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〃Like that … if ever Rupert Dunsmore and I meet alone； only one of
us will go away alive。〃 And he confirmed it with an oath。
Deede Dawson clapped him on the shoulder； and laughed。
〃Good！〃 he cried。 〃Why； you're the man I've been looking for for
a long time。 The fact is； Rupert Dunsmore played me a nasty trick
once； and I want to clear accounts with him。 Now； suppose I show
him to you … ？〃
〃You do that；〃 said Dunn； and he repeated the oath he had sworn
before。 〃You show him to me； and I'll take care he never troubles
any one again。〃
〃That's the way I like to hear a man talk；〃 cried Deede Dawson。
〃Dunsmore has been away for a time on business I can make a guess
at； but he is coming back soon。 Should you know him if you saw
him？〃
〃Should I know him？〃 repeated Dunn contemptuously。 〃Should I know
myself？〃
〃That's good；〃 said Deede Dawson again。 〃By the way； perhaps you
can tell me； hasn't Lord Chobham a rather distant cousin； Walter
Dunsmore； living with him as secretary or something of the sort
… quite a distant relative； I believe； though in the direct line
of succession？〃
〃Very likely；〃 said Dunn indifferently。 〃I think so； but I don't
care anything about the rest of them。 It's only Rupert Dunsmore I
have anything
against。〃
CHAPTER XIX
THE VISIT TO WRESTE ABBEY
It was a little later when Deede Dawson returned to the subject of
Wreste Abbey。
〃Lord Chobham has a very valuable collection of plate and jewellery
and so on； hasn't he？〃 he asked。
〃Oh； there's plenty of the stuff there；〃 Dunn answered。 〃Why？〃
〃Oh； I was thinking a visit might be made fairly profitable；〃 Deede
Dawson said carelessly； for the first time definitely throwing off
his mask of law…abiding citizen under which he lived at Bittermeads。
〃It would be a risky job；〃 answered Dunn； showing no surprise at the
suggestion。 〃The stuff's well guarded； and then； that's not what
I'm thinking about … it's meeting Rupert Dunsmore； man to man； and
no one to come between us。 If that ever happens … 〃
Deede Dawson nodded reassuringly。
〃That'll be all right；〃 he said。 〃So you shall； I promise you that。
But we might as well kill two birds with one stone and clear a bit
of profit； too。 I've got to live； like any one else； and I haven't
five thousand a year of my own； so I get my living out of those who
have； and I don't see who has any right to blame me。 Mind； if there
was any money in chess； I should be a millionaire； but there isn't；
and if a man can make a fortune on the Stock Exchange； which takes
no more thought or skill than auction…bridge； why shouldn't I make a
bit when I can？ There's the 'D。 D。' gambit I've invented； people
will be studying and playing for centuries； but it'll never bring me
a penny for all the brain…work I put into it； and so I've got to
protect myself； haven't I？〃
〃It's what I do with less talk about it；〃 answered Dunn
contemptuously。 〃Why； I've guessed all that from the first when
you weren't so all…fired keen on seeing me in gaol； as most of your
honest； hard…working lot； who only do their swindling in business…hours；
would have been。 And I've kept my eyes open； of course。 It wasn't
hard to twig you did a bit on the cross yourself。 Well； that's your
affair； but one thing I do want to know … how much does Miss Cayley
know？〃
For all his efforts he could not keep his anxiety entirely out of
his voice as he said this； and recognizing that thereby he had
perhaps risked rousing some suspicion in the other's mind； he added：
〃And her mother … the young lady and her mother； how much do they
know？〃
〃Oh；〃 answered Deede Dawson； with his false laugh and cold…watchful
eyes。 〃My wife knows nothing at all； but Ella's the best helper
I've ever had。 She looks so innocent； she can take in any one； and
she never gives the show away； she acts all the time。 A wonderful
girl and useful … you'd hardly believe how useful。〃
Dunn did not answer。 It was only by a supreme effort that he kept
his hands from Deede Dawson's throat。 He did not believe a word of
what the other said； for he knew well the utter falseness of the man。
None the less； the accusation troubled him and chilled him to the
heart； as though with the touch of the finger of death。
〃You remember that packing…case；〃 Deede Dawson added。 〃The one you
helped me to get away from here the night you came。 Well； she knew
what was in it； though you would never have thought so； to look at
her； would you？〃
His cold eyes were very intent and keen as he said this； and Dunn
thought to himself that it had been said more to test any possible
knowledge or suspicion of his own than for any other reason。 With
a manner of only slight interest； he answered carelessly：
〃Did she？ Why？ Wasn't it your stuff？ Had it been pinched？ But
she was safe enough； the police would never stop a smart young lady
in a motor…car； except on very strong evidence。〃
〃Perhaps not；〃 agreed Deede Dawson。 〃That's one reason why Ella's
so useful。 But I've been thinking things out； and trying to make
them work in together； and I think the first thing to do is for you
to drive Allen and Ella over to Wreste Abbey this afternoon； so
that they may have a good look around。〃
〃Oh； Miss Cayley and Allen；〃 Dunn muttered。
The new…comer； Allen； had been making himself very much at home at
Bittermeads since his arrival； though he had not so far troubled
to any great extent either Ella in the house or Dunn outside。 His
idea of comfort seemed to be to stay in bed very late； and spend
his time when he did get up in the breakfast…room in the company
of a box of cigars and a bottle of whisky。
The suggestion that he and Ella should pay a visit together to
Wreste Abbey was one that greatly surprised Dunn。
〃All right；〃 he said。 〃This afternoon？ I'll get the car ready。〃
〃This is the afternoon the Abbey is thrown open to visitors； isn't
it？〃 asked Deede Dawson。 〃Allen and Ella can get in as tourists；
and have a good look round； and you can look round outside and get
to know the lie of the land。 There won't be long to wait； for
Rupert Dunsmore will be back from his little excursion before long；
I expect。〃
He laughed in his mirthless way； and walked off； and Dunn； as he
got the car ready； seemed a good deal preoccupied and a little
worried。
〃How can he know that Rupert Dunsmore is coming back？〃 he said to
himself。 〃Can he have any way of finding out things I don't know
about？ And if he did； how could he know … that？ Most likely it's
only a guess to soothe me down； and he doesn't really know anything
at all about it。〃
After lunch； Allen and Ella appeared together； ready for their
expedition。 Ella looked her best in a big motoring coat and a
close…fitting hat； with a long blue veil。 Allen was； for almost
the first time since his arrival； shaved； washed and tidy。
He looked indeed as respectable as his sinister and forbidding
countenance would permit； and though Deede Dawson had made him as
smart as possible； he had permitted him to gratify his own florid
taste in adornment； so that his air of prosperity and wealth had
the appearance of being that of some r