Eye For A Tooth (17 page)

If I was to take them, I had no time to spare.

With one eye on the Duke, I waited, till Cain was out of my sight. Then I crawled through the bushes and into the ditch…

The car, a great
coupé-de-ville
, was not on my side of the road. The road was not very wide. The wheel which was being changed was the off front wheel.

Carefully I measured my distance, moving along the ditch until, if I made my attempt, the body of the car would be between me and the chauffeurs, provided they stayed where they were.

Saul was coming back now, absorbed in thought…

But though, by now, the refractory bolts were off, the jack was giving trouble, and the new wheel was not in place.

Saul strolled on round the bonnet and glanced at the wheel. Then he shrugged his shoulders and turned on his heel…

I let him stroll thirty paces…

Then I rose out of the ditch and stepped lightly across the road…

As I turned with the maps in my hand, I saw that Saul was lighting a cigarette. Before he had thrown down his match, I was back in the ditch. And there I lay like the dead, not daring to lift my head, much less return to the field; for when Fortune has been most gracious only a fool will ask of her something he need not have.

Still, I would have given a lot to make myself scarce; for, if Saul were to miss the maps, when he returned to the car, I had no desire, so to speak, to be in on that scene: and, since I no longer dared to use my eyes, I listened with all my might and hoped very hard for the best.

At last I heard hasty steps and then the clink of tools as they were thrust into their box. Then the engine was started, and after two or three moments the door of the car was shut.

As it moved off, I ventured to lift my head, and the instant it disappeared, I scrambled out of the ditch and took to the fields…

I hastened for a quarter of a mile directly away from the road; then I sat down under a hedge to examine my spoil.

Both maps were of a large scale, twice that of the map which Saul had given to Forecast. In fact, they were roughly of a quarter of a mile to an inch. The first was of Varvic. There were upon this six crosses; and these, I had little doubt, disclosed where man-traps were laid. The other showed the country immediately north-east of Varvic – that is to say, it showed the hunting-lodge and the country for six miles about it, except on the Varvic side.

At once I saw where I was and the compass which I must fetch, to skirt the woods which surrounded the hunting-lodge; for, unless I made my approach from the opposite side, to get to Mansel I should have to cross the drive; and that would have been to take a needless risk.

Forty minutes went by before I had made my detour.

I was now to the south of the lodge, two meadows away from the road and a hundred and fifty yards from the woods for which I was bound. I began to move towards them under the lee of a hedge…

It must have been a quarter-past one when I entered the woods and began to move to where I was to meet Mansel not later than three o’clock. He was not there, of course, for I was before my time; and so I went carefully on towards the lodge.

It was then that I became aware of some activity.

Two cars, one after another, swept up the drive, and orders were shouted in German not far from the house. By now I was nearing the forecourt, if you can give it that name; but as yet I could see nothing, although my ears could tell me that the five men that I had left there had been reinforced.

I still saw no sign of Mansel: but that did not surprise me, for when he was keeping observation, it was not his way to be seen: all the same, to proceed much farther was clearly dangerous, for, though the wood was thick, it was not a wall, and, with so many pairs of eyes such a little way off, my presence might be discovered before I knew where I was. And so I climbed into a tree, as well to look out for Mansel as to see what I could.

I found a very fair perch some fifteen feet up, but I could not see into the forecourt, although I could hear that the place was alive with men.

Then some order was given, as though by an NCO, and an instant later the men I had heard appeared, moving in single file out of the forecourt, directly into the wood. They precisely followed their leader – indeed each man had his hands on the hips of the man in front – and their way was that of a serpent, passing between the trees. There were twenty-two in all, of whom China made one, and what they were about I could not conceive. For a moment I thought they were going to beat the woods; but beaters move in a line – not in single file. They passed quite close to my tree, but no one looked up; and soon the lot had gone by, and all I could hear was the measured tramp of their feet.

There was still no sign of Mansel, and I was growing uneasy on his account. Since the forecourt seemed quiet, I wondered if I should come down and take a look round; but, because the forecourt was quiet, it did not follow that there was nobody there, and, if I was seen and somebody gave the alarm, with twenty-two men in my rear, I might very well be taken before I could make my escape. Indeed, to be perfectly honest, I did not know what to do. However, when I reflected that Mansel did not expect me for over an hour, I saw that it would be foolish to worry about him till then: if by then he had not appeared, I must go in his quest; but till then it was clearly my duty to take no risks. And so I stayed where I was. Still, I was far from easy, if only because today we had broken the rule we had made that we should hunt in couples, but never alone. With that, I need hardly say that I found myself thinking of Bell and greatly fearing that he had walked into a picket where two roads met.

And there I heard the sound of the file of men coming back…

In a moment or two they appeared, treading exactly the line they had taken before; and the leader had his eyes on the ground, as though to be sure that he did not miss the trail.

To see grown men so behave, I found remarkable; for even children, I think, would before now have tired of such an exercise. Since they seemed to be under orders, I could only suppose they were doing some sort of physical drill, though why they should choose such a place and such a time and how such conduct could benefit body or mind I could not conceive.

I soon saw China coming, looking more sullen than woeful and limping a little, as though he had hurt his foot. I was looking at him and smiling, because I was perfectly sure that the moment he reached the forecourt, he meant to fall out, when, without any warning whatever, the leader stopped. This caused collisions and laughter, but China only sighed and favoured his foot. Indeed, his whole demeanour was as good as a play in itself, and I was just regretting that George was not there to see, when the ruffian lifted his head and his eyes met mine.

I think the shock of that instant took a month from my life. One moment I had been laughing; the next I knew I was doomed. So abrupt a reversal of fortune hits a man over the heart, and I hung where I was, like some waxwork, unable to move.

China stared upon me with open mouth… Then his fingers flew to his mouth to give the alarm… But no whistle rang out…and after another moment his hand crept back to his side and he looked away.

Then the file began moving again; and off he went with the rest – and he never looked back.

To say that I was dumbfounded is putting it very low. Why China should have spared me, I could not think; indeed, I was quite unable to marshal my wits, and it was my instinct that told me to seize the chance of escape which he had bestowed. But, of course, I dared not move till the file of men had gone by.

Now my tree stood some twenty paces from where the forecourt began, so that, as the last man passed me, the first stepped on to the cobbles and out of the wood. Wild as I was to be gone, I was afraid to come down till the last man had disappeared, for my only way down was the way by which I had mounted, and that, as luck would have it, was on the wrong side of the tree.

In a fever, I watched the file dwindle, until about six men were left. Then some order was barked, and to my utter dismay, the six men turned about and the file began to come back.

I now gave myself up for lost, for, in my impatience, I had started to leave my perch; and, though more exposed than before, I could not return, for the eye will notice movement more quickly than anything else.

I remember shutting my eyes and waiting for the sudden exclamation which would mean that I had been seen.

But none came. I heard only the regular tramp of the file of men going by. And when at last I ventured to look, it was nearly gone…

As the last man passed out of my view, I began to count ten. I counted twelve, to be sure. And then I went down that trunk, as a fireman goes down his pole.

As my feet touched the ground, there was China beside me, finger to lip.

“’Op it,” he whispered hoarsely. “Now’s yer chance. I don’t bear you no malice. Besides,
I’m coming along
.”

And there the scales fell from my eyes. China had seen a chance of turning his coat.

“All right,” I said. “Follow me.”

When we were clear of the woods, I led the way over a meadow and through a gap in its hedge.

“And now,” I said, “what’s your game?”

China regarded me.

“I could,” he said, “I could ’ave gave you away: an’ you’d be mutton by now, or else tied up in a tender an’ on your way to the Slosh.”

“That’s true enough,” said I. “What I want to know is – why didn’t you do it?”

“Twenty to one,” said China, wagging his head. “You wouldn’ ’ave stood an earthly – not if I’d gave you away.”

“Why didn’t you?” I demanded.

“Wot d’yer think?” said China. “’Cos o’ yer ruby lips?” He closed an eye and laid a hand to his nose. “Fair does, cully. I — well saved your life.”

“My God,” I said, “will you tell me why you did it?”

“Yes,” declared China, “I will. When I see you up in that fork, my instink was to give the — alarm. An’ then your guardiang angel stays my ’and. ‘Don’ be a B F,’ he says. ‘Don’ kill the golding goose. You scratch this —’s back, an’ ’e’ll scratch yours. He’s got your — passport. An’ if you save ’is life – well, wot price the ole school-tie? ’Arrer an’ Eting, they never let no one down.’ Then again I seen you sock Forecast, an’ I owed you one for that.”

I tried not to laugh.

“We must talk this over,” I said. “If we give you your passport back, you must open your mouth.”

“Treat me fair, sir,” said China, “an’ I’ll come clean. I’m smartin’, I am, for I’ve had a — raw deal. Brought out here to interpret, an’ tied up in bloody murder before I ’ave time to think. An’ the —s can’t speak their own language… But you won’t treat me like that.”

“I won’t ask you to interpret,” I said.

“I’ve save your life,” said China. “Are you goin’ to let me down?”

“Certainly not,” said I. “But, life or no, if you try to double-cross me, I’ll break your neck.”

“Naughty, naughty,” said China, poking his chin. He threw a glance over his shoulder. “But I’d like to move on a bit, sir. I don’ want no search-parties out.”

And there I saw Mansel running – but not from the woods. And behind him were George and Carson…

I bade China stay where he was, and ran to meet them.

“A prisoner?” said Mansel, panting.

“A turn-coat,” said I. “But, by God, he saved my life.”

“You must tell me later. I’m not surprised to see him. I rather thought he’d rat if he got the chance. But I’m devilish glad to see you. When I heard you’d gone back to the lodge I got the shock of my life.”

“Sorry,” said I. “But I had a report to make.”

“I know. You did quite right. But you might have met it badly.”

“Tell me – is Bell all right?”

“Yes. He’s safe at the farm.” He raised his voice. “China!”

China shambled forward and touched his hat.

“I’ve got you covered,” said Mansel. “Put up your hands.”

“Look here…”

“Do as I say,” snapped Mansel.

China did as he said.

“Go over him, Carson,” said Mansel.

Carson went over China and took his pistol away.

“And now we can talk,” said Mansel. “I understand that you saved Mr Chandos’ life.”

“In a manner of speakin’ I did.”

“Say ‘sir’ when you speak to me.”

“I beg your parding, sir.”

“That’s better. And you want to leave the service of Mr Cain?”

“I’ll say I do – sir.”

“And you’d like your passport back – and twenty-five quid?”

“That’s good enough, sir. I’m reelly better at ’ome.”

Mansel’s lips twitched.

“You shall have them both,” he said. “And if you like to talk, you shall have a bit more. But no funny business, China, for before you can pull your stuff, I’ll have ironed you out.”

“That’s all right, sir,” said China. “I’ve seen the way you work, an’ I know where I am with you. Give me ’Arrer an’ Eting.” He jerked a thumb at me. “They learn ’em to ’it, don’t they? Forecast’s got such a squint he’s afraid to shave.”

“That’ll do,” said Mansel. “Take him back to the car, Carson.” As the two moved off, “Come on. Let’s follow along. We may as well be out of range by the time that China is missed.”

As we went, I told my tale and showed the maps I had taken out of the
coupé
-
de-ville
. And when George and Mansel saw them, they clapped me upon the back. And then Mansel explained the manoeuvres which I had seen in the wood.

“As you have reason to know, Cain and Forecast arrived at the lodge on foot. At once they began to discuss where the traps should go. They argued a bit and Cain threw his weight about, but they hadn’t got very far, before Saul fetched up.

“Swine as he is, you’ve got to hand it to Saul. He’s got a brain and he doesn’t waste any words. He heard Cain out: then he called the head forester up.

“‘Am I right in thinking,’ he said, ‘that there are no paths through these woods?’

“‘Your Highness is right.’

“‘Then make four paths forthwith and lay one trap upon each.’

“The head forester stared.

“‘Make four paths, Highness?’