aaron rodd was walking along the, to him, unfamiliar thoroughfare of bond street when he was suddenly confronted with a vision. a large limousine motor-car was drawn up just in front of him. an elderly lady with white hair, leaning upon the arm of a powdered footman, crossed the pavement, followed by a girl who was smothered in sables, carried a small dog under her arm, and wore a great bunch of violets partially concealed by her furs. aaron rodd's abrupt pause was not one of politeness alone. with an eagerness which took no account of manners or discretion, he gazed at the girl, open-eyed, open-mouthed, blankly, unashamed. if anything were left to complete his bewilderment, it was the little smile upon her lips as she met his eyes.
"good afternoon, mr. aaron rodd!" she murmured, as she passed.
she disappeared through the swing doors of the shop. aaron stared after her as though expecting a backward glance, stared at the very handsome motor-car, at what appeared to be a coronet upon the panel, at the imperturbable expression of the powdered footman, standing with a rug over his arm, looking into vacancy. then he limped on a few feet and devoted himself to an absorbed contemplation of some japanese trifles in a curio shop.
he lost count of time in his firm determination to await her return. as a matter of fact, it was only a few minutes before he was conscious of her reappearance. she hesitated for a moment on the threshold of the shop, shook her head at the footman who was already opening the door of the car, and approached aaron rodd. he turned abruptly from the window and greeted her with grave politeness. she glanced at his left arm, still in a sling; at the heavy walking-stick by which he supported himself.
"good afternoon, mr. rodd," she said. "you have met, perhaps, with a little accident? it is so?"
"your friends were a little rough," he replied.
"i shall be annoyed with them," she promised. "you received my message?"
"certainly," he replied. "on the whole i agree with you."
she shrugged her shoulders.
"and what are you doing in bond street?" she asked him.
"i am on my way to meet my friend harvey grimm."
she nodded.
"that is your clever confederate, who stole our diamond," she remarked suavely.
"a very fortunate circumstance for you," he ventured to remind her. "if that stone—the real one, i mean—had been discovered in your possession at the police-station, i fancy that your position in this country would have become a little difficult."
"oh, la, la!" she laughed. "you should have seen the face of mr. brodie though, when they examined the imitation stone! i do not think that the english police are pleased with him. they were very kind to my grandfather and me."
"nevertheless," he advised, "if i were your brother, i think that i would keep away from london just now."
"and why?"
aaron rodd glanced up and down the pavement to be sure that there were no listeners.
"that fellow brodie is not such a fool as he seems," he declared. "he has made one mistake. i do not think that he is likely to make another."
she laughed.
"if it is to be a duel of wits," she murmured, "between leopold and mr. brodie, do you know, i believe that leopold will win."
"there is such a thing as over-confidence," he reminded her.
"i have so many ways," she told him, with twinkling eyes, "of diverting these people from the scent. do you recognise the old lady upon whom i am in attendance to-day, the old lady who went with me into that shop?"
"i have not that pleasure," he replied grimly. "is she one of the gang?"
"she is a royal princess—the princess augusta. if you do not believe me, look in this week's tatler and you will see her picture—perhaps mine. you are a very funny man, mr. aaron rodd, and you have treated us very badly indeed, but i like you—yes, i like you quite well. how much money did you get for that stone you stole from us?"
the colour mounted mercilessly to his temples. he seemed suddenly bereft of words.
"do not be foolish," she continued quickly. "really, as you know, i am an adventuress myself, and i rather admire you both. i think that we ought to make friends. you could be of great service to us. there is no need for us to quarrel because you have had the best of this first little exchange. what do you say to that, my friend?"
aaron rodd found himself and became once more a man. he looked her squarely in the eyes.
"i would rather be friends with you," he said, "than any one in the world."
for a moment the triumph was his. it was she who was almost embarrassed by his directness. then intervention came.
"ah!" she exclaimed, "the princess! au revoir!"
she stepped lightly away from him, with a little nod of farewell. the footman stood bare-headed as he opened the door of the car. one of the principals of the establishment which the grey-haired lady had just quitted stood bowing upon the pavement. in the face of all this, the girl turned deliberately around and waved her hand as the car drove off. aaron rodd limped down bond street, called for a taxi and drove to the milan court....
his two auditors listened to aaron rodd's story with varying expressions—the poet with pleased and affable sympathy; harvey grimm, on the other hand, with obvious irritation. they were seated in a corner of the smoke-room and the latter at once despatched a waiter for a copy of the tatler. when it arrived, they all three pored over one of the leading illustrations. there was no doubt whatever in the minds of any of the three men as to the identity of the girl who was depicted as being amongst the ladies-in-waiting of a royal personage.
"that," the poet declared, "is a young lady whose name is henriette de floge. she has an underhand service at badminton and she wants to learn to be a futurist. she attended a class last year, organised by an artist friend of mine in chelsea. ye gods!"
"that, without a single doubt," aaron rodd assented, laying his forefinger upon the illustration, "is the young lady who was in attendance this afternoon upon the princess augusta."
"and it is equally and absolutely and conclusively certain," harvey grimm pronounced, "that she came to manchester street, adelphi, as the confederate of jeremiah sands."
"who," the poet asked eagerly, "is jeremiah sands? i like the name."
"jeremiah sands," harvey grimm told him, "is the head and brains of the smallest but most formidable band of criminals who have ever succeeded in eluding justice for nearly ten years. there is a reward of twenty-five thousand dollars for his arrest in america, and he is wanted in most of the capitals of europe. he has a dozen aliases and a score of personalities. this much about him is certain. he is either of belgian or french birth, he is a young man, and he has spent the greater part of the last seven years in america. the universal excuse given by the police of every country for their failure to apprehend him, is that for at any rate the last five years he has simply accumulated his booty and has made no effort to dispose of it. as you know, most of the thieves of the world are traced backwards through the receiver of stolen goods. his last exploit in new york was the theft of the van hutten jewels. it was, without a doubt, one of those diamonds which was mislaid in aaron rodd's office, and it was one of jeremiah sands' agents who paid our friend here that last domiciliary visit in search of it."
"what, by the by, became of that diamond?" the poet enquired.
"we are living upon it," mr. harvey grimm confessed.
the poet sighed enviously.
"it is a beautiful existence," he declared. "when are we going to embark upon another adventure of the sort?"
"the aftermath of the last one is still enveloping us," mr. harvey grimm reminded him. "there is scotland yard, who have seen the imitation stone and who suspect us of changing it. then there is mr. jeremiah sands, who knows that we did, and who is only just beginning to realise that we have been clever enough to dispose of it. finally, there is mr. brodie, the amateur detective, who has the same idea and who is furious with us for letting him down with the authorities. between the three, you see, our position is a little difficult. personally, i am much interested in our friend aaron's account of his conversation with the young lady. her suggestion of some measure of alliance appeals to me."
"and me," the poet agreed. "let us approach them at once. i should like to come into contact with this jeremiah sands."
there was a brief interval whilst a waiter deposited before them a tray of cocktails, subtly ordered by the poet by means of sundry evolutions with his forefinger. afterwards, mr. harvey grimm sat for a few moments in silence, smoothing out his immaculate doeskin gloves.
"listen," he said presently, after a cautious glance around the room, "i will tell you my impressions. jeremiah sands has never been caught, for two reasons—first, because he has stored up all his booty and has never been in the hands of the receivers; secondly, because he has hiding-places in every capital of europe, all of them safer than london or new york. at the present moment he is like a rabbit which has been ferreted out of its hole. europe is suddenly closed to him. he has been driven to london. he is ill at ease here. he has lost many of his agents. to maintain his belgian nationality he has been forced into the army. the perfect machinery of his wonderful system must be seriously dislocated. the time, too, has probably arrived when he finds it necessary to dispose of some of his plunder. let us offer him a tentative amity."
aaron rodd frowned.
"do you think that he would trust us after that last little affair? i don't mind being the thief or the thief-catcher," he added bluntly, "but i rather hate being the third party."
"the only party we have to consider is ourselves," harvey grimm replied deliberately. "to tell you the truth, i fear that we have lost the confidence of paul brodie. i am not sure whether it would be worth our while to try and regain it. the sharing of rewards is a poor game. i would rather hear what jeremiah sands has to say."
he took up his pencil and scrawled a few lines across a half sheet of note-paper. they both looked over his shoulder:—
"if the young lady with violets would like to resume her conversation with a certain person in bond street this morning, please reply in friday's 'telegraph.'"
"i propose," mr. harvey grimm explained, "to insert this in to-morrow morning's telegraph, to send a copy to mr. brinnen and await results."
"brilliant!" the poet exclaimed. "it gives the proper flavour to the whole thing. but why not write a note and send it up by the waiter?"
mr. harvey grimm smiled.
"my young friend," he said, "you are an adventurer of the bull-dog type. let me tell you this. i happen to know it to be a fact. from the moment when mr. paul brodie communicated his suspicions as to our friends, to scotland yard, their every movement, and without doubt their correspondence, has been closely watched. i will guarantee to you that not a letter is delivered to either captain leopold brinnen, to mr. brinnen or to the young lady, which does not run a very considerable risk of being opened."
the poet listened with a pleased smile.
"i like the flavour of this sort of thing," he acknowledged. "let us insert the advertisement, by all means. if the young lady suggests a meeting, i shall recommend myself as the most suitable person to keep the appointment."
*****
soon after midday, two mornings later, mr. stephen cresswell entered the smoking-room at the milan. he was carrying a daily telegraph under his arm, he wore a bunch of violets in his buttonhole, and he was dressed with great care. he approached the table where harvey grimm and aaron rodd were awaiting him.
"you, too, have seen the answer to our advertisement?" he exclaimed. "capital!"
"we were just now discussing it," harvey grimm assented.
the poet sat down, made signs to the waiter, hitched up his trousers and made himself thoroughly comfortable.
"i have decided," he announced, "that i am the proper person to entertain the young lady."
harvey grimm nodded thoughtfully.
"tell us through what channel of thought, my young friend, you have arrived at that conclusion?" he begged.
the poet straightened his tie. there was no doubt that he was a remarkably good-looking young man.
"i am a modest person," he said, "but it is useless to deny that nature has been kind to me. then, too, there is a peculiar and romantic importance attached to the successful poet whose reputation has been enhanced in so singular a fashion. the young lady will be interested in me from the start. she will be proud to remember that we are old acquaintances, and she will treat me with greater confidence than any ordinary person."
harvey grimm lit a cigarette deliberately. aaron rodd's heavy eyebrows seemed to have contracted a little.
"why are you so sure that it will be the young lady who will keep the appointment?" the former enquired.
stephen cresswell placed his forefinger upon the advertisement in the paper which he had been carrying:—
milan café, luncheon, 1.15 wednesday. will discuss. bond street.
"that tells us nothing," harvey grimm pointed out. "so far as the probabilities are concerned, i should say that it is extremely unlikely that either the young lady or any of those associated with her will keep the appointment. any negotiations we may have will probably be conducted through a third party."
the poet's face fell. he ordered another cocktail brusquely.
"how shall we know whom to look out for, then?" he demanded.
"the onus of recognition will rest with the others," harvey grimm replied. "i have engaged a table just inside the door. we shall take our places there before one-fifteen and await the arrival of whoever may come."
"in case it should be the young lady," the poet persisted, "you would find that my previous acquaintance with her would be of immense service to us. she would place confidence in me."
"you shall be of the party," harvey grimm promised. "i have ordered the table for five, so as to be on the safe side. i do not understand our friends selecting a place for a meeting, but, on the other hand, there is a flavour of genius in such apparent recklessness. if you are ready, i think it is time that we made a start."
they strolled down to the café and took their places at a table just inside the door. at precisely a quarter past one a little tremor of excitement suddenly unloosed their tongues.
"my god!" harvey grimm muttered.
"they must be mad!" aaron rodd whispered, in a hoarse undertone.
"it is henriette de floge," stephen cresswell murmured complacently. "you will perceive soon the advantage of my presence."
the girl approached their table smilingly. she was followed by the young officer in belgian uniform. the three men rose to their feet. she smiled pleasantly at aaron rodd.
"you have not yet met my brother, have you?" she asked. "let me present captain leopold brinnen—mr. aaron rodd, mr. harvey grimm, and——"
she paused, with her eyes fixed questioningly upon the poet. the young officer had brought his heels together and bowed ceremoniously to the two men.
"i am not, i hope, forgotten," the poet observed. "my name is stephen cresswell. i have had the pleasure of playing badminton with you in walter donne's studio."
she looked across at him with slightly upraised eyebrows, the faint tracings of a somewhat insolent smile at the corners of her lips.
"badminton? is that an english game? i perceive that i have a double. i have not played it."
"you are mademoiselle de floge?" the poet persisted.
she shook her head gently.
"on the contrary," she replied, "i am henriette brinnen. leopold, this is mr. stephen cresswell."
they all took their places, the poet a little heavily. his stupefaction, even though it proceeded from a different cause, was only a little less profound than that of the other two. mr. harvey grimm took up the menu once more and gave a few murmured orders to the ma?tre d'h?tel. aaron rodd, who was on her right-hand side, leaned towards the girl. his face was almost haggard with anxiety.
"forgive me," he whispered, "but is this wise? have you counted the cost of it?"
"i do not understand," she answered, a little vaguely.
"you know that we are all watched," he reminded her. "we thought it best even not to communicate with you direct."
"you three are such droll men," she laughed. "there is your nice-looking friend, mr. stephen cresswell, who sits there and will not take his eyes off me. he does not believe that he has never met me before. and mr. harvey grimm—well, he does not seem a nervous person, does he, and just now he is almost pale. and you, too—you speak with bated breath of risks and being watched. how, then, do you carry through your great coups, my friend? have you not learnt the first axiom of the adventurer—there is nothing which dispels suspicion so readily as candour?"
aaron rodd shrugged his shoulders and busied himself with the task of attending to his companion's wants. conversation around the little table became platitudinal. the three men, although they behaved in all respects reasonably, were unable to keep their thoughts and attention from wandering continually towards their slim, grave-looking young guest in his somewhat battered uniform, who seemed chiefly engrossed with his luncheon. it was hard to believe that he sat there in one of the best-known restaurants in the world, with a great price upon his head. in some respects he was like his sister, aaron rodd decided, although there was a curious virility of expression which flashed sometimes into his features, and a more calculating light in his hard, clear eyes. his mouth was unusually long, straight and thin, his cheekbones a little high. one could believe that, notwithstanding his inconsiderable stature, his frame was like steel. he spoke english very deliberately, with now and then the slightest american accent, but on the few occasions when he addressed his sister it seemed to be a relief for him to relapse into french. it was not until the coffee was served that he leaned a little towards harvey grimm and dispelled by a few words the atmosphere of unreality which had somehow or other hovered over the little luncheon-party.
"sir," he proposed, "let us approach the object of this meeting."
"with pleasure," harvey grimm assented.
"for some reason or other," the young man continued, "my sister, although, as we know to our cost, her acquaintance with you so far has not been altogether profitable, has confidence in you. let us speak frankly. you gentlemen, i believe, are what is generally known as chevaliers d'industrie?"
there was a sudden flush of colour in aaron rodd's cheeks. the poet, who was a little sullen, distinctly scowled. only harvey grimm bowed placidly, seemingly unconscious of the faint note of contempt in the other's tone.
"in the ordinary sense of the word, that is true," he admitted.
"consider, then, our position," the young man continued. "my grandfather and sister, whom i meet again after an absence of some years, owing to the haste with which they were compelled to leave belgium, are almost penniless. my own—savings consist of perhaps half a million pounds' worth of diamonds. these jewels," he went on, knocking the ash from his cigarette, "have all been stolen. they can only be disposed of in an irregular fashion. that is to say, the stones must be recut. in normal times, this problem would present no difficulties to me. to-day, when london is the only capital of europe open to us, i must admit that i find myself in a difficult position. the few artificers in this country are, i understand, well known and watched. i am bound, therefore, to employ an agent. under the peculiar circumstances to which i have alluded, i cannot seek for an honest man. i am prepared to make it worth the while of men such as yourselves to deal honestly with me."
"my brother has your english gift of plain speech, you see," the girl whispered soothingly to aaron rodd.
the young officer lit a fresh cigarette and watched the smoke curl upward for a moment.
"surely it is best?" he said softly. "these gentlemen are at the present moment living, and living, no doubt, exceedingly well, upon the proceeds of one of my diamonds. they should not, therefore, be sensitive."
"i may be allowed to remind you, sir," harvey grimm interrupted, "that, incidentally, the little artifice by means of which we secured it is responsible for your unhindered presence here to-day."
"i take that fact into consideration," leopold brinnen assented, "in the toleration with which i view the circumstance. the point is, are you willing to deal with me?"
"i am perfectly willing to do so, sir," harvey grimm replied. "i am willing, too, and so, i am sure, are my friends, to take a certain amount of risk. i may add that i am probably the only man in england who can dispose of your jewels so that they cannot be traced, but before we proceed further, let me ask you a question. are you aware, sir, of your position? there is an amateur detective here from new york, named paul brodie, who has no other object in life than to lay his hands upon a certain person. scotland yard, although just now they are a little fed up with mr. brodie, have very definite intentions with regard to the same person. you are living here openly. you are even flaunting your well-known belgian uniform. there are eyes upon us as we sit at this table. there are eyes upon you and your sister and your grandfather, from the moment you rise in the morning till the moment you retire at night. your rooms are at all times subject or liable to be searched. any place you might visit is liable to be searched. let me ask you, then, a plain question. more than any other quality i admire courage. don't you think, however, that you are playing a little too near to the fire?"
the young officer stroked his thin black moustache. he had listened to harvey grimm's words attentively. he even indicated, in the slow movement of his head, some measure of approbation.
"to all that you have said, mr. harvey grimm, i can make you only one reply," he said. "every step which i have taken in life has been carefully thought out. the present position, although necessity has here intervened to some extent, has been subject to the same attentive consideration. i am safer than you think. let that be enough. that i have friends is proved by the little visitation which was made upon mr. aaron rodd the other day. i offer you no apologies, sir," he continued, bowing across the table. "it was part of the game. when we thrust the law outside our lives, as you have done and i, then we must take our knocks philosophically. for the future, however, even though we play the thieves' game, there is no reason why we should not play it honestly."
"a very admirable sentiment," the poet murmured.
"to put this matter upon a business basis, mr. grimm," captain brinnen continued, "supposing i supply you with a certain quantity of diamonds, will you guarantee to have them cut as so to render them unrecognisable, dispose of them, hand me two-thirds of the proceeds and retain a third yourself?"
"i have worked before upon those terms," harvey grimm replied. "i accept them. there is one little matter, though, to be cleared up."
captain brinnen smiled grimly.
"i fancy that i follow you," he observed. "you refer to the mysterious disappearance of a diamond from your friend's office?"
harvey grimm coughed.
"bearing in mind, as i took the liberty of pointing out a few minutes ago, that its disappearance saved you from considerable inconvenience——" he began.
"the affair is finished," brinnen interrupted. "carry out faithfully the other transactions which we may arrange, and we will adopt—shall i say a resigned attitude?—with regard to that incident. when are you prepared to deal with the first parcel of stones?"
"at any moment," harvey grimm promised. "you will bring them to me?"
the girl, who had been listening eagerly to their conversation, leaned across the table.
"i think," she said, "that this time you had better come and fetch them, mr. grimm, or, better still—send mr. aaron rodd."
"or me," the poet suggested.
she shook her head.
"it is to be mr. aaron rodd," she decided. "you will not be afraid?" she added, turning towards him with a little smile at the corners of her lips.
"where am i to come to, and when?" he enquired.
she glanced at her brother, then back again towards her neighbour.
"i shall tell you presently," she whispered.
the little party broke up shortly afterwards. the hall outside, where they lingered to make their adieux, was unusually crowded. harvey grimm felt a touch upon his elbow.
"a pleasant luncheon, i trust?"
he frowned as he recognised brodie, who was apparently waiting for a friend. it was exactly the meeting which he had desired to avoid. he greeted him, however, with his customary geniality.
"lunching late, aren't you?" he observed.
brodie seemed scarcely to hear him. his eyes were fixed upon the young belgian, who, with his arm in a sling, was being helped carefully into his overcoat. suddenly, however, he stretched out his arm, laid it upon harvey grimm's shoulder and drew him to within whispering distance.
"see here, harvey," he muttered, "i don't know what game you're playing, but if any man tries to boost me, he's going to have a rough journey."
harvey grimm was shocked.
"my dear fellow!——" he began.
"don't waste your breath," the other interrupted, as he turned away. "remember i've got my eye on you, as well as our friend there. it may be a waiting game, but you'll find me there at the finish, sure as my name's paul brodie."
he strode off towards the telephone booth. harvey grimm found his hand gripped by his guest.
"my sister and i thank you for a very excellent luncheon, mr. grimm," captain brinnen said politely. "i trust that you will soon give us an opportunity of repaying your hospitality."
"you will come to me," the girl whispered in aaron rodd's ear, "at number thirteen, grosvenor square, this afternoon at five o'clock...."
the poet was inclined to be peevish as the three men walked down the strand.
"in this adventure," he declared, "i do not see where i come in. aaron rodd is to go and fetch the diamonds, and probably have tea with the beautiful young lady who has changed her name, and you," he went on, addressing harvey grimm, "thereupon vanish with the stones to your mysterious treasure-house and return with the gold. i am simply not in it. i might as well not exist."
"it is regrettable but true," harvey grimm assented. "remember, however, that you are a self-invited new-comer to our little circle. a place shall be found for you presently. i can promise you that the cycle of our adventures will not be ended with the realisation of jeremiah sands' diamonds. this affair, unfortunately, presents no opportunity for your activities. i do not propose, even, to offer you more than a trifling share in the financial results."
"financially," the poet announced airily, "i am independent. the taste for my poetry has spread like a forest fire. there will be a trifle of mine, by the by, in the pall mall to-night. don't forget to look out for it."
harvey grimm for once was unsympathetic.
"look here," he said, stopping suddenly, "i wish you'd forget your poetry for a few minutes. there is just one way you can make yourself useful. you saw a sleek, podgy, bulky, fat-faced looking man, with hair brushed back, who spoke to me in the hall at the milan?"
the poet nodded.
"i remember," he murmured, "wishing that you would allow me to edit your acquaintances."
"that man," harvey grimm continued, "was paul brodie, an amateur detective. he has set himself the task of bringing about the arrest of jeremiah sands. he came to europe with that idea. it was he who had the old gentleman and his daughter taken to the police-station from my rooms. we have been working together, but he's out with us now, and he blames us for that fiasco. i should like to know why he is still hanging about the milan court."
"i will return there," the poet promised. "i will endeavour to engage him in conversation."
harvey grimm smiled pityingly.
"oh, my ingenuous youth!" he murmured. "your ideas of tackling a detective are bright and engaging, yet, do your best. the very imbecility of your methods may lead to success. i should very much like to know where paul brodie is proposing to spend this afternoon."
cresswell nodded in mysterious fashion and left them. harvey grimm passed his arm through his friend's, as they turned into the little street which led down to aaron's rodd's offices.
"aaron," he said earnestly, "if your little expedition this afternoon should by any chance involve you in any manner of trouble, remember that there's one golden motto—silence. you make a cult of it in private life. if anything should happen to you—don't depart from it."
*****
at precisely the appointed hour, aaron rodd was shown by a footman in deep black livery into a small but charmingly-furnished room in the largest house which he had ever entered. on his way thither he had caught the sound of many voices, laughing and talking, the tinkling of teacups, the scraping of a violin. evidently some sort of reception was in progress, for outside a canvas shelter was stretched to the curbstone, and a long row of automobiles and carriages was in evidence. it was almost ten minutes before the door was abruptly opened and henriette brinnen appeared. she had changed her clothes since luncheon, and was wearing a gown of some soft grey material, and a large hat with black feathers. in her hand she was carrying a small brown paper package, sealed at both ends. the little smile with which she welcomed him was bewildering.
"i have kept you waiting," she exclaimed, "and i must send you away again quickly! believe me, i am not always so inhospitable. this afternoon, as it happens, madame is receiving and i must help her. i would ask you to come and be presented but it is more important that you proceed swiftly with your mission."
"of course," he assented, taking the parcel from her hand.
"tell me first," she begged, keeping her fingers upon the closed door, "why were you so sad and silent all luncheon-time?"
he laughed a little hardly, hesitated, and was suddenly frank.
"because," he told her, "i have not yet got used to my new r?le in life."
"but it is amusing, surely?"
"perhaps i am old-fashioned," he sighed. "i rather resent being driven into the crooked ways."
"you are thinking only of yourself, then?"
"to be perfectly truthful," he assured her, "i was thinking very little of myself. i am afraid for you."
"but why for me?"
"because you are reckless," he answered. "your brother may be the cleverest adventurer who ever kept the police at arm's length, but there is always the risk. you cannot go on playing a part for ever. you may hide at the milan court and call yourself what you will, and the chances are with you, but to borrow some one else's identity, to advertise yourself as the companion of a reigning princess, to occupy a position of trust and favour in her household and help to receive her guests, how long do you think that will go on?"
she laughed at him but her eyes were full of kindness.
"you speak only of my brother's cleverness," she said. "is that because i am a woman? let me assure you, my dear friend, in many ways i am his equal. your fears are exaggerated. i am right, am i not, when i assume that your present position is new to you?"
"it is," aaron rodd confessed. "until these last few weeks—until the day, in fact, when i first saw you in the embankment gardens and harvey grimm sauntered, an hour later, into my office—i have lived miserably, perhaps, but honestly."
she laughed once more in his face.
"oh, but you are so foolish!" she murmured. "believe me, no person is really honest. we all live upon our neighbours. there is only one thing in life which is common to all religions—honour. by honour i mean fidelity to one's friends. take that into your heart, dear mr. aaron rodd, and you can hold your head as high as any man's on earth."
he stooped and kissed her fingers as she stood by the open door, an action, curiously enough, which he had never contemplated in his life before in connection with any woman, yet which seemed to him at that moment an entirely natural proceeding.
"that, at least," he promised, "is something which i can hold on to."
he descended the stairs, the clasp of her fingers still tingling on his, was handed from the grave major-domo, who guarded the hall, to another servant, and on to the footman, who summoned a taxicab for him. he gave the address of his office and was driven promptly off. a few yards from the corner of the square, however, the taxicab slackened speed and stopped by the side of the pavement. almost before he realised what was happening, the door was opened. an inspector, in uniform and peaked cap, let down the vacant seat and sat opposite to him. mr. paul brodie, smoking a large cigar, followed and took the place by his side. the cab went on. aaron rodd remained stonily silent. the eyes of the two men were fixed upon the brown paper parcel which he had had no time to conceal.
"sorry to take you out of your way, mr. rodd," brodie said, with ponderous sarcasm, "but we just want you to call for a moment at the marlborough street police-station. in the meantime, you wouldn't care to tell us, i suppose, what you have in that small parcel you are holding so carefully?"
aaron rodd sat perfectly still. a chain of wild ideas flashed through his brain, only to be instantly dismissed. he thought of throwing the parcel out of the window, hurling himself upon the two men and making a fierce struggle for liberty. there was something ignominious in the facility of his capture, in the completeness of his failure. yet he realised perfectly well that escape by any means was hopeless, that behaviour of any sort incompatible with his supposed position would be an instant confession of guilt.
"i am engaged on confidential business on behalf of a client," he announced stiffly, "and i cannot conceive what authority you have to delay me or to ask me questions."
mr. brodie nodded sympathetically.
"that's perfectly correct," he admitted, "perfectly correct."
not another word was spoken until the cab drew up outside the police-station. mr. brodie paid the taxicab driver, and aaron rodd, with an escort on either side of him, crossed the pavement, passed through the bare stone hall and into a small waiting-room. a superintendent, who was writing at a desk, glanced up as they entered. mr. brodie leaned down and said a few words in his ear. the former nodded and turned to aaron rodd.
"have you any objection," he asked, "to our examining the parcel which you are carrying?"
"none whatever," aaron rodd answered coolly.
mr. brodie took it from him and carried it to the desk. the superintendent broke the seals and withdrew the lid from an oblong wooden jeweller's box. there was a mass of cotton-wool inside, which he hastily removed. then his fingers suddenly stopped. he gazed downwards and frowned. mr. brodie's face was a study. the imprecations which broke from his lips were transatlantic and sufficing. aaron rodd, emboldened by their consternation, stepped forward and looked over their shoulders. at the bottom of the box reposed a small, black opal scarf-pin, the safety-chain of which was broken. the superintendent rose to his feet, whispered something sharply to mr. brodie, who lapsed into a gloomy silence, and turned to aaron rodd.
"do you mind telling me where you were taking this box, mr. rodd?" he asked.
"to a jeweller's, to have the pin mended," was the prompt reply.
the superintendent replaced the wadding, thrust the lid back along its grooves, tied up the box and returned it to its owner.
"we are very sorry to have interfered with your mission," he said, "but before you leave us i am going to ask you, so that we may be perfectly satisfied, to allow me to search your person."
aaron rodd shrugged his shoulders.
"pray do as you will," he consented, holding out his arms.
the superintendent went carefully through his pockets, felt his clothing and returned to his place.
"we are very sorry to have detained you, sir," he said, "the necessities of the law, you know. inspector, get mr. rodd another taxi-cab."
"i know something about the law," aaron rodd declared, trying hard to feel that this was not some absurd nightmare, "and i still fail to realise on what possible authority you can practically arrest a solicitor leaving the house of an exceedingly distinguished client, break the seals of a private packet, and dismiss him without a word of explanation."
the superintendent glanced severely at mr. brodie.
"we are unfortunately in the position, mr. rodd," he confessed, "of having been misled by false information. we can do no more nor less than apologise. our action, mistaken though it seems to have been, was undertaken in the interests of the law, with the profession of which you are connected. i hope, therefore, that you will be tolerant."
aaron rodd received his packet, wished the three men a brief "good afternoon" and left the police-station. he drove at once to his office, where he found the poet reclining on three chairs drawn up to the window, with a block of paper in his hand and a pipe in his mouth.
"where's harvey grimm?" aaron demanded.
the poet laid down his pencil and waved his hand.
"gone!"
"gone? where?"
"i have no idea," was the bland reply. "i spent an hour or two at the milan, conversing with several friends, and incidentally looking out for mr. brodie. then an idea came to me. i needed space and solitude. i thought of your empty rooms and i hastened here. if you would like to listen——"
"damn your poetry!" aaron rodd interrupted. "tell me what you mean when you say that harvey grimm has gone? he was to have been waiting here for me."
"as i left the milan," the poet explained, "i enquired of the hall-porter if mr. harvey grimm had returned. the man told me that not only had he returned but that he had left again in a taxicab, a few minutes afterwards. i understood the fellow to say that he had gone into the country and would not be back for several days."
aaron rodd put his hand to his forehead. already a dim suspicion of the truth was finding its way into his brain. then there was a gentle tinkle from the bell of his newly installed telephone. he took up the receiver. the voice which spoke was the voice of harvey grimm.
"that you, aaron?"
"yes!"
"anything happened?"
"yes!"
"it's o.k. you needn't explain. back in about a week. so long."
aaron rodd laid down the receiver. he was still a little bewildered, oppressed by a certain sense of humiliation. he threw the packet which he had been carrying so carefully upon his desk and scowled.
"what's upset you?" cresswell asked amiably.
"seems to me i'm nothing but a cat's-paw," aaron rodd replied gloomily. "a messenger boy could have done my job."
"don't worry," the poet advised. "by the by, you don't happen to know of a rhyme for silken, do you?"
the telephone bell, ringing once more, intervened to save the poet from the ink-pot which aaron's fingers were handling longingly.
"what is it?" he demanded, taking up the receiver.
"just a little message for mr. aaron rodd, please," was the soft reply. "please forgive me—it was so necessary. and the pin was for you—a little peace-offering. will you please have the chain mended and wear it?"
that was all. there was no pause for any reply. the connection was finished. aaron laid down the receiver, lit a cigarette and almost swaggered back to his desk.
"sorry, old fellow," he said genially. "i can't seem to think of one for the moment. i'll have a try."
