第85章

"Mr. Laverick," he said, "we are not here to be trifled with. Keep your sister quiet, Morrison, or, by God, you'll swing!"Laverick looked at the revolver - fascinated, for an instant, by its unexpected appearance. The face of the man who held it had changed. There was lightning playing about the room.

"It's the dock for you both!" Streuss exclaimed fiercely, - "for you, Laverick, and you, Morrison, too, if you play with us any longer! One of you's a murderer and the other receives the booty.

Who are you to have scruples - criminals, both of you? Your place is in the dock, and you shall be there within twenty-four hours if there are any more evasions. Now, Laverick, will you fetch that document? It is your last chance."Upon the breathless silence that followed a quiet voice intervened - a voice calm and emotionless, tinged with a measure of polite inquiry. Yet its level utterance fell like a bomb among the little company. The curtain separating this from the inner room had been drawn a few feet back, and Bellamy was standing there, in black overcoat and white muffler, his silk hat on the back of his head, his left hand, carefully gloved, resting still upon the curtain which he had drawn aside.

"I hope I am not disturbing you at all?" he murmured softly.

For a moment the development of the situation remained uncertain.

The gleaming barrel of Streuss's revolver changed its destination.

Bellamy glanced at it with the pleased curiosity of a child.

"I really ought not to have intruded," he continued amiably. "Ihappened to hear the address my friend Laverick gave to the taxicab driver, and I was particularly anxious to have a word or two with him before I left for the Continent."Streuss was surely something of a charlatan! His revolver had disappeared. The smile upon his lips was both gracious and unembarrassed.

"One is always only too pleased to welcome Mr. Bellamy anywhere -anyhow," he declared. "If apologies are needed at all," he continued, "it is to our friend and host - Mr. Morrison here.

Permit me - Mr. Arthur Morrison - the Honorable David Bellamy!

These are Mr. Morrison's rooms."

Morrison could do no more than stare. Bellamy, on the contrary, with a little bow came further into the apartment, removing his hat from his head. Lassen glided round behind him, remaining between Bellamy and the heavy curtains. Adolf Kahn moved as though unconsciously in front of the door of the room in which they were.

Bellamy smiled courteously.

"I am afraid," he said, "that I must not stay for more than a moment.

I have a car full of friends below - we are on our way, in fact, to the Covent Garden Ball - and one or two of them, I fear," he added indulgently, "have already reached that stage of exhilaration which such an entertainment in England seems to demand. They will certainly come and rout me out if I am here much longer. There!" he exclaimed, "you hear that?"There was the sound of a motor horn from the street below. Streuss, with an oath trembling upon his lips, lifted the blind. There were two motor-cars waiting there - large cars with Limousine bodies, and apparently full of men. After all, it was to be expected.

Bellamy was no fool!

"Since we are to lose you, then Mr. Laverick," Streuss remarked with a gesture of farewell, "let us say good night. The little matter of business which we were discussing can be concluded with your partner."Laverick turned toward Zoe. Their eyes met and he read their message of terror.

"You are coming back to your own rooms, Miss Leneveu," he said.

"You must let me offer you my escort."

She half rose, but in obedience to a gesture from Streuss Morrison moved near to them.

"If you leave me here, Laverick," he muttered beneath his breath, -"if you leave me to these hounds, do you know what they will do?

They will hand me over to the police - they have sworn it!""Why did you come back?" Laverick asked quickly.

"They stopped me as I was boarding the steamer," Morrison declared.

"I tell you they have eyes everywhere. You cannot move without their knowledge. I had to come. Now that I am here they have told me plainly the price of my freedom. It is that document. Laverick, it is my life! You must give in - you must, indeed! Remember you're in it, too.""Am I?" Laverick asked quietly.

"You fool, of course you are!" Morrison whispered hoarsely. "Didn't you come into the entry and take the pocket-book? Heaven knows what possessed you to do it! Heaven knows how you found the pluck to use the money! But you did it, and you are a criminal - a criminal as Iam. Don't be a fool, Laverick. Make terms with these people. They want the document - the document - nothing but the document! They will let us keep the money.""And you?" Laverick asked, turning suddenly to Zoe. "What do you say about all this?"She looked at him fearlessly.

"I trust you," she said. "I trust you to do what is right.