A Coin of Edward VII: A Detective StoryHume, Fergus
Philosophy
A Coin of Edward VII: A Detective Story
Hume, Fergus
Detective and mystery stories; Fiction
"Yes. Anne mentioned that Denham was not her father, that she had just
heard the truth, and Dane was amazed. He hardly knew what to say, but
ultimately stammered out some sort of denial. Anne did not give him time
to speak. She said that she would see Denham herself, and get to the
bottom of the imposture. Then she asked what message he had sent in the
character of her father. Dane refused to give it in my presence, so I
walked away for ten minutes and left them together. Oh, I was foolish, I
know," she added in reply to Ware's exclamation. "But I thought Mark
Dane was devoted to me, and would not play any tricks while I was about.
However, I did leave them alone. Anne was not in the least afraid, as
she always got on well with Dane and trusted him entirely. When I
returned in ten minutes, or it may be more, they were gone."
"Gone!" echoed the Princess, much agitated. "Where?"
"I don't know. I searched everywhere. I went round and round the Abbey.
I asked a policeman. They were nowhere to be found. I fancied that they
went across to Westminster Bridge, which they could easily do without my
seeing them. Anne must have gone of her own accord. She was decoyed by
Dane. I don't know why, no more than I know what inducement he held out
to lure her away. I searched for hours. Then I asked a policeman about
the matter. He told me to go to Scotland Yard. I went and inquired for
Steel. He had gone home. I have been walking the streets all night,"
said Olga, with a haggard look.
"Oh, great heavens!" moaned the Princess, wringing her hands; "what
would your father say if he heard?"
"He will never know unless you tell him, mother. I can look after myself
easily. No one molested me. I had a cup of coffee at a stall this
morning, and went again to see Steel. He has gone out of town."
"To Rickwell?" asked Giles eagerly; then he remembered. "I can't
understand. I called to see Steel at midday before I came here, and he
was then in his office."
"Well, the official I spoke to about nine o'clock told me that he had
gone, leaving a message that he was going out of town, and would not be
back for a few days."
"I wonder," began Giles, and then held his peace. It occurred to him
that Steel intended to remain until he caught Dane in the trap laid for
him in this very flat. The knowledge that the man had decoyed Anne away
on the previous night made Giles the more eager that he should be
caught. "You will see Anne yet, Princess," he said, for she was crying
bitterly.
"Oh, I hope so--I hope so. But where is she?"
"We must ask Dane that."
"How are we to see Dane?" demanded Olga wonderingly.
Ware explained the use made of Olga's name by Steel to trap the man. "I
expect Steel will call on you to-day to tell you this," he said
cheerfully.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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