The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie (read e book .txt) đ
- Author: Agatha Christie
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Together they descended the stairs, and passed out to the waiting car. The Russian was shaking with rage. The hotel servants surrounded them. A cry hovered on his lips, but at the last minute his nerve failed him. The American was a man of his word.
When they reached the car, Julius breathed a sigh of relief. The danger-zone was passed. Fear had successfully hypnotized the man by his side.
âGet in,â he ordered. Then as he caught the otherâs sidelong glance, âNo, the chauffeur wonât help you any. Naval man. Was on a submarine in Russia when the Revolution broke out. A brother of his was murdered by your people. George!â
âYes, sir?â The chauffeur turned his head.
âThis gentleman is a Russian Bolshevik. We donât want to shoot him, but it may be necessary. You understand?â
âPerfectly, sir.â
âI want to go to Gatehouse in Kent. Know the road at all?â
âYes, sir, it will be about an hour and a halfâs run.â
âMake it an hour. Iâm in a hurry.â
âIâll do my best, sir.â The car shot forward through the traffic.
Julius ensconced himself comfortably by the side of his victim. He kept his hand in the pocket of his coat, but his manner was urbane to the last degree.
âThere was a man I shot once in Arizonaâââ he began cheerfully.
At the end of the hourâs run the unfortunate Kramenin was more dead than alive. In succession to the anecdote of the Arizona man, there had been a tough from âFrisco, and an episode in the Rockies. Juliusâs narrative style, if not strictly accurate, was picturesque!
Slowing down, the chauffeur called over his shoulder that they were just coming into Gatehouse. Julius bade the Russian direct them. His plan was to drive straight up to the house. There Kramenin was to ask for the two girls. Julius explained to him that Little Willie would not be tolerant of failure. Kramenin, by this time, was as putty in the otherâs hands. The terrific pace they had come had still further unmanned him. He had given himself up for dead at every corner.
The car swept up the drive, and stopped before the porch. The chauffeur looked round for orders.
âTurn the car first, George. Then ring the bell, and get back to your place. Keep the engine going, and be ready to scoot like hell when I give the word.â
âVery good, sir.â
The front door was opened by the butler. Kramenin felt the muzzle of the revolver pressed against his ribs.
âNow,â hissed Julius. âAnd be careful.â
The Russian beckoned. His lips were white, and his voice was not very steady:
âIt is IâKramenin! Bring down the girl at once! There is no time to lose!â
Whittington had come down the steps. He uttered an exclamation of astonishment at seeing the other.
âYou! Whatâs up? Surely you know the planâââ
Kramenin interrupted him, using the words that have created many unnecessary panics:
âWe have been betrayed! Plans must be abandoned. We must save our own skins. The girl! And at once! Itâs our only chance.â
Whittington hesitated, but for hardly a moment.
âYou have ordersâfrom him?â
âNaturally! Should I be here otherwise? Hurry! There is no time to be lost. The other little fool had better come too.â
Whittington turned and ran back into the house. The agonizing minutes went by. Thenâtwo figures hastily huddled in cloaks appeared on the steps and were hustled into the car. The smaller of the two was inclined to resist and Whittington shoved her in unceremoniously. Julius leaned forward, and in doing so the light from the open door lit up his face. Another man on the steps behind Whittington gave a startled exclamation. Concealment was at an end.
âGet a move on, George,â shouted Julius.
The chauffeur slipped in his clutch, and with a bound the car started.
The man on the steps uttered an oath. His hand went to his pocket. There was a flash and a report. The bullet just missed the taller girl by an inch.
âGet down, Jane,â cried Julius. âFlat on the bottom of the car.â He thrust her sharply forward, then standing up, he took careful aim and fired.
âHave you hit him?â cried Tuppence eagerly.
âSure,â replied Julius. âHe isnât killed, though. Skunks like that take a lot of killing. Are you all right, Tuppence?â
âOf course I am. Whereâs Tommy? And whoâs this?â She indicated the shivering Kramenin.
âTommyâs making tracks for the Argentine. I guess he thought youâd turned up your toes. Steady through the gate, George! Thatâs right. Itâll take âem at least five minutes to get busy after us. Theyâll use the telephone, I guess, so look out for snares aheadâand donât take the direct route. Whoâs this, did you say, Tuppence? Let me present Monsieur Kramenin. I persuaded him to come on the trip for his health.â
The Russian remained mute, still livid with terror.
âBut what made them let us go?â demanded Tuppence suspiciously.
âI reckon Monsieur Kramenin here asked them so prettily they just couldnât refuse!â
This was too much for the Russian. He burst out vehemently:
âCurse youâcurse you! They know now that I betrayed them. My life wonât be safe for an hour in this country.â
âThatâs so,â assented Julius. âIâd advise you to make tracks for Russia right away.â
âLet me go, then,â cried the other. âI have done what you asked. Why do you still keep me with you?â
âNot for the pleasure of your company. I guess you can get right off now if you want to. I thought youâd rather I tooled you back to London.â
âYou may never reach London,â snarled the other. âLet me go here and now.â
âSure thing. Pull up, George. The gentlemanâs not making the return trip. If I ever come to Russia, Monsieur Kramenin, I shall expect a rousing welcome, andâââ
But before Julius had finished his speech, and before the car had finally halted, the Russian had swung himself out and disappeared into the night.
âJust a mite impatient to leave us,â commented Julius, as the car gathered way again. âAnd no idea of saying good-bye politely to the ladies. Say, Jane, you can get up on the seat now.â
For the first time the girl spoke.
âHow did you âpersuadeâ him?â she asked.
Julius tapped his revolver.
âLittle Willie here takes the credit!â
âSplendid!â cried the girl. The colour surged into her face, her eyes looked admiringly at Julius.
âAnnette and I didnât know what was going to happen to us,â said Tuppence. âOld Whittington hurried us off. We thought it was lambs to the slaughter.â
âAnnette,â said Julius. âIs that what you call her?â
His mind seemed to be trying to adjust itself to a new idea.
âItâs her name,â said Tuppence, opening her eyes very wide.
âShucks!â retorted Julius. âShe may think itâs her name, because her memoryâs gone, poor kid. But itâs the one real and original Jane Finn weâve got here.â
âWhat?â cried Tuppence.
But she was interrupted. With an angry spurt, a bullet embedded itself in the upholstery of the car just behind her head.
âDown with you,â cried Julius. âItâs an ambush. These guys have got busy pretty quickly. Push her a bit, George.â
The car fairly leapt forward. Three more shots rang out, but went happily wide. Julius, upright, leant over the back of the car.
âNothing to shoot at,â he announced gloomily. âBut I guess thereâll be another little picnic soon. Ah!â
He raised his hand to his cheek.
âYou are hurt?â said Annette quickly.
âOnly a scratch.â
The girl sprang to her feet.
âLet me out! Let me out, I say! Stop the car. It is me theyâre after. Iâm the one they want. You shall not lose your lives because of me. Let me go.â She was fumbling with the fastenings of the door.
Julius took her by both arms, and looked at her. She had spoken with no trace of foreign accent.
âSit down, kid,â he said gently. âI guess thereâs nothing wrong with your memory. Been fooling them all the time, eh?â
The girl looked at him, nodded, and then suddenly burst into tears. Julius patted her on the shoulder.
âThere, thereâjust you sit tight. Weâre not going to let you quit.â
Through her sobs the girl said indistinctly:
âYouâre from home. I can tell by your voice. It makes me home-sick.â
âSure Iâm from home. Iâm your cousinâJulius Hersheimmer. I came over to Europe on purpose to find youâand a pretty dance youâve led me.â
The car slackened speed. George spoke over his shoulder:
âCross-roads here, sir. Iâm not sure of the way.â
The car slowed down till it hardly moved. As it did so a figure climbed suddenly over the back, and plunged head first into the midst of them.
âSorry,â said Tommy, extricating himself.
A mass of confused exclamations greeted him. He replied to them severally:
âWas in the bushes by the drive. Hung on behind. Couldnât let you know before at the pace you were going. It was all I could do to hang on. Now then, you girls, get out!â
âGet out?â
âYes. Thereâs a station just up that road. Train due in three minutes. Youâll catch it if you hurry.â
âWhat the devil are you driving at?â demanded Julius. âDo you think you can fool them by leaving the car?â
âYou and I arenât going to leave the car. Only the girls.â
âYouâre crazed, Beresford. Stark staring mad! You canât let those girls go off alone. Itâll be the end of it if you do.â
Tommy turned to Tuppence.
âGet out at once, Tuppence. Take her with you, and do just as I say. No one will do you any harm. Youâre safe. Take the train to London. Go straight to Sir James Peel Edgerton. Mr. Carter lives out of town, but youâll be safe with him.â
âDarn you!â cried Julius. âYouâre mad. Jane, you stay where you are.â
With a sudden swift movement, Tommy snatched the revolver from Juliusâs hand, and levelled it at him.
âNow will you believe Iâm in earnest? Get out, both of you, and do as I sayâor Iâll shoot!â
Tuppence sprang out, dragging the unwilling Jane after her.
âCome on, itâs all right. If Tommyâs sureâheâs sure. Be quick. Weâll miss the train.â
They started running.
Juliusâs pent-up rage burst forth.
âWhat the hellâââ
Tommy interrupted him.
âDry up! I want a few words with you, Mr. Julius Hersheimmer.â
JANEâS STORY
Her arm through Janeâs, dragging her along, Tuppence reached the station. Her quick ears caught the sound of the approaching train.
âHurry up,â she panted, âor weâll miss it.â
They arrived on the platform just as the train came to a standstill. Tuppence opened the door of an empty first-class compartment, and the two girls sank down breathless on the padded seats.
A man looked in, then passed on to the next carriage. Jane started nervously. Her eyes dilated with terror. She looked questioningly at Tuppence.
âIs he one of them, do you think?â she breathed.
Tuppence shook her head.
âNo, no. Itâs all right.â She took Janeâs hand in hers. âTommy wouldnât have told us to do this unless he was sure weâd be all right.â
âBut he doesnât know them as I do!â The girl shivered. âYou canât understand. Five years! Five long years! Sometimes I thought I should go mad.â
âNever mind. Itâs all over.â
âIs it?â
The train was moving now, speeding through the night at a gradually increasing rate. Suddenly Jane Finn started up.
âWhat was that? I thought I saw a faceâlooking in through the window.â
âNo, thereâs nothing. See.â Tuppence went to the window, and lifting the strap let the pane down.
âYouâre sure?â
âQuite sure.â
The other seemed to feel some excuse was necessary:
âI guess Iâm acting like a frightened rabbit, but I canât help it. If they caught me now theyâdâââ Her eyes opened wide and staring.
âDonât!â implored Tuppence. âLie back, and donât think. You can be quite sure that Tommy wouldnât have said it was safe if it wasnât.â
âMy cousin didnât think so. He didnât want us to do this.â
âNo,â said Tuppence, rather embarrassed.
âWhat are you thinking of?â said Jane sharply.
âWhy?â
âYour voice was soâqueer!â
âI was thinking of something,â confessed Tuppence. âBut I donât want to tell youânot now. I may be wrong, but I donât think so. Itâs just an idea that came into my head a long time
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