第6章

"OURS IS A STRANGE COURTSHIP"

Louise looked up eagerly as he entered.

"There is news!" she exclaimed. "I can see it in your face.""Yes," Bellamy answered, "there is news! That is why I have come.

Where can we talk?"

She rose to her feet. Before them the open French windows led on to a smooth green lawn. She took his arm.

"Come outside with me," she said. "I am shut up here because Iwill not see the doctors whom they send, or any one from the Opera House. An envoy from the Palace has been and I have sent him away.""You mean to keep your word, then?""Have I ever broken it? Never again will I sing in this City. It is so."Bellamy looked around. The garden of the villa was enclosed by high gray stone walls. They were secure here, at least, from eavesdroppers. She rested her fingers lightly upon his arm, holding up the skirts of her loose gown with her other hand.

"I have spoken to you," he said, "of Dorward, the American journalist."She nodded.

"Of course," she assented. "You told me that the Chancellor had promised him an interview for to-day.""Well, he went to the Palace and the Chancellor saw him.".

She looked at him with upraised eyebrows.

"The newspapers are full of lies as usual, then, I suppose. The latest telegrams say that the Chancellor is dangerously ill.""It is quite true," Bellamy declared. "What I am going to tell you is surprising, but I had it from Dorward himself. When he reached the Palace, the Chancellor was practically insane. His doctors were trying to persuade him to go to his room and lie down, but he heard Dorward's voice and insisted upon seeing him. The man was mad - on the verge of a collapse - and he handed over to Dorward his notes, and a verbatim report of all that passed at the Palace this morning."She looked at him incredulously.

"My dear David!" she exclaimed.

"It is amazing," he admitted, "but it is the truth. I know it for a fact. The man was absolutely beside himself, he had no idea what he was doing.""Where is it?" she asked quickly. "You have seen it?""Dorward would not give it up," he said bitterly. "While we argued in our sitting-room at the hotel the police arrived. Dorward escaped through the bedroom and down the service stairs. He spoke of trying to catch the Orient Express to-night, but I doubt if they will ever let him leave the city.""It is wonderful, this," she murmured softly. "What are you going to do?""Louise, you and I have few secrets from each other. I would have killed Dorward to obtain that sealed envelope, because I believe that the knowledge of its contents in London to-day would save us from disaster. To know how far each is pledged, and from which direction the first blow is to come, would be our salvation.""I cannot understand," she said, "why he should have refused to share his knowledge with you. He is an American - it is almost the same thing as being an Englishman. And you are friends, - I am sure that you have helped him often.""It was a matter of vanity - simply cursed vanity," Bellamy answered.