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Clive。 I feel to blame for Clive's death … as if I ought to have
managed better and saved him。 Now there's this other devilry they
are planning。 I tell you； Walter； I feel the whole world will be
a sweeter place after four o'clock tomorrow afternoon。〃
〃At any rate；〃 said Walter； 〃I think we may be sure of one thing
… after four o'clock tomorrow afternoon you will know all … all。〃
He paused and repeated； slightly varying the phrase： 〃Yes； after four
o'clock tomorrow afternoon you will know everything … everything。〃
He added in a brisker tone： 〃There's nothing else to arrange？〃
〃No；〃 said Dunn； 〃I don't think so； and I had better go now or
Deede Dawson will be suspecting something。 He'll want to know what
I've been stopping out so late for。 Good…bye； old chap； and good
luck。〃
They shook hands。
〃Good…bye and good luck； Rupert； old man；〃 Walter said。 〃You may
depend on me … you know that。〃
〃Yes； I do know that；〃 Dunn answered。
They shook hands again； and Dunn said： 〃You've hurt your hand。 It's
tied up。 Is it anything much？〃
〃No； no；〃 answered Walter with a little laugh。 〃A mere scratch。 I
scratched it on a bit of wood； a lid that didn't fit properly。〃
〃Well； good…bye and good luck；〃 Dunn said again； and they parted；
Walter disappearing into the darkness and Dunn returning to the
house。
Deede Dawson heard him enter； and he came to the door of the room
in which he had been sitting。
〃Oh； there you are；〃 he said。 〃Been enjoying the night air or
what？ You've been a long time。〃
〃I've been thinking；〃 Dunn muttered in the heavy； sulky manner he
always assumed at Bittermeads。
〃Not weakening； eh？〃 asked Deede Dawson。
〃No；〃 answered Dunn。 〃I'm not。〃
〃Good；〃 Deede Dawson exclaimed。 〃There's a lot to win； and no
fear of failure。 I don't see that failure's possible。 Do you？〃
〃No；〃 answered Dunn。 〃I suppose not。〃
〃The mate's sure this time；〃 Deede Dawson declared。 〃It's our
turn to move； and whatever reply the other side makes； we're sure
of our mate next move。 By the way； did you ever solve that problem
I showed you the other day？〃
〃Yes； I think so；〃 answered Dunn。 〃It was a long time before I
could hit on the right move； but I managed it at last； I think。〃
〃Come and show me； then；〃 said Deede Dawson； bustling back into
his room and beginning to set up the pieces on his travelling
chess…board。 〃This was the position； wasn't it？ Now； what's your
move？〃
Dunn showed him； and Deede Dawson burst into a laugh that had in
it for once a touch of honest enjoyment。
〃Yes； that would do it； but for one thing you haven't noticed；〃 he
said。 〃Black can push the pawn at KB7 and make it； not a queen； but
a knight； giving check to your king and no mate for you next move。〃
〃Yes； that's so；〃 agreed Dunn。 〃I hadn't thought of that。〃
〃Unexpected； eh？ Making the pawn a knight？〃 smiled Deede Dawson。
〃But in chess； and in life； it's the unexpected you have to look
out for。〃
〃That's quite an aphorism；〃 said Dunn。 〃It's true； too。〃
He went up to bed； but did not sleep well； and when at last he fell
into a troubled slumber； it seemed to him that Charley Wright and
John Clive were there； one on each side of him； and that they had
come； not because they sought for vengeance； but because they wished
to warn him of a doom like their own that they could see approaching
but he could not。
Toward's morning he got an hour's sound rest； and he was down stairs
in good time。 He did not see Ella； but he heard her moving about；
so knew that she was safe as yet； and Deede Dawson gave him some
elaborate parting instructions； a little money； and a loaded
revolver。
〃I don't know that I want that；〃 said Dunn。 〃My hands will be all
I need once I'm face to face with Rupert Dunsmore。〃
〃That's the right spirit；〃 said Deede Dawson approvingly。 〃But the
pistol may be useful too。 You needn't use it if you can manage
without； but you may as well have it。 Good…bye； and the best of
luck。 Take care of yourself； and don't lose your head or do
anything foolish。〃
〃Oh； you can trust me；〃 said Dunn。
〃I think I can；〃 smiled Deede Dawson。 〃I think I can。 Good…bye。
Be careful； avoid noise and fuss； don't be seen any more than you
can help； and if you shoot； aim low。〃
〃There's a vade mecum for the intending assassin；〃 Dunn thought
grimly to himself； but he said nothing； gave the other a sullen
nod； and started off on his strange and weird mission of murdering
himself。 He found himself wondering if any one else had ever been
in such a situation。 He did not suppose so。
CHAPTER XXV
THE UNEXPECTED
To the very letter Dunn followed the careful and precise
instructions given him by Deede Dawson； for he did not wish to
rouse in any way the slightest suspicion or run the least risk of
frightening off that unknown instigator of these plots who was； it
had been promised him； to be present near Brook Bourne Spring at
four that afternoon。
Even the thought of Ella was perhaps less clear and vivid to his
mind just now than was his intense and passionate desire to discover
the identity of the strange and sinister personality against whom he
had matched himself。
〃Very likely it's some madman；〃 he thought to himself。 〃How in the
name of common sense can he expect to inherit the title and estates
quietly after such a series of crimes as he seems to contemplate？
Does he think no one will have any suspicion of him when he comes
forward？ Even if he is successful in getting rid of all of us in
this way； how does he expect to be able to reap his reward？ Of
course he may think that there will be no direct evidence if he
manages cleverly enough； and that mere suspicion he will be able to
disregard and live down in time； but surely it will be plain enough
that 'who benefits is guilty'？ The whole thing is mad； fantastic。
Why； the mere fact of any one making a claim to the title and
estates would be almost enough to justify a jury in returning a
verdict of guilty。〃
But though his thoughts ran in this wise all the time he was
journeying to London； and though he repeated them to himself over
and over again； none the less there remained an uneasy consciousness
in his mind that perhaps these people had plans more subtle than he
knew； and that even this difficulty of making their claim without
bringing instant suspicion on themselves they had provided for。
It was late in the year now； but the day was warm and very calm and
fine。 At the London terminus where he alighted he had a strong
feeling that he was watched； and when he took the train back to
Delsby he still had the idea that he was being kept under
observation。
He felt he had been wise in deciding to carry out Deede Dawson's
instructions so closely； for he was sure that if he had failed to
do so in any respect alarm would have been taken at once； and
warning telegrams gone flying on the instant to all concerned。
Then that self…baited trap at Brook Bourne Spring； wherein he hoped
to see his enemy taken； would remain unapproached； and all his
work and risk would have gone for nothing。
When he alighted at his destination he was a little before tim