Chapter 22 Chapter 21

I had no further difficulty in carrying out my plan.I found a small hotel in a back street and booked a room.Since I didn't have any luggage, I paid a deposit and went to bed peacefully. The next morning, I got up early and walked into town to buy a medium sized trunk.I'm not going to take any action until that party catches the eleven o'clock train for Rhodesia.Pagett would not let go of any wrongdoing until he got rid of them.So I took the train out of town, ready to enjoy some country walks.The weather was rather cool, and I was glad to have the opportunity to stretch my legs and stretch my muscles after the long voyage and my internment at Muzenberg.

Small things often hide the big key.My shoelace is loose, I stop and tie it.The road turned right there, and as I was bending over to tie my shoelaces, a man came up and almost ran into me.He held up his hat, apologized repeatedly, and continued on his way.At that time, I thought he looked familiar, but I didn't think about it for a while.I looked at my watch, it was almost time, and turned around to head back to Cape Town. There happened to be a tram leaving, and I had to run fast to catch it, and I heard running behind me.I just jumped into the car and the guy got in too.I recognized him immediately.He's the guy who almost ran into me when my shoelaces came loose on the road, and I knew right away why he looked familiar.He was also the short winter melon with the big nose that I met the night before when I was leaving the station.

This coincidence is kind of scary.Is it possible that he is subtly stalking me?I decided to try it out as soon as possible.I rang the bell to get off at the next stop, and the man didn't get off.I hid in the dark in the aisle of a store and waited. He got off at the next stop and walked towards me at the same time. The facts are clear enough, I'm being followed.I was overjoyed, I didn't get rid of Pagett.I got on the next tram, and as I expected, so did my follower.I calm down and think seriously. Apparently, I've stumbled across something bigger than I thought.The murder at the Marlowe house was not the work of a single individual.It was the whole gang that I was dealing with, and, thanks to Colonel Race's disclosure to Suzanne, and what I had overheard at Muzenburg House, I began to understand the various activities of this gang.Organized crime, orchestrated by the man his men called "The Colonel"!I recalled some of the conversations I had heard on the boat about the strike on the River Heights and why--and about some secret organization stirring up the popular rage.It was the work of the "Colonel," and his men were doing what they were told.He doesn't join in himself, and I've always heard that he himself is limited to planning and directing.He does only mental work, not dangerous labor work.But it is likely that he still sits on his own, directing activities from an apparently innocent position.

This, then, was the significance of Colonel Race's presence on the "Gill Mordenburg".He was sent out to track down the main culprit.It is inferred that everything is consistent. He is a high-level member of the government's secret service agency, and his task is to reveal the "colonel"'s trump card. I nodded to myself—things became clear.What is my role in this matter?Where did I pull this in?Are they only after diamonds?I shake my head.No matter how valuable the diamonds were, they wouldn't be so desperate to get me out.No, my intervention was more than that.Although I don't know it myself, I must be a danger and a threat to them in some way!Some information I had, or they thought I had, that made them want to get rid of me at any cost—and that information had something to do with diamonds.There is one man who I feel can give me all the truth—if he will! "The Man in Brown" - Harry Raeburn.He knows the other half of the matter.But he has disappeared, he is a frightened bird fleeing from the tiger's mouth.He and I will most likely never see each other again...

I suddenly called myself back to the immediate situation.It was no use thinking so fondly of Harry Rayburn.He showed his dislike to me from the very beginning.But, at least - I'm starting to dream again!The real question is, what now? I, who now proudly played the role of watcher, had become the watched.And I'm scared!For the first time, I felt bewildered.I am like a pebble in the way of a great machine--and I dream that the great machine will be broken by a pebble.Harry Raeburn saved me once, and I saved myself once—but I suddenly felt that everything was against me.My enemies surround me on all sides and are getting closer, and if I continue to act alone, I am doomed.

I tried my best to calm down.After all, what can they do to me? ?I am in a civilized city - there are police everywhere.I will be careful everywhere.They can no longer set a trap for me like they did in Muzenburg. When I think about it, the tram has reached Eddie Street.I got out of the car.Before deciding what to do, I walked slowly down the street to the left.I didn't bother turning my head to see if the man watching me was still there, I knew he was following.I walked into Colorite's and ordered two coffee-ice-cream sodas--to relieve my nerves.A man needs a strong drink in this situation, I suppose; but a woman finds a lot of solace in an ice cream soda.I sucked on the straw with relish, and the cool liquid cooled down my throat. I drank the first cup and pushed the cup away.

I sat on a small stool at the counter.Out of the corner of my eye, I could see my stalker walk in and sit naturally on the seat by the door.I finished my second glass and ordered another with maple syrup.I could gulp down countless ice cream sodas in one sitting. The man sitting by the door suddenly got up and walked out.This surprised me.If he was waiting outside, why not wait outside in the first place?I slid off the stool and walked carefully to the door.I quickly retreated into the shadows, and the man was talking to Pagett. If I had any doubts before, this was enough to clarify everything.Pagett took out his pocket watch and looked at it.They exchanged a few words, and then the secretary walked down the street to the station.Obviously he had given an order, but what order was that?

Suddenly, my heart almost jumped out of my mouth.The man following me crossed the street and talked to a policeman, who talked for a while, pointing now and then to the Carlette, as if explaining something.I knew immediately what he was up to, and I was going to be arrested for some kind of crime—pickpocketing, perhaps.It's all too easy for gangs to arrange such little things.What good is it in pleading my innocence?They must have arranged it from start to finish.They accused Harry Raeburn of stealing diamonds a long time ago, and he still hasn't been able to disprove it, though I doubt it, but he's totally innocent.What chance do I have against the "unjust prison" designed by the "Colonel"?

I mechanically looked up at the clock, and suddenly another point of view flashed into my mind.I saw the effect of Pagett's watch.It was exactly eleven o'clock, and at eleven o'clock the train would take all my acquaintances who might come to rescue me to Rhodesia.That's why they haven't done anything yet.I was safe from last night until eleven o'clock this morning, but now the net has begun to surround me. I hurriedly opened my purse to pay for the drink. When I opened the purse, my heartbeat almost stopped, because there was a bulging men's wallet in the purse!It must have been slipped into my purse when I got out of the car.

Immediately, I felt bewildered, and hurried out of the Carlette restaurant. The short winter melon with the big nose happened to cross the road with the police. When they saw me, the short winter melon pointed at me and yelled at the police.I run away.I judged him to be a slow cop and I had to run first.But I had no plan, I just ran like hell down Eddie Street.People started looking at me and I felt like I was going to be kicked out soon. I suddenly had an idea. "Where is the train station?" I asked breathlessly. "Just to the right." I run faster.Running to catch a train is allowed.I turned into the station, but at this moment I heard footsteps following me closely. The short winter melon with the big nose was a good sprinter.I expected to be caught before I found the platform.I looked up at the clock—one minute to eleven, which I might just make if my plan worked out.

I entered the station by its main entrance on Eddley Street, and now I'm sprinting out by the side exit.Opposite me is the wicket of the Post Office, which is in Eddley Street. As I expected, my pursuers did not follow me into the post office, but ran to the Eddley Street gate to stop me, or to call the police to do so. I quickly crossed the street and ran into the station again. I ran like a madman. It was exactly eleven o'clock, and when I ran onto the platform, the long queue of trains had already begun to move.A porter tried to stop me, but I broke free from him and jumped onto the door step, and I climbed two steps to open the door.I am safe!The train has moved on. The train passed a man standing at the end of the platform and I waved to him. "Good-bye, Mr. Pagett," I cried. I've never seen anyone step back in such a fright that he looked as if he had seen a ghost. After a minute or two, I was troubled by the driver, but I raised my voice. "I am Sir Eustace Peterle's secretary," I said proudly. "Please take me to his private carriage." Suzanne and Colonel Race were standing on the rear viewing platform, and they couldn't help cheering loudly when they saw me. "Hey, Miss Anne," said Colonel Race, "where are you from? I thought you were in Durban. You're such a haunting figure!" Suzanne said nothing, but her eyes asked a hundred questions. "I have to report to my boss," I said primly. "Where is he?" "He's in his office--the center car--dictating to the unfortunate Miss Pettigrew." "It's really refreshing to work so hard," I said. "Well!" said Colonel Race, "I think he intends to give her enough work to keep her locked up in her own compartment with the typewriter for the next few days." I laughed, and went with them both to Sir Eustace.He was walking up and down in circles inside, and kept uttering a lot of words, which the unfortunate secretary I met for the first time couldn't stop remembering.She was a tall, well-proportioned woman in drab clothes, pince-nez, and very capable.I judged that she must have found it difficult to keep up with Sir Eustace, for she kept frowning as she kept waving her pencil. I go into the cab. "I'm in the car, sir," I said boldly. Sir Eustace stopped in the middle of a very complicated sentence and stared at me.Miss Pettigrew must have been a nervous person, no matter how capable she was, because she jumped up as if she had been shot. "God have mercy on me!" cried Sir Eustace. "What happened to the young man in Durban?" "I like you better," I said softly. "My dear," said Sir Eustace, "you can shake my hand at once." Miss Pettigrew coughed softly, and Sir Eustace quickly withdrew his hand. "Oh, yes," he said, "let me see, did I get there? Yes. Telmun Ruth, he's in—what's the matter? Why didn't you write it down?" "I think," said Colonel Race mildly, "that Miss Pettigrew's pencil is broken." Sir Eustace watched, and so did I, as he took the pencil from her hand and sharpened it.I don't quite understand the meaning of Colonel Race's words.