"Secret Service believe that Drake plot is to kidnap and ransom. Realplotters are understood to be gang who stole Stewart's body. Are usingcertain Spanish and other foreigners as catspaw. Heads of plot nowin Europe, Spain, England, Holland. Expect more details. Use allprecautions."
"What do you think of that?" said Adams when I had taken my eyes off thepaper.
"I hardly know yet. What do you make of it? You have thought of itlonger than I have."
"Just what I have thought all along. The matter is serious, veryserious! In one way that wire is something of a relief. If thatkidnapping gang are behind it, it doesn't mean political vengeance, butonly boodle; so that the fear of any sudden attack on her life is not soimminent. The gang will take what care they can to keep from killing thegoose that lays the golden eggs. But then, the political desperadoes whowould enter on such a matter are a hard crowd; if they are in power, orat any rate in numerical force, they may not be easy to keep back.Indeed, it is possible that they too may have their own game to play,and may be using the blackmailers for their own purpose. I tell you, oldman, we are in a very tight place, and must go to work pretty warily.The whole thing swings so easily to one side or the other, that anyfalse move on the part of any of us may give the push to the side wewould least care should win. By the way, I take it that you are of thesame mind still regarding Miss Drake's wishes."
"Now and always! But as you can guess I am anxious to know all I canthat can help me to guard her." Somewhat to my astonishment he answeredheartily:
"All right, old chap, of course I will tell you; but I will depend onyour letting m
e know of anything you are free to tell which might serveme in my work."
"Certainly! I say," I added, "you don't mind my not having worked withyou about finding her address."
"Not a bit! I have to find it in my own way; that is all!" There wasa sort of satisfaction, if not of triumph, in his tone which set methinking.
"Then you know it already?" I said.
"Not yet; but I hope to before the night is over."
"Have you a clue?" He laughed.
"Clue? a hundred. Why, man, none of us were born yesterday. There isn'ta thing on God's earth that mayn't be a clue now and again if it isproperly used. You are a clue yourself if it comes to that." In aflash I saw it all. Adams had come to Cruden to point me out to hisdetectives. These were the keen-looking men who were at Cruden when hewas. Of course they had followed me, and Marjory's secret was no secretnow. I said nothing for a little while; for at the first I was angrythat Adams should have used me against my will. Then two feelings strovefor mastery; one of anxiety lest my unconscious betrayal of her secretmight hurt me in Marjory's eyes, the other relief that now she was in ameasure protected by the resources of her great country. I was easier inmy mind concerning her safety when I thought of those keen, alert menlooking after her. Then again I thought that Adams had done nothingwhich I could find fault with. I should doubtless have done the samemyself had occasion arisen. I was chagrined, however, to think that ithad all been so childishly simple. I had not even contemplated such acontingency. If I couldn't plot and hide my tracks better than that,I should be but a poor ally for Marjory in the struggle which she hadvoluntarily undertaken against her unknown foes.
Before I left Adams, I told him that I would come back on the to-morrowevening. I went to bed early in the Palace hotel, as I wanted to catchthe first train back to Cruden.
CHAPTER XXIV
A SUBTLE PLAN
It was now a serious matter of thought to me how I could take Marjoryinto proper confidence, without spoiling things and betraying Adams'sconfidence. As I pondered, the conviction grew upon me that I had betterbe quite frank with her and ask her advice. Accordingly when I sawher at Crom at noon I entered on the matter, though I confess withtrepidation. When I told her I wanted to ask her advice she was allattention. I felt particularly nervous as I began:
"Marjory, when a man is in a hole he ought to consult his best friend;oughtn't he?"
"Why certainly!"
"And you are my best friend; are you not?"
"I hope so! I should certainly like to be."
"Well, look here, dear, I am in such a tangle that I can't find a wayout, and I want you to help me." She must have guessed at something likethe cause of my difficulty, for a faint smile passed over her face asshe said:
"The old trouble? Sam Adams's diplomacy, eh?"
"It is this. I want to know how you think I should act so as to giveleast pain to a very dear friend of mine, and at the same time do a veryimperative duty. You may see a way out that I don't."
"Drive on dear; I'm listening."
"Since we met I have had some very disturbing information from a sourcewhich I am not at liberty to mention. I can tell you all about this,though you must not ask me how I know it. But first there is somethingelse. I believe, though I do not know for certain, that your secret isblown; that the detectives have discovered where you live." She sat upat once.
"What!" I went on quickly:
"And I am sorry to say that if it is discovered it has been through me;though not by any act or indeed by any fault of mine." She laid her handon mine and said reassuringly:
"If you are in it, I can look at it differently. May I ask how you cameinto that gallery?"
"Certainly! I am not pledged as to this. It was by the most simple andtransparent of means. You and I were seen together. They did not knowwhere to look for you or follow you up, when they had lost the scent;but they knew me and watched me. Voila!"