the clue of the twisted candle-第10节

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〃Murder；〃　said　John　Lexman；　laconically。

He　had　answered　the　question　before；　and　had　noticed　with　a　little　amusement　the　look　of　respect　which　came　into　the　eyes　of　the　questioner。

〃What　have　you　got！〃

〃Fifteen　years；〃　said　the　other。

〃That　means　11　years　and　9　months；〃　said　the　first　man。　　〃You've　never　been　here　before；　I　suppose？〃

〃Hardly；〃　said　Lexman；　drily。

〃I　was　here　when　I　was　a　kid；〃　confessed　the　paper…hanger。　　〃I　am　going　out　next　week。〃

John　Lexman　looked　at　him　enviously。　　Had　the　man　told　him　that　he　had　inherited　a　great　fortune　and　a　greater　title　his　envy　would　not　have　been　so　genuine。

Going　out！

The　drive　in　the　brake　to　the　station；　the　ride　to　London　in　creased；　but　comfortable　clothing；　free　as　the　air；　at　liberty　to　go　to　bed　and　rise　when　he　liked；　to　choose　his　own　dinner；　to　answer　no　call　save　the　call　of　his　conscience；　to　see　…　he　checked　himself。

〃What　are　you　in　for？〃　he　asked　in　self…defence。

〃Conspiracy　and　fraud；〃　said　the　other　cheerfully。　　〃I　was　put　away　by　a　woman　after　three　of　us　had　got　clear　with　12；000　pounds。　　Damn　rough　luck；　wasn't　it？〃

John　nodded。

It　was　curious；　he　thought；　how　sympathetic　one　grows　with　these　exponents　of　crimes。　　One　naturally　adopts　their　point　of　view　and　sees　life　through　their　distorted　vision。

〃I　bet　I'm　not　given　away　with　the　next　lot；〃　the　prisoner　went　on。　　〃I've　got　one　of　the　biggest　ideas　I've　ever　had；　and　I've　got　a　real　good　man　to　help　me。〃

〃How？〃　asked　John；　in　surprise。

The　man　jerked　his　head　in　the　direction　of　the　prison。

〃Larry　Green；〃　he　said　briefly。　　〃He's　coming　out　next　month；　too；　and　we　are　all　fixed　up　proper。　　We　are　going　to　get　the　pile　and　then　we're　off　to　South　America；　and　you　won't　see　us　for　dust。〃

Though　he　employed　all　the　colloquialisms　which　were　common；　his　tone　was　that　of　a　man　of　education；　and　yet　there　was　something　in　his　address　which　told　John　as　clearly　as　though　the　man　had　confessed　as　much；　that　he　had　never　occupied　any　social　position　in　life。

The　warder's　step　on　the　stones　outside　reduced　them　to　silence。　Suddenly　his　voice　came　up　the　stairs。

〃Forty…three；〃　he　called　sharply；　〃I　want　you　down　here。〃

John　took　his　paint　pot　and　brush　and　went　clattering　down　the　uncarpeted　stairs。

〃Where's　the　other　man？〃　asked　the　warder；　in　a　low　voice。

〃He's　upstairs　in　the　back　room。〃

The　warder　stepped　out　of　the　door　and　looked　left　and　right。　Coming　up　from　Princetown　was　a　big；　grey　car。

〃Put　down　your　paint　pot；〃　he　said。

His　voice　was　shaking　with　excitement。

〃I　am　going　upstairs。　　When　that　car　comes　abreast　of　the　gate；　ask　no　questions　and　jump　into　it。　　Get　down　into　the　bottom　and　pull　a　sack　over　you；　and　do　not　get　up　until　the　car　stops。〃

The　blood　rushed　to　John　Lexman's　head；　and　he　staggered。

〃My　God！〃　he　whispered。

〃Do　as　I　tell　you；〃　hissed　the　warder。

Like　an　automaton　John　put　down　his　brushes；　and　walked　slowly　to　the　gate。　　The　grey　car　was　crawling　up　the　hill；　and　the　face　of　the　driver　was　half　enveloped　in　a　big　rubber　mask。　　Through　the　two　great　goggles　John　could　see　little　to　help　him　identify　the　man。　　As　the　machine　came　up　to　the　gate；　he　leapt　into　the　tonneau　and　sank　instantly　to　the　bottom。　　As　he　did　so　he　felt　the　car　leap　forward　underneath　him。　　Now　it　was　going　fast；　now　faster；　now　it　rocked　and　swayed　as　it　gathered　speed。　　He　felt　it　sweeping　down　hill　and　up　hill；　and　once　he　heard　a　hollow　rumble　as　it　crossed　a　wooden　bridge。

He　could　not　detect　from　his　hiding　place　in　what　direction　they　were　going；　but　he　gathered　they　had　switched　off　to　the　left　and　were　making　for　one　of　the　wildest　parts　of　the　moor。　　Never　once　did　he　feel　the　car　slacken　its　pace；　until；　with　a　grind　of　brakes；　it　stopped　suddenly。

〃Get　out；〃　said　a　voice。

John　Lexman　threw　off　the　cover　and　leapt　out　and　as　he　did　so　the　car　turned　and　sped　back　the　way　it　had　come。

For　a　moment　he　thought　he　was　alone；　and　looked　around。　　Far　away　in　the　distance　he　saw　the　grey　bulk　of　Princetown　Gaol。　　It　was　an　accident　that　he　should　see　it；　but　it　so　happened　that　a　ray　of　the　sun　fell　athwart　it　and　threw　it　into　relief。

He　was　alone　on　the　moors！　　Where　could　he　go？

He　turned　at　the　sound　of　a　voice。

He　was　standing　on　the　slope　of　a　small　tor。　　At　the　foot　there　was　a　smooth　stretch　of　green　sward。　　It　was　on　this　stretch　that　the　people　of　Dartmoor　held　their　pony　races　in　the　summer　months。　There　was　no　sign　of　horses；　but　only　a　great　bat…like　machine　with　out…stretched　pinions　of　taut　white　canvas；　and　by　that　machine　a　man　clad　from　head　to　foot　in　brown　overalls。

John　stumbled　down　the　slope。　　As　he　neared　the　machine　he　stopped　and　gasped。

〃Kara；〃　he　said；　and　the　brown　man　smiled。

〃But；　I　do　not　understand。　　What　are　you　going　to　do！〃　asked　Lexman；　when　he　had　recovered　from　his　surprise。

〃I　am　going　to　take　you　to　a　place　of　safety；〃　said　the　other。

〃I　have　no　reason　to　be　grateful　to　you；　as　yet；　Kara；〃　breathed　Lexman。　　〃A　word　from　you　could　have　saved　me。〃

〃I　could　not　lie；　my　dear　Lexman。　　And　honestly；　I　had　forgotten　the　existence　of　the　letter；　if　that　is　what　you　are　referring　to；　but　I　am　trying　to　do　what　I　can　for　you　and　for　your　wife。〃

〃My　wife！〃

〃She　is　waiting　for　you；〃　said　the　other。

He　turned　his　head；　listening。

Across　the　moor　came　the　dull　sullen　boom　of　a　gun。

〃You　haven't　time　for　argument。　　They　discovered　your　escape；〃　he　said。　　〃Get　in。〃

John　clambered　up　into　the　frail　body　of　the　machine　and　Kara　followed。

〃This　is　a　self…starter；〃　he　said；　〃one　of　the　newest　models　of　monoplanes。〃

He　clicked　over　a　lever　and　with　a　roar　the　big　three…bladed　tractor　screw　spun。

The　aeroplane　moved　forward　with　a　jerk；　ran　with　increasing　gait　for　a　hundred　yards；　and　then　suddenly　the　jerky　progress　ceased。　The　machine　swayed　gently　from　side　to　side；　and　looking　over；　the　passenger　saw　the　ground　recede　beneath　him。

Up；　up；　they　climbed　in　one　long　sweeping　ascent；　passing　through　drifting　clouds　till　the　machine　soared　like　a　bird　above　the　blue　sea。

John　Lexman　looked　down。　　He　saw　the　indentations　of　the　coast　and　recognized　the　fringe　of　white　houses　that　stood　for　Torquay；　but　in　an　incredibly　short　space　of　time　all　signs　of　the　land　were　blotted　out。

Talking　was　impossible。　　The　roar　of　the　engines　defied　penetration。

Kara　was　evidently　a　skilful　pilot。　　From　time　to　time　he　consulted　the　compass　on　the　board　before　him；　and　changed　his　course　ever　so　slightly。　　Presently　he　released　one　hand　from　the　driving　wheel；　and　scribbling　on　a　little　block　of　paper　which　was　inserted　in　a　pocket　at　the　side　of　the　seat　he　passed　it　back。

John　Lexman　read：

　　〃If　you　cannot　swim　there　is　a　life　belt　under　your　seat。〃

John　nodded。

Kara　was　searching　the　sea　for　something；　and　presently　he　found　it。　　Viewed　from　the　height　at　which　they　flew　it　looked　no　more　than　a　white　speck　in　a　great　blue　saucer；　but　presently　the　machine　began　to　dip；　falling　at　a　terrific　rate　of　speed；　which　took　away　the　breath　of　the　man　who　was　hanging　on　with　both　hands　to　the　dangerous　seat　behind。

He　was　deadly　cold；　but　had　hardly　noticed　the　fact。　　It　was　all　so　incredible；　so　impossible。　　He　expected　to　wake　up　and　wondered　if　the　prison　was　also　part　of　the　dream。

Now　he　saw　the　point　for　which　Kara　was　making。

A　white　steam　yacht；　long　and　narrow　of　beam；　was　steaming　slowly　westward。　　He　could　see　the　feathery　wake　in　her　rear；　and　as　the　aeroplane　fell　he　had　time　to　observe　that　a　boat　had　been　put　off。　　Then　with　a　jerk　the　monoplane　flattened　out　and　came　like　a　skimming　bird　to　the　surface　of　the　water；　her　engines　stopped。

〃We　ought　to　be　able　to　keep　afloat　for　ten　minutes；〃　said　Kara；　〃and　by　that　time　they　will　pick　us　up。〃

His　voice　was　high　and　harsh　in　the　almost　painful　silence　which　followed　the　stoppage　of　the　engines。

In　less　than　five　minutes　the　boat　had　come　alongside；　manned；　as　Lexman　gathered　from　a　glimpse　of　the　crew；　by　Greeks。　　He　scrambled　aboard　and　five　minutes　later　he　was　standing　on　the　white　deck　of　the　yacht；　watching　the　disappearing　tail　of　the　monoplane。　　Kara　was　by　his　side。

〃There　goes　fifteen　hundred　pounds；〃　said　the　Greek；　with　a　smile；　〃add　that　to　the　two　thousand　I　paid　the　warder　and　you　have　a　tidy　sum…but　some　things　are　worth　all　the　money　in　the　world！〃





CHAPTER　VII


T。　X。　came　from　Downing　Street　at　11　o'clock　one　night；　and　his　heart　was　filled　with　joy　and　gratitude。

He　swung　his　stick　to　the　common　danger　of　the　public；　but　the　policeman　on　point　duty　at　the　end　of　the　street；　who　saw　him；　recognized　and　saluted　him；　did　not　think　it　fit　to　issue　any　official　warning。

He　ran　up　the　stairs　to　his　office；　and　found　Mansus　reading　the　evening　paper。

〃My　poor；　dumb　beast；〃　said　T。　X。　　〃I　am　afraid　I　have　kept　you　waiting　for　a　very　long　time；　but　tomorrow　you　and　I　will　take　a　little　journey　to　Devonshire。　　It　will　be　good　for　you；　Mansus　…　where　did　you　get　that　ridiculous　name；　by　the　way！〃

〃M。　or　N。；〃　replied　Mansus；　laconically。

〃I　repeat　that　there　is　the　dawn　of　an　intellect　in　you；〃　said　T。　X。；　offensively。

He　bec