He always looked back upon what followed as a very creditable piece of play-acting for a man who had small experience in that line.
“Is the old lady a wee wizened body, with a black cap and something like a white cashmere shawl round her shoulders?”
“You describe her exactly,” Mr. Loudon replied eagerly.
“That would explain the foreigners.”
“Of course. We couldn’t have natives who would make the thing the clash of the countryside.”
“Of course not. But it must be a difficult job to keep a business like that quiet. Any wandering policeman might start inquiries. And supposing the lady became violent?”
“Oh, there’s no fear of that. Besides, I’ve a position in this country—Deputy Fiscal and so forth—and a friend of the Chief Constable. I think I may be trusted to do a little private explaining if the need arose.”
“I see,” said Dickson. He saw, indeed, a great deal which would give him food for furious thought. “Well, I must possess my soul in patience. Here’s my Glasgow address, and I look to you to send me a telegram whenever you’re ready for me. I’m at the Salutation to-night, and go home to-morrow with the first train. Wait a minute”—and he pulled out his watch— “there’s a train stops at Auchenlochan at 10.17. I think I’ll catch that… Well Mr. Loudon, I’m very much obliged to you, and I’m glad to think that it’ll no’ be long till we renew our acquaintance.”
The factor accompanied him to the door, diffusing geniality. “Very pleased indeed to have met you. A pleasant journey and a quick return.”
The street was still empty. Into a corner of the arches opposite the moon was shining, and Dickson retired thither to consult his map of the neighbourhood. He found what he wanted, and, as he lifted his eyes, caught sight of a man coming down the causeway. Promptly he retired into the shadow and watched the new-comer. There could be no mistake about the figure; the bulk, the walk, the carriage of the head marked it for Dobson. The innkeeper went slowly past the factor’s house; then halted and retraced his steps; then, making sure that the street was empty, turned into the side lane which led to the garden.
This was what sailors call a cross-bearing, and strengthened Dickson’s conviction. He delayed no longer, but hurried down the side street by which the north road leaves the town.
He had crossed the bridge of Lochan and was climbing the steep ascent which led to the heathy plateau separating that stream from the Garple before he had got his mind quite clear on the case. First, Loudon was in the plot, whatever it was; responsible for the details of the girl’s imprisonment, but not the main author. That must be the Unknown who was still to come, from whom Spidel took his orders. Dobson was probably Loudon’s special henchman, working directly under him. Secondly, the immediate object had been the jewels, and they were happily safe in the vaults of the incorruptible Mackintosh. But, third—and this only on Saskia’s evidences—the worst danger to her began with the arrival of the Unknown. What could that be? Probably, kidnapping. He was prepared to believe anything of people like Bolsheviks. And, fourth, this danger was due within the next day or two. Loudon had been quite willing to let him into the house and to sack all the watchers within a week from that date. The natural and right thing was to summon the aid of the law, but, fifth, that would be a slow business with Loudon able to put spokes in the wheels and befog the authorities, and the mischief would be done before a single policeman showed his face in Dalquharter. Therefore, sixth, he and Heritage must hold the fort in the meantime, and he would send a wire to his lawyer, Mr. Caw, to get to work with the constabulary. Seventh, he himself was probably free from suspicion in both Loudon’s and Dobson’s minds as a harmless fool. But that freedom would not survive his reappearance in Dalquharter. He could say, to be sure, that he had come back to see his auntie, but that would not satisfy the watchers, since, so far as they knew, he was the only man outside the gang who was aware that people were dwelling in the House. They would not tolerate his presence in the neighbourhood.
He formulated his conclusions as if it were an ordinary business deal, and rather to his surprise was not conscious of any fear. As he pulled together the belt of his waterproof he felt the reassuring bulges in its pockets which were his pistol and cartridges. He reflected that it must be very difficult to miss with a pistol if you fired it at, say, three yards, and if there was to be shooting that would be his range. Mr. McCunn had stumbled on the precious truth that the best way to be rid of quaking knees is to keep a busy mind.
He crossed the ridge of the plateau and looked down on the Garple glen. There were the lights of Dalquharter—or rather a single light, for the inhabitants went early to bed. His intention was to seek quarters with Mrs. Morran, when his eye caught a gleam in a hollow of the moor a little to the east. He knew it for the camp-fire around which Dougal’s warriors bivouacked. The notion came to him to go there instead, and hear the news of the day before entering the cottage. So he crossed the bridge, skirted a plantation of firs, and scrambled through the broom and heather in what he took to be the right direction.
The moon had gone down, and the quest was not easy. Dickson had come to the conclusion that he was on the wrong road, when he was summoned by a voice which seemed to arise out of the ground.
“Who goes there?”
“What’s that you say?”
“Who goes there?” The point of a pole was held firmly against his chest.
“I’m Mr. McCunn, a friend of Dougal’s.”
“Stand, friend.” The shadow before him whistled and another shadow appeared. “Report to the Chief that there’s a man here, name o’ McCunn, seekin’ for him.”
Presently the messenger returned with Dougal and a cheap lantern which he flashed in Dickson’s face.
“Oh, it’s you,” said that leader, who had his jaw bound up as if he had the toothache. “What are ye doing back here?”
“To tell the truth, Dougal,” was the answer, “I couldn’t stay away. I was fair miserable when I thought of Mr. Heritage and you laddies left to yourselves. My conscience simply wouldn’t let me stop at home, so here I am.”
Dougal grunted, but clearly he approved, for from that moment he treated Dickson with a new respect. Formerly when he had referred to him at all it had been as “auld McCunn.” Now it was “Mister McCunn.” He was given rank as a worthy civilian ally. The bivouac was a cheerful place in the wet night. A great fire of pine roots and old paling posts hissed in the fine rain, and around it crouched several urchins busy making oatmeal cakes in the embers. On one side a respectable lean-to had been constructed by nailing a plank to two fir-trees, running sloping poles thence to the ground, and thatching the whole with spruce branches and heather. On the other side two small dilapidated home-made tents were pitched. Dougal motioned his companion into the lean-to, where they had some privacy from the rest of the band.
“Well, what’s your news?” Dickson asked. He noticed that the Chieftain seemed to have been comprehensively in the wars, for apart from the bandage on his jaw, he had numerous small cuts on his brow, and a great rent in one of his shirt sleeves. Also he appeared to be going lame, and when he spoke a new gap was revealed in his large teeth.
“Things,” said Dougal solemnly, “has come to a bonny cripus. This very night we’ve been in a battle.”
He spat fiercely, and the light of war burned in his eyes.
“It was the tinklers from the Garple Dean. They yokit on us about seven o’clock, just at the darkenin’. First they tried to bounce us. We weren’t wanted here, they said, so we’d better clear. I telled them that it was them that wasn’t wanted. ‘Awa’ to Finnick,’ says I. ‘D’ye think we take our orders from dirty ne’er-do-weels like you?’ ‘By God,’ says they, ‘we’ll cut your lights out,’ and then the battle started.”
“What