The Secret Adversary (Tommy & Tuppence 1)

CHAPTER XXV. JANE’S STORY

HER arm through Jane’s, dragging her along, Tuppence reached thestation. Her quick ears caught the sound of the approaching train.

“Hurry up,” she panted, “or we’ll miss it.”

They arrived on the platform just as the train came to a standstill.Tuppence opened the door of an empty first-class compartment, and thetwo girls sank down breathless on the padded seats.

A man looked in, then passed on to the next carriage. Jane startednervously. Her eyes dilated with terror. She looked questioningly atTuppence.

“Is he one of them, do you think?” she breathed.

Tuppence shook her head.

“No, no. It’s all right.” She took Jane’s hand in hers. “Tommy wouldn’thave 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’tunderstand. Five years! Five long years! Sometimes I thought I should gomad.”

“Never mind. It’s all over.”

“Is it?”

The train was moving now, speeding through the night at a graduallyincreasing 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 thestrap 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. Ifthey caught me now they’d----” Her eyes opened wide and staring.

“_Don’t!_” implored Tuppence. “Lie back, and _don’t think_. You can bequite 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 wantto tell you--not now. I may be wrong, but I don’t think so. It’s justan idea that came into my head a long time ago. Tommy’s got it too--I’malmost sure he has. But don’t _you_ worry--there’ll be time enough forthat later. And it mayn’t be so at all! Do what I tell you--lie back anddon’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 awatchful terrier on guard. In spite of herself she was nervous. Her eyesflashed continually from one window to the other. She noted the exactposition of the communication cord. What it was that she feared, shewould have been hard put to it to say. But in her own mind she wasfar from feeling the confidence displayed in her words. Not that shedisbelieved in Tommy, but occasionally she was shaken with doubts as towhether anyone so simple and honest as he was could ever be a match forthe fiendish subtlety of the arch-criminal.

If they once reached Sir James Peel Edgerton in safety, all would bewell. But would they reach him? Would not the silent forces of Mr. Brownalready 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 ofcampaign.

As the train at length drew slowly into Charing Cross, Jane Finn sat upwith 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 anyfun, 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 necessaryfares, and were stepping into a taxi.

“King’s Cross,” directed Tuppence. Then she gave a jump. A man looked inat the window, just as they started. She was almost certain it was thesame man who had got into the carriage next to them. She had a horriblefeeling of being slowly hemmed in on every side.

“You see,” she explained to Jane, “if they think we’re going to SirJames, this will put them off the scent. Now they’ll imagine we’re goingto Mr. Carter. His country place is north of London somewhere.”

Crossing Holborn there was a block, and the taxi was held up. This waswhat 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 wereseated in another taxi and were retracing their steps, this time directto 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 taximan will swear! But I took his number, and I’ll send him a postal orderto-morrow, so that he won’t lose by it if he happens to be genuine.What’s this thing swerving----Oh!”

There was a grinding noise and a bump. Another taxi had collided withthem.

In a flash Tuppence was out on the pavement. A policeman wasapproaching. Before he arrived Tuppence had handed the driver fiveshillings, and she and Jane had merged themselves in the crowd.

“It’s only a step or two now,” said Tuppence breathlessly. The accidenthad taken place in Trafalgar Square.

“Do you think the collision was an accident, or done deliberately?”

“I don’t know. It might have been either.”

Hand-in-hand, the two girls hurried along.

“It may be my fancy,” said Tuppence suddenly, “but I feel as thoughthere was some one behind us.”

“Hurry!” murmured the other. “Oh, hurry!”

They were now at the corner of Carlton House Terrace, and their spiritslightened. Suddenly a large and apparently intoxicated man barred theirway.

“Good evening, ladies,” he hiccupped. “Whither away so fast?”

“Let us pass, please,” said Tuppence imperiously.

“Just a word with your pretty friend here.” He stretched out an unsteadyhand, and clutched Jane by the shoulder. Tuppence heard other footstepsbehind. She did not pause to ascertain whether they were friends orfoes. Lowering her head, she repeated a manœuvre of childish days,and butted their aggressor full in the capacious middle. The success ofthese unsportsmanlike tactics was immediate. The man sat down abruptlyon the pavement. Tuppence and Jane took to their heels. The house theysought was some way down. Other footsteps echoed behind them. Theirbreath was coming in choking gasps as they reached Sir James’s door.Tuppence seized the bell and Jane the knocker.

The man who had stopped them reached the foot of the steps. For a momenthe hesitated, and as he did so the door opened. They fell into the halltogether. Sir James came forward from the library door.

“Hullo! What’s this?”

He stepped forward, and put his arm round Jane as she swayeduncertainly. He half carried her into the library, and laid her on theleather couch. From a tantalus on the table he poured out a few drops ofbrandy, and forced her to drink them. With a sigh she sat up, her eyesstill wild and frightened.

“It’s all right. Don’t be afraid, my child. You’re quite safe.”

Her breath came more normally, and the colour was returning to hercheeks. Sir James looked at Tuppence quizzically.

“So you’re not dead, Miss Tuppence, any more than that Tommy boy ofyours was!”

“The Young Adventurers take a lot of killing,” boasted Tuppence.

“So it seems,” said Sir James dryly. “Am I right in thinking that thejoint venture has ended in success, and that this”--he turned to thegirl on the couch--“is Miss Jane Finn?”

Jane sat up.

“Yes,” she said quietly, “I am Jane Finn. I have a lot to tell you.”

“When you are stronger----”

“No--now!” Her voice rose a little. “I shall feel safer when I have toldeverything.”

“As you please,” said the lawyer.

He sat down in one of the big arm-chairs facing the couch. In a lowvoice Jane began her story.