The Mystery of the Four FingersWhite, Fred M. (Fred Merrick)
General
The Mystery of the Four Fingers
White, Fred M. (Fred Merrick)
Detective and mystery stories
"That he be, sir, that he be. And to think that he should come home like
this. It'll be a good day for the old house when he returns to settle
down altogether."
Fenwick dismissed the old man with a contemptuous gesture. He had found
out all he wanted to know, though his information had come to him as an
unpleasant surprise. It was a strange coincidence that Fenwick should
have settled upon Merton Grange for a dwelling-place, and thus had picked
out the actual home of the young man who had suffered so much at his
hands. But there was something beyond this that troubled Fenwick. It was
a disturbing thought to know that Charles Evors could find his way about
the house in this mysterious fashion. It was a still more disturbing
thought to feel that Evors might be in league with those who were
engaged in tracking down the so-called millionaire. There were certain
things going on which it was imperative to keep a profound secret.
Doubtless there were secret passages and panels in this ancient house,
and Fenwick turned cold at the thought that perhaps prying eyes had
already solved the problem of the little room at the end of the corridor.
He lost no time in calling his parasites about him. In a few words he
told them what had happened.
"Don't you see what it means?" he said. "Charles Evors is here, he has
come back to his old home, and what is more he has come back to keep an
eye on us. I feel pretty certain that someone is behind him. Very likely
it is that devil Zary. If the police were to walk in now, guided by
Evors, we should be caught like rats in a trap. I didn't want to trust
that stuff to Blossett, but he must get away with it now without delay.
There is a train about twelve o'clock to London, and he must get one of
the servants to drive him over in a dogcart. Now don't stand gazing at me
with your mouths open like that, for goodness knows how close the danger
is. Get the stuff away at once."
The man Blossett came into the garden, a big cigar between his lips. He
laughed in his insolent fashion when he was told of his errand. The hot
blood was in Fenwick's face, but he had not time to quarrel with the
swaggering Blossett.
"I thought you would come to your senses," the latter said. "Nobody
like me to do a little thing of that sort. Now let me have the case and
I'll be off without delay. Better put it in a Gladstone bag. If I have
any luck I shall be back here to-night, and then we can share the
bank-notes and there will be an end of the matter. You had better sink
all the materials in the moat. Not that I am afraid of anything
happening, myself."
Half an hour later Blossett was being bowled down the drive behind a
fleet horse. A little later still, as the train pulled out of the
station, Egan and Grady stood there watching it with rueful faces. Venner
was with them, and smiled to himself, despite the unfortunate nature of
the situation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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