A Rogue by Compulsion by Victor Bridges
Page 1 of 192
A ROGUE BY COMPULSION
An Affair of the Secret Service
By VICTOR BRIDGES
With Frontispiece By JOHN H. CASSEL
1915
[Illustration: "A CURTAIN AT THE END OF THE ROOM WAS DRAWN SLOWLY ASIDE, AND THERE, STANDING IN THE GAP, I SAW THE SLIM FIGURE OF A GIRL."
Chapter X.
Drawn by John H. Cassel.]
TO
THAT BEST OF FRIENDS
HUGHES MASSIE
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I. A BOLT FOR FREEDOM
II. A BICYCLE AND SOME OVERALLS
III. A DUBIOUS REFUGE
IV. ECHOES OF A FAMOUS CASE
V. AN OFFER WITHOUT AN ALTERNATIVE
VI. THE FACE OF A STRANGER
VII. A KISS AND A CONFESSION
VIII. RT. HON. SIR GEORGE FRINTON, P.C.
IX. THE MAN WITH THE SCAR
X. MADEMOISELLE VIVIEN, PALMIST
XI. BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION
XII. A SCRIBBLED WARNING
XIII. REGARDING MR. BRUCE LATIMER
XIV. A SUMMONS FROM DR. McMURTRIE
XV. A HUMAN "CATCH"
XVI. CONFRONTING THE INTRUDER
XVII. THE WORKSHOP ON THE MARSHES
XVIII. A NEW CLUE TO AN OLD CRIME
XIX. LAUNCHING A NEW INVENTION
XX. APPROACHING A SOLUTION
XXI. SONIA'S SUDDEN VISIT
XXII. THE POLICE TAKE ACTION
XXIII. IN THE NICK OF TIME
XXIV. EXONERATED
XXV. A LITTLE FAMILY PARTY
CHAPTER I
A BOLT FOR FREEDOM
Most of the really important things in life--such as love and death--happen unexpectedly. I know that my escape from Dartmoor did.
We had just left the quarries--eighteen of us, all dressed in that depressing costume which King George provides for his less elusive subjects--and we were shambling sullenly back along the gloomy road which leads through the plantation to the prison. The time was about four o'clock on a dull March afternoon.
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Rogue by Compulsion by Victor Bridges
- 2: One of the warders turned faint
- 3: Perhaps two hundred yards across
- 4: Thick with trees and undergrowth
- 5: This would leave North Hessary away to the left
- 6: Very carefully I raised myself on the bottom rail
- 7: The ground rising higher and higher
- 8: Apart from the ache in my limbs I felt distinctly better
- 9: And standing in the doorway started to take off his overalls
- 10: Forgetting my hunger and my wet clothes in my excitement
- 11: Wheeling the bicycle past the car
- 12: Wheeling my bike out into the roadway
- 13: One marked Plymouth and the other Devonport
- 14: I carefully raised the sash a little higher
- 15: My captor remained for a moment under the light
- 16: My name is McMurtrie Doctor McMurtrie
- 17: McMurtrie drew up a chair and sat down opposite to me
- 18: Drawing nearer and nearer every moment
- 19: Lyndon has been faring sumptuously on bread and milk
- 20: But for all that I preferred him to McMurtrie
- 21: McMurtrie and the dark girl were standing by my bedside
- 22: Succeeded yesterday in escaping from Princetown
- 23: And it was at that moment that Lyndon
- 24: Lyndon of what had taken place
- 25: Waving my hand towards the tray
- 26: I took the tray from her hands
- 27: Whatever McMurtrie might propose
- 28: Savaroff broke out into a short gruff laugh
- 29: McMurtrie nodded his head slowly
- 30: I paused in the act of lighting my cigarette
- 31: Savaroff made an angry movement
- 32: Savaroff jumped up and looked out of the window
- 33: I had lied to McMurtrie about my object
- 34: This girl Joyce Aylmer do you love her
- 35: McMurtrie came up about an hour later
- 36: I answered and then the moustache came off
- 37: McMurtrie did not appear again
- 38: 'is naturally extremely distasteful to me
- 39: Savaroff has brought me the things I needed
- 40: McMurtrie dropped the syringe at once
- 41: McMurtrie placed me in position
- 42: And it was plain that she detested McMurtrie
- 43: Apart from my talks with Sonia
- 44: You will pass under the name of Nicholson James Nicholson
- 45: Between Neil Lyndon as the world had known him
- 46: Sonia looked decidedly attractive
- 47: McMurtrie stood in the doorway
- 48: I followed Savaroff into the booking office
- 49: Followed by a porter carrying his bag
- 50: The old gentleman looked up sharply
- 51: Collecting myself with an effort
- 52: I crossed the platform and stepped into a waiting taxi
- 53: I therefore returned to the taxi and
- 54: Oldbury that the answer is yes
- 55: It was my intention to walk to Victoria
- 56: I want a good dinner a quite exceptionally good dinner
- 57: Gaultier picked up a wine list from the table
- 58: After the usual casual fashion that prevails in Chelsea
- 59: So I thought Miss Vivien might know
- 60: I felt vastly curious as to who Miss Vivien might be
- 61: Invested in a Telegraph and a Sportsman
- 62: I had had eggs and bacon for breakfast
- 63: Demanded my bill from the rather surprised waiter
- 64: Mamzelle Vivien the palmist just across the way
- 65: The pavement was thronged with the usual midday crowd
- 66: My abrupt action seemed to bring Joyce to herself
- 67: Indeed it was Joyce who spoke first
- 68: McMurtrie and the others do you believe their story
- 69: I think Lord Lammersfield is rather like Tommy in some ways
- 70: I asked Lord Lammersfield to bring him here one day
- 71: Joyce jumped up from the chair
- 72: Joyce looked at me quietly and steadily
- 73: I can either wait and carry out my agreement with McMurtrie
- 74: But at last Joyce detached herself
- 75: Come by the post after you'd gorn
- 76: Coming up behind was another taxi an empty one
- 77: There's another gent just come up in a taxi
- 78: Inhabited by a couple of waiters
- 79: Continued my study of the Pall Mall
- 80: He took it casually with his left hand
- 81: BRUCE LATIMER 145 Jermyn Street
- 82: My thoughts went back to Joyce
- 83: For a moment Tommy remained perfectly still
- 84: Happy laugh Tommy followed my example
- 85: Have you ever heard of a man called Bruce Latimer
- 86: He may not have meant to murder Latimer
- 87: Joyce has got that eight hundred pounds of yours
- 88: I jumped on to a Red Victoria at the corner
- 89: You can always walk into Tilbury
- 90: You can afford to let him wait
- 91: Sonia walked to the table and again opened her bag
- 92: With an air of some embarrassment Gertie broke the silence
- 93: Joyce will be dying to hear what's happened
- 94: Joyce ticked them off with her fingers
- 95: I wasn't too definite with McMurtrie
- 96: Crossed the room to a small writing desk
- 97: Thought you'd eloped with Sonia or something
- 98: One doesn't worry about trifles like that in Dartmoor
- 99: We shall have to take turns carrying Joyce
- 100: Three good stiff pegs were accordingly despatched
- 101: I bent down and took a quick glance under the spinnaker boom
- 102: Pulling the dinghy right up against the side of the boat
- 103: And pulled the dinghy alongside
- 104: My cottage don't lie more than a mile from Cunnock Crick
- 105: Gow leaned over to leeward diligently heaving the lead
- 106: I turned round and signalled to Tommy that I was all right
- 107: It was my friend of the restaurant Mr
- 108: Latimer was some thirty or forty yards away
- 109: McMurtrie had certainly made up for it here
- 110: Gow coming along by those trees
- 111: Gow seemed to handle her with perfect confidence
- 112: Have found it impossible to believe that I was Neil Lyndon
- 113: As soon as I've tackled Latimer
- 114: And pulled out the leter from inside
- 115: Oldbury I'll listen at the keyhole
- 116: Besides I had a notion it would rather amuse McMurtrie
- 117: There are plenty of other traps in Tilbury
- 118: Now you can go to Warren's Copse
- 119: There was a good distance to walk across the marsh
- 120: Sorting out my various chemicals
- 121: Gow drop down into the fo'c's'le
- 122: Gow to pursue his claim without any assistance
- 123: Gow to row me back to the bank
- 124: I'd rather be able to make fireworks than do anything
- 125: Came sculling towards me across the intervening water
- 126: Latimer is a Secret Service man
- 127: Joyce accepted my contribution
- 128: Joyce gave a little shiver of disgust
- 129: But I'm quite certain it was McMurtrie
- 130: How utterly necessary and dear to me Joyce had become
- 131: And slipping down into the dinghy
- 132: I tugged the dinghy down to the water
- 133: Joyce seized the painter as I climbed on board
- 134: Where a gaping aperture in the bank was plainly visible
- 135: There's water enough off Sheppey to float a battleship
- 136: We reached the end of the Swatch
- 137: Commenced our long beat back in the direction of Southend
- 138: A good many people favoured Joyce with glances of admiration
- 139: I've just come back from Sheppey
- 140: Tilbury to Sheppey twice daily
- 141: I should hardly think they would have appealed to McMurtrie
- 142: Tommy looked at his watch again
- 143: Latimer was evidently of the same opinion
- 144: Latimer replied at once in a cheerful
- 145: We're not going to Queenborough
- 146: But nobody really bothers much about it
- 147: Hoffman certainly had a good story
- 148: Latimer shrugged his shoulders
- 149: Until we were right opposite the Queenborough jetty
- 150: Anyhow McMurtrie and Savaroff skipped
- 151: Said Latimer in his quiet drawl
- 152: Gow shook his head as he clambered on board after me
- 153: Telling him that I had written to McMurtrie
- 154: And started to walk towards me across the marsh
- 155: Can I trust your father and McMurtrie
- 156: McMurtrie and my father wanted to find
- 157: We wanted to be near Devonport
- 158: Their names are Seeker and von Bruenig
- 159: Joyce was standing about fifteen yards away
- 160: Sonia remained quite motionless
- 161: Sonia had long since disappeared
- 162: But certainly seemed to comfort Joyce
- 163: Gow in his usual restful attitude
- 164: I'll just run back aboard and get my bag
- 165: The letter was addressed in McMurtrie's writing
- 166: Behind which Sonia had left her car the previous day
- 167: Anxious glance round for the dinghy
- 168: I was out of practice for sculling
- 169: McMurtrie was sitting on the seat just opposite
- 170: Savaroff scowled at me more truculently than ever
- 171: And McMurtrie turned to von Bruenig
- 172: I watched Savaroff getting it ready
- 173: Von Bruenig looked round with a sort of impatient surprise
- 174: Von Bruenig and Savaroff moved up alongside of him
- 175: He reeled backwards into von Bruenig
- 176: Latimer shook his head almost pensively
- 177: And although Savaroff was a pretty hard case
- 178: It was at this point that Savaroff
- 179: We've just time to send off a telegram
- 180: He had arrived at Queenborough by the early train
- 181: Latimer led the way into the hall
- 182: Lord Lammersfield wishes to see you
- 183: Lord Lammersfield laughed drily
- 184: Lord Lammersfield perfectly right
- 185: I understand that both Lord Lammersfield and Mr
- 186: Marwood rang up Scotland Yard at half past ten last night
- 187: I'm afraid I can't spare Latimer just yet
- 188: That Joyce might know where he is
- 189: Or Lyndon goes back to Dartmoor tomorrow
- 190: And I'd sooner be hanged than go back to Dartmoor any day
- 191: We walked back towards the taxi
- 192: It's a pity we can't ask Sonia too