The British Mysteries Edition: 14 Novels & 70+ Short Stories. Sapper
girls have swallowed it.
Then came the awakening. The company had played for a week in a fifth- rate hall in Valparaiso to find last Saturday night that the manager had decamped with what money there was. They were stranded—penniless, or practically so in a foreign town, with not a soul to turn to for assistance. The rest we knew already; the woman with the kindly offer of assistance—the woman in MacTavert's pay.
"She seemed so nice," said Colette, miserably, "and then I found myself here."
Once again the poor child's eyes filled with tears; she was paying a big price for her one mistake of foolish vanity in England. And Jim's eyes were very gentle as he looked at her.
"I see, Colette," he said quietly. "I understand. I'm thinking it was very lucky you saw us today."
For a moment he looked at me; how lucky it was I don't think the girl quite realised. A good deal of the innocence of that little Sussex village still remained to Colette.
"And so now," continued Jill cheerfully, "the only thing that remains is to get you away. I don't think we'll bother about your box and things tonight; I'll fix up about them tomorrow morning. We'll just walk out, and I'll find you a room at some hotel."
He smiled as he saw the look of amazed hope on the girl's face—a look which faded almost as quickly as it had come.
"Well—what's troubling you now?" he said.
"I can't, Jim," she cried. "It's wonderful of you to have thought of it—but I can't."
"Why not?" His voice was a little stern.
"There was a missionary here last night," she said, at length. "And he took one of the girls away. And that brute MacTavert's got two men he keeps here. And they threw him into the docks and nearly drowned him."
For a moment Jim look puzzled; then with ostentatious deliberation he lit a cigarette.
"And you're afraid, Colette, that they will do that to me?" She nodded. "I couldn't have you hurt for me," she answered. "I'm not worth it."
And Jim was polishing his eyeglass, which had suddenly become a bit misty.
"Thank you, little girl," he said quietly, after a while. "That's awfully sweet of you. But you needn't worry about it, I promise you. Somehow or other, I don't, think MacTavert and his pals will throw me or Dick into any dock. And if they do," he went on, with a sudden grin, "I'll guarantee that they will come in with us."
He pushed back his chair and rose to his feet.
"Come along; we'll go now."
He led the way towards the door, and after a moment's hesitation the girl followed him. And they had got half-way when MacTavert saw them. With a shout of anger he rushed out from behind the bar, and reached the door just ahead of Jim.
"Where are you taking that gel to?" he demanded, barring the way.
Instantly a silence settled on the room; everyone craned forward with zest to see what was going to happen. And Colette, her breath coming in little frightened gasps, cowered close to me, while her eyes were fixed on the tall figure of Jim just in front of her.
"In England, MacTavert," he remarked, and every word cut like a knife through the room, "in England you would be flogged with the cat for your method of living. Unfortunately, we are not in England, and so I propose to take the law into my own hands. If you don't get out of my way I shall hit you."
And MacTavert laughed, or rather he bared his yellow teeth in what was intended to be a grin. At last this man was talking the language that he understood, and when that language was talked MacTavert, to do him justice, was no coward.
"You'll hit me, Percy, will you?" he mimicked.' "Sure, you frighten me, darling."
A burst of laughter went round the room, which died away in a gasp of astonishment. At one moment MacTavert was standing there leering at Jim—the next he had disappeared. And only the drumming of his feet, which stuck out from under a table that he had overturned in his fall, indicated his position. Not till the drumming ceased did Jim turn and contemplate the room.
"When he takes interest again," he remarked pleasantly, to no one in particular, "you can remind him that I gave him fair warning."
He passed through the door and we followed—no one lifting a finger to prevent us.
"Easy money," said Jim, grinning, "but I think we'll get a move on now. When MacTavert wakes up he won't be full of brotherly love."
We walked quickly away up the street, the girl between us, and as we turned the corner that hid the flaring notice out of sight, I looked back. As far as I could see the street was deserted, and I breathed more freely. At last we reached a small and respectable-looking hotel, and after a brief survey Jim decided it would do. A room was available, and he engaged it for Colette.
"I'll be round in the morning," he said, cutting short her thanks with a smile. "Until then you go to bed and sleep."
We watched her go up the stairs before we left. At the top she turned and waved her hand, and Jim waved back.
"Poor little kid," he said, as we went out into the street. "Thank heaven we were here, and she saw us! Otherwise..."
He paused suddenly, gripping my arm, and stared across the road.
"Under that tree, Dick," he whispered. "Do you see anything?"
And it seemed to me there was a shadow on the path such as a man might throw. But when we got there and looked about there was nothing. The road was deserted, and at last we turned and retraced our steps towards our own hotel.
* * * * *
It was eleven o'clock next morning that we returned to the hotel where we had left Colette. And we found she'd gone!
The clerk, in the intervals of picking his teeth, informed us dispassionately that a message had come round for her to the effect that the gentleman with the eyeglass wished her to come at once to his hotel—the Grand. And she'd gone. Apparently her bill had been paid, and he could tell us nothing more. A car had been waiting and she had got in. With which he returned to his teeth, while Jim cursed with marvellous fluency under his breath.
"What a fool I was, Dick! We ought to have taken her to the Grand." We were standing in the sunny street outside the hotel. "That swine MacTavert has got her back."
"What about going to the police?" I suggested.
"Man, we've got no proof," he cried. "And even if we had, the police in a place like this are no more use than a sick headache. We've got to handle this thing ourselves, Dick. Are you on?"
"Of course," I said briefly. "What's the first move?"
"A further conversation with MacTavert," he remarked. "And at once."
The dancing saloon was empty as we turned into it. The reek of stale smoke and spirits was worse than the night before, but it was evidently too early for the habituÚs to arrive.
"So much the better," said Jim grimly. "It gives us a clear field."
He gave a shout of "Bar!" and after a moment or two MacTavert's evil face appeared through a door. He stared at us for a time in silence; then he pressed an electric bell twice.
"This bar don't open till midday," he remarked at length.
"That's very fortunate," said Jim placidly. "It gives us an hour to break it up in. How is the face this morning?"
"Get out of it!" roared MacTavert, completely losing control of himself.
"Certainly," answered Jim. "The instant that you produce Colette I shall be delighted to go."
But the scoundrel wasn't going to give himself away.
"So you've lost her, have you?" he sneered. "She fooled you nicely last night, didn't she?"
He was leaning over the bar, shaking with laughter.
"You dear little mother's innocent,