have told us to do this unless he was sure we’d be all right.”
“But he doesn’t know them as I do!” The girl shivered. “You can’t
understand. Five years! Five long years! Sometimes I thought I should go mad.”
“Never mind. It’s all over.” “Is it?”
The train was moving now, speeding through the night at a gradually
increasing rate. Suddenly Jane Finn started up.
“What was that? I thought I saw a face–looking in through the window.”
“No, there’s nothing. See.” Tuppence went to the window, and lifting the
strap let the pane down.
“You’re sure?”
“Quite sure.”
The other seemed to feel some excuse was necessary:
“I guess I’m acting like a frightened rabbit, but I can’t help it. If they
caught me now they’d—-” Her eyes opened wide and staring.
“DON’T!” implored Tuppence. “Lie back, and DON’T THINK. You can be quite
sure that Tommy wouldn’t have said it was safe if it wasn’t.”
“My cousin didn’t think so. He didn’t want us to do this.”
“No,” said Tuppence, rather embarrassed.
“What are you thinking of?” said Jane sharply.
“Why?”
“Your voice was so–queer!”
“I WAS thinking of something,” confessed Tuppence. “But I don’t want to
tell you–not now. I may be wrong, but I don’t think so. It’s just an idea that
came into my head a long time ago. Tommy’s got it too–I’m almost sure he has.
But don’t YOU worry–there’ll be time enough for that later. And it mayn’t be
so at all! Do what I tell you–lie back and don’t think of anything.”
“I’ll try.” The long lashes drooped over the hazel eyes.
Tuppence, for her part, sat bolt upright–much in the attitude of a
watchful terrier on guard. In spite of herself she was nervous. Her eyes
flashed continually from one window to the other. She noted the exact position
of the communication cord. What it was that she feared, she would have been hard
put to it to say. But in her own mind she was far from feeling the confidence
displayed in her words. Not that she disbelieved in Tommy, but occasionally she
was shaken with doubts as to whether anyone so simple and honest as he was could
ever be a match for the fiendish subtlety of the arch-criminal.
If they once reached Sir James Peel Edgerton in safety, all would be well.
But would they reach him? Would not the silent forces of Mr. Brown already be
assembling against them? Even that last picture of Tommy, revolver in hand,
failed to comfort her. By now he might be overpowered, borne down by sheer
force of numbers…. Tuppence mapped out her plan of campaign.
As the train at length drew slowly into Charing Cross, Jane Finn sat up
with a start.
“Have we arrived? I never thought we should!”
“Oh, I thought we’d get to London all right. If there’s going to be any
fun, now is when it will begin. Quick, get out. We’ll nip into a taxi.”
In another minute they were passing the barrier, had paid the necessary
fares, and were stepping into a taxi.
“King’s Cross,” directed Tuppence. Then she gave a jump. A man looked in
at the window, just as they started. She was almost certain it was the same man
who had got into the carriage next to them. She had a horrible feeling of being
slowly hemmed in on every side.
“You see,” she explained to Jane, “if they think we’re going to Sir James,
this will put them off the scent. Now they’ll imagine we’re going to Mr. Carter.
His country place is north of London somewhere.”
Crossing Holborn there was a block, and the taxi was held up. This was what
Tuppence had been waiting for.
“Quick,” she whispered. “Open the right-hand door!”
The two girls stepped out into the traffic. Two minutes later they were
seated in another taxi and were retracing their steps, this time direct to
Carlton House Terrace.
“There,” said Tuppence, with great satisfaction, “this ought to do them. I
can’t help thinking that I’m really rather clever! How that other taxi man will
swear! But I took his number, and I’ll send him a postal order to-morrow, so