Having exchanged her dress for an easy _robe-de-chambre_, she sat before the fire plaiting her long dark tresses, her eyes fixed upon the fire, now fast dying away.
She had knowledge of that marvellous secret--the whereabouts of the bewildering treasure of Israel. Yet how would it all end? Why had her father suspicion of spies in their own home? What could he suspect?
She wondered, as she had often wondered, what conclusion her father had formed regarding her mysterious absence from home, and often, in her moments of reflection, she found herself puzzled and pondering regarding her unconsciousness on that never-to-be-forgotten night when she had found herself alone and helpless in the hands of the man who had laughed at her innocence and dismay.
She dare not tell Frank. It was her secret--a dark secret which she had resolved to keep at all hazards--one that he should never know.
"But he is mine again!" she murmured to herself, a sweet smile of contentment playing about her lips. "I have been a fickle girl, I know, but, after all, every girl is entitled to have one good time in her life. I've had mine, and I have found Frank. I love him, and he loves me. I know he does. And to-morrow dad will `wire' him, and I shall see him again. Ah! what will he say, I wonder--now that dad has discovered the secret. Dear old dad! He deserves all the _kudos_ he'll get from the great discovery, for he's worked hard--worked night and day almost.
And the ugly little Doctor? I wonder how he'll take it? One thing is plain, that we have outwitted that red-faced scoundrel and his friends.
We know the truth, while they are still in ignorance."
For a long time she sat, her pretty head, with its two long plaits secured by blue ribbons, pillowed upon the muslin-covered cushion in the low comfortable armchair, her bare feet thrust into slippers, and upon her sweet countenance an expression of calm content.
The little clock upon her mantelshelf, chiming the half-hour--half-past three--aroused her from her reverie, and she shivered, for the fire had died away and the room had now become chilly. So preoccupied had she been that she had not noticed that the fire was already out.
As she stirred herself, she suddenly recollected that, downstairs in the study, she had left her book in which she was greatly interested, and which she wanted to continue when she awoke in the morning. It was a heavy work of one of the German philosophers which she was studying, for since leaving school she had done a vast amount of reading, especially French and German literature. She was highly educated and cultured, and, unlike the average young girl of our twentieth century, she had not put aside her books with her ankle-skirts.
In her long trailing robe of pale _eau-de-nil_ she crossed the room, and seating herself at her writing-table scribbled a note to her dressmaker, which she had forgotten. Then having put a stamp upon it, she quickly opened her door, crept softly past her father's room, fearing to wake him, and down the thickly carpeted stairs where her slippered feet fell noiselessly.
She had no candle, but she knew her way about the house quite well in the dark, and also knew where to put her hand upon most of the electric switches.
Creeping softly down, afraid every moment that the stairs would creak-- for stairs always have a horrid habit of creaking in the silence of the night--she carried the letter in her hand for the purpose of placing it in the rack in the study which Laura always cleared when she went to the room in the morning, and Kate took the letters to the post-office down at the corner.
Reaching the landing she crossed it to the study-door, but as she did so she saw, to her surprise, a light issuing from the crack beneath.
Her father had evidently returned there to continue his work, as he sometimes did when unable to sleep.
For a second she hesitated whether she should enter, but making up her mind suddenly, she placed her fingers upon the handle and opened the door.
Next instant, however, uttering a low cry, she stood upon the threshold, rigid as one petrified.
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.
"SILENCE FOR SILENCE!"
"_You_!"
It was the only word which the girl uttered, but its tone showed her horror and indignation.
The green-shaded light was, she saw, switched on at the writing-table, and as she entered, there before her, seated in her father's chair, was the man who had posed as Frank's friend, "Captain Wetherton!"
As she had slowly opened the door he had raised his head, pale and startled. But only for a second. When he recognised who it was, he rose and, bowing, smiled with perfect _sangfroid_.
He had entered the house with the false latch-key which he had had made from the wax impression he had taken of the key which Gwen had carried on that night of the false assignation. His only fear had been, however, a meeting with the girl Laura.
Now that he saw that it was not she, he only smiled triumphantly.
"Yes," he said simply. "It's me! Are you very surprised?"
Instantly she recognised that, upon the blotting-pad, was lying open the precious document which she herself had typed. He had opened the drawer, abstracted it, and read it.
He, her enemy, knew their secret!
"By what right, pray, are you here, sir?" she demanded, advancing into the room boldly, and facing him.
"I have no right. I'm here just by my own will," was his quick, defiant response.
"This is my father's house, and I shall alarm him," she said determinedly. "You have no right thus to pry into his private affairs!"
"I have to decide that, Miss Griffin," he said, as over his dark face spread that evil smile she remembered so well.
Having risen from the chair, he had now advanced closely to her. She noticed that he wore thick woollen socks over his boots, so as to muffle his footsteps, while upon his hands were a pair of grey _suede_ gloves which appeared too large for him. Jim Jannaway had been a man of many precautions, ever since his finger-prints had been taken on a certain memorable day at Ipswich police-station, prior to his conviction.
"But," he laughed, examining her from head to toe, "you really look charming, my dear little girl--even better than when in your walking kit. Why!" he exclaimed, pointing across the room. "Why--what's that-- over there?"
She turned suddenly, taking her eyes off him for an instant, but saw nothing. His ruse succeeded, for that instant was sufficient for him to slip behind her and close the door, turning the key in the lock.
"I must apologise for doing this in your own house, Miss Griffin, but I fear that we may be overheard," he said. "Now I want to have a very serious chat with you."
"I wish to say nothing to you, sir," she replied drawing herself up haughtily, the train of her pretty gown sweeping the floor. "I only demand to know what you are doing here, reading my father's papers."
"And suppose I refuse to tell you--eh?" he asked, raising his brows.
"Then I shall scream, and alarm the household. They will hand you over to the police."
"And if you were so ill-advised as to do that, Miss Griffin," answered the fellow impudently, advancing a step nearer to her, and looking straight into her face. "Well--you would suffer very severely for it.
That's all."
"I'm prepared to take all the consequences," was her calm reply.
"Take care!" he said threateningly, in a low hoarse voice. "I'm a desperate man when driven into a corner."
"You mean rather that you're a coward when cornered," she said coldly.
"I am glad to have this opportunity of meeting, in order to repay you for the gross injustice which you have done me."
"You're a little fool!" he said in a hard tone. "Keep quiet, or somebody will hear you."
"You entrapped me in that place. I have now entrapped you--in my own house," she exclaimed, with a look of triumph.
"Not for long," he said determinedly. "Do you know that I could strangle you where you stand, and still get clear. Even though you screamed. I already have a rope on the balcony yonder, down into the street. But don't be alarmed. I have no wish to injure you, my dear little girl--not in the least. We will just make an arrangement, and cry quits."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, listen. You've discovered me here, and you could give me away.
But I want to buy your silence."
"Buy my silence!" she exclaimed, staring at him. "Yes. Why not? You must buy mine. Shall we not then be quits?"
She regarded him with a puzzled air. He was her bitterest foe, and she was wondering what was the true meaning of the suggestion. She was undecided, too, whether not to alarm the house, instead of parleying further. She had caught the fellow in her father's room wearing the apparel of the modern burglar, therefore the police would, without doubt, arrest him as such.