I had no further difficulty in carrying out my plans. I found a small hotelin a back street, got a room there, paid a deposit as I had no luggage withme, and went placidly1 to bed.
On the following morning I was up early and went out into the town topurchase a modest wardrobe. My idea was to do nothing until after the de-parture of the eleven-o’clock train to Rhodesia with most of the party onboard. Pagett was not likely to indulge in any nefarious2 activities until hehad got rid of them. Accordingly I took a train out of the town and pro-ceeded to enjoy a country walk. It was comparatively cool, and I was gladto stretch my legs after the long voyage and my close confinement3 atMuizenberg.
A lot hinges on small things. My shoelace came untied4, and I stopped todo it up. The road had just turned a corner, and as I was bending over theoffending shoe a man came right round and almost walked into me. He lif-ted his hat, murmuring an apology, and went on. It struck me at the timethat his face was vaguely5 familiar, but at the moment I thought no more ofit. I looked at my wristwatch. The time was getting on. I turned my feet inthe direction of Cape6 Town.
There was a tram on the point of going and I had to run for it. I heardother footsteps running behind me. I swung myself on and so did theother runner. I recognized him at once. It was the man who had passedme on the road when my shoe came untied, and in a flash I knew why hisface was familiar. It was the small man with the big nose whom I had runinto on leaving the station the night before.
The coincidence was rather startling. Could it be possible that the manwas deliberately7 following me? I resolved to test that as promptly8 as pos-sible. I rang the bell and got off at the next stop. The man did not get off. Iwithdrew into the shadow of a shop doorway9 and watched. He alighted atthe next stop and walked back in my direction.
The case was clear enough. I was being followed. I had crowed too soon.
My victory over Guy Pagett took on another aspect. I hailed the next tramand, as I expected, my shadower also got on. I gave myself up to some veryserious thinking.
It was perfectly10 apparent that I had stumbled on a bigger thing than Iknew. The murder in the house at Marlow was not an isolated11 incidentcommitted by a solitary12 individual. I was up against a gang, and, thanks toColonel Race’s revelations to Suzanne, and what I had overheard at thehouse at Muizenberg, I was beginning to understand some of its manifoldactivities. Systematized crime, organized by the man known to his follow-ers as the “Colonel!” I remembered some of the talk I had heard on boardship, of the strike on the Rand and the causes underlying14 it—and the beliefthat some secret organization was at work fomenting15 the agitation16. Thatwas the “Colonel’s” work, his emissaries were acting17 according to plan. Hetook no part in these things himself, I had always heard, as he limited him-self to directing and organizing. The brain work—not the dangerous la-bour—for him. But still it well might be that he himself was on the spot,directing affairs from an apparently18 impeccable position.
That, then, was the meaning of Colonel Race’s presence on the Kilmor-den Castle. He was out after the arch-criminal. Everything fitted in withthat assumption. He was someone high up in the Secret Service whosebusiness it was to lay the “Colonel” by the heels.
I nodded to myself—things were becoming very clear to me. What of mypart in the affair? Where did I come in? Was it only diamonds they wereafter? I shook my head. Great as the value of the diamonds might be, theyhardly accounted for the desperate attempts which had been made to getme out of the way. No, I stood for more than that. In some way, unknownto myself, I was a menace, a danger! Some knowledge that I had, or thatthey thought I had, made them anxious to remove me at all costs—andthat knowledge was bound up somehow with the diamonds. There wasone person, I felt sure, who could enlighten me—if he would! “The Man inthe Brown Suit”—Harry19 Rayburn. He knew the other half of the story. Buthe had vanished into the darkness, he was a hunted creature flying frompursuit. In all probability he and I would never meet again. .?.?.
I brought myself back with a jerk to the actualities of the moment. It wasno good thinking sentimentally20 of Harry Rayburn. He had displayed thegreatest antipathy21 to me from the first. Or, at least—There I was again—dreaming! The real problem was what to do—now!
I, priding myself upon my role of watcher, had become the watched.
And I was afraid! For the first time, I began to lose my nerve. I was thelittle bit of grit22 that was impeding23 the smooth working of the great ma-chine—and I fancied that the machine would have a short way with littlebits of grit. Once Harry Rayburn had saved me, once I had saved myself—but I felt suddenly that the odds24 were heavily against me. My enemieswere all around me in every direction, and they were closing in. If I con-tinued to play a lone13 hand I was doomed25.
I rallied myself with an effort. After all, what could they do? I was in acivilized city—with policemen every few yards. I would be wary26 in future.
They should not trap me again as they had done in Muizenberg.
As I reached this point in my meditations27, the tram arrived at AdderleyStreet. I got out. Undecided what to do, I walked slowly up the left-handside of the street. I did not trouble to look if my watcher was behind me. Iknew he was. I walked into Cartwright’s and ordered two coffee ice creamsodas—to steady my nerves. A man, I suppose, would have had a stiff peg;but girls derive30 a lot of comfort from ice cream sodas28. I applied31 myself tothe end of the straw with gusto. The cool liquid went trickling32 down mythroat in the most agreeable manner. I pushed the first glass aside empty.
I was sitting on one of the little high stools in front of the counter. Out ofthe tail of my eye, I saw my tracker come in and sit down unostentatiouslyat a little table near the door. I finished the second coffee soda29 and deman-ded a maple33 one. I can drink practically an unlimited34 amount of ice creamsodas.
Suddenly the man by the door got up and went out. That surprised me.
If he was going to wait ouside, why not wait outside from the beginning? Islipped down from my stool and went cautiously to the door. I drew backquickly into the shadow. The man was talking to Guy Pagett.
If I had ever had any doubts, that would have settled it. Pagett had hiswatch out and was looking at it. They exchanged a few brief words, andthen the secretary swung on down the street towards the station. Evid-ently he had given his orders. But what were they?
Suddenly my heart leapt into my mouth. The man who had followed mecrossed to the middle of the road and spoke35 to a policeman. He spoke atsome length, gesticulating towards Cartwright’s and evidently explainingsomething. I saw the plan at once. I was to be arrested on some charge orother—pocket-picking, perhaps. It would be easy enough for the gang toput through a simple little matter like that. Of what good to protest my in-nocence? They would have seen to every detail. Long ago they hadbrought a charge of robbing De Beers against Harry Rayburn, and he hadnot been able to disprove it, though I had little doubt but that he had beenabsolutely blameless. What chance had I against such a “frame up” as the“Colonel” could devise?
I glanced up at the clock almost mechanically, and immediately anotheraspect of the case struck me. I saw the point of Guy Pagett’s looking at hiswatch. It was just on eleven, and at eleven the mail train left for Rhodesiabearing with it the influential36 friends who might otherwise come to myrescue. That was the reason of my immunity37 up to now. From last nighttill eleven this morning I had been safe, but now the net was closing inupon me.
I hurriedly opened my bag and paid for my drinks, and as I did so, myheart seemed to stand still, for inside it was a man’s wallet stuffed with notes!
It must have been deftly38 introduced into my handbag as I left the tram.
Promptly I lost my head. I hurried out of Cartwright’s. The little manwith the big nose and the policeman were just crossing the road. They sawme, and the little man designated me excitedly to the policeman. I took tomy heels and ran. I judged him to be a slow policeman. I should get astart. But I had no plan, even then. I just ran for my life down AdderleyStreet. People began to stare. I felt that in another minute someone wouldstop me.
An idea flashed into my head.
“The station?” I asked, in a breathless gasp39.
“Just down on the right.”
I sped on. It is permissible40 to run for a train. I turned into the station,but as I did so I heard footsteps close behind me. The little man with thebig nose was a champion sprinter41. I foresaw that I should be stopped be-fore I got to the platform I was in search of. I looked up to the clock—oneminute to eleven. I might just do it if my plan succeeded.
I had entered the station by the main entrance in Adderley Street. I nowdarted out again through the side exit. Directly opposite me was the sideentrance to the post office, the main entrance to which is in AdderleyStreet.
As I expected, my pursuer, instead of following me in, ran down thestreet to cut me off when I emerged by the main entrance, or to warn thepoliceman to do so.
In an instant I slipped across the street again and back into the station. Iran like a lunatic. It was just eleven. The long train was moving as I ap-peared on the platform. A porter tried to stop me, but I wriggled42 myselfout of his grasp and sprang upon the foot-board. I mounted the two stepsand opened the gate. I was safe! The train was gathering43 way.
We passed a man standing44 by himself at the end of the platform. Iwaved to him.
“Good-bye Mr. Pagett,” I shouted.
Never have I seen a man more taken aback. He looked as though he hadseen a ghost.
In a minute or two I was having trouble with the conductor. But I took alofty tone.
“I am Sir Eustace Pedler’s secretary,” I said haughtily45. “Please take me tohis private car.”
Suzanne and Colonel Race were standing on the rear observation plat-form. They both uttered an exclamation46 of utter surprise at seeing me.
“Hullo, Miss Anne,” cried Colonel Race, “where have you turned upfrom? I thought you’d gone to Durban. What an unexpected person youare!”
Suzanne said nothing, but her eyes asked a hundred questions.
“I must report myself to my chief,” I said demurely47. “Where is he?”
“He’s in the office—middle compartment48—dictating at an incrediblerate to the unfortunate Miss Pettigrew.”
“This enthusiasm for work is something new,” I commented.
“H’m!” said Colonel Race. “His idea is, I think, to give her sufficient workto chain her to her typewriter in her own compartment for the rest of theday.”
I laughed. Then, followed by the other two, I sought out Sir Eustace. Hewas striding up and down the circumscribed49 space, hurling50 a flood ofwords at the unfortunate secretary whom I now saw for the first time. Atall, square woman in drab clothing, with pince-nez and an efficient air. Ijudged that she was finding it difficult to keep pace with Sir Eustace, forher pencil was flying along, and she was frowning horribly.
I stepped into the compartment.
“Come aboard, sir,” I said saucily51.
Sir Eustace paused dead in the middle of a complicated sentence on thelabour situation, and stared at me. Miss Pettigrew must be a nervouscreature, in spite of her efficient air, for she jumped as though she hadbeen shot.
“God bless my soul!” ejaculated Sir Eustace. “What about the young manin Durban?”
“I prefer you,” I said softly.
“Darling,” said Sir Eustace. “You can start holding my hand at once.”
Miss Pettigrew coughed, and Sir Eustace hastily withdrew his hand.
“Ah, yes,” he said. “Let me see, where were we? Yes. Tylman Roos, in hisspeech at—What’s the matter? Why aren’t you taking it down?”
“I think,” said Colonel Race gently, “that Miss Pettigrew has broken herpencil.”
He took it from her and sharpened it. Sir Eustace stared, and so did I.
There was something in Colonel Race’s tone that I did not quite under-stand.
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1
placidly
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| adv.平稳地，平静地 | |
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nefarious
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| adj.恶毒的，极坏的 | |
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confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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untied
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| 松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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underlying
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| adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的 | |
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fomenting
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| v.激起，煽动（麻烦等）( foment的现在分词 ) | |
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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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sentimentally
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| adv.富情感地 | |
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antipathy
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| n.憎恶；反感，引起反感的人或事物 | |
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grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
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impeding
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| a.(尤指坏事)即将发生的，临近的 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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meditations
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| 默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想 | |
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sodas
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| n.苏打( soda的名词复数 )；碱；苏打水；汽水 | |
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soda
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| n.苏打水；汽水 | |
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derive
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| v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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trickling
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| n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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maple
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| n.槭树，枫树，槭木 | |
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unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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influential
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| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
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immunity
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| n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权 | |
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deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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permissible
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| adj.可允许的，许可的 | |
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sprinter
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| n.短跑运动员，短距离全速奔跑者 | |
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wriggled
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等） | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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46
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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47
demurely
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| adv.装成端庄地，认真地 | |
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48
compartment
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| n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间 | |
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49
circumscribed
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| adj.[医]局限的：受限制或限于有限空间的v.在…周围划线( circumscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；划定…范围；限制；限定 | |
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50
hurling
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| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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51
saucily
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| adv.傲慢地，莽撞地 | |
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