Malcolm Sage, Detective

"Later, I may require a list of the guests," said Malcolm Sage, whenSir Lyster had completed his account. "You said, I think, that thekey of the safe was sometimes left in an accessible place?"

"Yes, in a drawer."

"So that anyone having access to the room could easily have taken awax impression."

"Sir Lyster flushed slightly.

"There is no one – " he began.

"There is always a potential someone," corrected Malcolm Sage, raising his eyes suddenly and fixing them full upon Sir Lyster.

"The question is, Sage," broke in Mr. Llewellyn John tactfully,"what are we to do?"

"I should first like to see the inside of the safe and the dummypacket," said Malcolm Sage, rising. "No, I will open it myself ifyou will give me the key," he added, as Sir Lyster rose and movedover to the safe.

Taking the key, Malcolm Sage kneeled before the safe door and, bythe light of an electric torch, surveyed the whole of the surfacewith keen-sighted eyes. Then placing the key in the lock he turnedit, and swung back the door, revealing a long official envelope asthe sole contents. This he examined carefully without touching it, his head thrust inside the safe.

"Is this the same envelope as that in which the document wasenclosed?" he enquired, without looking round.

The three men had risen and were grouped behind Malcolm Sage, watching him with keen interest.

"It's the same kind of envelope, but – " began

Sir Lyster, when Lord Beamdale interrupted.

"It's the envelope itself," he said. "I noticed that the right-handtop corner was bent in rather a peculiar manner."

Malcolm Sage rose and, taking out the envelope, carefully examinedthe damaged corner, which was bent and slightly torn.

"Yes, it's the same," cried Mr. Llewellyn John. "I remember tearingit myself when putting in the document."

"How many leaves of paper were there?" enquired Malcolm Sage.

"Eight, I think," replied Sir Lyster.

"Nine," corrected Lord Beamdale. "There was a leaf in front blankbut for the words, 'Plans Department.'"

"Have you another document from the same Department?" enquired

Malcolm Sage of Sir Lyster.

"Several."

"I should like to see one."

Sir Lyster left the room, and Malcolm Sage removed the contents ofthe envelope. Carefully counting nine leaves of blank white foolscap,he bent down over the paper, with his face almost touching it.

When Sir Lyster re-entered with another document in his hand MalcolmSage took it from him and proceeded to subject it to an equallyclose scrutiny, holding up to the light each sheet in succession.

"I suppose, Sir Lyster, you don't by any chance use scent?" enquired

Malcolm Sage without looking up.

"Mr. Sage!" Sir Lyster was on his dignity.

"I see you don't," was Malcolm Sage's calm comment as he resumed hisexamination of the dummy document. Replacing it in the envelope, hereturned it to the safe, closed the door, locked it, and put the keyin his pocket.

"Well! what do you make of it?" cried Mr. Llewellyn John eagerly.

"We shall have to take the Postmaster-general into our confidence."

"Woldington!" cried Mr. Llewellyn John in astonishment. "Why."

Sir Lyster looked surprised, whilst Lord Beamdale appeared almostinterested.

"Because we shall probably require his help."

"How?" enquired Sir Lyster.

"Well, it's rather dangerous to tamper with His Majesty's mailswithout the connivance of St. Martins-le-Grand," was the dry retort.

"But – " began Mr. Llewellyn John, when suddenly he stopped short.

Malcolm Sage had walked over to where his overcoat lay, and wasdeliberately getting into it.

"You're not going, Mr. Sage?" Sir Lyster's granite-like controlseemed momentarily to forsake him. "What do you advise us to do?"

"Get some sleep," was the quiet reply.

"But aren't you going to search for – ?" He paused as Malcolm Sageturned and looked full at him.

"A search would involve the very publicity you are anxious toavoid," was the reply.

"But – " began Mr. Llewellyn John, when Malcolm Sage interruptedhim.

"The only effective search would be to surround the house withpolice, and allow each occupant to pass through the cordon afterhaving been stripped. The house would then have to be gone through; carpets and boards pulled up; mattresses ripped open; chairs – "

"I agree with Mr. Sage," said Sir Lyster, looking across at the

Prime Minister coldly.

"Had I been a magazine detective I should have known exactly whereto find the missing document," said Malcolm Sage. "As I am not" – heturned to Sir Lyster – "it will be necessary for you to leave a notefor your butler telling him that you have dropped somewhere aboutthe house the key of this safe, and instructing him to have athorough search made for it. You might casually mention the loss atbreakfast, and refer to an important document inside the safe whichyou must have on Monday morning. Perhaps the Prime Minister willsuggest telephoning to town for a man to come down to force the safeshould the key not be found."

Malcolm Sage paused. The others were gazing at him with keeninterest.

"Leave the note unfolded in a conspicuous place where anyone can seeit," he continued.

"I'll put it on the hall-table," said Sir Lyster.

Malcolm Sage nodded.

"It is desirable that you should all appear to be in the best ofspirits." There was a fluttering at the corners of Malcolm Sage'smouth, as he lifted his eyes for a second to the almost lugubriouscountenance of Lord Beamdale. "Under no circumstances refer to therobbery, even amongst yourselves. Try to forget it."

"But how will that help?" enquired Mr. Llewellyn John, whose naturerendered him singularly ill-adapted to a walking-on part.

"I will ask you, sir," said Malcolm Sage, turning to him, "to giveme a letter to Mr. Woldington, asking him to do as I request. I willgive him the details."

"But why is it necessary to tell him?" demanded Sir Lyster.

"That I will explain to you to-morrow. That will be Monday,"explained Malcolm Sage, "earlier if possible. A few lines will do,"he added, turning to Mr. Llewellyn John.

"I suppose we must," said the Prime Minister, looking from Sir

Lyster to Lord Beamdale.

"I hope to call before lunch," said Malcolm Sage, "but as Mr. LeSage from the Foreign Office. You will refuse to discuss officialmatters until Monday. I shall probably ask you to introduce me toeveryone you can. It may happen that I shall disappear suddenly."

"But cannot you be a little less mysterious?" said Sir Lyster, witha touch of asperity in his voice.

"There is nothing mysterious," replied Malcolm Sage. "It seems quiteobvious. Everything depends upon how clever the thief is." He lookedup suddenly, his gaze passing from one to another of the bewilderedMinisters.

"It's by no means obvious to me," cried Mr. Llewellyn John, complainingly.

"By the way, Sir Lyster, how many cars have you in the garage?"enquired Malcolm Sage. "In case we want them," he added.

"I have two, and there are" – he paused for a moment – "five others,"he added; "seven in all."

"Any carriages, or dog-carts?"

"No. We have no horses."

"Bicycles?"

"A few of the servants have them," replied Sir Lyster, a littleimpatiently.

"The bicycles are also kept in the garage, I take it?"

"They are." This time there was no mistaking the note of irritationin Sir Lyster's voice.

"There may be several messengers from Whitehall to-morrow," saidMalcolm Sage, after a pause. "Please keep them waiting until theyshow signs of impatience. It is important. Whatever happens here, itwould be better not to acquaint the police —whatever happens," headded with emphasis. "And now, sir" – he turned to Mr. LlewellynJohn – "I should like that note to the Postmaster-general."

Mr. Llewellyn John sat down reluctantly at a table and wrote a note.

"But suppose the thief hands the document to an accomplice?" said

Sir Lyster presently, with something like emotion in his voice.

"That's exactly what I am supposing," was Malcolm Sage's reply and, taking the note that Mr. Llewellyn John held out to him, he placedit in his breast pocket, buttoned up his overcoat, and walked acrossto the window through which he had entered. With one hand upon thecurtain he turned.

"If I call you may notice that I have acquired a slight foreignaccent," he said, and with that he slipped behind the curtain. Amoment later the sound was heard of the window being quietly openedand then shut again.

"Well, I'm damned!" cried Lord Beamdale, and for the moment Mr.

Llewelyln John and Sir Lyster forgot their surprise at Malcolm

Sage's actions in their astonishment at their colleague's remark.

CHAPTER VII THE OUTRAGE AT THE GARAGE

I

When Mr. Walters descended the broad staircase of The Towers on theSunday morning he found two things to disturb him – Sir Lyster's noteon the hall-table, and the Japanese valet "lost" in the conservatory.

He read the one with attention, and rebuked the other with acrimony.

Having failed to find the missing key himself, he proceeded to the housekeeper's room, and poured into the large and receptive ear of

Mrs. Eames the story of his woes.

"And this a Sunday too," the housekeeper was just remarking, in afat, comfortable voice, when Richards, the chauffeur, burstunceremoniously into the room.

"Someone's taken the pencils from all the magnetos," he shoutedangrily, his face moist with heat and lubricant.

"Is that your only excuse for bursting into a lady's room withoutknocking?" enquired Mr. Walters, with an austere dignity he hadcopied directly from Sir Lyster. "If you apply to me presently Iwill lend you a pencil. In the meantime – "

"But it's burglars. They've broken into the garage and taken thepencils from every magneto, every blinkin' one," he added by way ofemphasis.

At the mention of the word "burglars," Mr. Walters's professionalcomposure of feature momentarily forsook him, and his jaw dropped.Recovering himself instantly, however, he hastened out of the room, closely followed by Richards, leaving Mrs. Eames speechless, theoval cameo locket heaving up and down upon her indignant black-silkbosom. A man had sworn in her presence and had departed unrebuked.

On reaching the garage Mr. Walters gazed vaguely about him. He wasentirely unversed in mechanics, and Richards persisted in pouringforth technicalities that bewildered him. The chauffeur also cursedloudly and with inspiration, until reminded that it was Sunday, whenhe lowered his voice, at the same time increasing the density of hislanguage.

Mr. Walters was frankly disappointed. There, was no outward sign ofburglars. At length he turned interrogatingly to Richards.

"Just a-goin' to tune 'em up I was," explained Richards for thetwentieth time, "when I found the bloomin' engines had gone whonky, then – "

"Found the engines had gone what?" enquired Mr. Walters.

"Whonky, dud, na-poo," explained Richards illuminatingly, whilst Mr.Walters gazed at him icily. "Then in comes Davies," he continued, nodding in the direction of a little round-faced man, with"chauffeur" written on every inch of him "and 'e couldn't get 'isblinkin' 'arp to 'urn neither. Then we starts a-lookin' round, whenlo and be'old! what do we find? Some streamin', saturated son ofsin an' whiskers 'as pinched the ruddy pencils out of the scarletmagnetos."

"The float's gone from my carburettor."

The voice came from a long, lean man who appeared suddenly out ofthe shadows at the far-end of the garage.

Without a word Richards and Davies dashed each to a car. A minutelater two yells announced that the floats from their carburettorsalso had disappeared.

Later Richards told how that morning he had found the door of thegarage unfastened, although he was certain that he had locked it thenight before.

This was sufficient for Mr. Walters. Fleeing from the bewilderingflood of technicalities and profanity of the three chauffeurs, hemade his way direct to Sir Lyster's room. Here he told his tale, andwas instructed instantly to telephone to the police.

At the telephone further trouble awaited him. He could get no replyfrom the exchange. He tried the private wire to the Admiralty; butwith no better result.

He accordingly reported the matter to Sir Lyster, who was by thenwith Lord Beamdale in the library. It was the Minister of War whoreminded his host of Malcolm Sage's strange request that whateverhappened the police were not to be communicated with.

"But Sage could not have anticipated this – this monstrous outrage,"protested Sir Lyster, white with anger. He had already imperiouslyput aside Lord Beamdale's suggestion that the whole affair might bea joke.

"Still, better do as he said," was the rejoinder and, as later Mr.

Llewellyn John concurred, Sir Lyster decided to await the arrival of

Malcolm Sage before taking further steps.

One by one the guests drifted down to breakfast, went out to thegarage to see for themselves, and then returned to discuss theaffair over coffee and kidneys, tea and toast.

It subsequently transpired that without exception the cars had beenentirely put out of commission. From each the pencil had beenremoved from the magneto, and the float from the carburettor. Fromthe bicycles the pedals had been taken away, with the exception ofthose belonging to Miss Blair and one of the housemaids, the onlytwo ladies' machines in the place.

"A veritable Claude Duval," someone remarked; but this broughtlittle consolation to the owners of the wrecked cars. It was a fineday, too, which added to their sense of hardship.

As Sir Lyster left the breakfast-room he encountered Miss Blaircrossing the hall. She looked very fresh and pretty, with a demure, almost childlike expression of feature. Her cheeks were flushed withhealth and exercise.

"Would you like me to cycle over to Odford to the police?" sheenquired. "My machine is quite all right. I have just been for aspin."

"No – er – not at present, thank you, Miss Blair," said Sir Lyster, alittle embarrassed at having to refuse to do the obvious thing. Hepassed across the hall into the library, and Miss Blair, havingalmost fallen over the Japanese valet, "lost" in a corridor leadingto the billiard-room, went out to condole with Richards and tellhim of a strange epidemic of mishaps that seemed to have descendedupon the neighbourhood. She herself had passed a motor-cycle, twopush-bicycles, and a Ford car, all disabled by the roadside.

All that morning the Prime Minister, Sir Lyster, and Lord Beamdalewaited and wondered. Finding the strain of trying to look cheerfultoo much for them, they shut themselves up in the library on theplea of pressing official business; this, in spite of Sir Lyster'swell-known week-end rule.

Hour after hour passed; yet not only did Malcolm Sage fail to put inan appearance, but nothing was heard or seen of the promised bogusofficial messengers.

At luncheon more than one guest remarked upon the distrait andabsent-minded appearance of the three Ministers, and deduced fromthe circumstance a grave political crisis.

The afternoon dragged its leaden course. Throughout the house therewas an atmosphere of unrest. Among themselves the guests complainedbecause no action had been taken to track down the despoiler oftheir cars. Walters had rendered the lives of the domestic staffintolerable by insisting upon search for the missing key being madein the most unlikely and inaccessible places, although in his ownmind he was convinced that it had been stolen by the errant Japanese.

In the library sat the three Ministers, for the most part gazingeither at one another or at nothing in particular. They were waitingfor something to happen: none knew quite what.

Dinner passed, a dreary meal; the ladies withdrew to thedrawing-room; but still the heavy atmosphere of foreboding remained.It was nearly half-past nine when Walters entered and murmuredsomething in Sir Lyster's ear.

An eager light sprang into Mr. Llewellyn John's eyes as the FirstLord rose, made his apologies, and left the room. It was only by theexercise of great self-control that the Prime Minister refrainedfrom jumping up and bolting after him.

Two minutes later Walters again entered the dining-room, with arequest that Mr. Llewellyn John and Lord Beamdale would join SirLyster in the library.

As Walters threw open the library-door, they found Malcolm Sageseated at the table, his fingers spread out before him, whilst SirLyster stood by the fireplace.

"Ask Miss Blair if she will come here to take down an importantletter, Walters," said Sir Lyster.

"Well?" cried Mr. Llewellyn John, as soon as Walters had closed thedoor behind him. "Have you got it?"

"The document is now in a strong-room at the General Post Office,"said Malcolm Sage without looking up. "I thought it would be saferthere."

"Thank God!" cried Mr. Llewellyn John, collapsing into a chair.

Malcolm Sage glanced across at him and half rose.

"I'm all right, Sage," said Mr. Llewellyn John; "but coming afterthis awful day of anxiety, the news was almost too much for me."

"Who took it from the safe then?" enquired Sir Lyster. "I – " hestopped short as the door opened, and Miss Blair entered, notebookin hand, looking very dainty in a simple grey frock, relieved by abunch of clove carnations at the waist. Closing the door behind her, she hesitated for a moment, a smile upon her moist, slightly-partedlips.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Miss Blair," began Sir Lyster, "but Mr.

Sage – " he paused.

"It was Miss Blair who removed the document from the safe," saidMalcolm Sage quietly, his eyes bent upon the finger-tips of hisright hand.

"Miss Blair!" cried Sir Lyster, his hand dropping from themantelpiece to his side.

For the fraction of a second the girl stood just inside the door; then as the significance of Malcolm Sage's words dawned upon her, the smile froze upon her lips, the blood ebbed from her face, leaving it drawn and grey, and the notebook dropped from her fingers.She staggered forward a few steps, then, clutching wildly at theedge of the table, she swayed from side to side. With an obviouseffort she steadied herself, her gaze fixed upon her accuser.

Slowly Malcolm Sage raised his eyes, cold, grey, inflexible, andfixed them upon the terrified girl.

The three Ministers appeared not yet to have realised the truenature of the drama being enacted before them.

"Miss Blair," said Malcolm Sage quietly, "what are your relationswith Paul Cressit?"

Twice she essayed to speak, but no sound came.

"I – I – er – know him," she faltered at length.

"I wondered," said Malcolm Sage slowly.

"What does this mean, Mr. Sage?" enquired Sir Lyster.

"I will tell you," said Malcolm Sage, whilst Lord Beamdale placed achair into which Miss Blair collapsed. "Last night whilst you wereat dinner Miss Blair opened your safe with a duplicate key made froma wax impression. She abstracted a valuable document, putting in itsplace some sheets of blank paper." He paused.

"Go on," almost gasped Mr. Llewellyn John.

"She took the document to her room and hid it, a little uncertain asto how she should get it to her accomplice. This morning she saw SirLyster's note on the hall-table, and emboldened by the thought thatthe theft had not been discovered, she cycled out to Odford andposted the document to Paul Cressit at his chambers in JermynStreet." Again Malcolm Sage paused and drew from his pocket a note.

"In the envelope was enclosed this note." He handed to Mr. Llewellyn

John a half sheet of paper on which was typed:

"Paul, dearest, I have done it. I will ring you up to-morrow. Ishall ask for Tuesday off. You will keep your promise, dear, andsave me, won't you? If you don't I shall kill myself. – G."

"Miss Blair," said Sir Lyster coldly, "what have you to say?"

"N-nothing," she faltered, striving to moisten her grey lips.

"If you will tell the truth," said Malcolm Sage, "you still have achance. If not"; he paused significantly.

She gulped noisily, striving to regain her power of speech.

"You – you promise?" She looked across at Mr. Llewellyn John.

"Whatever Mr. Sage says we endorse," he replied gravely.

"Both of us?" she repeated.

"Both," said Malcolm Sage.

"I – I love him," she moaned; then after a pause she added: "It wasto save the disgrace. He promised, he swore he would if I did it."

"Swore he would do what?" said Malcolm Sage.

"Marry me."

Malcolm Sage raised his eyes to Sir Lyster, who was standingimplacable and merciless.

The girl's head had fallen forward upon the table, and her shoulderswere heaving convulsively.

Rising, Malcolm Sage walked across and placed his hand upon her arm.

"It will be better for everybody if you will try and controlyourself," he said gently, "and above all tell us the truth."

As if surprised at the gentleness of his tone, she slowly raised herdrawn face and looked at him in wonder.

"Now listen to me," continued Malcolm Sage, drawing up a chair andseating himself beside her, "and tell me if I am wrong. Whilst youwere acting as Sir Lyster's secretary you met Paul Cressit at theAdmiralty, and you were attracted to him."

She nodded, with a quick indrawing of her breath.

"He made violent love to you and you succumbed. Later you took himinto your confidence in regard to a certain matter and he promisedto marry you. He put you off from time to time by various excuses.You were almost distracted at the thought of the disgrace. Hepersuaded you to take a wax impression of Sir Lyster's key, on thechance of it one day being useful."

Again she nodded, whilst the three men listened as if hypnotised.

"Finally he swore that he would marry you if you would steal thisdocument, and he showed you a special license. Am I right?"

She nodded again, and then buried her head in her arms.

"I suppose," said Malcolm Sage quietly, "he did not happen tomention that he was already married?"

"Married!" She started up, her eyes blazing. "It isn't true, oh! itisn't true," she cried.

"I'm afraid it is," said Malcolm Sage, with feeling in his voice.

With a moan of despair her head fell forward upon the table, andhard dry sobs shook her frail body.

"Miss Blair," said Malcolm Sage presently, when she had somewhatregained her self-control, "my advice to you is to write out a fullconfession and bring it to me at my office to-morrow morning. It isyour only chance: and now you must go to your room."

He rose, assisted her to her feet, and led her to the door, which heclosed behind her.

"That I think concludes the enquiry," he said, as he walked over tothe fireplace and, leaning against the mantelpiece, he began to fillhis pipe. "Unless," he added, turning to Mr. Llewellyn John, "youwould like to see Cressit."

The Prime Minister looked across at Sir Lyster and then at Lord

Beamdale. Both shook their heads.

"What we should like, Sage," said Mr. Llewellyn John, "is a littleinformation as to what has been happening."

With great deliberation Malcolm Sage proceeded to light his pipe.

When it was drawing to his entire satisfaction, he turned to Mr.

Llewellyn John and, with the suspicion of a fluttering at the corners of his mouth, remarked:

"I hope you have not been inconvenienced about the telephone."

"We could get no reply from the exchange," said Sir Lyster, "and thewire to the Admiralty is out of order."

"I had to disconnect you after I left this morning," said Malcolm

Sage quietly. "My chauffeur swarmed up one of the standards.

Incidentally he wrecked an almost new pair of breeches."

"They'll have to go in the Naval Estimates," cried Mr. LlewellynJohn, who was feeling almost jovial now the tension of the pasttwenty-four hours had been removed.

"From the first," proceeded Malcolm Sage, "it was obvious that thistheft was planned either at the Admiralty or at the War Office."

"That is absurd!" cried Sir Lyster with heat, whilst Lord Beamdaleleaned forward, his usually apathetic expression of indifferencegiving place to one of keen interest.

"I accepted the assurance that only three people in this house knewof the existence of the document," Malcolm Sage proceeded, as ifthere had been no interruption. "There was no object in any of thosethree persons stealing that to which they had ready access."