Chapter 20 An Old Blanket Will Do

LORD GLASTON RECEIVED the representative of the great American Republic with a particular courtesy which he considered that the position required. He avoided the subject which was in both their minds until the meal was far advanced and they had discussed various matters of international importance, when he said, in the casual tone of one who relaxes to the observation of trivial things: "I was sorry to hear of the annoyance you had in Paris. I am sorry also about Reynard. I am told he was a good man. It was not very creditable to the French police to let such an incident occur, and to be unable to clear it up."

"But," Mr. Thurlow answered, "won't they say they are doing that? They have made an arrest, and I am waiting with interest to know what kind of evidence they will produce."

"Then I can tell you at once that there will be none. If you will regard it as confidential until an announcement will be made by the French authorities - which they may not be quick to do - I will tell you that Mr. Kindell is already released."

"I am glad to hear it. . . . You can, of course, rely upon my silence until I hear of it in other ways. . . . Have they found who the murderer was?"

"No. It is less than that. But I may tell you in the same confidence that Reynard was on the track of an international drug-smuggling gang, and, though he was reticent in the details of what he did, there is little doubt that it was on that business that he visited your hotel, and that he was murdered by those who felt that he was too closely upon their heels."

"That is likely enough. But what I fail to see is why he should have entered my room, or they should have encountered him there."

"That is more than I can explain. But I can tell you that Mr. Kindell is under no suspicion. We have had a full report on the whole affair from the Bureau de S?ret? through Scotland Yard; and I will ask you this, which it might be useful for them to know. There were English visitors on the floor below you - Professor Blinkwell and his niece. Blinkwell is an analytical chemist, with commercial interests in manufacturing chemical works. His name is well known in this country. He has been suspected for some time past of being engaged in such traffic, but, if the suspicion be correct, he has been too circumspect for detection. Did you observe that he had callers while he was there, or - in short, did you see anything of him or his niece at all?"

Mr. Thurlow considered the possible results of a full reply to this question, and then answered with hesitation. "My literal reply must be no, but I am anxious to do everything in my power to assist the investigation, and I will add that my cousin might possibly be able to give you more information."

"I think they know that already."

"Then I cannot help you. The only time I recall seeing Blinkwell in conversation at all, it was with a member of the hotel staff and it would be absurd to see anything sinister in that."

"It was not a long conversation?"

"I could not say. It terminated as I approached."

"It certainly sounds unimportant. But I will let them know. Could you identify the man?"

"I seldom forget men. He was a waiter named Gustav. It was the same man who - - "

Mr. Thurlow checked himself, and then concluded, "who moved some luggage for me when we left the hotel."

Lord Glaston did not appear to observe the check which had broken the course of the last reply. But he noted the name, and turned the conversation aside, after a confident prediction that it was not a matter by which it was likely that the ambassador would be further annoyed.

Shortly afterwards, Mr. Thurlow returned to the embassy and it was while having tea with Irene that he learned that the valise of which she had undertaken delivery was still there.

She told him what had occurred, and added: "I suppose I was rather a pig, but it was just an impulse. I hardly knew why I did it, but I couldn't see, if it were going to the Blinkwells, why he didn't ask them to bring it."

She had expected her confession to be met with sarcasm or rebuke, and would, indeed, have gone out again to deliver the valise before her father's return had there been an available car. But he took it in a different way. He said: "There may be an answer to that. Blinkwell couldn't have brought it through without its contents being seen."

"Why should he have minded that? But, all the same, I'd give something to know. It's as heavy as though it were solid bricks." This was an exaggeration, but it increased the ambassador's rising interest in the nature of its contents. He said: "I'll have a look at it before it goes out again." Within the next minute, a manservant, carrying it in by one hand, but with an obvious consciousness of its weight, laid it before him.

Mr. Thurlow tested it for himself. He looked at it with an active curiosity which brought an exclamation of protest from Irene, "You're not going to open it, are you?"

"You think I've no right to do that?"

"Of course we haven't."

"I know more about this matter than you. More, in fact, than I am able to say. But I'm not going to open it, all the same. What I shall do is to invite Kindell to fetch it himself."

Irene still looked troubled, but ceased to protest.

"I don't mind," she said, uncertainly, "if you do that."

"Williams," the ambassador said, "could you find a suitcase about this size?"

"Yes, Your Excellency."

"And two or three bricks?"

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Williams retired, and returned with a suitcase of different appearance but similar size, and a large fragment of coping-stone which the ambassador approved. He asked for a piece of blanket in which to wrap it, and finally packed it in a manner which would render it difficult for anyone handling it to discover that the contents of the suitcase differed from that which it was intended to replace.

"We will send this," he said, "to Professor Blinkwell's address, and see what happens."

"It mayn't be his address. I only saw that woman coming away."

"We'll have a look at the telephone directory."

The evidence thus obtained disclosed that Professor Blinkwell had a different address. The ambassador rang for a street directory, and gained the further information that Mrs. Collinson occupied the house to which the valise was to be taken.

"Will may have rooms there, for all we know," Irene suggested still disposed to defend him from others, while reserving him for her own attack.

"A young man doesn't need two sets of rooms."

"No. . . . But there may be a simple explanation we haven't guessed."

"Then I shall like to hear what it is. And, till I do, the less you see of him the better I shall be pleased."

"I'm not likely to see much of him while he's in a French jail."

"No. . . . But you don't even know that."

Having said this, Mr. Thurlow closed the conversation with some abruptness, on the plea that he had correspondence with which to deal. He was conscious that his last remark had approached disclosure of the information which he had accepted as confidential. Beyond that, he wished to give consideration to the new facts - if such they were - which he had learned during the day. The French police had satisfied themselves of Kindell's innocence - or, at least, that they had no evidence of his guilt - and had let him go. But that was not to be generally known Why? There must be a reason for that.

And their acceptance of his innocence might not go beyond the murder of which he had been explicitly charged. There was suggestion now of criminality of another kind. How did he stand about that? And how would he stand if the method by which he had sent that valise should be disclosed, and that it had been addressed to a place to which Blinkwell's daughter went?

The ambassador saw that there was a simple answer to these questions. Everything (as he saw the facts) would depend upon the nature of its contents. He resolved that Kindell should open it in his presence, or, if he should decline, the whole circumstances should be communicated to Scotland Yard.

Feeling that he had the situation in hand, and that there was little remaining probability of such developments as would cause trouble in Washington, which was naturally his major concern he turned his mind to the international affairs with which it was his duty to deal.