tanza's eyes gleamed. the little man was enjoying himself immensely. he was beginning to grasp the situation. already he knew more of what had transpired than grey gave him credit for. nevertheless, there was warm admiration in his glance as he looked towards his younger companion.
"you appear to be in charge of the expedition," he said. "i should like to know what you propose to do next. taking one consideration with another, this is, perhaps, the most interesting case i have ever been connected with. i never had a clever set of antagonists. but isn't there something more important than spending half the night in regaining possession of mrs. charlock's jewels? surely, that is a minor point in comparison with bringing the criminals to justice."
"we shall bring the criminals to justice before long," grey replied. "one event follows the other. in all probability, if there had been no jewels there would have been no crime. at least, that is my view of it."
"and what about the french maid?" tanza asked.
"you really are a wonderful man," grey exclaimed. "i believe you know as much about the thing as i do."
"i have been putting two and two together," tanza said modestly. "besides, you have given me such an excellent clue to work upon. but it is a sad business, grey, and i am almost sorry i ever touched it. if those innocent women were not mixed up in the affair i should not mind so much. just think what a terrible shock it will be to mrs. rent when she learns the truth. and either you or i must tell her."
a shadow crossed grey's face.
"i have not forgotten it," he said. "meanwhile, we are wasting time. but we must wait till the boat comes and then take the unfortunate swift along with us. he will be safe in your hands. if there is one man living who can put him right, you are the man. you see, it will be necessary to confront swift and bark before we get to the root of things. i shouldn't wonder if bark showed fight."
"action for damages and that kind of thing, i suppose," tanza chuckled. "forcible abduction of an honest british citizen. heavy damages, presumably. oh, i have no doubt we shall have trouble of that kind, but if you leave bark to me i think i can find a way to reduce him to reason. give me a few hints when we get back, for when i talk to bark i wish to let him know that i am well posted in what has taken place. practically, i could write a history of the whole transaction, though i am in the dark as to the way in which this business has been engineered."
"electrically engineered, i suppose?" grey asked.
"that's it," tanza said eagerly. "that is the point on which i am somewhat dubious. if you enlighten me i can tackle bark efficiently. it had best come through me."
"it shall," grey said curtly. "here is the boat and we have swift to deal with."
in the inner office swift was still walking round the charred remains of the fire, muttering to himself and quite oblivious that he was no longer alone. he stared vacantly at his companions. it seemed impossible to beat anything like sense into his head. he was palpably on the verge of a breakdown. what he needed was a powerful drug and sleep, which, evidently, he had been without for some time. tanza shook his head gravely as he watched the unhappy man.
"a bad case," he muttered. "look at the pupils of his eyes. if that man doesn't sleep before long he will be a raving maniac. but it is not too late to save him if he is properly looked after. i don't envy his feelings when he comes to himself. what a pity it was you didn't warn me about this, so that i could have brought my drugs with me."
"i am sorry," grey murmured. "but what are we going to do? there is little to be gained by hanging about like this."
there was nothing for it but strong measures. and, despite his struggles and protestations, swift was carried to the boat, shouting and singing as he went. fortunately, it was a quiet spot, and there was not much chance of attracting the attention of the passers-by. but grey drew a deep breath of relief when the boat touched the yacht side and swift was hauled unceremoniously aboard. a few minutes later tanza got to work with his drugs and hypodermic syringe, and gradually swift's cries and protestations died away. the dilation of his pupils narrowed and lessened. the wild look on his face gave place to a more placid expression, then by degrees his breathing grew more regular, his head fell forward on his breast, and he slept. tanza watched him with satisfaction.
"that's all right," he said. "now let us get the poor fellow to bed. he is not likely to wake for eight or ten hours, and when he does so i don't envy his feelings. i daresay i can keep him in hand with a judicious application of drugs. but the pity of it, my dear fellow, the pity of it! fancy talent like that being frittered away in this foolish fashion. upon my word, i had a great mind to devote the best part of six months to swift's mental regeneration. i think it would be worth the trouble, and he could repay me by initiating me into those scientific mysteries so essential to the pursuit of my hobby."
"i wish you would," grey murmured. "i am sure that swift would do you credit. it isn't as if the poor chap had a natural weakness for drink; but he has no friends and he has drifted into this terrible habit. it is a good thing you have a crew you can rely upon. otherwise we should have been hard put to it to carry this daring scheme into execution. now let us get this fellow to bed and send for bark."
swift was put to bed at once and bark fetched. a grinning sailor came up in response to tanza's summons with the information that bark was in a state of furious indignation and demanded to be released without delay.
"he seems to be annoyed, then?" tanza asked pleasantly.
"carrying on something awful, sir," the grinning sailor responded. "but, seeing as the orders were yours, we just let him talk and took no notice. do you want him here, sir? certainly, sir."
the sailor vanished, and a moment later a pair of unseen hands pushed bark violently into the cabin. he came in staggering and rolling, making, however, some attempt at dignity, which was lost upon his captors. tanza closed the door and turned the key in the lock. then he wheeled round and faced the infuriated bark, who stammered and stuttered with rage.
"what is the meaning of this?" he demanded. "why this outrage? why couldn't you have sent for me as a gentleman would have done? am i a free british subject, or am i not?"
tanza smiled.
"i will answer your questions one at a time," he said coolly. "you ask me why this outrage. now, i put it to you as a far-seeing man with more than the ordinary share of brains—would you have preferred us to bring you on board the yacht, or would you rather have had the thing done through the medium of a policeman?"
"you are talking rubbish," bark blustered.
"my good bark, i am not in the habit of talking rubbish, as you very well know. it suits mr. grey and myself to work this matter out in our own way, without fuss or bother. besides, we wanted to remove you beyond reach of temptation. so long as you were free to go your own way there was always the danger of mrs. charlock's jewels falling into your hands. and we objected to that. you will stay here just as long as we like, and, if i am anything of a prophet, you will be thanking us before long for the interest we have taken in your welfare."
"i am a free british subject," bark cried.
"no, i beg your pardon, you are nothing of the sort. you are a prisoner on board this yacht, and here you are likely to remain for the present. besides, how long would you be free if you once got ashore? i have only to mention one or two matters which we know of to the police and your boasted freedom would come to a speedy end. you may as well take it quietly. you will gain nothing by bluster, and you can't frighten my crew. if i were to put you in irons and take you a voyage round the world, not one of my men would interfere. but you need not be alarmed. i have not the least desire for your company on a voyage of circumnavigation, and that, singularly enough, is why you are here to-night. i know the remark sounds illogical, but you will see how sensible it is before long."
"go on," bark said theatrically. "keep it up. i see that you are enjoying yourself."
"i am," tanza said crisply. "nothing gives me such pleasure as the elucidation of a crime. it is a positive joy to me to bring a scoundrel to book. and yet i am really the best friend you have, because i am saving you later from being charged with the murder of mrs. john charlock!"
