THE WHIP HAND
Spargo, almost from to at close with the objects of his long journey, off Breton's hand with a of resentment.
"And how on earth can I waste time guessing?" he exclaimed. "Who is he?"
Breton laughed softly.
"Steady, Spargo, steady!" he said. "It's Myerst—the Safe Deposit man.
Myerst!"
Spargo started as if something had him.
"Myerst!" he almost shouted. "Myerst! Good Lord!—why did I think of him? Myerst! Then——"
"I don't know why you should have of him," said Breton.
"But—he's there."
Spargo took a step the cottage: Breton him back.
"Wait!" he said. "We've got to discuss this. I'd tell you what they're doing."
"What are they doing, then?" Spargo impatiently.
"Well," answered Breton. "They're going through a quantity of papers. The two old look very and very miserable. Myerst is the law to them in some fashion or other. I've a notion, Spargo."
"What notion?"
"Myerst is in of they have, and he's them here to them. That's my notion."
Spargo awhile, up and the river bank.
"I you're right," he said. "Now, what's to be done?"
Breton, too, matters.
"I wish," he said at last, "I wish we in there and what's going on. But that's impossible—I know that cottage. The only thing we can do is this—we must catch Myerst unawares. He's here for no good. Look here!"
And to his hip-pocket Breton out a Browning and it in his hand with a smile.
"That's a useful thing to have, Spargo," he remarked. "I it into my pocket the other day, why on earth I did it. Now it'll come in handy. For anything we know Myerst may be armed."
"Well?" said Spargo.
"Come up to the cottage. If turn out as I think they will, Myerst, when he's got what he wants, will be off. Now, you shall where I did just now, that bush, and I'll station myself in the doorway. You can report to me, and when Myerst comes out I'll him. Come on, Spargo; it's to light already."
Breton the way along the river bank, making use of such as the and afforded. Together, he and Spargo their way to the of the cottage. Arrived at the door, Breton posted himself in the porch, to Spargo to in the and to look through the window. And Spargo his and the which him looked in through the glass.
The into which he looked was and in the extreme. There were the of a cottage; chairs and tables, walls, a or two in a corner; some food set out on a table. At the table in the middle of the the three men sat. Cardlestone's was in the shadow; Myerst had his to the window; old Elphick over the table was with fingers. And Spargo his to his companion.
"Elphick," he said, "is a cheque. Myerst has another cheque in his hand. Be ready!—when he that second cheque I he'll be off."
Breton and nodded. A moment later Spargo again.
"Look out, Breton! He's coming."
Breton into the of the porch; Spargo his protecting and took the other angle. The door opened. And they Myerst's voice, threatening, in tone.
"Now, all I've said! And don't you forget—I've the hand of of you—the hand!"
Then Myerst and out into the light—to himself by an man who the of an two of the of his nose and in a and grip. Another him the of a second business-like looking man at his side, a to with him.
"Good-morning, Mr. Myerst," said Breton with cold and politeness. "We are to meet you so unexpectedly. And—I must trouble you to put up your hands. Quick!"
Myerst one movement of his right hand his hip, but a from Breton him shift it just as above his head, the left it. Breton laughed softly.
"That's wise, Mr. Myerst," he said, his pointed at his prisoner's nose. "Discretion will be the part of your on this occasion. Spargo—may I trouble you to see what Mr. Myerst in his pockets? Go through them carefully. Not for papers or documents—just now. We can that matter—we've of time. See if he's got a of any on him, Spargo—that's the thing."
Considering that Spargo had gone through the of a man before, he and work of what the carried. And he out and a revolver, while Myerst, his tongue, them both, and with profusion.
"Excellent!" said Breton, laughing again. "Sure he's got nothing else on him that's dangerous, Spargo? All right. Now, Mr. Myerst, right about face! Walk into the cottage, hands up, and there are two your back. March!"
Myerst this order with more curses. The three walked into the cottage. Breton his on his captive; Spargo gave a at the two old men. Cardlestone, white and shaking, was in his chair; Elphick, less alarmed, had risen, and was with limbs.
"Wait a moment," said Breton, soothingly. "Don't yourself. We'll with Mr. Myerst here first. Now, Myerst, my man, in that chair—it's the the place affords. Into it, now! Spargo, you see that of rope there. Tie Myerst up—hand and foot—to that chair. And tie him well. All the to be double, Spargo, and him."
Myerst laughed. "You bully!" he exclaimed. "If you put a rope me, you're only the necks of these two old villains. Mark that, my fellows!"
"We'll see about that later," answered Breton. He Myerst while Spargo play with the rope. "Don't be of him, Spargo," he said. "Tie him well and strong. He won't shift that chair in a hurry."
Spargo his man to the chair in a fashion that would have done to a sailor. He left Myerst unable to move either hand or foot, and Myerst him from to for his pains. "That'll do," said Breton at last. He his into his pocket and to the two old men. Elphick his and into a chair in the of the room: old Cardlestone as with and which the two men not catch. "Guardian," Breton, "don't be frightened! And don't you be frightened, either, Mr. Cardlestone. There's nothing to be of, just yet, there may be later on. It to me that Mr. Spargo and I came just in time. Now, guardian, what was this after?"
Old Elphick his and it; he was on the of tears; as for Cardlestone, it was that his nerve was gone. And Breton pointed Spargo to an old cupboard.
"Spargo," he said, "I'm sure you'll in there. Give them a dose: they've up. Now, guardian," he continued, when Spargo had out this order, "what was he after? Shall I it? Was it—blackmail?"
Cardlestone to whimper; Elphick his head. "Yes, yes!" he muttered. "Blackmail! That was it—blackmail. He—he got money—papers—from us. They're on him."
Breton on the with a look of contempt.
"I as much, Mr. Myerst," he said. "Spargo, let's see what he has on him."
Spargo to search the prisoner's pockets. He out on the table as he it. It was plain that Myerst had some of or a long, long journey. There was a quantity of gold; a number of bank-notes of the more easily denominations; securities, in Paris. And there was an open cheque, by Cardlestone for ten thousand pounds, and another, with Elphick's name at the foot, also open, for that amount. Breton all these as Spargo them out. He to old Elphick.
"Guardian," he said, "why have you or Mr. Cardlestone this man these and securities? What has he on you?"
Old Cardlestone to afresh; Elphick a on his ward.
"He—he to us of the of Marbury!" he faltered.
"We—we didn't see that we had a chance."
"What he know of the of Marbury and of you in with it?" Breton. "Come—tell me the truth now."
"He's been investigating—so he says," answered Elphick. "He in that house in Middle Temple Lane, you know, in the top-floor rooms above Cardlestone's. And—and he says he's the against Cardlestone—and against me as an after the fact."
"And—it's a lie?" asked Breton.
"A lie!" answered Elphick. "Of course, it's a lie. But—he's so that—that——"
"That you don't know how you prove it otherwise," said Breton. "Ah! And so this over Mr. Cardlestone there, he? That may account for a good many things. Now we must have the police here." He sat at the table and the materials to him. "Look here, Spargo," he continued. "I'm going to a note to the of police at Hawes—there's a farm a mile from here where I can a man to to Hawes with the note. Now, if you want to send a wire to the Watchman, it out, and he'll take it with him."
Elphick to move in his corner.
"Must the police come?" he said. "Must——"
"The police must come," answered Breton firmly. "Go ahead with your wire, Spargo, while I this note."
Three of an hour later, when Breton came from the farm, he sat at Elphick's and his hand on the old man's.
"Now, guardian," he said, quietly, "you've got to tell us the truth."
