"From the drawing-room above came the sounds of waltz music--a piano excellently played. This struck the man as curious, well knowing the local belief that the upper portion of the house was kept rigorously closed. Yet, from all appearances, the old millionaire was that night entertaining guests, which was further proved when a quarter of an hour later the door opened and old Levi, the man-servant, came forth. As he did so, a four-wheeled cab, which had been waiting opposite, a little further up the road, drew across, and a few moments later both Levi and Statham appeared, struggling with a long, narrow black box, which, with the cabman's aid, was put on top of the vehicle. The box much resembled a coffin, and seemed unusually heavy.

"So hurried and excited were the men that they took no notice of the motor car, and the cab next moment drove away, the man no doubt having previously received his orders. The music had ceased, and as soon as the cab had departed the lights in the windows were extinguished, and the weird home remained in darkness."

"Very curious. Looks about as though there had been some foul play, doesn't it?" Lyle suggested.

"That's what the chauffeur suspects. I've spoken with him myself, and he tells me that the box was so like a coffin that the whole incident held him fascinated," Adams said. "And, of course, this story getting about, has set other people on the watch. Indeed, only last night a very curious affair occurred. It was witnessed by a man who earns his living washing carriages in the mews close by, and who has for years taken an interest in the mysterious home of Samuel Statham.

"He had been washing carriages till very late, and at about half-past two in the morning was going up Park Lane towards Edgware Road, where he lives, when his attention was drawn to the fact that as he pa.s.sed Statham's house the front door was slightly ajar. Somebody was waiting there for the expected arrival of a stranger, and, hearing the carriage washer's footstep, had opened the door in readiness. There was no light in the hall, and the man's first suspicion was that of burglars about to leave the place.

"Next instant, however, the reputation for mystery which the place had earned, occurred to him, and he resolved to pa.s.s on and watch. This he did, retiring into a doorway a little farther down, and standing in the shadow un.o.bserved he waited.

"Half an hour pa.s.sed, but nothing unusual occurred, until just after the clock had struck three, a rather tall, thin man pa.s.sed quietly along.

He was in evening-dress, and wore pumps, for his tread was noiseless.

The man describes him as an aristocratic-looking person, and evidently a foreigner. At Statham's door he suddenly halted, looked up and down furtively to satisfy himself that he was not being watched, and then slipped inside."

"And what then?" inquired Lyle, much interested.

"A very queer circ.u.mstance followed," went on the cosmopolitan. "There was, an hour and a half later, an exact repet.i.tion of the scene witnessed by the chauffeur."

"What! the black trunk?"

"Yes. A cab drove up near to the house, and, at signal from Levi, came up to the kerb. Then the long, heavy box was brought out by the servant and his master, heaved up on to the cab, which drove away in the direction of the Marble Arch."

"Infernally suspicious," remarked the hunchback, tossing his cigarette end into the grate. "Didn't the washer take note of the number of the cab?"

"No. That's the unfortunate part of it. Apparently he didn't notice the crawling four-wheeler until he saw Levi come forth and give the signal."

"And the aristocratic-looking foreigner? Could he recognise him again?"

"He says he could."

"That was last night--eh?"

"Yes."

"There may be some police inquiries regarding a missing foreigner,"

remarked Lyle, thoughtfully. "If so, his information may be valuable.

How did you obtain it?"

"From his own lips."

"Then we had better wait, and watch to see if anybody is reported missing. Certainly that house is one of mystery."

"Sam Statham is unscrupulous. I know him to my cost," Adams remarked.

"And so do I," Lyle declared. "If what I suspect is true, then we shall make an exposure that will startle and horrify the world."

"You mean regarding the foreigner of last night?"

"Yes. I have a suspicion that I can establish the ident.i.ty of the foreigner in question--a man who has to-day been missing?"

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

REVEALS A CLEVER CONSPIRACY.

"And who was he?" asked Adams, quickly.

"For the present that is my own affair," the hunchback replied.

"Suffice it for you to know that we hold Samuel Statham in the hollow of our hand."

"I don't know so much about that," remarked Adams, dubiously. "I thought so until this morning."

"And why, pray, has your opinion changed?"

"Because when he came a second time to the window and looked out at me, there was a glance of defiance in his eye that I scarcely lie. He's wealthy and influential--we are not, remember."

"Knowledge is power. We shall be the victors."

"You are too sanguine, my dear fellow," declared the other. "We are angling for big game, and to my idea the bait is not sufficiently attractive."

"Statham is unscrupulous--so are we. We can prove our story--prove it up to the hilt. Dare he face us? That's the question."

"I think he dare," Adams replied. "You don't know him as well as I do.

His whole future now depends upon his bluff, and he knows it. We can ruin both the house of Statham Brothers and its princ.i.p.al. In the circ.u.mstances, it is only natural that he should a.s.sume an air of defiance."

"Which we must combat by firmness. We are a.s.sociated in this affair, and my advice is not to show any sign of weakness."

"Exactly. That's the reason I asked you here to-night, Lyle--to discuss our next step."

The hunchback was silent and thoughtful for a few moments. Then he said:

"There is but one mode of procedure now, and that is to go to him and tell him our intentions. He'll be frightened, and the rest will be easy."

"Sam Statham is not very easily frightened. You wouldn't be, if you were worth a couple of million pounds." Adams remarked, with a dubious shake of the head.

"I should be if upon me rested the burden of guilt."

"Then your suggestion is that I should go and tell him openly my intentions?"

"Decidedly. The more open you are, the greater will be the old man's terror, and the easier our ultimate task."

"He'll refuse to see me."

"He goes down to the City sometimes. Better call there and present a false card. He won't care to be faced in the vicinity of his managers and clerks. It will show him from the first that the great home of Statham is tottering."

"And it shall fall!" declared Adams, with a triumphant chuckle. "We hold the trump cards, it is true. The only matter to be decided is how we shall play them."

"They must be played very carefully, if we are to win."