible," replied Julius reassuringly. But Sir James said nothing. Tuppence drew a long breath and entered. She heaved a sigh of "Good morning," she remarked cheerfully. "I've brought you some Mrs. Vandemeyer did not reply. Tuppence put down the cup on the Her cry brought the others. A very few minutes sufficed. Mrs. "If that isn't the cruellest luck," cried Julius in despair. The lawyer was calmer, but there was a curious gleam in his eyes. "If it is luck," he replied. "You don't think--but, say, that's plumb impossible--no one could "No," admitted the lawyer. "I don't see how they could. And "But how----" "Yes, HOW! That is what we must find out." He stood there Julius's glance went to the window. "The window's open," he remarked. "Do you think----" Tuppence shook her head. "The balcony only goes along as far as the boudoir. We were "He might have slipped out----" suggested Julius. But Sir James interrupted him. "Mr. Brown's methods are not so crude. In the meantime we must Hastily, the three searched. A charred mass in the grate "There's that," said Tuppence suddenly, pointing to a small, The key was in the lock, and Julius swung open the door, and "Well," said Tuppence impatiently. There was a pause before Julius answered, then he withdrew his "Nothing," he said. In five minutes a brisk young doctor arrived, hastily summoned. "Heart failure, or possibly an overdose of some Tuppence remembered the glass she had upset. A new thought drove It had been three parts full. Now--IT WAS EMPTY. _ |