The Mysterious Affair at Greenhampton

CHAPTER VI

LADY ELLSWORTH’S STORY; PEUGEOT ACTS

THE SOUNDS of an awakening household reached us. The noise I had made smashing in the door had evidently roused the rest of the staff and the family. I took out my pocket-knife and began cutting the ropes holding Brenda. Melinda Riddle returned with a sharp knife and set to work freeing Elizabeth. When Julia, Daphne, and the maids arrived, I withdrew discreetly. As they helped Brenda into a dressing gown, Annie ran to fetch some tea. I descended to the dining room and sat at the table. Mrs. Daily herself emerged from the kitchen with a pot of tea on a tray. I reminded her to save the ropes that had bound both women so that the knots could be examined. Annie had just brought some tea for me when Mrs. Daily returned bearing the ropes on the same tray that had held the teapot.

     Peugeot appeared on the stairs, straightening his tie and asking Mrs. Daily for some coffee as he came down the steps.

     “Well, well, mon ami,” he said cheerfully. “We have a nice little mystery bright and early today, do we not? I trust that the ladies are well? It is indeed fortunate that you always carry the pocketknife.”

     I was stunned and angered by his offhand manner.

     “You’re taking this very calmly, Peugeot,” I thundered. “I warned you last night that this might happen, and you brushed it off rather easily. Now see what’s happened!”

     Peugeot shrugged.

     “I saw no danger. One cannot always see everything.”

     “Well, I see danger now!” I returned hotly. “I’m going to call Sapp and get him down here with enough constables to protect these women. They’re all in danger!”

     Peugeot sat beside me and poured some coffee.

     “By all means do so if you wish,” he said placidly. “But Peugeot sees no danger.”

     I could not understand his attitude. The only way to avoid further argument was to place the call myself. I had not yet been connected with Sapp when Randall and Bell returned.

     “It was a false call, sir,” Randall told me with equal parts of bewilderment and irritation. “The woman constable said she would wait for us just outside the drive, but when we got there no one was waiting. We drove almost all the way to Greenhampton without finding an accident. Finally, we met one of our local constables. He told us that there had been no accident anywhere near the village this morning.”

     I explained to him what had happened, sparing the details necessary to preserve Lady Ellsworth’s modesty, and instructed him to call Sergeant Carrington as soon as I was done. When I spoke to Sapp, he promised to get a fast police car and come at once.

     I also stationed Randall outside near the steps to the terrace so that the ground would not be disturbed before the police could examine it. Having done these things, I returned to the dining room.

     Peugeot was enjoying coffee and croissants.

     “The coffee of Mrs. Daily is very good,” he announced. “It is perhaps not the chocolat of the good Georges, or the tisane, but it is quite good. It awakens the grey matter.”

     I did not reply. My anger at Peugeot was dispelled by the sudden realization of my impulsive behaviour with Brenda. She loved me, too! That happy thought died quickly under the crushing weight of the knowledge that ours was a doomed affair. Had it been only my own feelings, I could have suppressed them, however difficult it might have been, in work or duty. But having had those eyes look upon me with love made it impossible to turn back. We must now follow our course to disgrace, it would seem.

     “So you despair over the beautiful Lady Ellsworth,” Peugeot said quietly. “Oh, do not bother to protest your innocence or your intention to be noble, mon ami. I would have told you this earlier, but I knew that you, with your fine and honourable nature, would only have used it against yourself. So I kept it from you.”

     He leaned over the table, put his hand on my arm, and spoke in his most confidential tone.

     “Sir Garrick Ellsworth had been on assignment in Bavaria for nearly four months now. What the world does not know is that he is long overdue in his return.”

     “But his daughters told us—--“

     Peugeot waved a dismissing hand.

     “Ah, yes. The cover story, as you call it. Sir Garrick is delayed. He will be detained. He has gone to another country. Ways of explaining his absence are manufactured.”

     He looked at me gravely.

     “But the truth is that he has been missing since the third week, and the worst was feared almost immediately. Our friend Colonel Pikeham has now confirmed those fears: Sir Garrick will not return.”

     “He’s dead?” I asked, incredulous.

     Peugeot nodded.

     “Perhaps it was an accident, but more likely he was murdered by agents of the German government. It has been suspected for a time, but the body was found only a few days ago. ‘Accident while mountain climbing’ will be the official cause of death.”

     “You must tell Brenda, Peugeot.”

     He looked at me sympathetically.

     “Mon ami, she has known almost since the day he disappeared. In mid-April Pikeham sent agents to notify her that he was missing. She was told last week in London that the body had been recovered.”

     I was stunned. In less than a minute, the world had changed for me. Peugeot regarded me with a little smile.

     “So do you see why I have acted toward you as I did? I expected that your sense of honour would keep you from falling in love with the lady, but I think she wished otherwise.”

     He became grave again.

     “Ça va sans dire that the daughters know nothing of this tragedy yet. That is another reason that I did not tell you. Brenda Ellsworth is a woman of much self-possession, and a trained actress as well. But you, with your so open countenance, might easily betray the facts. This must remain a secret until the Foreign Office announces his death officially, which will be when they have decided how best to react.”

     “Well, now it’s more important than ever that we track down this gang,” I said firmly. “I can’t have the woman I love being stalked by them.”

     Peugeot shook his head and laughed softly.

     “Always so gallant, Bosworth; always you help the lady in distress. Very well, if you promise to follow my orders exactly, tonight we shall solve the case.”

     I promised readily. He wagged a warning finger at me.

     “You are quick to give your word now, in the daylight broad, and with the promise of the solution,” he cautioned. “But tonight when you hear what I ask of you, you will no doubt think I am of the mind lost. You must promise to obey without question.”

     This I agreed to do.

     “Bien. Let us have the breakfast. We must wait for the police to conduct their investigation, then tonight you shall know all.”

     Sergeant Carrington and three local constables arrived within the hour, followed shortly after by two more men sent from Grantonbury. Sapp, accompanied by the faithful Wilson and a driver, took another quarter of an hour. When all were at hand, we went upstairs to interview Lady Ellsworth and Elizabeth. Brenda was clad in a green silk dressing-gown and wrapped in a quilt upon the sofa in her bedroom. She seemed in complete control of herself as she related her story. The poise of an actress well acquainted in dealing with the press and public stood her in good stead on this occasion.

     “I stayed up reading until quite late last night, gentlemen,” she began. “It was a bit past midnight when I decided to retire. I asked Elizabeth to open the French windows onto the terrace, as the night air was quite refreshing. While she was opening the window, I went into my bathroom for a few minutes. I heard a noise from the room and when I stepped back I found Elizabeth struggling with two dark clad, hooded figures. Before I could act or intercede, I was seized by two more of gang who had stationed themselves on either side of the bathroom door. My arms were held fast, and was very swiftly gagged with a wadded cloth.

     “They dragged me to my bed and threw me face down upon it. My arms were pulled behind me and my wrists bound fast. I tried to expel the gag, but sticking-plaster was applied over my mouth by one of them while the other tied my ankles. The last thing I saw before my eyes were covered was that the other pair of gang members had gagged and blindfolded Elizabeth, though she had not yet been bound, only held fast by the arms. Once my blindfold was in place, one of my captors apparently went to help the other two secure Elizabeth.”

     She made a wryly quizzical face.

     “The one who remained with me said nothing, but seemed determined to strip off my night-dress for some reason. She ended up practically tearing it from my body.”

     “Beg pardon, milady,” interposed Sapp. “But you’re certain that all your attackers were female?”

     She smiled at Sapp.

     “If you’re worried about my honour, Chief Inspector, you needn’t be. Other than tying me up and taking off my clothes, they did me no other insult or injury. I would not hesitate to say so if they had. And I’m also certain that they were women.

     “After the struggle with Elizabeth was over, they all returned to me,” she continued. “Not content with having me bound and naked as a babe, they proceeded to truss me up with incredible thoroughness, for what reason I can’t imagine. At the time I thought that they were going to move me and wanted to make sure I could not resist. Escape would have been difficult as it was, but after they finished with all the additional ropes it was utterly impossible.

     “I could hear them whisper to one another briefly, then they slipped quietly back out through the windows to the terrace and down the steps. From what I could hear, I think they left one at a time. When it remained quiet for several minutes, we began struggling, trying either to get free or to summon help. But we could hardly make enough noise to rouse a sleeping household. Finally, I heard Melinda calling to me, and the next thing I knew, Major Bosworth was breaking through the door and removing my gag.”

     She gave me an affectionate glance.

     “He was very galant, pretending not to notice my state of undress at the time,” she added with a little smile.

     Sapp questioned Elizabeth briefly. She had not seen anyone through the French windows, having opened the curtains only enough to turn the handle. The light from inside the room had reflected off the glass, making anyone standing outside invisible to her. She had been attacked only after turning her back to the windows and had seen nothing before being grabbed from behind and having a gag thrust into her mouth. While she struggled with two women, two more had taken positions at the bathroom door. In the ensuing struggle, a chair had been scraped along the floor, drawing Lady Ellsworth’s attention. Elizabeth had seen her mistress overpowered and bound, then had been blindfolded herself. Her uniform had been removed but not taken, being left on a chair where it had been tossed. They had bound her tightly and pushed her down on the sofa.

     Sapp closed his notebook.

     “I think that’s all for now, milady,” he said. “Anything from you, Sergeant Carrington?”

     “Do you have any idea how they left, milady? I mean, did you hear a car motor outside when they had gone?”

     Brenda wrinkled her brow in thought.

     “Now that you speak of it, I believe I did hear a car motor while it was quiet. A powerful motor, too, I would guess.”

     Seeing that Carrington was done, Sapp turned to Peugeot.

     “How about you, Peugeot?”

     My friend had spent most of the interview pacing about the room, straightening items on the tables and the vanity in his constant quest for perfect symmetry and orderliness. He crossed the room to Lady Brenda.

     “You will permit, milady?” he asked, taking her hand.

     She nodded. He lifted her hands in turn in order to examine the rope marks on her wrists, then delicately pushed the sleeve of her gown back to check the mark just above her elbows. He nodded slightly.

     “Your bonds must have caused you great discomfort, milady,” he observed.

     Brenda Ellsworth grew somewhat pale, undoubtedly upset by the memory of her ordeal.

     “They certainly knew how to render a woman helpless,” she said uncomfortably.

     Peugeot nodded again then conducted a similar examination of Elizabeth’s wrists. Once finished, he paused to brush some lint from a nearby lampshade.

     “I think that is all, Chief Inspector,” he said.

     Sapp rubbed his hands, preparing for action.

     “All right, lads,” he announced. “Let’s get outside then. Thank you very much for your cooperation, Lady Ellsworth.”

     She thanked him for his kindness and discretion as much with her lovely eyes as her words. We moved onto the terrace.

     Outside, Sergeant Carrington paused to return his notebook to his pocket.

     “I’m bound to say I was wrong about this case, Mister Peugeot,” he admitted. “I thought this was all some kind of joke played by the young folks on each other, but now it seems there’s something more here.”

     Sapp nodded.

     “The younger set might do something like this instead of one of those treasure hunts, but not Lady Brenda Ellsworth,” he added. “And it doesn’t seem likely that the lady herself could be behind things, if she’s a target of the gang, too. This has got to be more serious than I thought.”

     Peugeot nodded sagely.

     “Yes, my friends,” he mused. “These conclusions are inescapable.”

     I aided Sapp and Detective Sergeant Wilson as they searched for signs on the terrace. Sergeant Carrington carefully descended the stairs and started his men on a search of the grounds. We found no trace of the intruders on the upper level of the terrace but considering that it was covered with flagstones that was hardly surprising. Nothing had been dropped and there was no trace of muddy tracks.

     “That’s odd,” remarked Sergeant Wilson as he stood looking over the parapet at the garden below. “The ground’s still rather soft from the rain night before last, but there are no tracks down there and no sign of mould or mud up here.”

     “This is a crafty bunch, lad,” said Sapp. “They know a thing or two about not leaving evidence.”

     We took our search down to the garden. The result was much the same. Though we made a systematic hunt through the lawns and flowerbeds, we found nothing. Sergeant Carrington told Sapp he would take his men farther from the house in the direction of the Greenhampton-Millchester Road.

     “A sharp bunch they were,” he said with a shake of his head. “Didn’t leave a sign near the house. But if there’s anything near the road, my lads will find it.”

     I hoped that he was right. It was certainly frustrating no find nothing at every turn. As we paused in our work, I looked back to the upper terrace to see Peugeot watching us with an abstracted, rather bored expression. After much straightening of his tie and brushing of dust from his sleeves (an obvious sign of impatience), he turned to go back into the house when a shout from Carrington’s men drew our attention. One of the constables came trotting toward the house carrying a dark bundle. I joined the officers as the constable handed the bundle to his sergeant.

     “It’s a woman constable’s uniform,” the man panted. “We found it by the side of the road just past the drive.”

     Sapp looked inside the collar.

     “It’s Jane Meredith’s all right,” he said. “Her name’s been put in here by the laundry. Well done, lad.”

     “Now we know who made that false report about an accident,” I said, struck by sudden insight. “The gang brought it down from London so that one of them could draw the staff away from the house. They probably banked on that delaying the discovery of the crime.”

     “I think you’ve got it there, Major,” said Sapp. “And it would’ve worked if it hadn’t been for you and Miss Riddle.”

     Sergeant Carrington agreed, congratulating me on my deduction. Only Sergeant Wilson remained silent, frowning and thoughtfully stroking his moustache as he swept his eyes over the ground. He shook his head.

     There was no more to be found. Presently, I left the search in the hands of the professionals and returned to the house. I found Peugeot in the dining room enjoying another cup of coffee.

     “They’re a clever gang, Peugeot,” I remarked as I joined him. “There’s not a trace of them out on the lawns.”

     “They left no trace on the lawns because no one entered or left that way,” Peugeot said simply.

     “Then how did they get into Lady Brenda’s room?” I demanded.

     “By the door to the hallway,” he answered placidly.

     “And I suppose that Lady Ellsworth bolted the door after them,” I sneered.

     “Non, of course not. But Elizabeth was much less stringently bound. It was she who bolted the door.”

     For a moment I was struck dumb by this assertion. Did he actually believe that Elizabeth was an accomplice of the gang? Remembering the discovery of the uniform, I told Peugeot of it, as well as my theory of the gang drawing the men of the household away.

     “Sapp and Carrington seemed to think I’m right,” I noted with pride. “I don’t think Sergeant Wilson did, though he’s probably put off by an amateur making such a deduction.”

     Peugeot sipped his coffee with quiet enjoyment.

     “I think that the good Wilson excels this morning. Soon he may become the chief inspector himself.”

     He wagged a finger at me.

     “You use not the method and order, mon ami,” he rebuked. “Have you thought about why this part of the incident occurred? Why did the gang wish to draw Randall and Bell from the house?”

     “To prevent the early discovery of the attack on Lady Ellsworth and Elizabeth. It would give them more time to get away.”

     “But surely it is more likely that Lady Ellsworth would be attended by the female members of the staff than the butler and the footman,” Peugeot protested. “Of what use is their absence?”

     I had to confess I was at a loss.

     “Further,” he continued, “if Lady Ellsworth’s account is accurate, she was attacked just after midnight. Why should a member of the gang risk returning here seven hours later to attempt a ruse that might gain them one hour? Why not simply get as far from the manor as possible?”

     He smiled enigmatically at me.

     “I think that you are of prime importance in this matter.”

     Though I pressed him, he refused to elucidate.

     “Now, Bosworth,” he said at last, “before you exhaust yourself with questions, have another cup of this excellent coffee. Enjoy the morning paper while I have a word with Chief Inspector Sapp. Perhaps you and Lady Ellsworth can play the golf again this afternoon. No, that would not be a good idea. Your face shows too plainly that you know her true situation, and you might behave imprudently in a public place.”

     I started to protest, but Peugeot waved me off.

     “And remember that tonight you will follow even my most absurd order like le soldat fidèle that you are.”

     Peugeot went into the hall and met Sapp as he returned. The two spoke in low voices for some minutes, then Sapp and Wilson departed in the company of Sergeant Carrington. No police were left to guard the house, a point on which I would have protested to Peugeot, had he not disappeared upstairs immediately, giving me no chance.

     I was in an extremely agitated state. The desire to see Brenda and take her in my arms waged a mighty battle with the knowledge that such an open display would necessitate telling Julia and Daphne about their father. Not only would that bring great unhappiness to the house, but might compromise the affairs of Military Intelligence and also compromise the successful resolution of the case. I therefore determined to stay as far from Brenda as possible. My resolve proved unnecessary. Mrs. Daily brought Brenda’s apologies to us, saying that she would be spending the day in her room in the care of Elizabeth and the other women. I decided to take a long walk in the country and lunch away from Ellsworth Manor.

     After getting directions from Randall, I soon set out. A little more than an hour’s brisk pace found me at a charming roadside inn, the same inn where Daphne and Julia had been found bound to a tree following one of their abductions. The charming and buxom landlady and her three attractive daughters, all between eighteen and twenty-three, served as staff. There were a few tourists lodging there, and a number of locals constituted what I perceived to be regular lunchtime patrons. I also spotted a familiar convertible parked there. After buying a local paper, I asked for an outside table to enjoy the fine weather, and one of the comely daughters escorted me to one right next to the two occupants of the car I had seen. I placed my order and opened my paper, hoping that I might overhear something of what passed between the two men, Jarvis Carmody and Lawrence Butler.

     Their talk was not particularly stimulating or interesting. The two subjects to which they returned constantly were money (or lack of it) and the attractiveness of the landlady’s daughters as they passed by while serving the patrons in the garden. They had returned to the subject of money again when I heard the name that riveted my attention.

     “If it weren’t for that sod Bell, we’d be out of this hole,” said the taller of the two as he sipped his pint of local ale.

     “What can we do, Jarv?” moaned the other. “He says he’s quit us. Besides the place is fairly crawling with coppers this morning.”

     The other man smirked. He watched one of the waitress daughters bend over a nearby table to unload a tray.

     “Well, I for one don’t intend to be stopped by any bloody little Belgian or any amount of country policemen where there’s good money to be had. I’ve got to come up with some cash soon or the fun’s over.”

     I was ecstatic over this discovery. There really was an abduction plot here, the motive being money to support the style these young spendthrifts could not afford on their own means! I hoped that the two would finish their beer and leave so I could return and report my discovery without their knowledge. Alas, Fate intervened.

     To be sure that they could not see me, I had raised my newspaper a bit more. Suddenly, I heard a woman’s voice.

     “Here. What do you think you’re doing?”

     I lowered the pages to see that Carmody had stopped the girl serving them. He had his right hand tightly about her left wrist.

     “Come on, Martha, me dear,” he said. “Come on for a spin with us.”

     She tried to pull her hand away, but he held it fast.

     “I’ve got my work to do!” she protested. “Now let go.”

     He gave her a reptilian smile and continued in an oily tone.

     “You won’t be missed, my girl. What do you say?”

     She tried to pull away again.

     “No!” she said with rising shrillness. “Now let me go!”

     I could stand no more. I rose from my table.

     “Is there some problem?” I asked.

     They all turned to me, but he did not let go of her wrist.

     “Nothing for you to worry about, dad,” said Carmody. “Just a matter between the little lady and me. Now trot off.”

     “I think your business with the lady is over,” I said.

     He squinted at me and, in surprise I think, let go of the girl.

     “I know you,” he said. “You’re the wooden Indian friend of that little frog staying at the manor.”

     I believe he was trying to provoke me.

     “You’d better not let him hear you say that,” I said calmly. “He’s a Belgian, not a Frenchman.”

     “I’ll call the bloody little foreigner anything I like!” he smirked. “Or do you have an objection?”

     “I object you man-handling women.”

     Young Butler, perhaps more timid than his friend, stood up, an uncertain look on his face.

     “Come on, Jarv,” he said. “Let’s clear off.”

     “Not at all, Larry. The man’s going to teach me about the Marquis of Queensberry rules. Of course, I’m not very good with rules.”

     He tried to catch me unawares with a punch, but the Marquis of Queensberry rules were also unknown in trench raids around Ypres. I parried his roundhouse right, then gave him a short right, followed by a short left. He collapsed in a heap. Butler put out his hands in a gesture designed to stop me if I had any thoughts of continuing.

     “All right, mister, that’s enough! He’s just had a spot too much to drink. I’ll get him away.”

     I nodded.

     “Keep him away from the stuff if he can’t hold it this early,” I said. “And keep away from women who don’t like him, too.”

     Butler helped his friend to his feet, tossed a few coins on the table, and they staggered away.

     I noticed that all eyes in a small sea of smiling faces were upon me. I returned to my seat and continued with my lunch, being interrupted several times to accept thanks and congratulations.

     When I returned to Ellsworth Manor, Peugeot was nowhere to be found. Josephine told me that Bell had taken him into the village again, and they had not yet returned. Being rather hot and tired from my walk and other exercise, I washed and changed clothes, then lay down on the sofa in my room. As I listened to the breeze rustle the leaves outside my window, I began to think over the events of the last few days, especially our encounters with bound women.

     I remembered the small but distinct feeling of excitement I had when Daphne and Julia had recounted their stories to us, the thrill I felt when Daphne had clutched her hand to her breast and recounted the binding of her limbs and her struggles. Of course, my concern for their safety was foremost, and I had berated myself for the delicious pleasure I had taken from those accounts. Then, the finding of Miss Lime in the closet and Daphne, Julia, and the others in the hotel room had fanned that small spark of pleasure into a bonfire of desire. That was why I had been so utterly unable to resist binding Daphne. It may be difficult for some to understand how even a lovely and voluptuous woman like Daphne could be made more beautiful and desirable by adding bonds and a gag.

     But all my previous experiences had paled by comparison to the finding of Brenda this morning. How alluring and appealing she had been in her helplessness! The look in her eyes, the sound of her voice, and the way she had held herself told me that she had known that she was a vision, and that I was enraptured. The feel of her kiss while bound and her attitude of complete and loving surrender was plain to me. I thought of my discovery of Julia and her request that I delay in releasing her, and the way that Daphne had enticed me into binding her. These all told me that women also understood the power of the enchantress in ropes.

     And then and there I knew that anything that could cause one to feel love so deeply had to be good. I would no longer rebuke myself for the pleasant emotions I experienced while viewing a bound woman. Presently, I dozed off in the warm pleasure of my reveries.

     Peugeot was back in time for dinner. Melinda Riddle had returned to London, so only the women of the Ellsworth family were present at the meal. Julia and Daphne questioned Peugeot eagerly about the progress made by the police.

     “Alas, they have found very little to help us solve these terrible crimes,” Peugeot admitted sadly. “All that was found was the uniform of the woman police constable hear the road. This gang of women, they ‘cover their tracks’ well, as the Americans say.”

     “But how could that uniform be related to all the attacks?” asked Julia.

     “The uniform was the one taken from the constable in your hotel in London,” answered Peugeot. “It is hardly likely that the two incidents are unrelated. Both the London and local police will continue their inquiries, but I cannot see that their efforts will meet with success.”

     “Do you mean to say that this case baffles even you?” asked Daphne, seemingly shocked at the idea.

     “Even Henri Peugeot cannot see through all the deeds of men,” he lamented.

     “Perhaps that’s because in this case the deeds were done by women,” laughed Julia.

     Daphne joined in her sister’s merriment. Lady Brenda Ellsworth only smiled apprehensively at Peugeot’s defeated and downcast expression at this gibe at his legendary powers. The girls made haste to apologize and spent the rest of the meal attempting to cheer up the little man. At first Peugeot seemed inconsolable, but eventually he smiled and thanked the sisters for their efforts.

     After dinner we played several rubbers of bridge, then enjoyed some dancing in the cool night air of the terrace to music supplied by Daphne’s gramophone. The presence and attentions of the charming ladies appeared to have restored Peugeot’s spirits. He danced almost continually save for a few minutes when he excused himself to get a drink of water. I saw him talking to Josephine for a moment then press several papers into her hand when she brought him his drink. I was a bit curious about what he had given her, but was glad that there were so many attractive women about, since there’s nothing like a pretty face to restore a man’s ego.

     We said our goodnights a little after eleven. As we reached my door, Peugeot stopped and whispered to me:

     “Be so good as to change into dark clothing and put out your light. I shall come in twenty minutes.”

     I was about to ask him what we were going to do when I remembered my promise of the morning to do whatever he asked of me. It took only a minute to take off my shirt and slip on a dark pullover. I turned off the light and sat on the bed to wait.

     Exactly eighteen minutes later the door of my room swung noiselessly open and Peugeot beckoned me to follow him. When I stepped into the hall, I could see that he carried a cardboard shoebox. Silently, we crept down the stairs, crossed the foyer, and entered the dining room. Peugeot placed the box on the sideboard. He took out his pocket torch and handed it to me, indicating that I should keep the beam trained on the box. As I watched in astonishment, he drew out several neatly coiled bundles of rope, two rolls of wide sticking-plaster, three large handkerchiefs, and three dark cloth fabric bags. He unrolled some of the plaster and cut it into six-inch strips with a small pair of scissors he produced from his pocket. Sticking the plaster on the edge of the sideboard, he bade me bend close and whispered to me again.

     “The members of the gang will come through that door one by one. We must make captives of them as they do, and in such a way that they can give no warning to their allies. You must hold their arms firmly. I will see to it that they do not cry out. Together we will bind them fast. Do you understand?”

     I nodded and stationed myself against the wall beside the door, ready to pounce. I wondered how Peugeot could know that the gang intended to strike tonight or how he could have lured them here, but knew that this was no time to ask. I also knew why he had warned me about bizarre sounding orders, and felt somehow that it was right and proper that these miscreants be given a taste of the medicine they had given to others.

     I watched Peugeot noiselessly take three chairs from their places at the table and put them in a row near the sideboard. Then he began methodically uncoiling lengths of rope.

     Then I heard the soft creak of a carpeted floorboard in the hall as someone approached stealthily. It was a woman dressed in dark slacks and pullover. She stood cautiously in the open doorway, straining to see across the dark room.

     “Are you there?” she called in a whisper.

     She took two steps into the room and we were upon her. I grabbed her arms just above the elbows and held them firmly. As our captive gasped in surprise, Peugeot stepped forward and deftly thrust one the wadded handkerchiefs into her mouth. She wriggled a bit in my grasp, but I was determined to hold this villainess who was one of those responsible for attacking my beloved Brenda. Peugeot pressed two strips of sticking-plaster over her lips then covered her head with one of the bags. When he reached for one of the ropes he had been unwrapping, I anticipated him by pulling the woman’s arms behind her back so he could tie her wrists. Once her hands were bound, Peugeot took a long length of cord and wrapped her arms and torso several times. At his direction, we guided her across the room to one of the dining chairs he had set out. He pressed her shoulder, indicating to her that she should sit. I bound her ankles while he bound her knees. He then took another long rope and secured her to the chair.

     Peugeot leaned close to our captive’s ear and warned her in a whisper to be absolutely silent if she wished to escape the maximum punishment for her crimes. The dark hooded head bobbed a couple times in acquiescence. He then motioned to me to take my post again.

     Less than ten minutes later another woman crept down the hall. She did not call out in a whisper as the last had done, but entered the dining room as though expecting to find someone waiting. We captured her almost exactly as we had the first. She was gagged and hooded, then bound and marched to the next waiting chair. We secured her there, Peugeot warning her to be silent.

     We took our places again. Within ten minutes a third prize, dressed identically to the first two, had been added to our bag. She was likewise gagged, hooded, and bound, then led to a chair and pinioned to it.

     As I returned to my place to await the fourth member of the gang, it occurred to me that we had had a singularly easy time in capturing the first three. Either the excitement of the hunt had greatly increased my strength or the women had offered little real resistance.

     I had not yet reached my station when I was surprised by the lights being turned on. Peugeot stood at the switch, a smile of triumph on his face.

     “That is enough for tonight, my good Bosworth,” he said coolly. “Though I grant that we have not absolutely every member of the gang in our custody, we certainly have the main figures behind the terror at Ellsworth Manor.”