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Page 79
"Listen! Gerry and that spying man-servant of his made trouble. When Des
went off that evening and didn't come back, Gerry insisted that we
should notify the police. He made an awful scene, then the valet chipped
in, and from what he said I knew he meant mischief. I didn't dare trust
Gerry with the truth, so I let him send a note to the police. They came
round and asked a lot of questions and went away again, so I thought
we'd heard the last of it and came up here. Gerry wouldn't come. He's
gone off to Baden-Baden on some new cure.
"About a week ago the Chief Magistrate at Cleves, who is an old friend
of ours, motored over, and after a lot of talk, blurted out that I was
to consider myself under arrest, and that an officer and a detachment of
men from Goch were coming over to guard the house. The magistrate man
would have told me anything I wanted to know, but he knew nothing: he
simply carried out his orders. Then the lieutenant and his men arrived,
and since that time I have been a prisoner in the house and grounds. I
was terribly scared about Des until Grundt arrived suddenly, two nights
ago, and I saw at once by his face that Des was still at large. But,
Francis, that Clubfoot man came here to catch Des ... and he has simply
walked into the trap."
"And Desmond?" I asked. "What is Clubfoot going to do about him?"
"He was with Des for about an hour in his room, and I heard him tell
Schmalz he would 'try again' after dinner. Oh, Francis, I am frightened
of that man ... not a word has he said to me about my knowing
Desmond--not a word about my harbouring Des in Berlin ... but he knows
everything, and he watches me the whole time."
I glanced through the open door into the hall. The candles still burnt
on the dinner-table, where Clubfoot and the officer sat conversing in
low tones.
"I have been here long enough," I said. "But before I go, I want you to
answer one or two questions, Monica. Will you?"
"Yes, Francis," she said, raising her eyes to mine.
"What time is the shoot to-morrow?"
"At ten o'clock."
"Are Grundt and Schmalz going?"
"Yes."
"You too?"
"Yes."
"Could you get away back to the house by 12.30?"
"Not alone. One of them is always with me out of doors."
"Could you meet me alone anywhere outside at that time?"
"There is a quarry outside a village called Quellenburg ... it is on the
edge of our preserves ... just off the road. We ought to be as far as
that by twelve. If it is necessary, I will try and give them the slip
and hide in one of the caves there. Then, when you came, if you whistled
I could come out."
"Good. That will do excellently. We will arrange it so. Now, another
question ... how many soldiers have you here?"
"Sixteen."
"Are they all going beating?"
"Oh, no! Only ten of them. The other six and the sergeant remain
behind."
"Have you a car here?"
"No, but Grundt has one."
"How many servants will there be in the house to-morrow?"
"Only Johann, the butler, and the maids ... a woman cook and two girls."
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