the illustrious prince-第4部分

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tle　for　consciousness。　But　these　two　spoke　in　a　language　of　their　own；　a　language　which　no　one　who　passed　along　that　road　was　likely　to　understand。

With　a　groan　of　relief　the　man　who　had　been　picked　up　sank　back　amongst　the　cushioned　seats；　carefully　almost　tenderly；　aided　by　the　chauffeur。　Eagerly　he　thrust　his　hand　into　one　of　the　leather　pockets　and　drew　out　a　flask　of　brandy。　The　rush　of　cold　air；　as　the　car　swung　round　and　started　off；　was　like　new　life　to　him。　He　closed　his　eyes。　When　he　opened　them　again；　they　had　come　to　a　standstill　underneath　a　red　lamp。

〃The　doctor's！〃　he　muttered　to　himself；　and；　staggering　out；　rang　the　bell。

Dr。　Spencer　Whiles　had　had　a　somewhat　dreary　day；　and　was　thoroughly　enjoying　a　late　rubber　of　bridge　with　three　of　his　most　agreeable　neighbors。　A　summons　into　the　consulting　room；　however；　was　so　unexpected　a　thing　that　he　did　not　hesitate　for　a　moment　to　obey　it；　without　even　waiting　to　complete　a　deal。　When　he　entered　the　apartment；　he　saw　a　slim　but　determined…looking　young　man；　whose　clothes　were　covered　with　dust；　and　who；　although　he　sat　with　folded　arms　and　grim　face；　was　very　nearly　in　a　state　of　collapse。

〃You　seem　to　have　met　with　an　accident；〃　the　doctor　remarked。　〃How　did　it　happen？〃

〃I　have　been　run　over　by　a　motor　car；〃　his　patient　said；　speaking　slowly　and　with　something　singularly　agreeable　in　his　voice　notwithstanding　its　slight　accent　of　pain。　〃Can　you　patch　me　up　till　I　get　to　London？〃


The　doctor　looked　him　over。

〃What　were　you　doing　in　the　road？〃　he　asked。

〃I　was　riding　a　bicycle；〃　the　other　answered。　〃I　dare　say　it　was　my　own　fault；　I　was　certainly　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　road。　You　can　see　what　has　happened　to　me。　I　am　bruised　and　cut；　my　side　is　painful；　and　also　my　knee。　A　car　is　waiting　outside　now　to　take　me　to　my　home；　but　I　thought　that　I　had　better　stop　and　see　you。〃

The　doctor　was　a　humane　man；　with　a　miserable　practice；　and　he　forgot　all　about　his　bridge　party。　For　half　an　hour　he　worked　over　his　patient。　At　the　end　of　that　time　he　gave　him　a　brandy　and　soda　and　placed　a　box　of　cigarettes　before　him。

〃You'll　do　all　right　now；〃　he　said。　〃That's　a　nasty　cut　on　your　leg；　but　you've　no　broken　bones。〃

〃I　feel　absolutely　well　again；　thank　you　very　much；〃　the　young　man　said。　〃I　will　smoke　a　cigarette；　if　I　may。　The　brandy；　I　thank　you；　no！〃

〃Just　as　you　like；〃　the　doctor　answered。　〃I　won't　say　that　you　are　not　better　without　it。　Help　yourself　to　the　cigarettes。　Are　you　going　back　to　London　in　the　motor　car；　then？〃

〃Yes！〃　the　patient　answered。　〃It　is　waiting　outside　for　me　now；　and　I　must　not　keep　the　man　any　longer。　Will　you　let　me　know；　if　you　please；　how　much　I　owe　you？〃

The　doctor　hesitated。　Fees　were　a　rare　thing　with　him；　and　the　evidences　of　his　patient's　means　were　somewhat　doubtful。　The　young　man　put　his　hand　into　his　pocket。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　am　not　a　very　presentable…looking　object；　but　I　am　glad　to　assure　you　that　I　am　not　a　poor　man。　I　am　able　to　pay　your　charges　and　to　still　feel　that　the　obligation　is　very　much　on　my　side。

The　doctor　summoned　up　his　courage。

〃We　will　say　a　guinea；　then；〃he　remarked　with　studied　indifference。

〃You　must　allow　me　to　make　it　a　little　more　than　that；〃　the　patient　answered。　〃Your　treatment　was　worth　is。　I　feel　perfectly　recovered　already。　Good　night；　sir！〃

The　doctor's　eyes　sparkled　as　he　glanced　at　the　gold　which　his　visitor　had　laid　upon　the　table。

〃You　are　very　good；　I'm　sure；〃　he　murmured。　〃I　hope　you　will　have　a　comfortable　journey。　With　a　nerve　like　yours；　you'll　be　all　right　in　a　day　or　so。〃

He　let　his　patient　out　and　watched　him　depart　with　some　curiosity；　watched　until　the　great　motor…car　had　swung　round　the　corner　of　the　street　and　started　on　its　journey　to　London。

〃No　bicycle　there；〃　he　remarked　to　himself；　as　he　closed　the　door。　〃I　wonder　what　they　did　with　it。〃



CHAPTER　IV。　MISS　PENELOPE　MORSE

It　was　already　a　little　past　the　customary　luncheon　hour　at　the　Carlton；　and　the　restaurant　was　well　filled。　The　orchestra　had　played　their　first　selection；　and　the　stream　of　incoming　guests　had　begun　to　slacken。　A　young　lady　who　had　been　sitting　in　the　palm　court　for　at　least　half　an　hour　rose　to　her　feet；　and；　glancing　casually　at　her　watch；　made　her　way　into　the　hotel。　She　entered　the　office　and　addressed　the　chief　reception　clerk。

〃Can　you　tell　me；〃　she　asked；　〃if　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes　is　staying　here？　He　should　have　arrived　by　the　Lusitania　last　night　or　early　this　morning。〃

It　is　not　the　business　of　a　hotel　reception　clerk　to　appear　surprised　at　anything。　Nevertheless　the　man　looked　at　her；　for　a　moment；　with　a　curious　expression　in　his　eyes。

〃Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes！〃　he　repeated。　〃Did　you　say　that　you　were　expecting　him　by　the　Lusitania；　madam？〃

〃Yes！〃　the　young　lady　answered。　〃He　asked　me　to　lunch　with　him　here　today。　Can　you　tell　me　whether　he　has　arrived　yet？　If　he　is　in　his　room；　I　should　be　glad　if　you　would　send　up　to　him。〃

There　were　several　people　in　the　office　who　were　in　a　position　to　overhear　their　conversation。　With　a　word　of　apology；　the　man　came　round　from　his　place　behind　the　mahogany　counter。　He　stood　by　the　side　of　the　young　lady；　and　he　seemed　to　be　suffering　from　some　embarrassment。

〃Will　you　pardon　my　asking；　madam；　if　you　have　seen　the　newspapers　this　morning？〃　he　inquired。

Without　a　doubt；　her　first　thought　was　that　the　question　savored　of　impertinence。　She　looked　at　him　with　slightly　upraised　eyebrows。　She　was　slim；　of　medium　complexion；　with　dark　brown　hair　parted　in　the　middle　and　waving　a　little　about　her　temples。　She　was　irreproachably　dressed；　from　the　tips　of　her　patent　shoes　to　the　black　feathers　in　her　Paris　hat。

〃The　newspapers！〃　she　repeated。　〃Why；　no；　I　don't　think　that　I　have　seen　them　this　morning。　What　have　they　to　do　with　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes？〃

The　clerk　pointed　to　the　open　door　of　a　small　private　office。

〃If　you　will　step　this　way　for　one　moment；　madam；〃　he　begged。

She　tapped　the　floor　with　her　foot　and　looked　at　him　curiously。　Certainly　the　people　around　seemed　to　be　taking　some　interest　in　their　conversation。

〃Why　should　I？〃　she　asked。　〃Cannot　you　answer　my　question　here？〃

〃If　madam　will　be　so　good；〃　he　persisted。

She　shrugged　her　shoulders　and　followed　him。　Something　in　the　man's　earnest　tone　and　almost　pleading　look　convinced　her；　at　least；　of　his　good　intentions。　Besides；　the　interest　which　her　question　had　undoubtedly　aroused　amongst　the　bystanders　was；　to　say　the　least　of　it；　embarrassing。　He　pulled　the　door　to　after　them。

〃Madam；〃　he　said；　〃there　was　a　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes　who　came　over　by　the　Lusitania；　and　who　had　certainly　engaged　rooms　in　this　hotel；　but　he　unfortunately；　it　seems；　met　with　an　accident　on　his　way　from　Liverpool。〃

Her　manner　changed　at　once。　She　began　to　understand　what　it　all　meant。　Her　lips　parted；　her　eyes　were　wide　open。

〃An　accident？〃　she　faltered。

He　gently　rolled　a　chair　up　to　her。　She　sank　obediently　into　it。

〃Madam；〃　he　said；　〃it　was　a　very　bad　accident　indeed。　I　trust　that　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes　was　not　a　very　intimate　friend　or　a　relative　of　yours。　It　would　perhaps　be　better　for　you　to　read　the　account　for　yourself。〃

He　placed　a　newspaper　in　her　hands。　She　read　the　first　few　lines　and　suddenly　turned　upon　him。　She　was　white　to　the　lips　now；　and　there　was　real　terror　in　her　tone。　Yet　if　he　had　been　in　a　position　to　have　analyzed　the　emotion　she　displayed；　he　might　have　remarked　that　there　was　none　of　the　surprise；　the　blank；　unbelieving　amazement　which　might　have　been　expected　from　one　hearing　for　the　first　time　of　such　a　calamity。

〃Murdered！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Is　this　true？〃

〃It　appears　to　be　perfectly　true；　madam；　I　regret　to　say；〃　the　clerk　answered。　〃Even　the　earlier　editions　were　able　to　supply　the　man's　name；　and　I　am　afraid　that　there　is　no　doubt　about　his　identity。　The　captain　of　the　Lusitania　confirmed　it；　and　many　of　the　passengers　who　saw　him　leave　the　ship　last　night　have　been　interviewed。〃

〃Murdered！〃　she　repeated　to　herself　with　trembling　lips。　〃It　seems　such　a　horrible　death！　Have　they　any　idea　who　did　it？〃　she　asked。　〃Has　any　one　been　arrested？〃

〃At　present；　no；　madam；〃　the　clerk　answered。　〃The　affair；　as　you　will　see　if　you　read　further；　is　an　exceedingly　mysterious　one。〃

She　rocked　a　little　in　her　chair；　but　she　showed　no　signs　of　fainting。　She　picked　up　the　paper　and　found　the　place　once　more。　There　were　two　columns　filled　with　particulars　of　the　tragedy。

〃Where　can　I　be　alone　and　read　this？〃　she　asked。

〃Here；　if　you　please；　madam；〃　the　clerk　answered。　〃I　must　go　back　to　my　desk。　There　are　many　arrivals　just　now。　Will　you　allow　me　to　send　you　somethinga　little　brandy；　perhaps？〃

〃Nothing；　thank　you；〃　she　answered。　〃I　wish　only　to　be　alone　while　I　read　this。〃

He　left　her　with　a　little　sympathetic　murmur；　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。　The　girl　raised　her　veil　now　and　spread　the　newspaper　out　on　the　table　before　her。　There　was　an　account　of　the　tragedy；　there　were　interviews　with　some　of　the　passengers；　a　message　from　the　captain。　In　all；　it　seemed　that　wonderfully　little　was　known　of　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes。　He　had　spoken　to　scarcely　a　soul　on　board；　and　had　remained　for　the　greater　part　of　the　time　in　his　stateroom。　The　captain　had　not　even　been　aware　of　his　existence　till　the　moment　when　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes　had　sought　him　out　and　handed　him　an　order；　signed　by　the　head　of　his　company；　instructing　him　to　obey　in　any　respect　the　wishes　of　this　hitherto　unknown　passenger。　The　tug　which　had　been　hired　to　meet　him　had　gone　down　the　river；　so　it　was　not　possible；　for　the　moment；　to　say　by　whom　it　had　been　chartered。　The　station…master　at　Liverpool　knew　nothing　except　that　the　letter　presented　to　him　by　the　dead　man　was　a　personal　one　from　a　great　railway　magnate；　whose　wishes　it　was　impossible　to　disregard。　There　had　not　been　a　soul；　apparently；　upon　the　steamer　who　had　known　anything　worth　mentioning　of　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes　or　his　business。　No　one　in　London　had　made　inquiries　for　him　or　claimed　his　few　effects。　Half　a　dozen　cables　to　America　remained　unanswered。

That　papers　had　been　stolen　from　himpapers　or　moneywas　evident　from　the　place　of　concealment　in　his　coat；　where　the　lining　had　be