Chapter 34 Chapter Thirty-Three

It was not until the afternoon that I was called to see Sir Eustace.Tea and lunch at eleven o'clock were brought to my room, and I felt strong enough to face all difficulties. Sir Eustace was alone, walking up and down the room.The glint of his restless expression did not escape my attention.He was elated about something, and his attitude towards me changed subtly. "I have news for you. Your young man is on his way, and he will be here in a few minutes. Hold your nerves—I have something to tell you. This morning, you tried to deceive me. I warned You, if you be wise and tell the truth, to a certain extent, you followed my word. I accepted your words then because it led to my plan—to induce you to write Harry Raeburn threw himself into the trap. Yet, my dear Anne, I have had those diamonds since I left the Falls—though I only discovered that fact yesterday."

"You know!" I gasped. "You may wonder, that was Pagett's revelation. He'd been bugging me with a long, rambling story about a bet, and a reel of negatives. Before long I figured it out - Blair Madame's distrust of Colonel Race, her restlessness, and her begging me to keep her keepsakes safe for her. Pagett was too capable. He was overzealous in opening her boxes too. Before leaving the restaurant , I put all the negatives in my pocket, they are in my pocket now. I admit I haven't had time to examine them, but I have noticed that one of the rolls, which weighs differently than the others, makes a sound Not the same, and apparently stuck with segregation, you have to use a can opener to open it. Seems cleared up, doesn't it? Now, you know, you've both thrown yourself into the trap.. It's a pity you don't take it The title of Mrs. Peterler."

I didn't answer, just stood there and watched him. Footsteps were heard on the stairs, the door swung open, and Harry Raeburn rushed in between the two.Sir Eustace gave me a smug look. "According to the plan," he said mildly, "you amateurs will duel with professional ones." "What does that mean?" Harry yelled. "It means that you have come into my place--says the spider to the fly," said Lord Eustace humorously. "My dear Raeburn, you are very unlucky." "Annie, you said I'm safe here, why—" "Don't blame her, my good friend. The letter was written on my own terms, and she had to. She would have been wiser not to write it, but I didn't tell her then. You follow her instructions, Go to the local produce shop and be escorted out of the back room by secret emissaries—only to find yourself in the hands of the enemy!"

Harry stared at me.I understood his look, and moved closer to Sir Eustace. "Yes," said Sir Eustace, "you are indeed unlucky! This is - let me see, the third contact." "You're right," said Harry, "this is the third contact. You've killed me the first two times—haven't you heard that luck changes the third time? This time it's mine —watch him, Anne." I am ready.With lightning speed, I drew the pistol from the sock and held it against his head.The two watching Harry jumped forward, but he stopped them. "One more step—and he's dead! Anne, if they come any closer, pull the trigger—don't hesitate."

"I won't hesitate," I replied cheerfully, "I'm afraid I won't be able to hold back it now." I think Sir Eustace is as frightened as I am.He was visibly shaking. "Stand there and don't move," he ordered, and the two obediently stood still. "Tell them to leave the room," Harry said. Sir Eustace gave the order.The two obediently went out, and Harry closed and bolted the door. "Now we can have a good talk," he said grimly, walking across the room and taking the pistol from me. Sir Eustace gave a great sigh of relief, and wiped his forehead with his handkerchief.

"I am so frightened," said he, "I think my heart must be weak. I am glad the revolver is back in expert hands, and I cannot trust Miss Anne. Well, my young friend, as you say, Now we can talk. I admit, you got the upper hand. Where the hell the pistol came from, I don't know. I searched her trunk when she came. Now where did you come from Dialed? You didn't have a pistol a minute ago, did you?" "Yes, I have," I replied, "in my sock." "I don't know enough about women. I should have studied them long ago," said Sir Eustace sadly. "I doubt Pagett knows?"

"Don't play dumb. If it weren't for your gray hair, I'd throw you out of the window. You bloody rascal! I don't care how old you are, I—" He took a step or two forward, and Sir Eustace leaped adroitly away from behind the table. "Young people are always so rough," he said reproachfully. "Always use no brains, they only follow their physical abilities. Let's calm down. You have the upper hand at the moment, but the situation cannot continue like this. The house is full of my people. You are outnumbered Yes. Your current advantage is only accidental—”

"yes?" There was a hint of cold mockery in Harry's voice, which seemed to have caught Sir Eustace's attention.He watched him. "Really?" said Harry again. "Sit down, Sir Eustace, and listen to me." Still pointing his pistol at him, he went on: "You're at a disadvantage this time. First, listen to the sound!" It was a heavy knock on the door downstairs.Shouts, curses, and then a burst of gunfire.Sir Eustace turned pale. "what is that?" "Race—and his staff. You don't know, Sir Eustace, Anne and I have arranged a method of authenticating correspondence, do you know? The telegram is signed 'Ann' and the letter is written throughout' and ' run through. Annie knew that the telegram was false. She came here voluntarily, stepped into the trap skillfully, and hoped that you would fall into the trap you set yourself. Before leaving Kimberley, She telegraphed me and Race at the same time. Mrs. Blair has been in touch with us. I have a letter written according to your instructions, which is what I was expecting. I have discussed the property with Race. There is the possibility of a secret passage in the shop, and he has discovered the exit."

There was a whoosh, a hiss, and then a heavy explosion that shook the house. "They're bombing the area and I have to get you out of here, Annie." A bright flame rose, and the house opposite us was on fire.Sir Eustace was up and walking up and down.Harry continued to watch him with a pistol. "Now you see, Sir Eustace, that the game is over. You yourself told us the place of your lair very well. Reese's men are guarding the exit of the secret passage. Whatever you do No precautions, they still came here with me smoothly." Eustace turned around suddenly. "Very clever. Quite commendable. But I still have something to say, and if my ruse fails, so do you. You will never be able to hold Nadina's murder against me. The only fact against me, is just I was just in Marlow that day. No one can prove I knew her. But you knew her, you had a motive for murdering her - and your record is against you. You're a thief, remember, a thief. Maybe, One more thing you don't know, I have the diamonds. Now these diamonds—"

With one quick movement he bent down, raised his arms and threw them out.When the thing he threw fell through the window and fell into a pile of broken copper and iron on the opposite side, there was a sound of glass shattering. "Your only hope of proving your innocence from the Kimberley affair has gone out with the diamonds. Now let's talk, and I'll make you a deal. You've got me cornered. Ray Stan will find all the information he needs in this house. If I can escape, I still have a chance. If I stay, then I am finished, but you are not spared, young man! There is a skylight in the next room, as long as Give me a few minutes and I'll be all right. I've made a little arrangement or two. You get me out of there, give me a moment—then I'll leave you a confession, admitting I Kill Nadina."

"Promise him, Harry," I yelled, "Promise him, promise him!" He turned to me firmly. "No, Anne, absolutely not, you don't know what you're talking about." "I know. It solves everything." "If I do that, I'll never be able to face Reese again. I'm going to take a chance, but I'm not a man if I let the cunning old fox get away. It's no use, Annie, I don't." Sir Eustace chuckled lowly.He accepted defeat with equanimity. "Well, well," said he, "you seem to have met your nemesis, Anne. But I can assure you that moral integrity does not always pay off." There was a sound of planks splintering, and then footsteps going up the stairs.Harry pulled the latch.Colonel Race came in first, and his face brightened when he saw us. "You're safe, Anne. I'm afraid—" he turned to Sir Eustace, "I've been after you for a long time, Peterler—and I've caught you at last." "Everyone seems to be mad," said Sir Eustace, with air. "This young man threatened me with a pistol, and charged me with some appalling charges. I don't know what the hell is going on." "You don't know? It means that I have found the 'Colonel'. It means that you were not in Cannay on January 8th, but in Marlowe, which means that Madame Nadina betrayed you when your tool. At the time, you planned to get rid of her—and we're finally going to bring you to justice." "Really? Then where did you get this interesting information? From the man who is still in the police hunt? His testimony will be very valuable." "We have other witnesses. There are other people who know that Nadina was at the mill to meet you." Sir Eustace was astonished.Colonel Race made a gesture.Arthur Minckles, who was the Reverend Edward Chichester, who was Miss Pettigrew, came forward.He was pale and tense, but he said clearly: "I met Nadina in Paris the night before Nadina left for England. I was then disguised as a Russian count. She told me her purpose. I knew what she was dealing with. , I warned her, but she would not take my advice, and I had a telegram on her desk, which I read. Then I thought I might try to find the diamonds myself. Mr. Raeburn spoke to me in Johannesburg, and he Convince me to side with him." Sir Eustace watched him and said nothing, but Minx looked dispirited. "Rats always run from sinking ships," said Sir Eustace. "I don't care for the rats. Sooner or later I'll destroy them." "There is one thing I want to tell you, Sir Eustace," I said, "that pot of things you threw out the window was not diamonds, but ordinary pebbles. The diamonds are now in a perfectly safe place. Fact Here, they are in the belly of the big wooden giraffe. Suzanne hollowed out the giraffe's belly, put the diamonds in it, and stuffed it with cotton so there would be no sound, and then plugged the opening." Yoss Sir Tess stared at me for a while.His answer is quite characteristic: "I've always hated that giraffe," he said. "It must be my instinct."