The Crime Club

stupidly at the girl and hold

m his great surprise he m

me to insist that you shal

from him. She hid them quickly in the folds of her cloak, and all t

d to the man lying

led him?" she ask

man's side. He inserted his hand skilfully over the un

ight directly, and I fancy he will be glad to walk away without assistance. I imagine he

peered gravely and keenly, but at the sa

ll allow me, I will accompany you to the gates of the park. If I may be permitted to say so, it is hardly fitting

sted such a delicate sense of humour at the whole

she almost laughed herself,

gh the trees, he reached the main path and helped Lady Kathleen to step over the low iron r

tly satisfied to be in his charge; and she made no demur when

and opening the door, Westerh

nto the darkness of the

er knows what may happen in London, and, believe me, I have no wish you should

cely audible voice. "If you will see me a

falgar Square!" Weste

ugh Pall-Mall, and rapidly approached the Nelson monument. As the lights of the Gr

to your home? Had I not better tell the man to

uick gasp, and th

eyes shining in the di

ou know?"

I give you my word I know nothing at all. But I do know you are Lady Kathleen Carfax, and that your father is Prime Mi

ions, the cabman had pulled up a

defer to your wishes. But at least permit me to follow you at a respectful distance down

the girl held out h

man not to mention to anyone in the world what you have seen or heard to-night. Believe me," she added with a catch in her voic

rham

lips. But may I say something else? May I be allowed to make an offer of help? I have money, I have many resources at

sharply, and with a note a

was so real that Westerham made n

e taxicab and assisted L

he cabman, he turne

the road," and he made this suggestion with some justification,

waiting for Lady Kathleen to take leave of him. Once more she

he same low, earnest voice,

bsolute silence-if only," he added with a little smile, "because

ched his face with her serious eyes. T

ng Street, for he was still fearful that she might meet with further molestation. He saw, however, that she reached the corner o

suddenly into the midst of some tragic mystery? Was it possible that it was real and actual sorrow and horror that had ma

amily history, might well be conceived. But what should take the daughter of the Prime Minister of England to Hyde Park after dark, and wh

rham now remembered the man's cynical and confident smile when he ha

far more complicated than Westerham had anticipated. Only a very extraordinary conspiracy i

tion when Westerham had made it. But even the nimble imagination of Westerham had not foreseen the possibility of blackmailing t

the more he pondered over them the more convinced he became that Melun must be in

could possibly blackmail Lord Penshurst

ining some sordid and disgraceful secret, or obviously Lord Penshurst's daughter would not be risk

ence and assistance of his daughter. Yet Westerham could not altogether understand how this might be, because he cou

the single-hearted desire to assist her, Westerham determined, whet

discover what the mystery was, and he was st

m holding a paper before him, but in reality setting up and then demoli

y in the matter. Finally he decided against such a course, seeing that an affair of such a magnitude as that in which Lady Kathleen was

begin his exploration of the devious paths of Captain Melun, wi

ire a certain amount of ready money, and in return for that ready money the captain might be led into showing

lunch Westerham greeted him coldly-so col

are not in a very good humour.

at I have to some extent exhausted its ordinary attractions. Now I propose to plunge a little deepe

you realise that up to the present I have had nothing b

pocket-book and counted out ten one

ark you, I have had some experience of your kind before, and I do not propose to pay d

for nothing-and when I say nothing, I mean for the privilege of knowing you alone.

, "and, as a matter of fact, you have chosen a particularly convenient day, for it i

own some details of your offer-but not all of them, because my friends are not so gifted with imag

fully out of the window for a few moments;

friends are not particularly nice people, and if they had any idea that you were likely to play them false,

terham, lightly, "as killing the

"but even a supply of golden eggs

s is rather too serious a matter to consider to-d

ham with a fine sarcasm. "I had not looke

our present position, but, truth to tell, as the evening is always a busy t

l be at Herne Hill at about five o'clock-that will suit us admirably." "Very

t into the street, and was in the act of hailin

om here. You will find it far more convenient to take a tram when there

bankment, and on to Westminster Bridge, where t

nd twenty minutes later they were in the prett

the way up a long avenue, and turned into the gate of a pleasa

n man-servant, and a moment later they were shown into

that danced and glinted. Her grey hair was neatly parted beneath a black lace cap. Altogether she looked a particularly respectable middle-aged British matron. Her aspect, indeed, was so c

se was hard and set. Her hair would have at once aroused suspicion that it was dyed, for it was lustrous and brilliant as burnished copper. But the suspicion

lanced quickly from the red-haired woman to Sir Paul. He noted with considerable

om was a tall young man of t

s were large and red, with immense knuckles and brutal, short, stubbed nails. Westerham took

imself, "I have touched the hand of

The quick gaze of the elderly matron glinted and flashed all over Westerham's face. The captain looked at him

this curious collection of human beings to talk about except the baronet hims

e quickly in. He stood still, with his hand on the panel of the door, and

f nearly uttered an exclamation, for the man who had entered the room so sud

behind him gently, and came

ent Mr. Bagley. Mr. Bagley is the manager of a br

a hideously affable smile. Westerham found himself sha

tea; and in a cheerful dining-room Westerham found himself looking curiously at the collection of tea and coffee pots,

part upon the weather. When the little party had eaten an

aving first closed the window he afterwards opened the

at at the table and spoke

he said rapidly, "h

resist the luxury of a

ced, but went boldly

s, then so much the better for us all. The terms which Sir Paul has offered are generous to a degree, while the risks we run are slight. Sir Paul has not pressed us in any w

rham

e several things to discuss, and I am sure that Sir Paul will not take it amiss if we ask him to excuse us. It is quite impossibl

Herne Hill, not so much to enable Captain Melun's extraordinary friends to di

prise, however, Mm

he said in an almost gentle voice, "and if S

t a distinctly ugly look. He was, indeed, about to

row," she said, turnin

he baronet out of the room and saw them to the carriage, which was

me. Estelle stood in no particular fear of Melun, and both for reasons of vanity and policy he determined t

as it was driving away and said sharply to M

indeed, until they were passing through Regent Street tha

said, "but I think you are playin

woman to do is possible for

you and with me things are quite different. You have nothing

rham turned many things over in his mind, and the conclusion he c

's Wood Chapel when he turned to her almost sharply

quickly, and her eyes were startled; t

she cried. "You are

s always imagine that the greatest object of every other person is to accomplish their downfal

ou can have no aim unless

later, as though he were resuming a conversation which h

Road into a quiet cul-de-sac, and had drawn up b

d him to ring the bell, which he did, and a second

elle beckoned to Westerham to follow her, and

shoulder to see that she was not observ

man. Do not destroy your life for a piece of folly. C

h. But I am not only moved by folly to go on with this business. Some day I may explain to